//------------------------------// // Chapter 7 - New Beginnings, New Friends, Good Old Discord. // Story: Terraria: Friendship Is Magic // by Pomp-Neigh //------------------------------// Three days after the Equestrians arrive in Terraria...- Twilight Sparkle is awakened from her slumber as the sun’s rays kiss her face via a window positioned just above the bed she laid upon. This stirs her awake as she lifts herself up via her forelimbs, yawning afterward.  For a moment, she scans the room she now finds herself in, trying to familiarize herself with her new surroundings. “Where am I?” She inquires. “The last thing I remember was being sucked into- wait! My friends!” Twilight exclaims as she fires up her horn and teleports out of bed. The lavender princess then swings open her room’s door and trots down a nearby set of stairs, reaching the lower level.  “Hello?! Is anypony there?!” “Good grief, Twilight. You know, you can be- Twilight! You’re awake!” Starlight Glimmer shouts as she runs into her teacher and hugs the alicorn with all her might. “S-Starlight, I... can’t... breath...” Twilight says as she struggles In her student’s grasp. “Oops! Sorry, Twilight.” Starlight says as she releases the lavender alicorn, thus finally allowing her to breathe. Twilight recovers and takes a few deep breaths. “What’s going on? You hugged me like I was gone for a year or something.” “Twilight, you were asleep for three whole days! We were apprehensive about you and thought you’d starve or dehydrate yourself in your sleep! I’m glad you’re awake now... I guess you can thank that alicorn body of yours, huh? I’m pretty sure that if you were a regular pony, you would’ve-” Starlight cuts herself off as Twilight stares at her with a look that could best be described as -really?-  The unicorn mare then fidgets nervously and laughs sheepishly. “Ehehe... I’m going to stop talking now.”  Twilight couldn’t help but chuckle at her student’s antics. She then smiles and puts a hoof onto Starlight’s left shoulder. “I’m glad you’re ok, Starlight. Is it safe to assume that everypony else is alright? And what do you mean I’ve been asleep for three days? How could I? I don’t remember doing anything that could cause such a-” Twilight’s words are cut off as Starlight puts a hoof to her muzzle. “Ok! I’m gonna have to stop you right there, Twilight. Let’s take it one step at a time for now. Yes, everypony is fine; It was mostly just you. As for what’s going on, well, why don’t you come outside and see for yourself? We can head to Candy Cane Corner for some breakfast.” “Candy Cane Corner?” Twilight questions. “What’s that?”  “You’ll see, now come on.” Starlight replies as she leads her teacher to the exit and leaves the house together. Twilight followed her student down a stone-paved road, but she couldn’t believe what she was seeing all around her as a small community was built in her absence. She looked in multiple directions; from the looks of it, the alicorn could tell she was in some sort of sealed-off community.  Stone walls surrounded the few buildings she could see around her, including the building she and Starlight had just exited. A rather large cloud was also positioned over the aforementioned building. And one could tell instantly that these stone walls served to keep land-based threats out and to protect those within. Twilight turns her gaze back to her student. “This is amazing, Starlight. Did you and the others do this in just three days? This place is almost the size of Ponyville. Not to complain or anything, but there are only eight of us. Isn’t this a little overkill?” “Actually, Twilight, there’s thirteen of us in total so far. Then again, Zecora has been spending a lot of time in the nearby jungle. I think Rainbow Dash saw her building something over there.” “You know, that doesn’t surprise me. Zecora always did prefer to live in dangerous yet secluded areas, and If anypo- er, I mean, anyzebra, could thrive in such a place, it’s her. Especially since she called the Everfree Forest home.” Twilight’s head turns to and fro again, admiring her friends’ and loved ones’ ‘hoofwork.’  “So where in the world are we? I know this isn’t Equus anymore. This world feels so different, and the magic field here is much stronger than back home. I can’t explain it, but my body feels... amazing.” Twilight’s words cause Starlight to chuckle. “We’re almost there, Twilight. I promise that everything will be revealed once we get to- oh! We’re here!” Starlight exclaims before turning around, facing Twilight, and raising her right forehoof into the air.  The smell of baked sweets rushed into Twilight’s nostrils, something she was all too familiar with thanks to a particular pink pony.  “Welcome to Candy Cane Corner, Twilight Sparkle.”  “T-that’s a lot of candy cane... then again, this has Pinkie Pie written all over it.”  The duo shares a bit of laughter before entering the building.  Upon entering, the sound of a bell goes off, and a pink blur shoots down from upstairs and appears before the two mares at a podium. “Welcome to Candy Cane Corner, where everything is super sweet and-” Pinkie Pie gasps. “Twilight!” The pink mare lunges forth and tackles Twilight, causing the alicorn to slide on the floor, with the party pony landing on top.  “Oh-my-gosh-I-was-so-worried-when-you-didn’t-wake-up-because-then-I’d-have-to-throw-a-please-wake-up-party-for-you-but-now-you’re-awake-and-you’re-ok-so-now-we-” Pinkie Pie was cut off as Starlight ignited her horn and lifted the pink pony off of the alicorn. “That’s enough, Pinkie. She just woke up, and I’d hate for you to put her back down.” Starlight states with a deadpan expression before she helps Twilight back onto her hooves. “Oops, sorry about that, Twilight!” Pinkie responds. “I’m just super-duper duuuuper happy to see you. Go ahead and take a seat, you two. Dashie, Rarity, and the terrarians are inside.” Pinkie then zooms off upstairs in a pink blur, heading back to the kitchen.  Pinkie’s words catch Twilight off guard as the lavender mare turns to Starlight and asks: “The terrarians? Who or wha-” “That would be us, miss. Come and take a seat. We’ve got a lot to talk about, and your pink friend makes amazing pastries!” A man sitting nearby at a table with other individuals calls out to Twilight as he overhears the alicorn’s question.  He was wearing a light blue shirt, blue jeans, and black shoes. Twilight’s eyes widen, and her mouth goes agape upon noticing his appearance and the various other members sitting at his table. These beings were similar in appearance to those in Sunset Shimmer’s world. In addition, two ponies sat with them: Rainbow Dash and Rarity, both of whom spoke up when they noticed Twilight’s reaction. “See?” Rainbow Dash comments. “I told you the egghead would react this way when she sees them.”  “Why, of course, darling,” Rarity replies. “It’s not every day somepony meets a terrarian, you know.” Starlight, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash cover their muzzles with a hoof and try their best to hide their laughter as they witness Twilight’s reaction. The alicorn stood there momentarily as she imitated a goldfish, opening and closing her mouth. “Heh, I see introductions are needed. My name is Tanner Lansworth, the Guide.” “I’m Helena Harpner, the Nurse.” “Name’s Vinny Bonsoot, and I make things go boom! Demolitionist, at your service.” “Call me Ceeman Jones, the sharpest eye in Terraria and your local Arms Dealer.” “Lucan Valerius, the merchant.” “...” Silence was all Twilight had as she remained in her shocked state. “Hey, uh, Twilight? This is when you greet them in return, you know.” Rainbow Dash says as she looks worriedly at the stunted alicorn. “...” The Princess of Friendship remains quiet. “Darling, It’s rather uncouth for a lady to not properly-” “I have so many questions!” Twilight exclaims as she cuts Rarity off, conjures a pen and multiple sheets of paper with her magic, and takes a seat on the table. -EQUUS- -Princess Cadence and Shining Armor’s bed chambers- Princess Luna, Princess Cadence, Discord, and Shining Armor, along with an unconscious Flurry Heart placed on the royal couple’s bed, are all lost in their thoughts as they ponder the events from three days ago. “Alright, we know at the very least that the element bearers are still alive; they’ve simply been displaced,” Luna starts. “We’ve had our time to grieve these last few days, but alas, we must return to the matters at hoof. Lord of Chaos, art thou sure that ye can’t enter that realm with thy magic?” “It’s not that my magic can’t get us there,” The draconequus replies. “I’m simply not allowed to go there. I’m, uh… banished.” “Tis doesn’t surprise us…” “Oh, shush, Lulu!” Discord harrumphs before crossing his arms. Luna sighs. “Discord, we believe It’s time for thee to explain some things to us. For starters, what is this land of Terr-ar-ia you speaketh of?”  Discord stares at the dark alicorn for a moment, sighing afterward in resignation. Everyone present, aside from Flurry Heart, who still remains asleep, is instantly brought to attention as the draconequus says: “I’m not going to bore you with all the details, so I’ll cut it short. I recommend you all sit down; this is gonna be quite the tale.” Discord snaps his lion’s paw and conjures forth multiple desks paired with a single chair.  The furnishings are positioned similarly to what you’d find in a classroom. Everyone looks on with minor annoyance before they sigh in defeat and take their seats, which prompts Discord to continue: “The truth is: I’m not actually from Equus. I came from a world where the magic present there far exceeds what you could ever find here, and the things that one could do there were simply marvelous. As a result, I was brought into being from the chaotic energies of that world. Believe it or not, what I do here on Equus is considered the norm there. Oh, how I’ve missed the chaos I could truly wreak when I was back home.”  Discord’s words left everyone in shock. Luna, in particular, recovers from her state and slams a hoof onto her desk as she exclaims: “What?!” Luna exclaims In anger. “Thou means to tell us that you were born and knew of this world’s existence, yet thou hath never thought to tell any of us?!”  [SNAP] Suddenly, a closed zipper replaces Luna’s muzzle. “Atatatata! No interrupting, Lulu. If you do that again, I’ll put you in the corner, and you even get to wear a pointy hat that says: ‘I’m an edge lord.’ Besides, we do have a child sleeping, you know. Truly rude of you, princess.” Discord finishes with a smirk.  She, in turn, grunts irritably. But doesn’t retort. “Now, where was I?” Discord inquires with a lion’s paw to his chin. “Oh, yes! Well, sometime later, a being named Cthu-” [KNOCK] [KNOCK] [KNOCK] [KNOCK] “Oh, for the love of- you know what? Class dismissed!” Discord barks in annoyance. “I’m returning to my pocket dimension; these interruptions are simply annoying me. I’ll be back later, tootles.” Discord then snaps his eagle’s talon and disappears, taking with him all of the desks and chairs, resulting in everyone falling onto their flanks.  Luna’s zipper disappears as her muzzle returns to normal before she takes on an angered expression and yells: “Thy wretched draconequus! Get back here and-” “WAAAAAAA, WAAAAAAA,” Flurry Heart cries out as the lunar princess’s exclamation awoke her. Both Shining Armor and Princess Cadence look at Luna with deadpan stares. This, in turn, causes the dark alicorn to smile sheepishly as she fidgets in place. [KNOCK] [KNOCK] [KNOCK] [KNOCK] “Coming!” Cadence shouts, turning to Shining Armor. “Shiny, can you tend to the baby while I get that?”  “No problem, honey.” “Thank you,” The alicorn responds as she goes to the door and opens It via her alighted horn. “Ma’am, the outposts have been established around the Corruption, and we await your next orders.” “Excellent, Tempest. We shall enact the next phase of our plan once we deal with my... daughter, ehehe.”