//------------------------------//
// Chapter 7: Reflections about the past 
// Story: The final challenge 
// by Dianabel 
//------------------------------//

Scorpan opened his eyes slowly. His vision was blurry at first, so he couldn´t recognize the place he was in. But as soon as it cleared, he saw some greys bars around him. It was then when he knew where he was.

“Oh no…” he muttered.

He quickly remembered what happened before he lost conscience. He had to face Tirek to help the pillars, but he was the stronger creature. He also remembered that he sent Punja away for help. He hoped with all his heart that she had listen to him and prayed for her safety.

He looked around to see if somepony was around. At his left, there was an unconscious Starswirl inside a cage. He gasped.

“Starswirl!”

His dizziness disappeared. He spread his wings to reach the bars, but something prevented him from doing so. A chain was holding his leg. He held the chain and tried to take it off, but he was too weak and tired. He barely had strength. He sat to the ground while panting.

“You woke up!” a masculine voice said behind him.

Scorpan´s eyes perked up. He turned his head backwards. Behind his cell, there was Stygian´s. He weakly waved his hoof with a nervous smile. His eyes were foggy, and he looked more tired than Scorpan.

“Stygian!” he turned his body around to see him. “Oh, you don´t look good.”

“That´s because your brother took our magic away. But, I´m fine don´t worry.” he reassured him, tenderly smiling at him.

“The others are here as well?” Scorpan asked.

The pillars slowly recovered conscience.

“Well… I´m here…” Meadowbrook pointed out tired.

“Present…” Flash Magnus raised his hoof.

“Aye…” Rockhoof confirmed.

“Count me in…” Somnamnbula said.

“Me too…” Mistmane added.

Starswirl started moving. He complained.

“What happened?” he asked confused.

Scorpan smiled when he heard Starswirl´s voice. He sighed in relief. He feared that he wouldn´t wake up, due to his old age.

“We fought Tirek. But we lost. Scorpan tried to save us and confronted his brother, but he tried to kill him.” Stygian explained. He looked at Scorpan. “And I´m afraid he almost did it. He stroke you in the heart, you know?”

Scorpan knew he fought against Tirek, but he didn´t remember how he lost conscience. And now he did. He felt pain because this was the definite proof that Tirek would never forgive him. His breath started shaking. Tears streamed down his face.

“Hey, what´s wrong?” Mistmane asked softly.

“This is all my fault.” Scorpan said between sobs. “I could have done more…”

“Do more? Against that guy?” Flash asked. “Look, nopony can face a thing as huge as that.”

“Don´t call him that way!” Scorpan scolded Flash.

Flash was a bit surprised at first, but then understood his mistake.

“Sorry…”

Scorpan sniffed.

“It´s ok.”

“But Flash is right.” Rockhoof agreed. “It´s not your fault we lost the fight.”

“Thanks, but it´s not about that.”

Somnambula gasped.

“Wait. No, no, no. You´re blaming yourself for what your brother has become?” she asked.

Scorpan nodded his head while sniffing.

“No, Scorpan. Don´t do that.” Meadowbrook told him.

“And what do you think you did wrong?” Stygian asked while raising an eyebrow.

Scorpan sighed.

“It´s a long story.”

“Why don´t you talk about it, Scorpan?” Starswirl suggested. “I´m sure that ventilating your feelings will help.”

Scorpan seemed a bit unsure at first, but Starswirl´s sweet smile convinced him. He wiped out some tears.

“Ok.”

“Take your time.” Mistmane advised him. “Breath in.”

Scorpan took some air in.

“Breath out.” Mistmane followed.

Scorpan exhalated the air.

“Now, if you feel ready, you may start.”

Scorpan nodded his head.

“First, I´ll have to tell the story of my kingdom. Milleniums ago, in my land, there were the centaurs and the gargoyles. Just like in your case, there was a conflict between them. In fact, there was a war. After so much blood was shed, the gargoyles and the centaurs signed a treaty of peace. They decided to rule the land together. So, they married the prince of the centaurs, Vorak, and the princess of the gargoyles, Haydon.”

“Your parents, am I right?” Stygian guessed.

Scorpan nodded.

“And thus, the Kingdom of Midnight was born. My parents wisely ruled the kingdom for centuries. But they knew they wouldn´t live forever. They needed an heir. The problem is that Haydon had trouble getting pregnant. But one day, the miracle happened. She finally empregnated. And she gave birth to a centaur, my brother, and years later, she gave birth to me.” 

“Now we know why you´re so wise...” Starswirl said to Scorpan while raising an eyebrow

Scorpan blushed.

“My father wanted to make sure that Tirek would carry on with our kingdom´s traditions and values. He was his legacy, after all. Tirek, however, had other ideas. He wanted to implant new ideas and didn´t care about our family´s legacy. My father used to say that he was full of pride and believed to be superior.”

“Who wouldn´t…” Flash muttered under his breath.

“But Tirek did care about us. All his plans, all his ideas, were to impress our father. But our father was too stubborn. He and Tirek used to argue a lot. I remember hearing their screams in my room.”

“Oh dear…” Rockhoof mumbled. “I think somepony has daddy issues.”

“My mother was less serious with him, but he agreed mostly with my father. Which made him feel alone. He hated our parents to the point of not considering them part of his family. But he did consider me part of his family. I was the only one who supported him. But I also wanted to maintain harmony with my parents. As much as I appreciated his ideas, some of them were very dangerous… and sometimes immoral.”

The pillars clenched their teeth.

“So, I had to be behind his back all the time. The whole kingdom said that I acted more like the elder sibling.” he laughed sadly. Then, he sighed. “But I wasn´t a good sibling. I didn´t do anything when he was fighting with my father. In our huge argument in Equestria Tirek told me that I never stood up for him. That I was too weak…” he broke down in tears again. “And he was right.”

“Don´t say that…” Mistmane said softly.

“I must! If I had been a little braver or more outspoken, maybe Tirek wouldn´t have turned out to be what he is today.”

“You´re not responsible for your brother´s choices.” Meadowbrook stated. “Sometimes, I told my patients what they had to do if they wanted to get better, and they didn´t listen. Unfortunately, they paid the consequences in the worst of cases. But I did all I had to do. After you did your part, the rest is out of your control.”

“Thanks for your advice, Meadowbrook. But this is different.” Scorpan replicated. “He´s my brother. Not a patient.”

“Still, she is right.” Somnambula agreed with Meadowbrook. “Just because you had a bad time doesn´t give you the right to harm others.”

“But some of them are misguided… Look Stygian, for example.”

“Yeah, but when they offered me a chance, I took it.” Stygian stated. “You gave a chance for friendship  to your brother, and he didn´t take it.”

“But..”

“No buts, Scorpan!” Starswirl complained. “A great friend of mine was mistreated by society, and she ended up saving Equestria from Grogar!”

The pillars´ ears perked up and looked astonished at Starswirl.

“What?” Flash Magnus asked shocked.

“Gusty the Great…” Rockhoof started.

“Was your friend?!” Meadowbrook finished.

“You never told us that!” Somnambula exclaimed excited. “What a privilege!”

“So she wasn´t always loved?” Stygian asked a bit confused.

Starswirl shook his head.

“First of all, her horn was different to the other unicorns´. More concretely, it was like Mistmane´s. In fact, her village was around your zone.”

Mistmane looked at her horn and smiled in pride.

“But at a young age, due to famine, her family had to move to Tambelon´s capital. That was how Grogar named his empire. Anyway, unfortunately, Gusty´s family died, so she didn´t have other unicorns who were like her, which made her feel out of place.”

“I kinda know how it feels…” Rockhoof muttered.

“Secondly, when she was old enough to get married, she did a very particular choice of marriage for an unicorn: she married a pegasus.”

Everypony gasped.

“Really?” Flash Magnus asked. “But I thought that the three tribes were confronted at the time.”

“Well, not really. Before Grogar, the three tribes didn´t interact before. Thanks to Grogar´s reign, we knew the existence of different ponies. And like before, we didn´t like each other too much and barely communicated, but we were independent from each other, unlike pre- Hearth´s Warming Eve.”

“Oh, ok.”

“Of course, Gusty´s suitor upset so many unicorns. But she didn´t care. She gave birth to two fillies, Celestia and Luna.”

“The princesses are Gusty´s daughters? The things you learn every day.” Scorpan said to himself.

Starswirl laughed.

“Gusty had her own happy family. But things changed when Grogar ordered to kill every pegasus. Celestia and Luna were lucky to have been born unicorns, otherwise they might not be here today…”

Somnambula and Flash Magnus looked at each other.

“Well, he didn´t accomplish that mission.” Somnambula said smugly.

Flash smirked.

“Of course not.” Starswirl agreed. “Many pegasi survived the hunt. Anyway, circumstances forced Gusty and her daughters to live with the other unicorns. But she wasn´t accepted at all. But all of that changed when she joined the rebellion. At that time, some unicorns were opposing Grogar. Gusty knew that if she joined, she would be able to feed Celestia and Luna. And believe me, that was everypony´s salvation.”

“Were you in the rebellion?” Stygian asked.

“Not at first. Like Gusty, I was living isolated from the other unicorns. But in one of the rebellion´s expeditions, I had to give them refuge. It was then, we became friends and convinced me to join them.”

The pillars and Stygian were fascinated. Starswirl looked at Scorpan.

“So, as you see, life always gives us challenges. The decision on how to face them depends on you and you alone. In other words, you´re not guilty for your brother´s choices.”

Scorpan smiled warmly. He looked up to the ceiling, thinking to himself with some sadness in his face.

“I just hope Grogar doesn´t harm him…”





Celestia and Luna were in a dark cell. They had a chain around their necks and a ring in their horns that prevented them from doing any magic. Their heartbeats were agitated, not knowing what was going to happen next. Were Twilight and her friends safe? Will Grogar find them before they attack? Lots of doubts were running in their brains. There was no sound in the cell, only silence. That was until Celestia spoke.

“Lulu?”

Luna, who was looking at the floor, set her eyes on Celestia.

“In case we don´t get out of this, I just want to say…. I love you. I have always loved you, even though you didn´t feel it. You´re a treasure to me, Luna.”

“I already know that. You don´t have to tell me. In any case, the one who should say that is me.” she put her hoof on her chest. “I let my hatred, anger and pain take over me. And I almost left it out on you.”

Celestia wrapped her sister with her wing.

“No. I should have paid you more attention. I should have been a bit more sensitive with what you were going through.” Celestia started crying. “You turned on Nightmare Moon because of me.”

Luna´s eyes filled with tears.

“It wasn´t your fault, Tia. It was mine!” she exclaimed while hugging her sister. She sighed. “Look, if this turns out to be our last moments, I´d rather spend it in any other way rather than blaming ourselves.”

Celestia sniffed.

“Fair enough. Let´s spend it embraced, at least.”

Luna nodded. The sisters hugged each other tightly.

“Here we are again.” Luna scoffed weakly. “Trapped by the diabolical ram once again. My worst nightmare is happening.”

Celestia looked at her sister.

“I know. It is mine too. But at least this time we´re together.”

“Did it take a toll on you?” Luna asked curiously. “You know? Grogar, mother´s death…”

“Of course it did. Why do you ask?”

Luna looked to the ground.

“I always saw you around other ponies, optimistic and happy. I, on the other hoof, isolated myself and succumbed in a deep sadness. I thought I was weak, and for that I started hating myself. I always thought, why can´t I be more like you? A likeable pony who always hoped for the best.”

Celestia sighed.

“You used to be like that. You were always imagining things and hoping for a better future. But after Grogar… you became more private. Did he do anything to you?”

Luna looked aside. She doubted to talk at first, but after thinking about it, she decided it would be better to talk now than never.

“Actually…. He´s partially responsible for Nightmare Moon.”

Celestia´s eyes widened.

“What?” she asked scared.

“He put a spell on me. Like a monster inside me. He told me that I would start hating you, and that hatred would turn me into that monster. And that I would hurt you and mother. He told me that he planned to do the same thing on you. Fortunately, mother stole his bell before he could.”

Celestia breathed heavily.

“That´s why I distanced myself from you. I thought that it would be safer for you. Unfortunately, that was a bad decision. It only fed my hatred for you.”

“Why didn´t you tell me?”

“Because… I saw you in a good mood every day, and-” Luna sighed. “I didn´t want to ruin it. Besides, I thought that you would start hating me and consider me a monster.”

Celestia´s eyes filled with tears.

“Still, the fact that I was cursed doesn´t excuse my actions. I shouldn´t have listened to that darkness. I should have fought a little more and not blame other ponies, especially you.”

Celestia hugged her sister tightly. Tears of hatred streamed down her face.

“That monster! First, he hurt mother and now, I discover that he hurt you!” she sobbed. “He´s not getting away with this! You hear me?! I´ll make him pay for that!”

“You know what? I never thought I´d say this, but… I feel bad for Discord. Having to live with a father like that? No wonder he hates him so much.” Luna said.

“Terrible, I know. I can´t imagine what it must feel like to have been created to destroy.”

There was a brief silence.

“Tia. Will everything be ok?”

Celestia sighed.

“The truth is that I don´t know. But we must not give up our hope. Twilight and her friends aren´t on Grogar´s hooves. Their friendship is powerful, you know that. Besides, Grogar doesn´t have his bell. There´s still a chance, Lulu.”

Celestia grabbed gently Luna´s face. 

“We´re going to get through this. Equestria has gone through many attacks. And Twilight and her friends have always managed to defeat the villains who wanted to hurt us.” Celestia reassured her. “And Grogar will pay for what he did to you. I promise.”

“He hurt you as well.” Luna told Celestia.

Celestia raised an eyebrow.

“He separated me from you. And I know that brought you a lot of pain as well as mother´s death.”

Celestia looked aside sadly.

“And I also know that while you´re hopeful, you´re also insecure and scared. But let me tell you this.” Luna held Celestia´s hoof. “Even if we die, we´ll still be together.”

Celestia smiled sadly and hugged her sister.

“It´s just like mother used to say. When all is lost, then all is found.” she said.

Luna nodded her head. Tears streamed down their faces while they hugged each other tightly.





Discord had his neck enchained to the corner of his cell. He hugged his knees. He was sad and anxious, worried sick about his friends, specially Fluttershy. But mostly, he felt lonely. Throughout his life, Discord had been alone. Ever since he escaped from Grogar, he travelled around the world on his own, looking for a place to settle in, but he wasn´t accepted anywhere, causing him to get used to be in solitude. But right now, it was unbearable. For the first time in years, Discord was feeling hopeless. He couldn´t think of any solution. He didn´t have that spark he usually had. What´s worse, there was a possibility that he might lose the only pony who truly appreciates the beauty of his magic and accepts him for who he is: Fluttershy.

Unlike her friends and other ponies, she didn´t see his magic as annoying or weird, nor dangerous or evil like ancient Equestrian ponies did. Or means to conquer like Grogar did. She saw his magic as a mysterious, mischievous, playful, funny, free-spirited and chaotic force. And for that he was very grateful to her. Fluttershy understood him in a way that nopony else did. After all, she also felt very different from the other pegasi when she was a young filly. 

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of keys. Discord turned his head, and saw Grogar accompanied by a guard. Grogar entered the cell. 

“I´ll call you when we´re finished.” he told the guard.

The guard nodded left the two of them running in dread. Discord scowled and looked away. Grogar sighed and rolled his eyes.

“Come on, Discord. Don´t make this harder for yourself. It will be better for your health if you just obey and don´t resist.”

Discord scoffed.

“Don´t pretend you care about my health or me.”

“Quite the contrary, Discord. I do. I do.”

“Just so you can accomplish your plans, am I right?”

Grogar chuckled.

“You know your father so well, don´t you? But you should see it from another perspective, Discord. I´m giving you a chance to become the grandiose and powerful Lord of Chaos you once were. With some improvements too.”

Discord turned his head to talk to his father face to face.

“What you really want is to use me as a weapon. You want me to spread fire and destruction everywhere. Let´s face it, you never thought I was scary. Even when you watched my reign in that eye of yours, you must have been thinking that all I did was stupid and childish! You have no right to tell me that you admire me! Besides, that´s not what I want! I´ve discovered a new style of life and I´m content with it. You cannot and will not change me!”

Grogar smirked and raised an eyebrow.

“Funny. You had that same attitude when those ponies were trying to reform you. The same ponies you turned against to ally with Tirek.”

Discord was going to answer, but that was a low blow for him. He looked down in shame.

“Let´s face it, Discord. This isn´t the life you were born for. Even if you try to be kind and meek, ponies still see you as a monster or a freak. They always have and always will. They are self-righteous creatures who believe they are better than every creature else. Look at your so called friends! They consider you an annoyance. They never want to be by your side. Yet they claim that they fight for friendship. Do you see what I´m saying? Why do you keep on pretending something you are not? I am the one who accepts you the way you are. We would be unstoppable, Discord. Nopony else will dare to disrespect you.”

Discord´s heart ached. Even if he tried to deny, he always felt that when he was around a pony who wasn´t Fluttershy. But he knew that he was trying to manipulate him. Still, those words were too much.

“Please, stop.” he put his hands in his ears, at the brink of tears.

“I am telling the truth, son. It´s painful, I know.” Grogar said as he put a hoof on Discord´s shoulder, who quickly shoved it away. “But if you join me, you won´t have to feel that pain no more. I think that the right choice is obvious. So, what do you say?”

Discord spat on his face. Grogar wiped it out with his hoof with a look of hatred towards his son.

“Did you really think that I would fall for that? Do you think I´m an idiot? Tirek pulled the exact same trick. You underrate me too much. You criticize ponies on believing that they are better, but you know what? You´re not that different.” Discord smirked.

Grogar raised an eyebrow confused.

“You believe that you´re the most powerful and intelligent creature, but you did lots of basic mistakes without seeing the consequences before hoof because of your pride. For example, why did you think that giving me intelligence was a good idea? Or worse, how is it that Gusty ended up defeating you?”

“ENOUGH!” Grogar ordered while smacking a hoof to the ground.

“Like you usually say, keep denying all you want, but you know I´m right.”

Grogar´s blood was boiling in fury. He hated so much when things didn´t go according to plan. Still, there was something else he could do. And he knew that Discord couldn´t say no to that. He smirked evilly.

“Very well. Do whatever you want. But I´d advise that you did it for somepony else.”

Discord´s ears perked up. His confidence and cockiness dropped when he understood who he was talking about. He stared at his father in fright.

“You wouldn´t…” he muttered.

“I´m capable of anything. You know that.”

Discord panted.

“I didn´t want to come to this point, but you leave me no choice. Don´t obey me, and your precious pegasus friend will pay the consequences.”

Discord put his claw and paw on his temples. 

“I´m doing this because it´s the best for you, Discord. That mare has misguided you from your destiny and has turned you weak again. And do you know why?”

Seeing that Discord was in the brink of tears, Grogar held his chin.

“Because you fell for this mare´s tricks. All your life, you foolishly sought for somepony who understood you and accepted you for who you are. Let me tell you this, that wasn´t kindness. That was cunning.”

Discord frowned and sniffed while looking at Grogar.

“Look at you, crying like a foal. Do you understand what I´m saying when I tell you that she has turned you weak again? You embarrass me as a son.”

Grogar let go of Discord´s chin. He went to the cell´s door.

“Seeing that you don´t answer, I´m going to give the order to capture Fluttershy and bring her here.”

“Wait!” Discord exclaimed weakly.

Grogar stopped walking and turned around. Discord cleaned his tears and sighed.

“I´m at your service, father.”

Grogar smiled in satisfaction.

“That´s a good boy.” he looked at the guard. “Guard!”

The guard jumped scared by Grogar´s sudden yell. He ran towards the cell and opened it. Grogar talked to Discord while leaving the cell.

“Don´t think that just because you accepted I´m going to treat you nicely. In fact, you´ll sleep here tonight, due to your stubbornness. Tomorrow morning we´ll talk again.”

Th guard closed the cell. He looked at Discord with some pity before leaving. The draconequus hugged his knees and started crying.

“I´m sorry, girls.” he muttered between sobs.