//------------------------------// // Feeling Different // Story: Chaos On: The (Lightly-edited For FIMfiction) Original Edition // by PactOfSkyranger //------------------------------// Well, I think it all started when my parents were involved in an accident. It didn't make sense how, crashing into a lake like we did, I was the only one lucid to, as a teenager, save two full grown adults. Unfortunately, sense has an odd habit of not going near my mother and father, who were actually a couple nobody knew before he appeared and disappeared with no trace. Some people from far say dad went by Scoddri. Local others called him Disc. They all said my mom's name was Cara Andal. All dad left me was a necklace with an emerald crystal that seemed to pulse dimly with an energy, and a sister who had another crystal that fit perfectly with mine. She said our dad had tried to give her some power at the cost of his life, but when she refused it, a girl with purple hair had torn it from him and his body crumbled to dust, the crystal split in half... Ha! Just kidding; that last part's another world! I get things confused easily now, especially with what I know. You see, I thought I lived a normal life with so much misfortune that I just contemplated vanishing, but I just kept on. Nearly losing my human parents to a crazy episode made by mom did not do anything to help matters. I mean, a boulder hurtling straight for your face? Dear Faust, it was terrifying. Suddenly knowing everything about my birth parents' home AND the boulder stopping in midair and turning into a ball of fluffy cotton candy? Sweet Tartarus, no one can imagine the surprise of that. The candy was delicious, but I was jarred by the mismatched horns. I managed to put the powers on a switch, though. Who am I to have the impressive cosmic powers of a Djinn? I am Fal Robins, born Falak Disc, child of Discord and Cosmos. My mom is more evil in her crazy than dad, and that's why she doesn't get parole from the stars she was locked in. Nice to meet you. Okay, so my dad was a perfectly normal property manager, and my mom taught medical at a career college. I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life, and we were driving out to a camping site. I looked up at the night sky, the Andalusian constellation, a heart composed of six stars, shining bright as ever. Actually, a bit brighter. Looking into mom's eyes, she was glazed over, muttering, "Soon, my son, you shall be free of that mortal shell..." as the car sped up. I thought she was just delirious but she didn't respond to seatkicking or my scrap-bar foil, and we were driving straight into the lake and Dad was trying to stop her before falling asleep unnaturally and I was scared and- AAAGGH, I JUST CAN'T! Do you know how traumatizing it was? After we plunged in, I waited for the pressure to equalize, using the rebreathers we had packed to keep mom and dad alive. There were only two though. I just decided to hold my breath and drag them ashore. I was lucky to catch a breath of air, slapping my parents silly to wake them from the trance, before passing out from the exertion. The one thing I noticed was that the shine of the constellation had normalized, and a whisper saying, "What has my husband done to you, little Falak?" Falak? That wasn't my name, I thought as I passed out, a phrase John de Lancie never said as Discord filling my head. One score, minus four Power removed and body confused I hide you from your mother vile Against her wrath, away I file With the rulers, I seal her in the stars One year after, stay from cars Examining the poem, I found it bore resemblance to a Curse of Scores, the spell Discord used to seal away the ponies in the “Five Score, Divide By Four” world. That makes sense. If the voice was my real mother, then she was the one who controlled them to set up the accident. Sealed in the stars... If the caster was Discord, then by Issues 75 and 76 of the comics, the culprit, and my mother, was Cosmos! I knew the stars had just appeared when I turned 16, but I never expected that on my birthday camping trip, she would try to kill me and my human parents just to get me back! Of course, after I realized what the poem meant, I decided to read at the base of the cliffs, just finishing Harry Potter 5 when I heard Cosmos' voice again, saying "If I can't kill your parents, I'll settle for just YOU!" The shadow that appeared over my head, and the boulder that made it, gave me a shock. "WAAAGH!" I instinctively and foolishly threw up my hands to stop the boulder, snapping my fingers one last time before I was crushed by my crazy mother trapped in the stars-! POOF! I opened my eyes... and was bemused, if not shocked, at what I saw. “Huh. Neat.” As soon as I snapped my fingers, two horns, one draconic and the other a unicorn's, had appeared on my head, I began to float, and most importantly, the boulder turned into a ball of cotton candy and just hovered there. Instinctively and curiously, I took a bite. "Mmmm... bubblegum and cinna-roll!" Of course, having some knowledge of what a draconequus can do, I wasn't very surprised I could turn pure stone into cotton candy. I decided to keep the incident at the cliff a secret, my appetite allowing me to finish off the sugary sphere of former stone, and returned to the campsite. I had made a sphere of safety where Cosmos couldn't do anything, and since it was the last day we were camping, I had cast it on the car for the way back. I just snapped my fingers, magicked a scrying crystal to watch what was happening with birth-dad, when suddenly it showed me in it, but that's impossible because Discord was back in Fourth Equestria last I checked and I don't think he could get away from- "Falaaaak! I'm heeeeere!" Oh yeah, he can travel through dimensions. Beside him was... "Dad," I asked him, "you brought Fluttershy and my sister Screwball to Reality?" "Not just them," He said, explaining that he wanted me to use my magic for a gift for Luna's first moonrise, the mare stepping out from behind him. I was shocked. Here it was, the chance to do something truly wonderful for Luna! I snapped my fingers... HEARTH'S WARMING EVE, 980 YEARS UNTIL LUNA'S ESCAPE ...and we were at the deathbed of a single ice blue mare with a snow white mane. One that changed winter in Equestria forevermore. For my gift to Luna, I decided to give her... Snowdrop. "Snowdrop," I began, "here upon your grave I grant you three gifts for your contribution to winter and your friendship to Luna. My first gift is that you will finally see all you have helped create." With those words, vivid pictures of everything Snowdrop ever did filled her head and I saw a single tear fall from her blind eye. "My second gift is that your snow, every flake of it, shall never be forgotten or forlorn as long as the winter winds blow, and my third and most precious gift," I beamed as I said those words, "is that your voice, your story, will carry to the four corners of the world on the winds and see every wonder of Equestria through your own two eyes. You shall never leave Luna alone ever again, and when the snowdrop flower blooms every year, you will be revitalized. Live once more, Snowdrop, and be joyous at what you have gained...," I cried joyously as I said the final words, "in all these years. Live for all you have done, and all the ponies you call friend, for life is truly wonderful, and the greatest gift I can bestow upon you is that you are able to experience it with the pony you call your best friend. So mote it BE!" At that moment, the snowdrop bloomed, an energy flowing into Snowdrop as she emerged from her bed youthful once more, a snowflake falling past the window and her eyes, now devoid of cataracts, giving her a glimpse of the five who had given her life. I couldn't contain myself anymore and neither could they, all of us piling around her and embracing the filly, the mare, the wonderful blind pegasus who brought the greatest wonders of snow to the winter. Luna, silent throughout all of this, finally let out a sigh and spoke. "’Tis wonderful to see you, my old friend, but I cannot stay. However, I can offer you solace, and two gifts of my own for this Hearth's Warming; the ability to enter the dreamscape, and an amulet which will let you use your affiinity for the cold, and your natural magic, to create such wonderful things. To use your magic for spellcraft, focus on the spell you want to cast and focus your magic through the pendant." Her horn glowed, and Snowdrop tested her newfound magic as the snowflake shaped pendant around her neck began to glow an ice blue, a block of magic made to feel and act like ice forming in the center of the room before Snowdrop formed it into a sculpture of a flower, the excess "ice" crushed to snow and vanishing into the pendant before Snowdrop let go and the rest of the ice vanished into her. "She received the magic to enchant the pendant from me. From this point she must draw upon that magic to manipulate the snow, the ice, the very moisture of the air, to do what she wishes with her own innate abilities," Luna explained as Snowdrop tested a basic levitation spell before teleporting to the north, Luna saying the pendant will shield her from the cold, which can strengthen her power. Satisfied we were able to grant Snowdrop a chance to live to see her friend, I snapped my fingers and Luna departed for Equestria, my relatives and Fluttershy staying behind and getting to bond. I wondered about Snowdrop, though, What would happen? Snowdrop trekked through the North, the cold flowing around her and infusing her with energy. She trudged through the untouched snow, her pendant glowing as snow collected behind her. Finally, she reached the mountains, her power channelling the snow from her stroll into a palace of pure, dense blue ice. An odd chill of foreboding settled around the courtyard as windigos flowed into the palace towers, which had no entryways other than the windows atop them, and Snowdrop felt at home as a chill settled around her, her ice blue corporeal form fading to an ethereal yet regal visage. Snowdrop, the leader of a sect of Windigos that fed not on hatred, but harmony and friendship, as well as possessing the ability to take on a corporeal form, sighed with relief. One day later, and she would have left her sect with no leader. Her sect was mortal as anypony else because of their odd diet by windigo standards, as well as their corporeal forms, but that was what made her sect the best, as they, the Winter Winds, were made responsible for ferrying the wishes from the first snowfalls up to the stars. That fateful night she carved the snowflake, they had whispered to her, longing for a leader that could show them through the times of harmony, and even though she was blind, they took to her bright demeanor and craft as swift as a hare. All Equestria would hear her tale upon the winds... That gift was one she valued the most. Windigos, especially royals, had a long life, and most windigos were linked to the royal. The rejuvenation effect of the snowdrop spell had given them a boost, and the new throne she had gave her at least someplace to sit. Sighing, Snowdrop reassumed her corporeal form, her pendant glowing as she teleported back to her home as Snowdrop, the snowflake mare, and her windigos settled into the towers. Little did she know that the blessing extended to any world the Displacement Effect had touched. Okay, a world where there are nice Windigos and Snowdrop is one of them? That's schweet. And that happens to be MY Fourth Equestria! Well, after we had kept my parents safe from mom, I decided to do some things before leaving them. First, I considered my alternate selves. How they could suffer in the mundanity of Reality! I imparted a slice of my magic into the fabric of reality, saying if they were truly dissatisfied, they could leave reality and enter their favorite place. Two, I went to four points in Equestria to impart knowledges of futures that could be if they don't get their act together. Also, I messed with a friendship lesson from season 8. (Point 1: Sire's Hollow) Sunburst had just gotten his mark, and proud, he was rushing out the door when an odd creature popped in. "Sunburst," it said, "think of how Starlight would feel if you just left! Starlight, think of the friends you can make. Don't let a silly destiny flank tattoo drive you apart! Or better yet, let me show you BOTH what happens!" It placed its mismatched hands on their heads, their eyes glowing as they saw each other's futures when Sunburst left. This surprised somepony outside the window. "Oh, future Glimmer,” the creature said. “Hi. I just gave you something. Now you two fillies keep in touch no matter what, okay?" The future ponies then departed to do their episode, and I vanished after Sunburst told his parents that he didn't want the cutie mark to drive them apart. He was still promptly taken away, but Starlight still remembered what had happened to him. What did he see?, she thought as he thought the same thing about what she saw. Suddenly, the two froze as the creature apparently chose to answer that from afar. Starlight saw a wall, laden with cutie marks, and six jars, all of them breaking and the marks returning to ponies behind her, before seeing a scroll open and a portal whisking her to Cloudsdale, where she encased a cyan pegasus in crystal and saw... well, every last one of the timelines in the Cutie Re-mark. Sunburst, on the other hand, saw himself being less than successful in the practical application of magic, letters with red seals piling behind him as he studied every magic book there was in a house overlooked by a crystal spire. The two of them shared one last look as the creature, satisfied, vanished to the next point on his list. (Point 2: Cloudsdale) The parents of one Rainbow Dash, Bow Hothoof and Windy Whistles, received a letter just as an explosion of color painted the sky, opening it to read, Dear parents of Rainbow Dash/Rainbow Dash herself, You're probably/Your parents were wondering about the blast of color that just appeared. That was actually your daughter/you. Yes, she/you performed a Sonic Rainboom. This is better than you think, as today, a day I call the Day Of Destiny, would not be fully realized if not for that one event. Your daughter has/You have unknowingly ensured the fate of Equestria as its Element of Loyalty, and with that blast of color, five other fillies have realized their own destinies, and together, they/you will guide your world to harmony. -A friend. P.S: This flash-paper letter will self-destruct after Rainbow reads the next postscript or if it is removed. P.P.S: Fluttershy is fine. She is also one of the fillies who Dash/you helped with destiny. At that moment, Rainbow arrived at their doorstep and read through the letter as carefully as she could. True to its word, the letter burnt away with no trace after Rainbow read the second postscript. The only thing she could say, knowing such a thing, was, "These next years are going to be awesome!" Nopony noticed the future unicorn and alicorn returning to their time. (Point 3: Cozy Glow's house) No sooner did Cozy discover a new penpal than a letter appeared in front of her. She read, and was shocked to see a vision of herself in a cage next to a withered centaur. She shook it off and began to read the letter, but the details were still branded in her head as she read. Dear Cozy Glow, That vision you saw? It was real. Or at least, it will be, if you grub for power by banishing magic from Equestria. That centaur, believe it or not, was Tirek. He gets stronger and looks better the more magic he absorbs from ponies. Yes, that old centaur was your penpal, and as you saw, your possible future cellmate. -A concerned outlier who knows things about everypony P.S: This message will brand itself into your head as it self-destructs. Which is now. Sure enough, the paper burned away, while the words glowed blue and flew into her eyes. She only had one thing to say about it. "Golly, I seem messed up in hindsight.“ She put a hoof to her chin as she pondered, “Or is it technically foresight since it hasn't actually happened yet?" (Point 4: The Ursa Cave Where Tempest Lost Her Horn) Fizzlepop Berrytwist had just been attacked by an Ursa Minor, losing her horn in the process. However, a perfect crystalline replication of her horn, wrapped in a letter, appeared. She opened the letter, the horn attaching to her on its own as if it had a will, and read. Dear Fizzlepop Berrytwist, I thought I'd give you a part of yourself back. In return, could you do me a favor? In the desert oasis of Abyssinia, there is a jewel known as the Misfortune Malachite. As it says, it causes disaster, but it also grants power. Could you NOT go that way? I don't want you to be conscripted by the evil Storm King. It has a cousin known as the Good Fortune Garnet, in the Thunder Jungle right now, but only a special pegasus weather trick can reach the jungle through a perpetual thunderhead. It also can only be used, or even lifted, by those that have pure intentions for it. Okay, just going to pick the point back up... What I'm saying is that it may be hard to keep your friends, but you just have to do your best. -The One Who Knows P.S: This letter is made of flash paper and has the power to transfer knowledge and visions. Fwoosh. She was surprised as the words flew into her, imparting knowledge of a rougher, more broken, betrayed version of her known only as Tempest Shadow as she was thrown off the castle balcony. Tempest Shadow... it had a nice ring to it. She went to her friends and told them what happened when the Ursa attacked, presenting the piece of her horn that had broken off. (Changed Lesson: Spike the Water) Rain Shine, leader of the Kirin, couldn't be bothered to care. It wasn't her fault, though. It was all the anger that led her to douse the whole village in the Stream of Silence. Still, she couldn't help but feel a twinge when she received a threatening letter, and Autumn Blaze ran into the village. Autumn Blaze, the one Kirin that spoke, could absolutely care! After all, she had discovered the way to undo the effect of the Stream of Silence, and while that meant she could turn into a Nirik she at least knew that rage was just an emotion like any other and- Hey, what's this letter?... Oh. Dear. Faust. SHE HAD TO WARN RAIN SHINE! She ran down to the village, the letter in her mouth reading, I am going. To spike the water spring. With Foal's Breath. Neither you or Rain can stop me. You'll never see it coming. Also, you seriously need to take Autumn's example and know how to chill. Anger is simply emotion, and without emotion, we are empty. Without the rain, the basalt of the Hawaiian islands from my world cannot be fertile, and there also can't be rainbows. Both letters will self-destruct after the first sips are taken. Rain tilted her head when she saw Autumn and compared her letter to theirs. Of course, it was hard to miss the descending bouquet of flowers falling into the water and tinting it blue, a kirin taking a drink and subsequently beginning to talk. Rain Shine took a sip, went to the Stream of Silence, and before she went back in and doused the other kirin, she simply said, "This will be a problem, if we cannot drink without unleashing our blazing hearts." Neither of them missed the letters burning up. ------------------------------------------------------ Well, I changed the situation a bit. Either way, the next thing I did was check my alt-selves. After all, with all the perpendicularity, who knows when they are? Kid and Filly had gotten the furthest, but it was stalling chapters, so I just sent a message. Huge summit, True Unity's world. Be there. I then snapped my fingers and departed.