The group of fugitives managed to catch their breath once they stopped in a secluded area covered with trees. Discord looked like he was going keel over as he sat on a log while panting out, "That-was- the most excruciating run I have ever done in all the centuries I have lived through! It was bad enough there was the time I was forced to walk without my magic but just now that was plain torture!"
Tobey sneered, "Aw, boo-hoo, at least you never had to deal with gym class all your life now that is true torture!" he shuddered recalling memories of his bad class experiences particularly whenever his class had to play dodge ball. It was just the worst for him.
The draconequus and boy genius went off on a bicker session.
Nick muttered under his breath, "I can name something else that is true torture…"
Chat Noir's ring beeped signaling his use of the cataclysm had run out and he detransformed back to Adrien Agreste as Plagg had started to groan nonstop and landed in Adrien's hands. Luckily Adrien had been able to pocket some cheese while at the castle and gave it to the Kwami. While Plagg ate, Adrien shouted.
"Hey! Stop it!"
He caught their attention as he calmly said, "Look, it's bad enough that Damon was using us all along but we can't let this drive us apart or else we'll be in bigger trouble than before. We're stuck in this world and have no way of getting back to our own homes so we need to work together."
Discord indignantly asked, "And just who made you team leader?"
"No one. I'm just saying like it is."
Tobey pointed, "If I'm being honest, I rather have a superhero take charge anyway."
Discord crossed his arms and rolled his eyes, "Of course you do."
Nick mentioned, "I must agree with the kid, if anything Adrien is the best qualified to lead us between his experience fighting crime and having a bit more optimism than the rest of us, I say he would do a pretty good job."
Adrien blushed at the compliment and rubbed his neck, "Uh, thanks. That means a lot."
Discord humphed and turned away, "Well if you insist, I guess we can follow the lovesick cat…"
Adrien sighed, "Nice to see your confidence in me." he made a sad chuckle, "Reminds me of my father…"
Suddenly Discord felt guilty and looked back to face the teenager and place a paw on his shoulder, patting it.
That made Adrien smile knowing that was Discord's way of apologizing.
Tobey released a sigh and turned away much to their confusion before the boy admitted, "At least you know your father…"
Their eyes widen as he continued, "He was gone before I had the chance, the only thing I had of him was a robotics kit and well… I don't need to say how that went…"
Nick uttered, "Robots were the only thing you had from your father…" then he went up to the boy telling him, "I know exactly how that feels. My father was a dreamer and an honest fox but no one else but me and my mother saw it. He ran a rundown tailor shop hoping to one day make an even larger store but due to constant rejection and stress he couldn't… Then one day he…" Nick lowered his head causing everyone else to do the same.
The fox took a breath and stated, "Part of the reason I became what I did before meeting Judy."
Discord sighed in exasperation and rubbed his temple, "I might as well confess that I hardly remember my parents and never had them all my life."
They looked back to him giving him pitiful looks.
The draconequus scoffed, "Don't look at me like that. I was perfectly fine without them."
Nick mumbled, "Yet you trying to conquer your world says otherwise."
Adrien outright said, "Well I'm not perfectly fine without my mother."
They looked at him with stunned expressions as the teen said with pain in his voice, "She disappeared about a year ago and I don't know if she's gone or she'll come back. I hope she will but at the same time I try not to get my hopes up."
An ache of pain went through Tobey's heart. He couldn't imagine his life without his mother. As tough as Claire McCallister was she still put up with his misbehavior and cared deeply for him and now listening to Adrien's story made him see just how much he took her for granted all this time. And suddenly without warning he started to sniffle and began to cry.
Adrien rushed to him and gave him a hug, "Hey, hey, it's okay…"
"No it's not. You lost your mother while I still have mine but I took advantage of her love for me."
Nick put a paw on the boy's arm and motioned him to lower down to his height.
"I had hurt my mother by leaving her when I was twelve-"
Tobey gasped, "…I'm twelve now."
Nick and Adrien exchanged a gawk.
Discord rubbed his chin, "That is strangely coincidental."
Once the shock had past, Nick put both paws on Tobey's cheeks and firmly told him, "Then I need you to promise that you will never go back to your old ways and be a better son to your mother when this is all over."
Tobey nodded.
Nick let go and went to Discord, "Coincidence or not, I think it's safe to say that there is definitely something going on here. Between all our tragic pasts and the girls we have met that gave us hope for a better tomorrow, our meeting wasn't by chance in the slightest."
Adrien asked, "But didn't Damon bring us here to use us?"
Discord explained, "From what I understand in our time with the dark wizard he had no way of knowing we would come and saw an opportunity he couldn't resist. Trust me he didn't plan this out ahead of time like he did with my powers." he tried again to teleport but still it wouldn't work. "Obviously I won't be able to get us back to own worlds, I can however still do this," he conjured up four separate tents and a campfire.
Tobey inquired, "You couldn't make a log cabin or something?"
They gave him strange looks making him nervously chuckle, "Uh, never mind." he said under his breath, "Now I know what Becky meant about using my robot at camp…"
Adrien said, "Resting here for the night is a good idea then tomorrow we can think of where to go from here."
They agreed and started to settle in.
The girls had traveled all day in the forest only to stop for breaks until they saw the sun was setting in the distance and agreed they needed to set up camp for the night.
This time Marinette got out the tent and it was just like before with it being like a house on the inside. Then once they had finished dinner they went straight to bed in their own cots and they have drifted off to dreamland.
The young goddess found herself in her room of the Underworld Palace and went out in search of the god that ruled these sunless lands. She soon found him in the throne room where he sat on a throne of ebony wearing a dark toga to match his status as Lord of the Underworld.
She herself was wearing a white toga with flowers on her head to match her status as Goddess of Spring.
The god saw her and a smile crept on his lips.
"You're here." Discord told Fluttershy.
"Would I be anywhere else?" she questioned.
"Ah, good point."
She sat down on a throne of iron next to the underworld king, "This was my choice to be here unless you wish for someone else to be your bride…?"
"Not happening." he leaned toward her and caressed her cheek causing her to lovingly sigh.
Becky sat in the iron throne watching Tobey acting all sulky, she couldn't blame him given this place was gloomy and sad. It was one of the reasons she accepted his offer of living in the Underworld after seeing how lonely he was. But the smile on his face when seeing her made her happy.
She asked, "Are you usually unhappy here?"
"I was. But… not anymore." he touched her hand.
She smiled back.
Judy was expressing her gratuity while Nick sat on his throne and listen intently to her.
"The life I had previously was so boring and my mother would constantly be overprotective of me. That's why I'm glad you came when you did and let me come with you."
"Well I was in need of a queen and you fitted the bill." he quipped.
She let out a slight giggle.
Nick smiled, "But in all seriousness, I'm glad you came too."
They longingly stared into each other's eyes.
Marinette sat down while taking Chat Noir's hand and rubbed it while telling him, "I hope that me being here will help you at last with your loneliness."
He took her own hand and pressed it to his lips, replying, "It already has, more than you'll ever know."
She blushed to his words.
The Lord of Underworld and the Goddess of Spring had spent a great deal together getting closer with each passing day.
At one point Discord surprised Fluttershy with her meeting Cerberus much to her delight and started petting the large three-headed dog.
She said in baby-talk, "Aw, whose a good little puppy…"
Discord beamed in amusement to the scene knowing that others would have run in fright of the guard dog but not her making her all the more impressive and endearing.
Tobey and Becky would play games in the Underworld orchards and enjoy each other's company more and more.
Chat and Marinette were relaxing in the Elysian Fields also enjoying each other's company.
Nick and Judy explored parts of the Underworld coming across a ginormous cavern made of crystals and jewels.
"This is incredible!" she exclaimed.
"Naturally, I am after all known as the wealthiest god there is." he smirked.
"You certainly are." she teased, causing them to laugh.
But alas all good things had to come to an end as the messenger of the gods came to the Lord of the Underworld and told him of what was happening in the upper world with the Goddess of Nature turning everything into winter by her daughter's absence and how he was ordered by the King of the Gods himself to return the Goddess of Spring to her.
Discord swore, "By the river Styx! Do they seriously expect me to give up my future wife just because her mother is throwing a tantrum?!"
Soarin replied, "It's not a tantrum, she's grieving, there's a difference."
"Still! I have to give up the one pony that truly understands me!" he covered his eyes and dejectedly said, "I don't think I can do it…"
Nick scowled at Clawhauser, "What you're asking for is impossible. She came here on her own to get away from her old life and I am inclined to keep it that way."
"The boss isn't going to like that…" the cheetah winced.
Tobey crossed his arms while shaking his head and repeatedly refused, "Nope, no, never, no way, not happening, shall I continue on?"
Scoops sighed, "Look, I get that you love her but the world needs her! Without her the entire population will starve! Do you really want her to find out that you've been keeping secrets from her? To hate you for the rest of eternity?"
Tobey grinded his teeth and pondered on it.
Chat Noir leaned against his throne in forlorn while listening to Nino.
"Believe me, I wouldn't take her if there was another way but there isn't. I'm sorry."
"Don't be, I was a fool to think there wouldn't be any sort of consequences of having her all to myself. But to see her go… it won't be easy."
Nino nodded sadly.
After some deep thinking the Lord of the Underworld then met with the Goddess of Spring and told her of all that's happen making the goddess feel guilty that she caused suffering because of her departure but at the same time she didn't want to leave and spotted a lone pomegranate tree beside the palace and recalling the rule about eating food in the Underworld she had a plan in mind and went straight to the tree much to the underworld king's astonishment.
"What are you…?" all four said as they watched the goddess grabbing a pomegranate and split it open, taking six seeds out and before he could stop her, she ate them in one gulp.
The Lord of the Underworld knew then what she did was out of love for him as proven by the smile she gave him after eating the seeds.
Upon her return to the above world it was decided that she spent six months there and then return to the Underworld for another six months of the year. The separation was great to be sure but their love never wavered as they waited for their reunion knowing that it'll be worth it.
The girls woke out of their sleep feeling startle and by looking at each other they knew what their dreams meant. It was the desire to get close to the one they were rescuing much to their discomfiture.
Marinette suggested, "Can we agree to never bring this up again?"
"Yes!" Becky flushed.
"Agreed!" Judy declared.
"Yes, please!" Fluttershy motioned.
Then after some calming down, they went back to sleep and thankfully no other dreams appeared before them.
The boys had woken up from the odd dream they received and talked it over from their tents.
"And again I dreamed of Becky."
"And me with Marinette."
Nick smirked, "Can't say we told you so." and he and Discord did fist pump making the human boys give a weary look to them.
Tobey bitterly muttered, "I swear you bring that up one more time-"Adrien place a hand on his shoulder to calm him down then mentioned.
"I know Damon said our dreams intermingle in this world but why are they mostly about us with the girls in our lives?"
Discord shrugged, "Who knows? This world has different rules compared to our own. After all, every world has it's own way of existing, so who are we to question this one?"
"But it's so infuriating!" Tobey blurted out.
Nick gestured, "All the more reason why we need to get out of here so we don't have to deal with this anymore."
Adrien recommended, "Let's try to go back to sleep so that we can continue on without exhaustion getting in the way." he made himself relax in his sleeping bag and the others did the same. Fortunately for them no other dreams came that night.