Harmonics

by ezra09


Battle's End

Rosalia gave a single, desperate scream as the rainbow light of harmony washed over her. The force threw her ragdoll into the air. She dashed against the throne room floor and tumbled to a stop along the far wall. Her pink form didn’t move.

Scootaloo settled back onto the ground with her friends.

They didn’t turn her to stone, Scootaloo thought, disappointment barely registering over the general surprise of what just happened. I guess they only do that to Discord.

“Did we just use the Elements of Harmony?” Spike asked, looking down at his own arms and body, where the purple dust still shimmered.

“Uh, I think so,” Scootaloo said.

“That was so cool!” Thistleroot said, high pitched voice filled with giddy excitement. “Can we do it again?”

“Ah sure hope so,” Apple Bloom said, pointing. Scootaloo looked up to see Nocturne moving toward the center of the room.

Nocturne first studied Rosalia for a long moment. She didn’t move, but she couldn’t have been hurt too bad, Scootaloo thought, or her shapeshifting would have failed. After a few seconds, Nocturne turned her focus toward Scootaloo and her friends.

“So, this is the magic Rosalia had me destroy? Or, try to destroy, it seems.” With a thought, six spears of black glass sprung into being around her and hurled themselves at Scootaloo and her friends.

The magic of harmony answered, the dust surrounding each of them swirling into half dome barriers. The spears shattered across the barriers, pouring their destructive magic against them.

A force like a giant pillow slammed into Scootaloo. Her eyes widened as the breath was forced from her lungs, and even protected by the elements, she and her friends were driven back several feet.

Magenta magic sparked from the barriers and she felt a pulse of heat in the back of her mind.

She gasped as the force passed and she staggered forward in its absence. Nocturne was so much stronger than Rosalia!

Nocturne didn’t give them time to recover. A tiny black ball of energy spun into being at the crook of her horn. Scootaloo’s heart jumped as she realized she’d seen this spell before, when Nocturne had destroyed Canterlot. She desperately reached once again for the Elements of Harmony.

The rainbow light connected them as Nocturne flicked the destructive orb in their direction. Scootaloo and her friends released the magic of harmony, and it met Nocturne’s spell.

Light and heat exploded at the back of Scootaloo’s mind as they tried to push the orb back. The rainbow light fractured where it met the orb of black magic, which in turn pulsed, made unstable by the contact.

It was like trying to push against lightning, Scootaloo thought. Like trying to deflect it with her bare hooves. It burned through her, and she could feel the strain not just in her mind, but in her physical body as well.

Finally Nocturne’s magic gave and the rainbow light faded. Scootaloo sagged, breathing again, though she didn’t know when she’d stopped. The air burned in her lungs.

Nocturne readied another orb of destruction and lobbed it at them. Scootaloo gritted her teeth and they caught it once again. She could feel her friends beside her, could sense their silent encouragement through the bonds of the elements, and their own determination to survive.

The fire in her head threatened to overwhelm her, but after a few moments, the second orb broke like the first and Scootaloo was free from the magical struggle. She dropped forward, legs bent, head bowed as she gasped for breath. They couldn’t keep this up.

She pushed herself back to her hooves.

Another orb spun into being at the crook of Nocturne’s horn, and Scootaloo’s stomach turned cold. Just how many times could she do that? Did she even have a limit?

Nocturne shifted, spreading her legs for balance, and for just a moment, Scootaloo thought she saw a flicker of doubt in the creature’s face.

Nocturne sent the orb toward them, but it was slower this time. Not much, but slower.

Scootaloo and her friends summoned the light of harmony again and cast it against the orb.

Scootaloo threw every bit of defiance and anger she had into it, but it didn’t help. The force of Nocturne’s magic was too much. She felt herself failing, felt the magic slipping away. They couldn’t do this.

A hoof touched her shoulder. She turned to see Apple Bloom, face set in determination. The earth pony didn’t say anything, but she didn’t have to. Another hoof touched her opposite shoulder, and she turned to see Sweetie Belle. Spike placed a clawed hand on Sweetie Belle’s shoulder. Thistleroot did the same to Apple Bloom, and Mimic put a hoof on his shoulder.

Scootaloo stopped trying to keep herself up through defiance, stubbornness, or anger. She didn’t need those things. Not when she had her friends to lean on.

Well, now that we're friends, what if the three of us work together to find out who we are and what we're supposed to be? How about... The Cutie Mark Crusaders?”

“And I’m Spike, her number one assistant. What’s your name?”

I'm Thistleroot, by the way.”

“My name is Mimic.”

“No matter how far you have to go, we’ll always be your friends.”

“We’ll always be the Cutie Mark Crusaders.”

Nocturne’s Magic broke against the magic of harmony. Scootaloo nearly fell as the strain that had been holding her up faded, but Apple Bloom half caught, half used her for support.

Dark sparks flickered from Nocturne’s horn, and Scootaloo braced herself once more, but no dark orb appeared. Nocturne shifted once again, and her chest rose and fell faster than before. The signs of exertion were faint, but she was tiring.

“I think that’s enough,” Discord said, resting his paw on Nocturne’s back. “Wouldn’t you agree?”

Nocturne froze, then slowly turned her head toward him. “You were bound.”

“Oh, yes, sorry.” Discord vanished in a flash and reappeared inside the chains that still held against the far wall. “Oh, whatever shall I do?”

For just the smallest fraction of a second, Scootaloo could have sworn she saw Nocturne roll her eyes.

“But enough about me,” Discord said, once again beside Nocturne. “What about you?”

“What about me?” Nocturne said. Scootaloo blinked in surprise. Not only had she dropped the royal we, but she asked the question in a normal sounding, albeit still regal and forceful voice.

“Well, you can’t seem to overcome the Elements of Harmony,” Discord said. “Oh, don’t feel bad, neither can I.”

“It is true that they can withstand my magic, but they haven’t defeated me,” Nocturne said.

“Yet,” Discord said. “But they will. If not these ponies, then others. The weapon I used on you last time will be recovered, or a new one will be made. I tried to conquer the ponies three times while you were imprisoned. They beat me every time.”

Scootaloo tried to meet her gaze, but it was all she could do to keep herself standing.

“You know, none of them realized they would be able to use the Elements of Harmony,” Discord said. “And they came here to fight anyway.”

“Why,” Nocturne asked, not toward Discord, but to Scootaloo and her friends. “Why would you try to fight an impossible battle. Why would you return?”

“Because, we have ponies that are counting on us,” Apple Bloom said. “We have families we have to protect.”

“And homes,” Thistleroot added. “Not just the one we want to rebuild, but all of the other cities you could destroy.”

“And what of you?” Nocturne asked, her gaze focusing on Mimic. “Your family and home are with the changelings.”

Mimic shook her head. “The only ones who ever treated me like a family are right here.”

“You think we’re too weak and soft to survive,” Scootaloo said. “But the world has changed while you’ve been gone. We don’t have to fight every day just to live. If anything, we’ve figured out how to survive better than any of the creatures you’ve created.”

At that, Nocturne straightened, her head tilted slightly.

“She has a point,” Discord said.

Nocturne paused. “She does.” Another moment passed, and then Nocturne stepped back. “I think you are right, Discord. That is enough.”

“Oh, thank goodness,” Discord said. “I was afraid I’d have to use this.” He held the tablet up and gave it a wave.

“Where did—” Thistleroot started, but just cut himself off with a groan.

“Ponies,” Nocturne said. “Today, you have proven to me that you are much stronger than I imagined. I can see now that I will have no rest, no respite should I insist on hunting in this claimed territory you call Equestria.

“That, and you have given me much to consider on the actions of those I trusted the most,” she added, turning toward Rosalia. Her horn flared, and the changeling queen stirred. “Rise.”

“Wait, are you saying...” Scootaloo trailed off, not entirely willing to believe what she was hearing.

“I have no interest in being sealed away again,” Nocturne said. “If it is true that Discord has faced your kind three times and failed, I am not foolish enough to repeat his mistakes. Not after seeing with my own eyes the determination you have shown today.”

“But what about the attack?” Apple Bloom asked. “The changelings are attacking Canterlot right now!”

Nocturne closed her eyes, horn humming slightly with dark power.

“We’ve only been here for a few minutes,” Spike said. “Maybe if Discord teleports us back, we can—”

“It is over,” Nocturne said. “I have ordered the overseers to pull the changelings back.”

“Or that,” Spike said.

Rosalia rolled and pushed herself up, blinking. She staggered, and nearly fell, before managing to straighten. She blinked again when she saw Scootaloo and her friends, still alive. “My lady?”

“Prepare yourself. We are to leave this place once our changelings return. And we have much to discuss about these messages your sister sent. The ones the young one spoke of.”

Rosalia glanced at Mimic, fear and hatred at war in her eyes, but she bowed. “Yes, my lady.”

“If I might suggest,” Discord said. “There’s quite a bit of undiscovered land to the west. You might try there, first.”

“Very well,” Nocturne said. She paused. “Will you be joining us.”

“Oh? Well,” Discord paused, thinking. “I suppose I could, for a little while. I was meaning to see how the world’s changed in the time I was locked up. I suppose I could tag along. Periodically, of course. I’ll still want to drop in on my friends here for tea.”

“Friends?” Nocturne said, shaking her head. “Truly, the world has changed if Discord can speak of friendship.”

“Apparently it’s magic, or something.” Discord shrugged. “I suppose—”

“What... what’s going on?”

Everypony looked to Rosalia.

The changeling queen stood, face a mixture of confusion and horror, not facing anypony in particularly. She lifted her head, and dropped it again. Her breathing hitched, and she did it again. She half turned, horn flaring with pink light, but nothing happened.

“Is something wrong, Rosie?” Discord asked.

Rosalia’s horn flared brighter, and she thrashed her head back and forth, left and right. “I can’t... I can’t...”

“She can’t change,” Mimic said.

“No!” Rosalia cried out as her horn flared again and again. “No, no, no, no, no!”

Finally she collapsed, horn still flared as she tried to change, legs covering her head as she kept saying “no” over and over.

Everypony watched her for several more seconds.

“It seems we will be taking a pony with us,” Nocturne said.

*****

“That’s it?” Scootaloo asked. “She’s just leaving?” She was in her own tent, back at Camp Canterlot. It turned out that heroes of Equestria got their own room.

She was sitting on the cot across from Discord. Her wing was bandaged, and everypony else had been checked out as well. Mimic’s leg would be in a splint for a while, but beyond that everypony would be okay. The rest of the day had passed in a blur of motion as the exhaustion settled in. Luckily, Scootaloo hadn’t been expected to talk much.

“Is that a problem?” Discord asked.

“I don’t know. I’m just used to bad guys being imprisoned, or purified, or...”

“Turned to stone?”

Scootaloo shrugged. “Shouldn’t we have at least tried to re-imprison her. We had the Elements of Harmony and the tablet. After everything that happened?”

“Most of that was Rosalia,” Discord said. “And she won’t be hurting anypony anymore.”

Scootaloo hesitated. “I guess. But what if she doesn’t leave for good?”

Discord made a yanking motion in the air, and suddenly the tablet was between his talons. “Then you use this.” He set the tablet down beside her.

Scootaloo looked down at it. She didn’t believe that it ran on batteries, not now that she’d had some time to think about it. It would have been easier to just seal Nocturne away again.

“You sealed Nocturne away before.” Scootaloo said. “You and all of the eternal spirits were trying to take over. Even though I thought I had to, I always felt guilty about helping the girls seal you away again.”

Discord said nothing.

“So, you’re going with them?”

Discord nodded. “Of course, I’ll still be able to pop in now and then.”

“Good,” Scootaloo said, smiling.

“Speaking of which, I should be going. I’m sure Nocturne will want to set out soon, and you need to get your rest. I’m sure Princess Celestia will want to give you and your friends medals tomorrow.”

Scootaloo made a face, but climbed under the covers. Without any further ado, Discord snapped and was gone.

Scootaloo blew out the candle beside her cot and leaned back onto the cot. It was still early, and there was plenty of noise coming from the camp outside, but as tired as she was from the past couple of days, sleep came almost immediately.

“Goodnight, Discord,” she managed before drifting off.

Goodnight, Scootaloo.