Chapter 2
“Closed, what do you mean closed down?” Twilight asked, looking around the spot where she was. What had once been the carousel boutique was now a pile of disjointed building materials and mannequins being placed into shipping boxes.
“Sorry miss twilight.” The worker pony stated, reaching into his orange worker vest and pulling out a set of papers “it was miss rarity’s decision to tear this place down, don't blame us for doing our job.”
Twilight picked up the papers from the earth pony and began to sift through them quickly. Sure enough, they were proper legal forms, filled out with rarity's signature. She couldn't believe this. Why would rarity just dismantle the business she worked so hard to make?
“Well, thanks for the info. Have a good day, and tell rarity hi for me.” With that twilight flew out of the small area in canterlot, wondering what could have happened to make her friend do such a change.
The worker watched twilight fly off, then went to the work desk in the area. Keros got rid of her disguise, and pulled out the headset that was in her jacket.
“Twilight just came by sir.” The changeling said, looking over the plans that were on the table in the room “she's making her way back to ponyville as we speak.”
There was a brief pause as she listened to the tinkerer, before replying back.
“Yes, I made sure she was going back and not to the princesses. The next phase of the operation can continue as planned.”
Keros nodded her head as the words came in from the radio, and she quickly put the headset away. Changing back into her worker disguise, she quickly went to finish the work around the boutique.
Jade woke up from her nap with a start, breathing heavily. The last thing she remembered was passing out in the carousel boutique, which wasn't a very comforting thought. She quickly got out of the bed she was in and looked around.
She appeared to be in the guest room of the tinkerers mansion. A simple place, with a white wall, a single bed, and a mirror in one of the corners. Since he didn't get many visitors, it wasn't designed elaborately.
Jade walked to the corner of the room, examining herself in the mirror. She appeared to have been bathed, her mane still slightly damp with water. Other then that, she seemed no different from when she had been at the boutique.
Guess the tinkerer got me out when I passed out. Better talk to him about it. Jade thought this as she made her way out of the room and to the kitchen.
When she went there, she found buttercup and the tinkerer working on breakfast. The maid was making grits and pancakes, while the tinkerer worked on coffee and toast. When the two noticed Jade, they smiled and waved her inside.
“Good morning Jade.” The tinkerer spoke, not looking away from the coffee maker “your mission was a success. I hope you slept well.”
“That's what I wanted to ask about.” The alicorn replied, glancing at the two ponies with concern. “how could it have been a success if I passed out halfway through? And more importantly, what happened WHEN I passed out.”
“It seemed that the clothes pony managed to find out about our little plan, so she knocked you out with magic. You were lucky we got there to rescue you.” his words made Jade's heart sink. Had she really been bested on her first mission for the project?
Her gaze must have showed her intent, as the tinkerer went up to her and gave a brief hug. “You still did well for your first assignment, now head into the other room and we'll discuss your next mission.” Jade nodded, heading out of the kitchen into the main area.
“You're not going to say what really happened?” Buttercup asked, placing the breakfast items on a tray.
“I'm sure about that. I'd rather have her find out on her own accord then to just say it. Besides, repeating events will make her believe it more.” The tinkerer walked out of the kitchen, letting buttercup follow close behind.
It was a beautiful day in ponyville, and things were going quietly for the town. Fluttershy was busy enjoying a get together with discord, as they had been doing for the past few weeks. As they talked and enjoyed the sandwiches, a knock came at the door, getting the attention of the two lovers.
“that's odd, I wasn't expecting any visitors today. Excuse me for a moment.” Fluttershy got out of the chair she was sitting in and made her way to the door, with discord watching her go.
Standing in the doorway was a unicorn, wearing a long cloak (despite the warm weather). She appeared to be glancing around nervously, and jumped back when the door opened. Fluttershy waited for the pony to get composed before greeting her.
“Well, hi there.” The newcomer said in a meek voice. “Is a Mr. Discord here? I heard he comes over to your house sometime and I need his help.” As she spoke, the draconequus appeared behind her in a poof of magic, causing the unicorn to jump behind Fluttershy.
“You called?” Discord gave the mare a smile, before walking next to Fluttershy. “This better be good, we were in the middle of something and I don't want this to take long.”
“Yeah, it shouldn't.” The mare added, trotting out from the house and down the street a little. The two followed close behind her, with discord still munching on a cucumber sandwich.
The tinkerer watched the events playing out on the screen before him. Jade seemed to take on her job well, despite what it intelled. While he was thinking, one of his lab assistants turned to him and asked a question.
“I'm sure the spell will work on him.” The tinkerer replied, turning back to the screen. “This magic was made before the dawn of Equestria. It'll work on the chaos creature, I'm sure of it.”
The three made there way to a small area on the outskirts of the town. It was a secluded area, where most ponies don't go to on a average day, making it ideal for what was to come. Once there, Fluttershy and discord looked around in confusion, wondering what the meaning of this was.
Before they could ask about it however, the unicorn suddenly collapsed onto the ground, making the two rush over to help. As they approached, the cloaked unicorn got up, moving in a slow, methodical way. Then, in a flash, the two were surrounded in a dark green aura, the unicorns eyes now growing violet and the cap flapping in the magic power.
“et contra levantem se et non magica, chao creatura. quod mortalis est, et morietur meis carminibus coactam.” The words came out in a harsh voice, and discord had a rainbow light emanate from his mouth, into the now glowing unicorn.
Discord and Fluttershy then fell to the ground, both in shock at what just happened. The unicorn then threw off the cloak, revealing her wings to the two.
“Shame I have to do this.” Jade said, looming over the unconscious discord and Fluttershy. “But I have my masters wishes to do.”
With that, she placed discord in a second bubble, her magic glowing green, with stones revolving around her horn.
“et conversus sum ut lapis.” as she said this, a large circle of green appeared on the ground, and Jade dipped her captive into it. When discord reappeared, the once living draconequus was a stone statue. Fluttershy began to wake up, and saw her friend turned into a statue again, her heart sank.
“Don't be upset my dear.” Jade spoke mocking, hovering the statue above Fluttershy. “Your love life would have never worked out. He was immortal, you weren't. And we all know you only cared for him because you're the element of kindness. Be thankful I'm lifting the burden away.”
Fluttershy didn't seem to respond, she only looked into the stone eyes of discord, hovering just inches above her. Silent tears formed on her face. She turned to Jade, but instead of anger, it was full of pain and sadness.
“All this power, all that talk, and yet you think I'm the fool for loving discord? Go ahead, finish me quick, but PLEASE spare discord! He's suffered enough as a statue, and the last thing I want to see is to have him trapped again. please?!” Jade looked at Fluttershy, and smiled warmly.
“If you say so.” With that, she threw the statue into the air, and sent it crashing down at high speed, crushing Fluttershy's head and breaking the statue to pieces. Her last thought was if discord would be ok when she died.
“My work here is done. Now to get the scene ready for tomorrow's headlines. Just as the tinkerer asked.” She carried the remains of the two, the discarded blood quickly swept away with a spell, to begin the next phase of the plan.
Jade sat on the balcony of the tinkerers home, looking at the moon. Once again, she had passed out from something on a mission. This couldn't be a coincidence, could it?
As she sat, Fangorn came out from inside, carrying a cup of hot chocolate for himself (thought it was about a gallon for a regular pony). He placed himself next to her, looking up at the stars with her. Eventually, he turned to her, wiping chocolate off his mouth as well.
“What brings you out here tonight? It can't be to watch the stars, since even in your body, your brain needs sleep.” Jade avoided his blind gaze, looking away to a different part of the sky. He simply waited for her to respond, his silent staring boring into her mind till she finally gave in.
“I found myself passing out again. I thought the first time it was a fluke, but twice? I'm smart enough now to see a connection. Yet, I can't find out what it is because the tinkerer has parameters around it.”
“Sometimes, ignorance is more fruitful than knowledge.” With that, Fangorn walked back into the house, dropping a newspaper as he went. Curious, Jade levitated it to herself and began reading.
Trouble in ponyville. Twilight read the headline with a sinking heart. First canterlot, now here in ponyville? Shaking her head, she continued. local ponyville resident and former element of honesty, Fluttershy, has had her house brutally ransacked and burned down. No sign of the yellow pegasus, or her animals were found at the scene.
Residents say the fire began after a loud crash heard in the hills. While unconfirmed, reporters believed that the former king of chaos, discord, was also found at the scene. Neither he, or Fluttershy have been seen to prove this theory.
Twilight was snapped out of her trance as a knock came at the door. She quickly put the newspaper away, and ran to the door. Starlight stood in the door, carrying a package with a letter on it.
“Another gift from our 'secret admirer’ just came in.” Starlight walked past her, placing the box onto a table in the room “it at least is small compared to the last one.”
“And smells better, it seems.” twilight ripped the attached letter open, and she began to read it, starlight standing nearby.
“One soul fell in glamor, now a second falls from kindness. Two friends are gone, and to sweeten the deal, a nuisance in the form of a king is gone too. Here's something to remember your friends by. I hope it keeps your young dragon warm.”
The two went back over to the box, quickly opening it with magic. Inside, they found a small, hoof stitched blanket. It had a checker design, with several colors, furs, and symbols on each square. The most prominent ones, were yellow squares with a single butterfly symbol on it.
The two looked at the blanket, feeling the various furs and the feather stuffed blanket. It had been shampooed recently, by the strong smell of honey lavender emitting from the cloth. Not a single blood stain to be found.
Twilight draped herself in the blanket, it was softer than even the bed she slept in, and walked to her bedroom, silent tears falling onto the castle floor. Before she entered, she turned to starlight, a determination growing in her eye as she spoke.
“We have to warn the town. Get some sleep, and be ready in the morning. One way or another, we WILL make whoever did this pay.” With that, she entered her bedroom, holding spike closer to her heart then she had ever done before.