//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Last Day // Story: Love you again? // by Cynthrey //------------------------------// “It is enough, young lady,” he heard the old man say. “You’re running out of strength.” “...I am... fine...” that was Celestia, but she didn’t sound good at all. Discord slowly opened his eyes, trying to get used to the light coming from his stomach. He no longer felt so much pain, his wound still hurt but not enough to continue fainting as he thought it had happened. Then Celestia fell on her stomach and the twinge of pain woke him up completely. “Agh!!!” “Are you allright, young lady?” Star Swirl said and when he opened his eyes again, he saw that she was holding Celestia. “...I am... a little tired...” the little alicorn said breathlessly. “I warned you not to use so much energy, it has been imprudent on your part.” Celestia then moved away from him and stood next to Discord. It was there that he realized that they were not outside but inside the house, he was lying in his bed with his torso wrapped in bandages. “Tia?” “...you woke up...thank goodness...” on another occasion she probably would have jumped on him to hug him but then she just seemed to have the strength to stand up. He wanted to get up to comfort her a little, but as soon as he got up a couple of inches his wound forced him to stop. “...Do not... try...” Celestia told him. “She is right, boy. Even with the help of magic your wound will not heal in a while.” Discord took a couple of breaths to ease the pain a little. Then he looked at Celestia and gave her a wicked smile, which he thinks she understood, considering the worried gaze she gave him. He gave not much thought to this concern, took a last breath and stood up in a quick gesture with a big smile. “Stupid,” Celestia murmured annoyed as Star Swirl just looked at him in surprise. He would have answered Celestia’s insult, if he hadn’t been completely numb from the pain. He had committed an idiocy but didn’t regret it and kept his smile now twisted by the agony, of course he could not prevent some tears from trickling down his face. “Another imprudent,” the older unicorn said sternly. “Can be know what you were thinking, boy?” “W-Where is the fun... in thinking?” he kept forcing his smile. “...Do not... waste your strength... in correct him ... sir... my own... parents... could not...” “Do not waste yours either, girl,” he knelt, placing a hand on her shoulder. At that moment, Discord understood how great Celestia’s weariness was. If she did had all her strength with her, she would have withdrawn Star Swirl’s hand from her shoulder as soon as he had placed it on it. He might have saved their lives and Nebula and Galaxus may had told them a thousand stories about the greatest wizard of Equestria, but he was still a stranger, as well as an older man. But he didn’t understand exactly why this exhaustion in his friend. Not that he had a very vivid memory, but he didn’t remember having seen her so tired before fainting. Realizing this, he struggled to swallow his pain. He moved forward until his hand reached Celestia’s, struggling not to emit a single sound that would settle suffering on his side, and when she looked up at him he replaced his agonized smile with an empathic one. Gesture that was returned. Suddenly something felt different in the room and a chill ran through him. He felt as if something between cold and hot had mixed. Celestia quickly withdrew her hand and turned to look at Star Swirl. “Sir, you don’t have to do...!” Discord looked also at the old man and noticed that from Star Swirl’s hand was where that feeling came from. He was using a spell he didn’t know, but he would have bet that it was the same one that Celestia used with him. Glancing at his friend’s face, she noticed that she was looking at the old man with more concern than gratitude. Barely a minute later, the sensation disappeared and Star Swirl fell on the ground, or would have done it if Celestia hadn’t given him support. “I appreciate your help, sir, but you should not have done that,” she lifted the unicorn and guided him to her bed. “It’s the least I can do, young girl,” he said tiredly. “Still, you should consider your health, sir.” “Hey!” he exclaimed. “Do not talk to me like I am a decrepit, young girl. I am only 60 years old, I am going to spend half of my life.” “The first half or the second half?” Discord joked. “Because if it is the second one then you are a decrepit, old man,” he wanted to laugh but his wound didn’t let him loose a laugh. “Discord, be respectful!” Celestia demanded. “Forgive him, sir.” “Do not worry, young girl.” Celestia then turned around and slowly walked to the bed where Discord was while removing a bandage from her left wing. The wing where she had been shot. He tightened the sheets thinking that he would have to see that missing fragment in his friend but to his surprise, when Celestia completely removed the bandage her wing was completely healthy. There wasn’t even a scar. He knew that total healing wasn’t a novelty in the alicorn, even if a large portion of the body or an entire limb had been lost, in a matter of months or a few years it wouldn’t even seem like there had ever a wound in the first place, but, unless half a day or a full day had passed, that healing shouldn’t be possible. He looked then at his own wound. When he was hurt, he could barely keep his eyes open, now his biggest difficulty was flexing. “How much time has passed?” “No more than two hours. Mr. Star Swirl taught me a spell to transfer some of my energy, so the healing became faster. In fact you saw him use it on me a minute ago,” Celestia clarified and then sat next to him. “Discord, what you were thinking?” she asked suddenly. “Why did you attack that crazy woman like that?” “I...” he was ready to answer when he noticed that he also lacked that information. “What?” “You rushed on that woman after I got my wing hurt, you were completely out of you. You know you are not good at hand-to-hand combat. Why did you do such madness?” Despite Celestia’s words, he didn’t remember doing any of that. He would have thought more than Chrisalys took him by the neck while he was in shock but; he attack her? He? “I... I do not remember doing such a thing.” “How you do not?” “Maybe it is a trauma from the attack,” said Star Swirl. “I do not think so, old man,” said Discord in a somewhat apathetic tone. “I remember that before stabbing me, that madwoman was holding me by the neck and I remember that after that I was with Celestia.” “What about what goes between the two points?” Celestia asked. “Nothing” released after a few seconds struggling to recover that lost memory. “Simply, there is nothing.” “Well, you pounced on that woman like a wolf on a lamb, but you ended up more like you had faced a manticore. What a recklessness!” she scolded him. That scolding wasn’t funny, but it wasn’t like he gave much importance. After all, giving a little review of that reprimand found something of his benefit. He smiled mischievously and gave a little hit to Celestia’s horn. “Ouch! Why did you do that?” she complained. “To go back to the house when I told you to stay in the tunnels, that is why, silly girl.” “Do not play saint now, Discord. I am able to bet my two wings that you also thought to come to the house after you left the Hollow Hill. Refuse me if I am wrong.” Touché. “At least I was going to get there without anyone seeing me!” he lied. “Besides: why the hell did you get off the hill?” he tried to regain ground. “You said you would be back soon. Tell me in what world almost an hour is synonymous with soon!” she almost shouted. “Try to travel almost a kilometer or more distance being as small as a snake! It is not an easy task!” “You could have teleported!” “Calm, calm!” interrupted Star Swirl. “You both failed to make your own plans without consulting the other in a situation like the one you were facing,” he scolded. “Be thankful that things did not end worse than they did.” “So, Celestia committed stupidity by not paying attention to me,” he boasted. “Stupid!” she pushed. “Ahg! Why are you hurting me?” he cried. “More damage I could do to you.” “I do not doubt that...” Before he could continue he heard screams: “Celestia! Discord! Luna!” they were Nebula and Galaxus, they had finally arrived! “Mother! Father!” Celestia shouted with joy as she ran to the door. Star Swirl followed her, he didn’t understand with certainty why at that time but she thought it was to make sure it was not a trap of the changelings. But he knew it could not have been like that. He heard whispers, he could not make out the words. A few moments later he heard rapid steps towards his room and Nebula appeared by the door. So happy was he to see her that he almost managed to get up without paying any attention to any pain, but he could not help but let out a small moan before. “Mother” he called her. “Oh, God!” she ran to him and hugged him. “Oh, my dear!” then she pulled away and examined him. “Are you okay? What happened to you?” she would have continued with the interrogation if Discord hadn’t embraced her again. After a few seconds he heard her calling Celestia: “Come here, my daughter,” and a second later she had also joined the hug. So it was a few seconds in which Discord felt that everything was right where it should be. He and his mother separated while Celestia remained clinging to Nebula a little more. Then Galaxus arrived with Luna in his arms and embraced his wife and his other daughter. That was a beautiful family picture. One in which he was not involved. He knew he should be happy that the family was reunited but he resented the fact that this moment looked so perfect without him. He was a member of that family after all, it wasn’t his fault to be different. To his joy, that family moment ended after a few seconds. Galaxus was the first to break the hug, then Nebula took Luna from the arms of her husband and sat next to Discord. “What happened? “ Galaxus asked giving Celestia a moment before releasing. “Some strange beings came here and attacked us,” replied the girl and then looked at Discord “They killed all the animals. They caught me and hurt Discord.” “Everything out there looks like a battlefield,” Galaxus said with a dull tone suddenly, stroked Celestia’s head with a sad look and continued. “Please forgive us, children. All this could have been avoided, if we had arrived earlier.” “It is not your fault, father.” “Yes it is,” Nebula interrupted. “The Hunters caught us off guard, they were making revisions to all the travelers, and they also used a spell capable of nullifying the enchantments of illusions. We were exposed before they even used such magic on us” the guilt in Nebula’s voice and gaze was something that broke Discord’s heart. “Celestia said it, mother: It was not your fault,” he placed a hand on her shoulder, didn’t notice that he had said the forbidden word to Galaxus, but he would have done it anyway. “In any case,” Star Swirl said attracting the eyes of all towards him. “If there is someone on this earth that bears the guilt of something that would be me. I designed that anti-delusional spell by order of the Council as a measure to uncover the suspects of being changelings. I apologize for any predicament in which I was able to place them due to my invention.” “It is obvious that you did not intend to harm us, magician” said Galaxus advancing towards him. “The fact that your creation has affected us must not have been more than a play of fate worked by my father.” “It would not be strange of Exodus such behavior” said Nebula. “In any case, I owe you my life, Star Swirl, for having protected the young ones of this house,” said Galaxus, extending his hand. “Who already freed to my people of an evil owes me nothing sir,” he shook his hand with a smile. “Besides, I did little for your children. By the time I arrived, your daughter had already finished with more than a dozen changelings.” Celestia suddenly trembled and writhed lightly while letting out a moan that was just as slight. Her wings were fluffed and Discord could have sworn she looked pale. “Tia?” “Are you okay, my daughter?” Nebula asked worriedly standing up. She didn’t answer. All eyes were now resting on her. Its wings continued sponged. He hunched a little and his breathing was heavy and labored. Finally he spoke. He was smiling but his face was... “I am fine, mother. I just got dizzy, it is nothing serious.” Nothing serious?! If Discord felt like a ghost had appeared before him when she turned in that direction! He would have seen eyes with more life in the skulls of skeletons. That was not a dizziness. I could bet that. “After what you have been through today, it is amazing that you are still standing, young girl,” Star Swirl told her and then addressed the adults. “I do not know why I should expect anything other than the daughter of a couple of warriors of the Creator,” he paused. “By the way, I have noticed something, sir.” “You tell.” “It seems that in this house my name is well known, but I fear that it is a pleasure that I do not share.” “Oh sure! Excuse me. My name is Galaxus, sir,” he bowed. “The lady here present is my wife, Nebula,” she repeated her husband’s gesture. “It’s a pleasure to meet you” the foreigner replied with the same gesture. “And it’s nice to know your true names. In stories for children you are simply called the Dark Knight and the White Lady.” Both alicorns laughed at such nicknames. “What creativity!” Nebula laughed. “But they are a bit distant from reality.” “Indeed!” said Galaxus with laughter. “But yours are also quite curious, if you allow me to say it.” “We have chosen them ourselves,” said Nebula. “We looked after them when we were brought into the physical world to fight in the name of your people and of the Creator, Exodus.” “And, speaking of those for whom we have chosen names, the girl in my wife’s arms is our youngest daughter, Luna, I suppose the other two older ones will have already introduced themselves to you.” “I am afraid not. I heard you screaming their names when you approached but my memory fails me.” “Oh, forgive me! My name is Celestia, sir” she also bowed. “I am Discord” he said dryly with the least interest. His mother looked at him with some severity and finally added: “Sir,” then Nebula smiled. “I suppose that in the stories for the children is not mention of the children of the warriors living in their tiny house,” joked Nebula. “Absolutely, my lady. In half of the stories you are not even thought of as husband and wife.” “It is understandable” said Galaxus. “After all, we share the same origin.” “Which we have always seen with different eyes, my love,” Nebula stood next to him and then looked at the old man and with an accusing voice said: “Sir, forgive me if I am very direct, but I can assure you that you did not arrive on this earth giving a I walk in the mountains; or am I wrong?” “No, you are right, my lady,” he said more earnestly, erasing from his face the smile he had been wearing up until that moment. “But, if you would allow me, I would prefer to speak this alone with you alone.” “I came looking for my parents, right, sir?” Celestia said. “For fighting those creatures that attacked us today,” Discord continued. Star Swirl took a step back in amazement. “What insight!” he said. “Youth does not have to mean ignorance,” Galaxus said in the same tone as his wife. “After what they have faced today, I doubt that there is anything that can affect them seeing or listening.” “If you wish, sir. But maybe it would be better to talk in the living room than in the bedroom of some young people.” “Agree.” “Discord?” his mother called. “I do not have to move a muscle” he snapped his fingers and was already in the room floating calmly in the air. “You see?” Star Swirl turned away from the door and everyone left. Celestia took Luna from her mother’s arms and went to leave her in her crib while the others sat at the table. Nebula offered some wine to the guest and poured some water for Celestia and Discord. Neither Galaxus nor Nebula tasted any kind of drink. “First, I must tell you that your son has been successful in only part of his assumption a minute ago,” Discord made his best effort not to drown himself with water when Star Swirl called him son of Nebula and Galaxus by mistake. To his surprise, Galaxus, who was most feared by any reaction to this error, did not seem to care about. “I came here to ask for your help against the changelings, it’s true, but it is not my only goal for you.” “I must assume that your requests come mainly from the Council of the Three Races,” said Galaxus. The Council of the Three Races was founded by the rulers of the unicorns, Terrestrials and Pegasus: Princess Platinum, Chancellor Puddinghead and Commander Hurricane, respectively. It had been decided that Equestria would be a land where all races of eqanos could feel at home. Pegasus, earthlies and unicorns would maintain their relative governments, but they would work in alliance with the other 2 races. In order to keep the three types of equans in harmony, the council was created, where the leaders would see how to bring peace to their people and how to help the subjects of the others. Now they would all see for the good of all. “The Council...” Star Swirl murmured to himself. “There is no such advice.” “What do you say?!” Galaxus almost got up from his chair. “Excuse my concern but: When was the last time you left this land?” “Without counting today, a month ago,” said Nebula. “I see, then you will not be aware of what has happened.” “What?” Celestia ventured to ask. Star Swirl didn’t say anything. He took a deep breath and then spoke: “A week or so ago the changelings attacked the council during their... last meeting. The three leaders were killed.” “My goodness!” Nebula exclaimed. “That is not the worst part, my lady. They also killed their guards, and like bloodthirsty beasts they attacked some surrounding villages at the same time. A few who did not kill were cut off their horns and wings.” “How many?” Galaxus asked and Discord could almost swear he felt his voice tremble at that moment. “How many dead?” “For every changeling we’ve managed to kill, a dozen of our people have died and we’ve killed more than a hundred changeling,” He sighed. “And many of those casualties have not even been soldiers.” Discord shuddered at the thought of the figure, and could have bet that the others did too. “If I understand well, you are asking us to fight on behalf of your people against Chrisalys and her changelings” Nebula said. “That and something else, sir. “What else?” Celestia asked “My people are weak, scared, without leaders and under the threat of an insane one. Only one of those factors is enough to start the fall of a nation as young as Equestria. Anarchy begins to set and Ministers cannot appease this emergence long enough.” “Long enough for what?” Galaxus asked. Star Swirl didn’t respond. He turned his gaze to Galaxus, who in a matter of moments seemed to read every word the magician had in his mind and heart. It shouldn’t have been a pleasant reading, because he recoiled and made a face of not being able to believe what he knew. “Fear will pass mostly once the threat is no longer, but we would remain weak and lost like sheep without a shepherd without the guidance of our leaders, fear would resurface and, as is customary when fear dominates sanity, everything would unleash in aggression and hatred.” “You ask us to be those new leaders,” said Nebula. They all looked at Nebula. Discord expected to see her with her eyes shining, in sign that she had used her ability to see the future and anticipate what Star Swirl was going to say. To his surprise, her eyes were as normal, and beautiful, as usual. “That is it, magician,” she concluded. “Yes, my Lady.” The faces of both Nebula and Galaxus showed some skepticism about that claim. They looked at each other with some severity and doubt before returning their gaze to the visitor. “I do not intend offenders or make you see that you have made a trip for a useless cause, but: why should we be?” Galaxus asked somewhat contemptuous. “In the past there was a time when you had no leader and someone decided to face for your group. Forgive me if I seem insensitive, but in times of crisis, people will follow those who show the ability to keep a cool head. You could see yourself as a leader.” “Thanks but I do not have capacity for a politician. Also, in no crisis that has ever happened in the past was because of beings that can take the form of an elderly and senile father or a child not much older than the girl was in your arms until recently. A few weeks ago I heard a story of a mother who strangled her child in her paranoia that this was a changeling.” Discord could seriously have sworn that he was not the only one to shudder on that occasion. “Besides,” he continued. “It is what the people think is right.” “What do you mean?” Discord asked. “You know the stories that are told about you since you took us away from... that threat,” it seemed those were not the words he had chosen. “That you are angels sent by the Creator, who came to save us. After the point of how you helped us, people split into what happened to you.” >>”Some believe that you had fulfilled your mission and returned to heaven, to enjoy eternity,” said raising a hand. “Others believe that you stayed in the underworld,” lowered his hand. “And the story again divided into more and more branches being one of them who walked among us all these years waiting for another evil to face.” “Typical of mortal beings!” Discord sighed. “Believe that there is always someone out there watching over their safety.” “Not everyone, boy,” Star Swirl told him. “You say then that not everyone keeps a blind faith in Equestria?” Galaxus asked. “No, sir. Many, after seeing that you did not arrive the day or the week after, if before they believed that you still walked among us, now they believe that you have abandoned us and you do not intend to fight again for us. Galaxus and Nebula looked at each other and Discord saw something in their eyes that he had never seen before: insecurity. Then both excused themselves, got up and moved a little away from the table, enough so that their voices were not understandable if they had spoken in a volume slightly lower than the one they had used at the table, which was what they did. Not only did they not speak in the same volume as they did at the table, but they did not speak in the same language either. They spoke in lartsecna. Of course, that did not stop Discord from understanding what they said. Their conversation was mainly about asking each other if they were to follow the demands of the equestrians, emphasizing the part of being the new leaders of Equestria. He was surprised to see that they admired what some considered unnecessary. While they chatted, Discord looked at Celestia and Star Swirl. The first one seemed to understand as perfectly as he did the second one had the look of wondering if they were even talking or just babbling. That gave him a lot of grace. By the time he noticed, the adult alicorns returned to the table and speaking the normal language again Galaxus said: “Sir, you have told us that in Equestria there are those who trust and who doubt our role as benefactors and that is why they are looking for us to fulfill the mission we fulfilled 20 years ago.” “We are honored by such a request and we understand it,” Nebula continues. “But the one we cannot understand is why do you want us as leaders. In any land other than this we will always be foreigners and, throughout history, foreigners who take power from lands that are not theirs are not welcome. Why do they ask us?” “There is another reason, besides the stories of our eternal mission,” Galaxus finally finished. Star Swirl didn’t say anything. Instead, he raised his hand with a finger pointing at Galaxus’ horn, then pointed his finger at Nebula and aimed it at his own back, a gesture that Discord interpreted as a reference to his mother’s wings. Nebula and Galaxus looked at each other with a hard realization and then looked at the magician who said: “The fact that you have two features as incompatible as a horn on the forehead and two wings on the back has made many believe that you represent the same Equestria for years before it was founded” stood up. “If you do honor to the stories, then stand out in those things that identify each of the 3 races, you are quick as lightning, stronger than 10 men each and with enough magic to move the stars,” Discord could testify that at least one of those characteristics were completely true and the other, although it was not a lie, was not very real either. “My people see you as the pinnacle of creation, the masterpiece of the one who created everything. For Equestria, you are the promise of a peaceful world for the 3 races, because: Who can ever better understand three groups so different than someone who is part of all at the same time?” Silence was made throughout the house after Star Swirl finished speaking. Discord looked at the faces of all the members of the house and could still assure that he was the only impassive one. Celestia’s eyes sparkled as if she had heard the most moving speech ever said, it seemed exaggerated but at least it had returned a little life to her eyes. While Nebula and Galaxus had expressions that threw the praise and disbelief at the same time. The expression of the latter soon replaced the praise for fear. Who knows what will have gone through their heads at that time? Before they could solve any conflict that was going through their heads Star Swirl spoke again. “But you are right about one thing: people will follow those capable of keeping a cool head in times of crisis. Maybe all those ideas of giving you the throne will leave with the fear. But, even if it is to rid the world of the evil that Chrisalys and her entourage represent, can we count on your help?” It took them a while to answer, time in which they looked at the old man, at Celestia and, finally at him. He could feel the fear in his mother’s eyes when he looked at her, but she looked away before he could say anything. “Could you wait until tomorrow to know our decision? “ Nebula asked surrounding Celestia with her arms. “We are determined to help your people,” Galaxus said. “We will fulfill once again the purpose for which we were brought into the world as we did years ago,” he gave a quick glance to Discord, full of contempt for a change. “But governing...” he put his hand to his face in a gesture of weariness. “...It is a very important decision and right now we have exhausted our mind after a day as long as today.” “Thank you!” The magician exclaimed with joy. “And, please, you do not have to give me an answer to that question today or tomorrow or even when you have completed your mission. The simply thing that you have agreed to help is more than enough.” “We appreciate your understanding,” Nebula said smiling a smile of gratitude. “Now,” he turned away from her daughter. “This day has been long but not yet finished.” “Oh no!” said Discord. “There’s a lot out there to clean...” he covered his mouth as he remembered how it had affected the last time the killing was mentioned. He glanced at Celestia quickly, praying he hadn’t managed to say anything that bothered her, but then he was not sure if it had been better or worse. “It is true, there is much to do” she got up with a smile that terrified Discord due to his tranquility. “Well, let’s get to work,” said Star Swirl. “Will you help, magician?” said Discord skeptically. “It is the least I can do right now, boy.” “Well, the magician has said: Let’s get down to work!” Celestia exclaimed running to the door. “Tia, wait!” Discord shouted when he saw her running. He tried to stop her before she reached the door but he did not reach her with the pain of his wound. She feared the worst when the door was completely open and this fear grew when she turned around and smiling said: “Fear not, everything is fine.” Although those were her words, he knew that nothing was right. She could have a smile on her face, but her face and eyes could almost hear the cries for help coming from them. Although he was worried about Celestia he didn’t know what he could do, he wasn’t even sure what he should help her with. In addition to helping her to collect the bodies. With the wound he had, Nebula recommended him to take care of collecting the bodies using his magic while others excavated tombs. He didn’t agree with the idea of ​​making tombs for the bugs that a few hours ago had wanted to send him to the next life, but his mother convinced him anyway. Honestly, it was a little uncomfortable having to keep those inert bodies floating in the air, so he simply placed them next to each other on the ground and waited for the discomfort of having been some way in contact with corpses to pass. When he finished noticing that the others had just dug a couple of tombs, he moved some of the bodies in the holes in the ground and quickly placed the extracted earth on top of them. No, he just couldn’t get used to death. One would think that at least animals could have some use now that they were dead but only the body of the cow was intact enough to be useful after death and yet Galaxus insisted that they also bury it. Hens and pigs were made a jumble of gut and flesh slices drenched in their own blood. They weren’t a very appetizing dish, in Discord’s opinion. Taking advantage of the fact that he had finished with everything he had to do, he tried to talk to Celestia but without even looking at him he reminded her that there was another body near the burned tree. Following his work as a Professional Body Loader, he went off to find that solitary changeling and regretted terribly when he realized that he would have to carry a corpse for almost a kilometer away. Completely alone with a corpse, it wasn’t, nor ever would be, his idea of ​​a pleasant company. It could have been brazen on his part, but when he was closer to the burnt tree, and the corpse, he went back from the house, refusing to make the trip. Galaxus called him a coward and then he went to find the body himself and Discord could not be happier. Since it took him a while to go and return, by the time he arrived it wasn’t only almost nightfall, but the others had already moved forward in their work. In fact Nebula had taken the opportunity to prepare the meal seeing that the work was almost finished. But Discord was worried about something besides food, or, rather, someone. To his surprise, the only one working was Star Swirl. Celestia was sitting in front of the house with her gaze fixed on the graves. Discord knew that this was the best time to talk to her, she had no excuse to put him. She wished or not, her best friend would do something to help her. It was with all determination to do a good deed towards her, but all that will vanished when he was close enough to see her face. Again that look of someone who has lost their soul was in her eyes and gave the feeling that this emotion had impregnated throughout her body. He came to doubt if there really was anything he could do. “I did this, right?” she said in a brittle voice. “Tia...” he sat next to her. “I know I did it to protect ourselves...” she tried to force a sympathetic smile but it vanished before forming and her face formed an expression of terror. “... It was ... that is why I did it ... Is not it?” “Of course it is!” he responded instantly, almost panicking. “No,” she said as if she hadn’t heard her words. “No!” she almost shouted holding her head while tears ran down her terrified face. “It is not true! Something...! Something in me was screaming that I would kill them all! That he should send them to Tartarus! That I would only feel good when I was bathed in his blood!” “Tia...!” he didn’t even know what to say. That was a memory that he wished would not come back. “I had never seen her like this,” he thought. “The only thing I could think of doing was ...” He hugged her. More to calm himself than to soothe her. Celestia trembled in that embrace, terrorizing Discord more, until her strength seemed to leave her. Indeed. Discord looked at her face and, to his joy, there was no look of terror or a body without soul, only a calm and exhausted expression. “Tia?” “What is happening to me, Discord?” she said in a breathless murmur. “Am I going crazy?” It wasn’t a bad possibility. “Of course not, Tia,” he said with an empathetic smile. “You were under a lot of pressure.” Then he recalled a special comparison he could use again. “Even the greatest warriors have been carried away and horrified by their actions in battle.” He expected to see at least a slight smile or a sigh on her part, but nothing came up. Her gaze was lost in the distance. She was no longer looking at the graves but neither she did look at anything specific. Discord sensed that he was thinking of something. Before he could ask if she was all right, she spoke again: “That was not me. The one that killed those creatures was not me.” “What do you say?” She turned away from him. She seemed more stable. “Call me crazy if you want after what I am going to say, but I’d swear I felt something or someone guiding my body. I swear I heard a voice in my head, first whispered when they took Luna, but by the time I attacked the changeling who was holding me he was yelling at me to do everything I did. After that everything is blurred, as if I had departed from reality.” Discord then could not help but remember her eyes when he stopped her from killing Chrisalys. Those eyes that were not Celestia’s. He didn’t want to admit it but that terrified him enough. Whatever happened, Discord still had something to do. “What if you are going crazy?” he said in a tone so carefree that he had to hurry to continue, in a more empathetic tone, before Celestia could broke into tears. “Listen, Celestia, I do not know what happened to you but if I am sure of something, I do not intend to allow that to happen again.” “You cannot deal with an evil without knowing the cause, Discord,” she said wiping away her tears. “I think you forget who you are talking to,” he boasted with a big smile without worrying about hiding his pride, or pride, because of what he was implying. Then, for the first time since that madness had begun, he heard her laugh. “Oh, that wonderful sound!” he thought of that memory. Hearing her laugh gave him hope that she would recover from all that, even though her still a little depressed look demanded a little more time before the Celestia he knew and appreciated returned. But, Rome was not built in one day, so the wait would be worth it to have back that bossy Celestia he loved to bother and make laugh alike. By then it was almost completely dark and Discord’s wound had healed almost completely and he could afford to abuse his powers a little. He helped Star Swirl dig the last holes in the earth while Celestia went inside the house with her mother. By the time Galaxus returned with the last corpse, the only thing left was to place him with the other deceased underground. Then Celestia called to say that the food was ready. Unlike other previous meals where the variety of foods abounded, that night there were mainly fruits and vegetables and a little meat. In fact, it was not until dinner that Discord realized that Nebula and Galaxus had returned from Equestria empty-handed. Not everything was so bad. Finally there was someone else to chat at dinner! Or so it would have been if Star Swirl hadn’t spent all dinner practically questioning Nebula and Galaxus. Discord didn’t even try to follow the thread of the conversation. He ate like a bitter child because he was not allowed to play with a new toy. The worst thing is that this interrogation lasted for hours and at a certain point Celestia left him to interfere in the conversation and start her own interrogation of the magician. Soon he himself had to get into that extended dialogue. As the conversation progressed, it was redirected to issues related to the current situation of Equestria and the pleasant atmosphere that took so long to constitute collapsed. It was fortunate that Discord came up with the excuse of the hour and the fatigue before the thing got more depressing, if it had not been done by then. The time passed while everyone in the house cleaned, bathed and prepared to sleep. When Discord and Celestia went to their room Nebula stopped them and told them: “I must ask you two things. We do not have a guest room here, so it is necessary that you give your bed to Star Swirl.” “It is not necessary, my lady, I can sleep outside. The sky here is more beautiful than anything I have seen in my life, sleeping under such a stellar mantle would be a pleasure,” Star Swirl intervened. “Please, sir, there is no need for such a thing. You can take my bed if you wish,” said Celestia. That request put Discord in a small quandary. On the one hand, he didn’t want to let that old man sleep in his bed, and on the other... He sighed as he cursed his own kindness. “You need to rest as much as anyone, Tia, and I know you will not sleep in my bed even if I tell you that I can sleep just as comfortable hanging upside down like a bat, so...” redirected the visitor. “You can sleep in my bed, old man!” Celestia tried to hit him for returning to disrespect but he dodged easily. That didn’t stop her from trying again, again and again, until he had to stand on the roof to evade her attack. Before Celestia took off to continue her aggression, they heard the light laughter of Nebula. “I just needed your consent, children. You should have waited to hear my second request: that you sleep with me tonight.” The terror of hearing those words almost made Discord forget that gravity was working inversely for him and make him fall headfirst to the ground. He hadn’t slept in her mother’s room since he was a child, she allowed it on a whim or when he had nightmares, there was a specific one that was quite frequent. But after Celestia was considered too big to sleep in a crib and they had to share a room, Galaxus would stop him at the door and remind him that he was no longer a baby to sleep with his mother. He didn’t like to admit it, but there was a time when he was a child when Galaxus could be quite intimidating. And, either because of fear or because he didn’t want to seem like a burden, he had never dared to spend more than a few minutes in that room. Especially when adults were in it. In his nervousness, he vaguely could to notice how Nebula spoke with Galaxus for a few seconds. He didn’t come back conscious until he heard Galaxus say: “..Sleep well,” he kissed Nebula’s forehead and left. He continued in shock at the thought of sleeping in the same room as his mother with the approval of Galaxus and by the time he realized he was already in the adult’s room, in their bed, wrapped up with Celestia and Luna, who they were lying between him and his mother in that order, and receiving a kiss from Nebula on the forehead. She did the same with her daughters and giving everyone a loving and motherly smile told them: “Goodnight.” Discord knows he answered, but he didn’t hear his own voice. He was too distracted analyzing his mother’s tone of voice. For the first time, he felt in the voice of his mother that he thought impossible: fear. In his childhood he had let them sleep with her to free himself from fear. Now she did it to rid herself of fear. The worst part? She was smiling to hide her fear. That hurt like a dagger and at the same time it made him feel trapped in a space that was getting smaller and smaller. For him, she was a tireless being, without fear of anything, more wise and kind than anyone who had ever existed on the face of the world. Maybe it was a vision too idealized but she had never given him reason to think otherwise, until that day. The only thing he could think about was: “Mom, stop!” He doesn’t know how but he managed to fall asleep. As far as he knows, Nebula took hours to fall asleep, Discord was frightened to think that something could have alarmed his mother so much that she would lose sleep. Galaxus was awake all night, and could have sworn that Star Swirl did the same. At some point in the night something woke him up. With the darkness and silence he didn’t notice anything, he thought it had been his imagination, and there was no need to blame him after the day he had had. He tried to go back to sleep but again he heard something, a murmur and felt a tremor in the bed. He got up and modified his eyes so he could see in the dark. Then he noticed that his mother was not there and something else. “... stop...” again that murmur and he knew it was coming from Celestia “... I do not want...” She was shaking, sweating and pressing the sheets tightly, she even had some tears on her face. The poor thing must have been having a nightmare, and he bet he knew what it was. He knew the myth that it is bad to wake up the sleepwalkers but: What about those who have nightmares? What if he woke her up and then she could not get a good rest? She needed to rest. He had no choice but to hold her and take her hand trying not to wake her up. Even so she continued to tremble and had to squeeze her hand a little with the hope that somehow in her dream she could feel his presence and that would give her courage. How cheesy! Her trembling continued and she considered waking her up. “If the rest brings more torment than to be awake then it is no use to indulge in the dream” he thought then. But just as he was about to wake her, her trembling stopped and he seemed to breathe easier. Same as him. He waited a few seconds to check “Maybe even the gods have weaknesses,” he thought. He didn’t get much sleep that night. He didn’t even manage to reach a dream deep enough to dream something. Although he remembered seeing a light in the hallway and his mother following this light, he was not sure if it was a dream or reality, it was very blurry. Finally he got a deep sleep and, of course, it took a second of his mind to move from that memory to another. Discord had no idea that it could be so exhausting something like reliving your whole life in one fell swoop. Technically he was asleep or fainted somewhere and everything that was happening were like dreams. But even in his own dreams he had taken five minutes naps! For Equestria’s sake! It seems that he fell asleep when he finally got to sleep, because when he woke up he seemed to have woken up hours later than anyone. Celestia was not in bed and Luna was not there either. He heard some murmurs and vaguely distinguished the voice of his mother and Celestia. He tuned his ears to listen to the voice of Galaxus and Star Swirl somewhere in the house, but even enlarging his ears, a whole meter could not hear either of them. He came to believe that he had been transported to an alternate reality where that man did not exist. Until he remembered that Exodus hated him and his illusion went out at the rate that his ears returned to normal. Then he heard the sound of bumps crashing. The intrigue hit him and he peeked through a crack in the door looking for the source of that sound. He saw in the room a set of 5 or 6 full bags. Now he was much more intrigued. He didn’t bother to take off his pants that he had used to sleep and change clothes. Actually, he changed his clothes for the first thing that occurred to him and teleported to his room. He found Celestia packing his clothes in a bag. “What happens?” he asked interrupting her from her work. “Good morning to you too, Discord,” she joked. “Good morning, Celestia, and, I repeat: What happens?” “We are moving.”