Chapter 6
confusion, anger and dastardly deeds
Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic --
the characters and creations are the property rights of Hasbro, Inc.
and the MLP: FiM writers, producers, etc.
Southern Equestria
All who lived under the rule of the emperor of madness knew that their lord was furious as they saw volcanoes erupt hot fudge, as storm clouds rained hot soup and as all the deserts and sweets turned into fruits and vegetables and vice versa.
Inside Discords castle many of his servants rushed about to complete the tasks their master had given them for fear of being used as one of his many playthings to help him overcome his foul mood. That fear had only recently further compounded when he had turned a couple into a cat and mouse for a life and death chase game to calm himself down.
(This is so infuriating how was I the master of the unexpected taken by surprise like that and to have my own magic turned against me like that. How was that even possible that mare was literally radiating my chaos magic and I've never even seen her before how does she have chaos magic at all?)
She knew something about chaos magic and she had been terrified that he would find out. That was all that made disgusting sense to Discord. She had shown no true trace of fear until he had started talking about plucking all of their thoughts from their heads meaning either the crystal empire had found a way to harness chaos magic or just she had and from the way she had acted most likely it was something only the mare had knowledge of.
(I can not allow these dam ponies to gain access to my magic. I already have to deal with Harmony ever since my sister were banished and those thrice dammed pillars planted Harmony)
Discord had been having consistently worse moods as he lost control over his kingdom and the fact that the lord of chaos could see the irony of what was happening only made him angrier. "Oh if I could only listen to my sister soothing voices again I'm sure this headache would just vanish."
Melancholy thoughts filled Discords mind as he though back to all the fun he had had with family. Oh the glorious devastation they had heralded across Equus before those damned ponies managed to steal away his father bell. He and his sisters made those ponies pay of course the rest of their species short existence would be miserable. Unfortunately the fun in torturing the lesser species had led to them forgetting revenge and just enjoying being able to rule without having their father's nagging them about not playing with their food or constantly pointing out their mistakes.
Oh as much as Discord had hated how his father had lorded his knowledge and wisdom over his children he truly wished that he could have his father provide him with some wisdom right now. Discord would never admit it to anyone but the fact that a pony managed to even grasp the notion of chaos magic terrified him. (No This will not stand. Chaos is my thing not these insignificant pests)
Discord knew what he needed to do. First he needed to know if this mare had shared her knowledge or research or kept it to herself then he needed to get rid of her or better yet turn the other ponies against her making them think she was his disciple working to bring their empire under his rule. Oh the story of betrayal and revenge would be sweet as once they turn on her she would be forced to turn to him.
"Plan B big D, never forget your plan B like the good old goat would always remind us."
Discord was pulled out of his scheming by a tiny discord whispering in his ear. Oh two heads were always better than one and having himself in his corner always helped. Yes at the very least if he failed to twist the strange mare to his whims then he would just rip the knowledge out of her mind.
(Oh sometimes I forget how elegant and fun the simple solution is sometime)
His good mood restored Discord turned the couple he had shapeshifted into a cat and mouse earlier back into ponies. Just in time to as the cat was about to eat the mouse resulting in the funny image of the stallion's mouth filled with his mare's hoof. "Go to the kitchen and bring me some freshly baked cake and make sure my plate is never empty till the sun rises."
the two servants bowed and ran out of the room as quickly as their legs could carry them just happy that their lord had been kind enough to turn them back into ponies.
Crystal Empire
Sombra decided he liked hospital. No it wasn't the food that was terrible and the doctors were annoying as Tartarus but the cute mare nurses sure made up for it with how they had pampered him during his and Gleaming's stay at the royal hospital.
(The pampering almost makes the magical drain worth it, almost) The long range teleportation had taken its toll on Sombra combined with all the time he had spent recharging or repairing the defense and alarm spells along the border not to mention the long distance two pony teleport had strained his magic to its limit leading to some less than pleasant pain for Sombra. Just as Sombra was about to take a nap he was brought back to the waking world by the sound of a pony entering his room.
"Oh I'm so sorry I didn't know that you were trying to sleep I'll come back later."
"Oh Chrysalis I'm fine, just taking my time to enjoy the small pleasures of comfort before master Alister arrives to work me to the bone again. I swear I think he enjoys seeing other ponies struggle through the torture sessions he calls lessons."
The two apprentices chatted for a bit while Chrysalis took out a small box full of books. "I heard that you may still be a guest here for a while so I got you some books to help stave off the boredom and keep your mind sharp if master Alister ever made a surprise visit."
Sombra paused as he realized something until Chrysalis had arrived he had not actually gotten any visitors since he had been admitted to the hospital a week ago. (Something big is going on otherwise that old stallion Alister would be chewing me out for being so irresponsible with my magic or Solomon and Leonidas would be looking me over like a lab rat.)
"Chrysalis what's going on? I've been here for about a week and your the first visitor to come see me, I'd expect that from the old coots at the academy but I thought for sure that you or some of the other students would have come to see me earlier, heck I'm pretty sure that annoying mare Gleaming Shield would have come over as well just to make sure I was still in one piece after I fell unconscious from out trip home."
Chrysalis looked nervous as she debated with herself on whether or not she should tell Sombra what was going on, which he was not making easy by the glare he was giving her.
Chrysalis just sighed and relented knowing that he would find out eventually anyway. "The imperial council is having a trail investigating the information she provided while you were unavailable for comment. To make a long story short they didn't believe her, or at least the royal council didn't. The kept accusing her of making everything up or just being mistaken and that everything that happened was an Umbran trick."
Sombra felt a headache coming on as he knew what the noble council was up to. They would wait till he came to confirm Gleaming's intel to drive a wedge between him and her to weaken the future standing of the magic council and strengthen the noble faction of the imperial council when they took him at his word. (We are in the middle of a war, our princess is currently outside of them empire brokering alliances with less than pleasant nations, we have the chaos spirit getting involved with the Umbra and our own council is at war with itself.)
"Relax Sombra, your going to give yourself a migraine if you over think this. Just take the time you need to recover and explain the politics to Gleaming before you give the council what they want to hear."
Sombra just had a great-full look on his face as Chrysalis always knew what to so when he started to spiral. He just hoped that she would be able to explain the situation clearly to Gleaming to make sure that would understand the situation that they had found themselves in. (This is going to be a political manure storm. Politics and military never mix well together, I can just pray to Faust that the princess returns before we the nobles and mage members of the council start a civil war.)
"Don't worry your horn off Sombra I'll make sure everything goes well and if all else fails I can just lock you and her in a room until she calms down so that she will be willing to listen to a proper explanation." Sombra shuddered a bit at the sweet smile on Chrysalis's face. She meant well but some times her social ineptitude from her lack of social interaction led her to do some very scary things when she tried to help ponies with their problems. (I'm so sorry for what I've unleashed upon you Gleaming but better you than me. I just hope you will be reasonable before Chrysalis starts going down the route of extreme)
Gleaming Shield's room
The castle was filled with the sound of a angry pony tearing up her room as Gleaming had unleashed her pent up anger at the room so not to explode on the next pony or creature that spoke to her. "Those dammed fool! For Faust's sake I know what I saw and that wasn't some Umbra dammed trick but no those fools would rather railroad me than face the idea of the chaos lord joining in on this dammed war! Well they deserve what ever fate Discord will bring upon them when he actually rains chaos upon the empire and we aren't prepared to stop him."
About an hour later Gleaming had calmed down as she looked at the mess that was her room and just felt depressed. The mages had at least looked like they had believed her but the nobles had laughed in her face calling her a girl making up tall tales to get attention. She had almost blasted the noble-pony but that wouldn't have helped her case. (I can't wait till they talk to Sombra and have to eat their words. Him being from a noble family and being and apprentice to one of the arch-mages means that they have to take him seriously and in turn have to accept that a little mare in their eyes was not only telling the truth but was capable much more that they though possible.)
Gleaming just groaned as she though about how much the past sucked for mares if they weren't part of upper-class society or royalty. (By Tartarus I'm going to have to deal with this until I find a way back home or barring that until Solomon retires and hands the position of arch-mage to me.) A cold feeling like she had swallowed a block of ice filled her gut as she realized that there was a good chance she would never be able to get back to her own time let alone her old body.
(This whole situation is my fault I shouldn't have taken that joke as far as I did and now I probably got Discord in trouble as well, I hope Twily isn't to mad at him.) It was a terrifying though but most likely she/he would have to be prepared to focus on her life in the Empire and forget about the past if she wanted to stay sane, not yet but soon as her old memories kept bring a sense of pain at what she had lost but that pain always faded when she though about the life that she had been living in the empire. (Hurry up Twilight or I have a feeling I may not even want to leave at some point.)