"Hmm? ...What the heck?" Discord's eyes opened against a white pony's. The creature whinnied shrilly and cantered off into the... fog? "What's going on?"
The world seemed to be stuck in a perpetual cloudiness. The pony that had run off was already out of sight, uneven - limping? - hoofbeats following the same path. A quicker pace appeared quickly, bolting through his bubble of vision. The pony's eyes were wide with terror, seemingly blind to his presence before vanishing again, nickering in fear.
The first pony... was one that Discord didn't recognize. And that was odd. After all, he had been forced to learn everypony's name by mane - Tigerjay was as stubborn as a mule - and nopony new had moved to the town lately. Pure white... he contemplated. It had... black eyes. Pure black eyes.
Sitting up, he looked around the clear bubble of air around him. Another pony ran past, looking up at him before sceaming in terror and bolting off. Discord streched out his arms, cracking his knuckles as he did so. "Well," he muttered, "I have to start somewhere."
Flapping his wings a few times, it wasn't long before he was overhead the fleeing mare, his shadow vanishing in the thin layer of mist between them. Smiling devilishly, he plunged downward, catching the pony in one claw before gliding back into the air, feeling the earth pony slowly stop struggling.
"D-D-D-Discord? Did you kill them?"
"Kill who?"
"The ghosts. The ones chasing me. Did you kill them?"
"I didn't see any ghosts. You were alone."
"Most of them ran away. A big one chased me until you caught me. Then it vanished. Thank you. For getting rid of it."
Discord stopped flying. "Oh, we're in some deep crap now."
"What?"
The draconequus smiled. "Sorry, Peach Bushel, I have to go take care of some business." He swooped close to the ground, dropping the pony on the pale grass and trying to find his bearings.
"There you are, Sunrise." He muttered, before teleporting away.
The dragonness woke up in a red-furred embrace. "Oh thank Celestia, Obsidian. It was just a nightmare."
A set of talons gripped her tail and lifted her away. "Don't get all lovey with me. I don't think your precious boyfriend would ever forgive me."
"Discord!?" Sunrise screeched, backing away from the senior draconequus. "Ohmygosh I'm so sorry!"
"No problem. My fault entirly. Soooo... something tells me this has to do with Obsidian."
"Yeah. At least, I think... yes. Yes it was."
"Anything else I should know before I have to go save the world again?"
"Um... weeeeeell..."
"Hurry up."
"We're kinda engaged."
"Great." Discord panned. "I'll celebrate once all this chaos is under control. Man, I never thought I would say that."
As he prepared to take off again, Sunrise leaped up onto his shoulders. "I'm coming with you!" She growled. "And you're not stopping me."
"Ugh."
Obsidian paced around the edge of the sludgy black pool. Each time he put a claw down, another mass moved under the surface.
Come. He muttered, warily eying the surface. Come.
Obeying his command, a shivering, ooze-dripping thing pulled itself out of the pool to a gelatin heap in front of him. Slowly, the siquid's surface cooled to a white velvet, and the thing uncoiled to it's feet.
It was vaguely a pony. A Unicorn in it's crudest form. Missing all mane and most of it's tail, with one longer leg, ending in talons, while the pale skin looked slick as a seal's. The creature rose it's head from the ground, the twisted hornon it's brow carefully moved to avoid brushing it's master. Slowly, two eyes opened, deep and dark as molasses.
The two stood facing each other for a few moments, before Obsidian snarled and reared up. Go. Worthless one.
Dipping it's head in shame, the thing loped away, vanishing into the madness of the fog.
Obsidian resumed his pacing, whispering his command into the unearthly bog beside him. Come. Come. Come. Come. Come.
This one was larger, stronger. The mass eyched it's features in quickly, rising to it's hooves and able to look the standing draconequus in the eye with ease. The smaller deatail were completed before the horn even began expanding, a spire of pale 'bone'. The skeleton of the beast began pushing against the slimy skin, enveloping it and leaving the exposed bone as an outer shell, mere glimpses of the skin between laced marrow. With a drying slowness, a set of naked, boney wings slipped limply along it's body, a few thin feathers shafting between the bone with a deathly chill. It blinked open intelligent, grey eyes, darker pupils flitting around as it sized both it's creator and the few measly creatures Obsidian had chosen to keep up.
Obsidian tilted his head towards the other 'kept' creatures. Well. What will you do?
The Alicorn - for, although disfigured and unnatural, was one of that rare breed - took a few graceful steps past it's master, keeping it's calculating gaze on him, while it's skeletal hooves clicked on shattered shards of older creations. Glaring down at the smaller minions, it turned a quizzical ear to Obsidian.
Whatever you wish. He added. Do whatever you wish.
With a banshee wail, the creature reared up, slamming a bone-shod hoof down onto the summoned skull of one of the minions. It's twin horns broke off, and it fell to the ground, writhing in pain. The royal minion turned a feiry gaze on the other drones, which bowed quickly, trembling in fear.
Obsidian turned a disgusted eye to the broken creature quivering on the ground. Ask'gedir Grotto Surf. He snarled, releasing the stolen soul back into limbo while the body dissolved back into black gruel.
Celestia. He crooned. The creature glared back at him, unbridled fury contained in it's dead form. The pretty precious Princess. I need a ruler, to take care of my troops, however meager they may be. I trust you to follow my orders. After all, go ahead and try to disobey. A small butterfly, still surprisingly alive, lighted on the grass between them. How fitting. He continued. Impeccable timing. Now, Tia, kill it.
The Alicorn stood still, the bones visibly locking. Instantly, the enchantment took hold, sending lance after lance of electric pain over the wet skin. Celestia's new, twisted body dropped to it's knees, her eyes locking desperately on the small, beautiful insect she had been order to kill.
Slowly, she extended a painridden, trembling hoof, and, after a moment of silent resistance, brought the appendage down with a sickening, tiny crunch. The Alicorn looked like she was going to throw up through her sharp clenched teeth.
Not so hard, is it? It was just a butterfly, after all. One symbol of happiness. Something in the new overlord clicked. There's nothing happy anymore, is there?! He roared, shoving Celestia to the ground, setting his claw down on her horn and pressing down angrily. There's nothing frickin' happy in this entire blasted world!
There was a loud crack, and Celestia opened her mouth in a soundless scream of pain. Obsidian snapped back to calm and collected almost as fast as he had left it, looking down at the useless bone spire pinned under his talons. Rrrrrrgh! He yelled in exasperation, lifting the Alicorn's head and slamming the horn back into painful place, the sheer power behind the impact reverting the surroundign bone to sludge and moulding around the newly-returning channeler.
He turned his back on the sobbing Alicorn and her underlings. Not hard at all.