//------------------------------// // 8. Opening Gambits // Story: Harmonic Fellowship // by Sun Sage //------------------------------// “Go, go, go!” Spitfire yelled, directing the evacuation.  “Windy Whistles is directing traffic to the south, two blocks!  Get to her or any Wonderbolt for help! Nopony panic!” She tilted her wings, and with a single stroke shot into the air again, a sonic boom blasting out from her before she smashed into another of the monsters, crushing its armor and its torso while knocking it away from the family it had been threatening.  She spun, bucking another in the face, to far less effect as it swung a sword at her wings at almost the same time. She was fast, and managed to mostly avoid the strike as a thin line of blood ran down the blade.  Too shallow to slow me down, rookie…  She changed her duck into a roll, kicking at the monster’s legs as she shot down beneath the cloud cover.  It didn’t follow. She blinked, it couldn’t follow…  She took a deep breath, drawing on the lung capacity, and yelling strength, of a Wonderbolt Captain.  “Wonderbolts! Cloudsdale Sky Guard! They’re using some cloudwalking magic, but it’s NOT from them! Talisman, amulet, whatever!  Rip it off ‘em! Drop these losers into the mountains below! Get them the BUCK outa my skies!” She twisted in the air, and made a beeline for where she’d seen one of them go into an ordinary looking house.  Fighting close quarters could’ve been trouble. But she could ignore clouds as needed, so she’d have an advantage, she hoped. As she reached the open door she felt sick and realized she wouldn’t be needing that advantage. There was blood.  Blood everywhere. The walls, the floors, the ceiling… dripping down.  Spitfire swallowed heavily. She had enough experience with injuries, minor and otherwise… to know the blood wasn’t pony… though it was still very disturbing. Almost as disturbing as the little filly with the kitchen knife in her teeth, covered in blood, but not nearly as disturbing as when said filly grinned up at Spitfire, without dropping the knife.  “Captain Spitfire!” Her red eyes lit up with delight. Red like all the… oh Celestia… this is the filly that Crash was helping…  “I… What…?” Now she spit the knife out, straight into the air.  She caught it with a wing and tucked it against her barrel, obscuring it completely.  “I’m Joyous Riot. My parents are in the other room; can you get them to safety?” “I… yeah?” “Eeee!” the little filly squeed.  “So awesome… you kicked so much flank out there, and you aren’t even a warrior like them!  You’re so cool! I’m gonna go kill more Oni, okay?” “You… wait, what… how?” The filly turned, knocking at the door.  As she did Spitfire saw, on a filly too young to have one, her Cutie Mark: a field of greatswords impaled in the dirt.  “Mom, dad! It’s okay, the bad people went away and Captain Spitfire is here! Uhh… we need a new bread knife… I... lost ours?” The door shot open, and the filly’s mother, indifferent to the blood, scooped her up in a hug.  “‘Went away’… as if we couldn’t hear in there! Young lady, we’ve talked about this! You were supposed to be in the treasure room!  And you give back that knife this instant!” “But they had to die!” she whined. “You’re grounded!” “Aww…” Spitfire’s jaw hung open a moment.  “...Wat?” She shook her head. The other mare was a pale yellow, with an off white mane that was cut short, and rather messy.  Her daughter had her eyes. “Wait, I recognize you…” A stallion walked out of the other room and looked around at the blood, grimacing.  His coat was a light copper hue, and his steely mane was a bigger mess than his wife’s.  “This is worse than the manticores last year…” He looked to Spitfire with an apologetic grimace.  “I’m sorry you had to see this, Captain. She’s… a very special little filly.” “Yeah… I’m getting that.  ...And I know you, too. I didn’t realize you were her parents.  I hate to say it explains things, but...” The stallion shrugged it off.  “Is the damage outside serious?” “No.  They set off some troop teleport spell before an explosive blast hit the Cloudeseum, but nopony was there at this hour.  ...I hope, nopony should’ve been anyway. The monster troops are scary, but slow and awkward on the clouds. We’re getting everypony out just in case they fire again, but whatever they came for, they won’t win.” “Yeah!” Joy yelled.  “I want to help! Killing monsters is my special talent!” “Young lady, your special talent is not killing!” Joy pouted.  “Is too…” Spitfire looked to the door.  “I’m just gonna… get back out there… let you two do the parenting thing.  Seems harder than Wonderbolting…” Joy’s mother snorted, but smiled at Spitfire.  “No no, we’ll come along. She’s done going all Pale Horse for the night.”  She turned to Joy. “Understood? And fly through a raincloud before we get there, you look like tomato puree.” “Okay, momma.” Edelweiss and Sword Breaker, THEY are her parents?!  No wonder Crash was having trouble figuring her out. Wonder if she knows…  On a sudden impulse, she looked past Edelweiss as the mare was coming back out of the room they’d been closed in.  She winced. If anything, it looked worse than the parlor. “I’m pretty sure that was their commander in there,” Edelweiss muttered, noticing Spitfire’s gaze.  “He was strong. Break won’t say it, but his wing is cracked in two places. Be careful with these monsters…”  With that, she scooped up Joy and flew slowly out the door. “Master Sergeant-” Spitfire began. “Retired,” she promptly replied. “My mistake,” Spitfire snorted, looking at the bloody mess surrounding them.  “Canterlot was hit as well. There’s a shield around the city, but we don’t know how bad it is inside.  If they used one of the same teleport devices they used here, there’ll be open fighting in the streets, and the palace.” Edelweiss nodded.  “I know, and the shield will keep everypony inside.  But if they drop it, and that ship fires again… it’s not just clouds they’re hitting.”  She shook her head, dismissing her worries for the moment. “Nothing we can do about that.  My sister will see to the princesses; that’s her job, and she’s better at it than she lets on.” “I hope you’re right.” ------------------------------------------ Canterlot Castle was quiet, and dark.  Beneath the opaque shield of aether that had protected the city from the attack, the tension should have been thick.  And yet, in the nearly pitch black throne room... “Sister?” Celestia asked casually. “Yes, sister?” Luna replied in the same tone. “I have a question involving spaceships.” “If it concerns crushing a particular one with the moon, I’m already considering it.” “I can appreciate that, but no.  I was more curious about why, exactly, Sidera hasn’t warned us about at least two vessels now encroaching on Equus’ space?  I accept that Solise has no physical awareness, but Sidera… that was sort of the point.” Celestia could hear the guilt in Luna’s voice as she replied, “Well… it’s possible… she… may… still be a bit upset about the whole… Nightmare Moon thing.  Maybe.” “You’re joking.” “No, sister, she was most displeased about that situation.  I’ve tried to explain that it was just a phase, but-” “Luna, it was over a thousand years ago!” “Well… technically not.  I was still Nightmare Moon when I came back.  And during that thousand year exile… it’s possible I ranted at her.  ...A lot…” “So she’s sulking about that and nearly gets us all killed?!” Luna winced.  “Not exactly. More like… she metaphorically put her fingers in her ears long ago and has been screaming ‘LALALALALALALALALALALALA!’ ever since.” “...Shit.” “Indeed.” “So is no one going to thank me for this timely warning?” a third voice asked.   Two horns lit, casting shadows through the throneroom.  “I’m sorry, Discord, I hadn’t realized you were here. Thank you.” “Tis your own fault for hiding your aura.” “A fair point, dear Luna… but I have no choice, for the same reason I knew what was going to happen.  But I’m glad I could lighten the mood.” “Canterlot is evacuated?”  Celestia asked. “It is!  I coordinated with Twilight’s little friend in town.  A massive teleport three pointer at the buzzer!” Discord’s torso was suddenly covered in a white jersey, including the name ‘Bucks’ and the number 33.  “A few guards stayed behind in the castle, as well as us, of course, since I couldn’t move the two of you in a group spell.” He grinned at Celestia. “Must be all the cake.” She snorted.  “For a proponent of Chaos, you certainly revisit the same old jokes.” Discord chuckled, but then froze in place as a light rose behind him, illuminating the room more brightly than either princesses’ horn.  It was a perfect sphere, giving off a light so pure as to be unnatural. Just as suddenly, an Oni-koru appeared below the light, striding forward into the throneroom as though he’d walked through the door.   He was massive, standing eight feet tall before including the six elaborate horns that decorated his head.  Red pupils within yellow sclera looked down at the four inhabitants of the room. Thickly muscled arms ended in large, blunt hands with six fingers on each, curled into hammer-like fists.  His mottled, orange and red hide seemed to glow from within, and the air around him thickened with the density of his aetheric might. “I am Briareus, the Hundred Fist… king of the Oni-koru.  How well I know all of you… the sister Generals, Celestia and Luna… favored by the Seraphim children that sought to save this pathetic world. You only delayed the inevitable… And you! Traitor to the first Demondim allies!  Your name isn’t worth speaking! And... you…? Hmm.. I don’t know you.” The unicorn pony at Celestia’s side raised an eyebrow.  “Raven Inkwell. Castellan of Canterlot Castle. Charmed, assuredly.” Briareus chuckled deeply.  “Likewise, little one. I think I’ll keep you.” “How did you get in here through the shield?” Celestia demanded, stepping in front of Raven.  “I’ve sensed no interruption in its strength.” “There hasn’t been… and you did indeed block the second shot, a mass of destructive aether designed to decimate this city.  Well done. The first shot however… was a gravity drive. You remember those, do you not? The second shot was really just for fun… and to say hello to the rest of Equestria.  After all, it may be some time before they learn their princesses are dead.” A shadow fell from the ceiling, and there was a sound of a blade sinking into flesh as Briareus snarled.  He threw a punch at the shadow, missing before throwing another… and then another dozen in the fraction of a second before she could adjust.  Evening Calm cried out in pain as she took the last three hits, each crushing bone before she was thrown towards the far wall. She caught herself, snarling, before two more blades hit the floor where she’d flung them near his feet.  In a blur, she was at a third point, and stuck a third dagger into the marble around him. Briareus’ eyes widened as he tried to move, and found himself pinned to his own shadow, stitched in place by the perfect triangle of the daggers. “What is this?!” “Leaf, now!” she shouted, and one of the windows shattered.  Another shadow flew through, smashing into the glowing light above Briareus.  A blast of smoke hit the floating orb, and it, and the shadow, vanished. Briareus roared as he tried to reach up to grab the strange artifact, but couldn’t escape the trap.  He swung a murderous fist at Eve, who had been concentrating her pegasus gravity magic through the lodestone daggers, and couldn’t dodge. Blood flew from her muzzle as she was flung towards one of the room’s pillars. A blue aura caught her before the impact could break her neck, pulling her protectively toward Luna.  “Eve…” she said breathlessly, checking her Captain over for life threatening wounds. “Sorry… Princess, I couldn’t…” her eyes fluttered shut as she lost consciousness. Briareus pulled a long bladed dagger from between his neck and collarbone and let it clatter to the marble floor.  “Fool! This means nothing!” He snorted dismissively, trying to regain his temper. “...But it was more than I expected. When I kill you… it will be quick. ...And soon.  As to the two of-” The room went dark save for Luna’s aura wrapped protectively around Evening Calm.  There was an even darker laughter filling the place. And it wasn’t Briareus. “My my my… what an interesting little chunk of ‘Order’ you had brought with you,” Discord said, freed from the Orb’s light.  “What a pity, you picked the only day the Royal Guard wasn’t completely asleep on the job.” “Impossible…” “You’re off your game, ‘Briareus’...  Or did you think this would just be a slaughter you could laugh your way through?”   “It matters not.  No more reinforcements will be coming.  I was not alone in the gravity drive. The rest of the Royal Guard will not be joining us.”  He grinned in the dim light, his fangs flashing like steel. “They’re running in terror.” “Terror?!”  Discord laughed again.  “Well, I’m sure some are.  Three, maybe four of them, out of the ten or so I left in the castle.  Dull as dirt Tia here has run things too well for too long. The last few years have been a shake up… but you know how long it takes for ‘old money’ to notice change.  Shame too… they’re going to miss all the fun.” “...What?” “Didn’t even notice?  Oh, you silly ‘ogre’... you really have embraced the stereotype, haven’t you?  Why not a club? Or a speech about onions?” Briareus stepped forward, one fist blurring as he attacked Discord.  For his part, the draconequus didn’t move… he simply rippled as each strike landed.  Discord chuckled, his horns flashing into a short, messy black mane. “You must be shapeless, formless, like water…” “Hmph, in that case… I regret to inform you the Giottus Sphere was not my only countermeasure… the masters dealt extensively with your race.”  He held up his other hand, opening it to reveal a silver cube, which began to glow. Celestia fired a blast from her horn, knocking the cube away and sending pulsing energies skittering across it’s unmarred surface, but it was too late to stop it.  It began to spin, emitting a strange, clear tone as it shattered. “No!” Briareus yelled, reaching to the fragments as they ground themselves to dust in the air, but the damage was done.   Discord snorted in disgust, and a noise like cracking stone could be heard from his feet as they petrified to the marble floor.  “You know… at least when it’s the Elements there’s a part of me that feels like I had it coming… Sorry ladies… time to go. I know what he has in mind for you two… you don’t want to be here for it.”   He snapped his fingers, which crumbled as he did so.  But Celestia and Luna vanished in flashes of light, along with Evening Calm, still held in Luna’s magic.  He snapped again, breaking more fingers. Raven flickered, but didn't vanish. Briareus snorted. "I told you... I was keeping that one. She'll pay for your defiance..." Discord grimaced, looking mournful.  “I'm... sorry, Ra..v...en…”  His head became stone. "Thank you... Discord," Raven replied, a tear running down her cheek. "For saving them... her." “Marvelous magitechnology, wouldn’t you say, little pony?”  Briareus said, closing in on Raven, who held her ground, staring up defiantly.  “The draconequii had the misfortune of directly defying the Demondim… even before they were known as Windigos.  My masters put a great deal of effort, sacrificed whole civilizations!" he gestured wildly, "to make sure they could not do so again.” “Hmph.  Hope you won’t be needing it a second time.  All your little toys have been broken. And you managed to capture the housekeeper.  Well-played.” Briareus stared at her, veins sticking out in his forehead, before he began laughing.  “Trying to goad me into killing you, so I can’t use you against Celestia? A nice try…”  He ran a hand over Discord’s petrified muzzle. With a sharp jerk, he tore the statue’s head off, snarling in rage as he regarded the Discord statue head.  “You think you’ve stopped me?! You think your magic can take them beyond my reach?! I’ll bring you back just to gloat as I sacrifice them in front of you!”   Raven was looking with wide eyes at the Discord statue head.  Briareus chuckled at her, seeming to regain his temper in an instant.  “Worried about him? Did he not betray your kind to Tirek? Had he not been an enemy for centuries prior?” Raven stared up at him, eyes narrowing, saying nothing.   “Heh… worry not.  Destroying his form will cause no lasting damage.  ...Yours, on the other hand…” he grinned evilly, reaching to her horn. She didn’t break eye contact.  She didn’t scream. ------------------------------------------ Before he’d even hit the ground he’d been able to see the fires of the explosion around Canterlot were just that: around Canterlot, held back by a shield.  He smiled grimly. Nice work, your highnesses.  He hit the ground hard, but not hard enough to really worry.  Magically reinforced physique held up well enough that his train of thought wasn’t interrupted. He should have known.  With the way Garken had disappeared, with everything the bastard had learned while hiding as Cade… This had always been a possibility.  What could I have done differently… He shook his head, sitting up from the small divot his landing had worn into the grass.  Dwelling on what you could have done better could wait for when you had nothing better to do now.  And that wasn’t the case just then. He could feel a twinge in the aether… one he was all too familiar with.  As the portal opened to eject at least three dozen Oni, Aiden immediately snapped it shut with a surge of his own power.  “No solicitors…” he muttered, getting up. The portal opened again as the device re-activated.  Aiden shut it again, walking towards the refrigerator sized metal orb.  A cold rage was building inside him. He remembered this feeling and he didn’t like it.  It had been years… nothing at Veritech had felt like this. Fighting Garken hadn’t. This… felt wrong.  He clenched a fist, trying to keep himself under control. “You know… I don’t think I could have managed this before Baltimore, holding that thing shut.  Certainly not from that far away. But you guys want out? I’m ready.” He held out a hand, and Keia Luxuria’s greatsword dropped into it from a portal of his making.  He released his hold on the device, which had begun to smoke as its energy was feeding back into its power source. The portal opened and forty Oni-koru appeared around him.  At the last moment, he swung the flat of the blade at the nearest. He wasn’t sure why, but this felt wrong… Mister, are you a minotaur? You must be a master diplomat… This reminder, of all that our peoples have been fortunate enough to share. And that… is a pony saying ‘I love you’. Aiden sighed deeply, feeling the anger draining out of him.  Yeah, I get it. Keia’s blade disappeared after only knocking down a single opponent.  The rest were thrown backwards in a blast of telekinesis, and held in place when they hit the ground.  It felt natural… this simple matter of changing gravity. That doesn’t even make sense.   He heard a voice in his head, and this time not a memory: but there’s no fun in that, my little human… “You… human… the gravity drive user… the thousand blade butcher?!  You’re… you’re here?!” Aiden sighed, and rolled his eyes.  “One time I did that… one! I haven’t opened that many portals at once since then, or killed so many at once.”  He grimaced at that thought. He could feel others coming… she was coming, and she’d already snagged Joyeuse from his ‘verse.  She wasn’t going to need it today. “But the simple fact is… you’re not welcome here.  I have no interest in fighting you… spilling blood here today. So… you need to leave.”   Another change… here the Field tends more towards… inspiration, at least for me… and the Oni flew into the air… and then kept going as Aiden held the reversal of gravity on each of them.  Only one had resisted the effect, an elite. Aiden turned to her as Rarity appeared, stepping through one of his portals.  Twilight appeared next to her in a flash of light, and Rainbow was only seconds behind, with Applejack just behind her.   “We should have known they’d follow us…” Rarity said, eyes narrowed at the still trapped elite, who was looking at Aiden with a mixture of hatred and fear.  She knew she was outmatched. “This is an Oni-koru?  I expected them to be… more evil looking or something,” Rainbow added, floating around but out of grabbing range.   “Yeah… don’t look so tough ta me…” Applejack agreed. The Oni snorted, but couldn’t break the magical grip holding her in place. “She isn’t,” Aiden said simply.  “She’s an elite, which means she’s stronger than those foot soldiers but she’s basically just second on the ladder.” “The ones you just threw into orbit?”  Twilight asked, raising an eyebrow at Aiden, who nodded. “If I aimed it right, they’ll hit their ship and can just get back in it.  If they live… I’m honestly not too fussed about that though. I uh… didn’t know I could do that.  I just sort of… occurred to me.” “Why’s that a good thing?” “Because, darling… the moon is moving.” Rarity said, wide eyed, as she looked up at the night sky. “It’s what?!”  Twilight looked up, and twitched as the moon seemed to almost hop forward in the sky, followed by a small flash of light against its surface, a large (relatively speaking) explosion. Aiden burst out laughing at the sheer absurdity.  “Uh… no! I was not expecting that, thank you!  What the fu-” “Language, darling.” “Sorry. But really... uh... I uhh… I made a good impression on Luna, right?” “She adored you.” “That’s good.” “Not that she could do that in atmosphere anyway; it’d be a catastrophe!  I can’t believe she’d be so reckless…” Twilight said, looking dazed. The Oni-koru was looking up as well, craning her neck as she tried to see it properly.  “I surrender.” “Smart move.” Aiden muttered vaguely, still watching the sky as though waiting for the next explosion. What the Hell am I missing? ------------------------------------------ Tempest bucked another soldier through a wall, spun, swept a pair of legs, and flung a bolt of lightning-like aether at a third before following up with a double hoof strike to the downed Oni, cracking his ribs and breaking a shoulder.  Meanwhile, Garken had taken to using one of the smaller Oni as a club to bludgeon others. It seemed quite effective. Sir Gareth and his knights were also doing well: though two had been hurt, neither were serious.   And Baltimare was burning, but casualties seemed to be at a minimum.  The city guard had quickly taken to putting out the fires, which had spread from an explosive weapon that had struck the city’s tallest tower, and rained down flames in every direction.  The tower itself was likely a loss, but several unicorns had banded together to bring it down without too much collateral damage. The one leading them had apparently been particularly powerful, engulfing most of the building in a gigantic, raspberry aura and lowering it with gently and easily to the streets below. Tempest hadn't been able to see who it was, but she owed somepony a thank you. It had allowed her group to focus on the battle. Although... the soldiers on the ground were a bit disappointing.  Tempest had hoped for enemies with more strength or speed.  The General they’d faced on the ship had been stronger than all of these combined. In fact, the fight was all but over as Garken approached their last opponent.  Based on the decorations on his armor, this was the leader. Garken tossed aside his ‘club’ with distaste… and force. Tempest winced as the poor bastard crunched when hitting a brick wall nearby.  He slid to the ground and didn’t move. “So!” Garken said, reaching out and grabbing the Oni by the collar, lifting him easily.  “What are you worthless grunts doing here?!” “...W-warslave… Garken?!” He rolled his eyes.  “Yes… it is I. The weak warslave… who is about to pull out your ribs and gouge your eyes with them if you don’t ANSWER MY QUESTIONS!” “We were sent to sow chaos and dismay!” “And… your wise and glorious king thought fifty of you could do that?  ...Congratulations on making it messy, but I think that’s all you accomplished.  I guess we have been a bit shorthanded since Earth, haven't we?" He looked to the side, grimacing slightly. "Or you were... I was helping run a successful R and D company. ...Even had we not been here, I can feel strong auras in this city. Stronger than you… what did you think would happen?” “The… the broken horned pony told us!  Equestria is a weak land of cowards and children who squander their power… we could have our first great victory here, and pave the way for our king’s subjugation of this world!” Garken raised an eyebrow before turning to Tempest.  “Sounds like your interrogation yielded some unexpected dividends.  So did you intentionally mislead my former king, or was this genuine low opinion?” Tempest waggled a hoof.  “Fifty-fifty.” “Heh.  Alright then… so where are the real soldiers, you brat?  Even for ‘elite’ standards, you’re callow.  What’s that bastard hiding?” “The great Briareus has tasked our Generals and their best Warbraves with… other important work.  I will not betray anything more… no matter what you do to me!” Garken’s eyes narrowed as he stared down the ‘elite’.  He sighed. “He doesn’t know.” “Figures.  Sir Gareth!  Any of them left?” The griffon banked sharply and swooped in to hover near Tempest.  He banged a fist against his battered breastplate. “No, ma’am! We’re helping the locals with those stranded by flames or rubble.  Casualties are at a minimum, no fatalities so far. Attacking at night was fortuitous for us: most of the buildings were all but empty.” Garken snorted, and grabbed the elite by the head.  He spun, smashing the smaller Oni into the wall hard enough to knock him out.  “Briareus…” he blinked. Why did that name seem wrong? “...wouldn’t attack during the day.  He would fear having his ship close to the sun when it went on the offensive. This world's insane astronomical anomalies work in your favor by design. He knows of Celestia, and her connection to it, at least as well as I.” “For all the good that did him.  Luna seems just as dangerous.” “I saw.  But something about it doesn’t seem right.  For one thing, the Spires should have exploded in an impact like that, and that explosion would have been much larger.  Something’s missing.” He blinked, and looked up as a flash of light heralded a teleportation spell.   Tempest started in surprise, nearly tripping over her forehooves despite standing still.  “Twilight Sparkle?!” “Quite the eye-opening experience,” she muttered, looking down at the carnage from where she hovered.  She smiled at Tempest. “I’m glad you’re okay. I’ve been looking for you for a week now, and one of the griffon knights we've been coordinating with told me you'd be coming here tonight.” That was right, Sir Gareth had told her there were some of his knights already working in Equestria. Before Tempest could ask about that, Twilight looked over at Garken, and her eyes widened.  “That’s an Oni-koru, isn’t it?” “He’s a friend, Twilight," Tempest quickly vouched for him. "He helped me escape from their king, while getting away himself.  He’s on our side. ...And since when can you teleport?” Twilight blinked owlishly at her.  “What?” ------------------------------------------ Pinkie Pie had, at Rarity’s request, stayed with Fluttershy at the boutique.  They’d been cleaning up when they’d heard the explosion outside and Rarity had burst into action almost before it’d happened.  Pinkie hated to admit it, but Pinkie Sense didn’t quite work as well as it should when she’d had a few ciders. Twitchy tail? Had she even noticed?  She felt pretty bad now. But not as bad as the meanies who’d crashed the party were gonna feel! “Pinkie, I’m okay here, you can go check on the others, if you want to,” Fluttershy said, cuddled up with Angel and another bunny Pinkie didn’t know.   That was weird, since she knew most of their names.  In fact… “Fluttershy… which bunny is that?” “Oh?  Oh! This is Lancy… he’s new, Angel met him at the party and he needs a place to stay for a little while.  Isn’t that nice?” “Ooh, okie dokie, lokie!  But how come he feels a little like Discord?” The rabbit spun his head (but not the rest of him) to stare at Pinkie.  His eyes went from normal bunny to Discord's signature red and yellow. “Snitch!” “Woah!” Pinkie exclaimed, pulling her hoof back from the angry, light brown hare. “Wha… Discord!" Fluttershy said scoldingly.  "We’ve talked about this!  Pretending to be one of my animal friends is not okay!  If you want hugs, just ask!”