//------------------------------// // True Discord // Story: Breaking Free // by Nrdygrl //------------------------------// Author’s Note: HECK YEAH! Nrdygrl has updated! Look out! XD lolz. I am accomplished btw. You pplz should know that I also created a new pmv! Any Hunger Games fans out there? It’s the song “Eyes Open” by Taylor Swift. I got this kickbutt new movie program called Corel 5 XPro so I had lots of fun and “wonderful headaches” making it this week. So yeah. A pmv AND a new chapter. I am on FIRE! If you guys want to see it, my Youtube username is Nrdygrl4Ever . kk? Kk. Ahem…onto chapter. And…if you read it…I’ll tell you guys something awesome at the end. NO SCROLLING. I’m watching you…. Chapter Eighteen “True Discord” As soon as Celestia teleported back into Canterlot and saw the scene before her, she inhaled a deep gasp of air, but could not even think of exhaling for the longest time. The beautiful city on a mountain top that Star Swirl and her parents built years ago was now in the most chaotic, unnatural, horrible state it could ever be in by the standards of earth and Order. The houses were floating in the air, some upside down. The ground was a shade of blue, while the grass had turned pink. The sky, or what could be seen of it, was still somewhat red. However, dark clouds spiraled around in a vortex-like pattern, covering most of it. Celestia sighed to let her air out of her built up lungs. She almost forgot to breathe. How could this be happening? Was it just the other day she was sitting by the lake with Discord, attempting to enjoy a beautiful birthday picnic he took the time to prepare for her? It felt like a lifetime ago now. As she walked forward, she noticed her hooves caused the ground to change different colors. Every step she or another pony took left a glowing spot on the ground and then faded away. She had to admit, as chaotic as Discord made the land, he did it in a creative way. But, of course, the unanswered question of why still hung in the air. Yes, she knew she had completely screwed up with her poor choice of words before. That much was clear. However, a part of Celestia could never truly understand how Discord, so loving and kind could snap so much and so quickly. And a part of her needed an explanation…and more importantly, a resolution to his change. “Princess Celestia!” a voice caught in her ears amidst her loud thoughts and the chaos around her. She turned her head and saw a group of panicked ponies galloping towards her. Their eyes were wild with fear and confusion, but there was a glint of hope lingering in them when they saw her walking straight into the used-to-be Canterlot. They almost threw themselves on the ground at her hooves. “Princess, why is this all happening?” asked a green mare. “Everything has changed!” said a brown colt. “Everything is…in chaos!” “It was that Discord,” said an angry voice from the back of the group. “Yeah! He caused all this,” said another. “Please,” said Celestia, as calmly as she could. “Discord is in control of Canterlot now. And…the sun and moon. How he achieved such power in such a short time, I don’t know. But what I do know is, part of this is my fault. I will take full responsibility for everything that is happening here.” “No, Princess!” “You did nothing wrong!” “It’s that creature!” “We never should’ve trusted him!” “Please, Your Highness. Please help us!” “I will talk with Discord,” said Celestia. “There must be a way to reason with him.” She turned away from the crowd of ponies and trotted through the weird world that used to be her home. Animals grew long limbs or sprouted wings. Pink clouds of cotton candy appeared in the air at random. As she predicted, they would rain chocolate milk at random, as well. One even appeared over her head along her trek and the milk made her hair wet and sticky. At this point, Celestia felt so miserable, she didn’t care. Even so, there was a small flame of hope inside her when she saw the rotated castle. Perhaps, everything could be solved with just a talk. She shook the milk of her wings and flapped them until she reached the top of the castle and the door. Immediately after, she soared downward through the labyrinth of halls until she found the upside down throne room where she was sure Discord would be. ________________________ Perhaps he didn’t even notice her at first, what with how silently she entered the room. That, and the giant chandelier, which was in quite disarray, camouflaged her from his view when she entered on the ceiling. A silent chuckle managed to escape her lips went she recalled the time when they were young and innocent. When the castle was new. When everything was new. When he swung carelessly on the chandelier in that hall of the stained glass windows and then reversed the gravity of the room. Now, not quite a gravitational change, but everything still felt upside down…and broken. Nothing she couldn’t mend, though, right? She had to? As she made her way around the damaged chandelier, she saw Discord sitting lazily on her father’s throne eating bananas. When he was done with them, he was throwing them off to the side into a huge pile of peals. On top of the pile was a former guard who was wearing a jester’s hat. Obviously being controlled by a spell, sparkling puppet strings made him dance on the banana peals. Of course, this would make him trip. “Your Chaosness? Please let me stop now.” The jester/guard pleaded in a weary voice. Discord yawned. “No, I don’t think so. In fact, I don’t think you’re going fast enough,” he said, his claw glowing and the puppet strings making the guard dance at a blurry speed. Celestia immediately stepped forward and made her horn glow. Instantly, the puppet strings vanished and the jester collapsed onto his belly in relief. “Princess Celestia!” he said in surprise. Discord turned his head and looked directly at her. Celestia swallowed hard and felt her heart stop beating. His eyes. They weren’t the same. Not dark and mysterious. Not sparkling and kind. Red. Red and stiff…and evil. They penetrated her like spears. That’s what made her knees tremble the most. That’s what hurt the most right now. Never mind anything that was going on outside. Oh, what had she done? What had she created? “Discord,” she mouthed. She wasn’t sure if the actual word came out or just gurgles inside her throat erupted. She was too distracted by the changed draconequus’s eyes, she could barely hear herself. “Well, look who it is,” he said sitting up straight on the throne. “I figured you, your sister and your parents would all be cowering in those crystalline caverns.” Celestia shifted her eyes downward. Ah, yes. She forgot about that. The secret caverns below the castle were only a place she, Luna, her parents, and Discord new about. Celestia herself, Luna and Discord discovered the caverns when they were playing together years ago. It was a somewhat fond memory she had easily overlooked. Her parents decided that it would be a place to hide when something terrible happened. A bunker of sorts. However, she couldn’t blame Luna for not thinking of that amidst the chaos. In fact, Celestia thought it better that they were out of the city and higher up in the mountains. “My…my parents are gone,” she said quietly. She didn’t know why she told him that, but he would figure it out sooner or later. “They had to leave.” “Really, now? Hm? Fleeing on you two?” said Discord smugly. “They left the other day on my birthday, Discord,” said Celestia, raising her cracked voice. Her knees started shaking more and her blood started to grow hot within her veins. “Because I gained Forevermore. And there was too much power. And…And…I couldn’t marry you…..” Her voice trailed off. “You’re immortal?” said Discord, his expression never changing. Celestia nodded. “And that was the perfect excuse to destroy what we had?” “No,” said Celestia emotionally. “I didn’t want to destroy anything…I was so distraught. I….I didn’t know how to….I was wrong to say what I said. I didn’t mean it. It’s not that I can’t love you. I only meant…” “Oh, don’t bother with this sad attempt to make accuses, Celestia,” said Discord teleporting directly in front of her. “You don’t have feelings for me and you never truly did. You used me. You pitied me. You could never really handle the stares. The gossip. The ridicule. And ultimately…you could never marry a monster. It really would’ve been too much for the Princess. And perhaps it slipped across your mind that if we ever had a child, you would look into his eyes and see me. You’d see a repulsive creature that the world should never lay eyes on.” “Dis…” Celestia breathed, her eyes growing dewy. “That’s not true. I always pictured us having a happy life together…” “That vision was always a false image. A painting you let me stare at and made me believe it was reality…” Discord’s eyes had fire in them. Celestia shook as a tear trickled down her cheek. “What happened to you, Discord?” she whispered. “Who are you? This is not the Dis I know. Please come back….” “What happened?” said Discord appearing behind her. He chuckled and chuckled until it turned into laughter. Crazy laughter. He wiped a tear from his eye after he was done and floated close to the white alicorn. Then, he gave her a toothy grin and whispered in her ear, “I woke up.” Celestia felt her blood boil and she shot a glare at him as he laughed some more and teleported back to his throne. “You’re mad…” she said, trying to sound harsh. However, her voice ended up cracking several times, as her throat chocked up with emotion. “You’ve gone mad. You know better than this. How could you let this happen to yourself? You know how to fight it. You have your whole life. How could you embrace this darkness so easily? Why? Why? What has it done to you?! The promise you made…means nothing now. You’ve destroyed everything. And how could you bring yourself to….?” “Don’t lecture me, Princess,” said Discord in a mocking tone. “Perhaps this is the real me. True Discord. Did that ever cross your mind? My mother thinks so.” “You saw Eris?” said Celestia shocked. “She’s having you do her dirty work. Discord! She’s using you! You know that, right? She left you here for a reason! Why go to her?” Her anger welled up even more. Her tone grew louder and clearer. Her cheeks flushed and her ears were pinned back. However, the whole time, her eyes were blurred with the film of tears that never ceased to vanish into her violet irises. They lingered still, making her feel weaker by the moment. “Of course I know that,” said Discord, almost sounding offended. “She’s horrible and I’ll always hate her. But she’s devious and I learned the basics of my power through her telepathic training. It was enough to take control of this place. And what a feeling! I can understand why she wanted to so long ago. Such power. Such control. Everything is beautiful and chaotic. It’s paradise, my dear. I belong and I rule. There is nothing more to say. I hope you can learn to enjoy it. It’s a shame you don’t. Equines are all the same. My mother was right, it seems,” he said sighing. “It’s a shame, Celestia. I really thought you were different. But…that’s when the knife slips into your heart. Right then when you least expect it. Lies were the blissful haven we lived in. And the truth…ah…the truth would’ve been better off never heard. But your guilt fed, didn’t it?” Celestia glared at him some more. “Discord. I never lied to you. And I know that the real you would never truly say things like this. Perhaps there is a grain of truth in this…only out of spite and heartbreak. But I know you’re in there somewhere. Please…stop. Come back. Let go of all this hate. I’m sorry…” “Oh…Oh-hoho! It’s FAR too late for apologies, My Sweetheart,” said Discord, standing up in furry, gritting his teeth in a crazed grin and his eyes wide and twitching slightly. “You broke me…so I decided to break you in the only way I know how! Take over your kingdom. And any attempts to fight against me…well…would be foolish on your part.” “Would it?” shouted Celestia, her face turning red again. “Because maybe you don’t really know me either! I can fight if I have to!” She let a spark ignite from the tip of her horn when she said that. “Of course,” said Discord smirking. “But there’s only one true way to end all this. And…I know you won’t kill me.” Celestia’s eyes grew wide and she felt her whole body deflate. “It’s true…isn’t it?” said Discord’s voice. Her ears twitched as she heard him appear behind her. “Maybe you don’t love me…but you’re too kind and weak like Mother says. You can’t just end my life. Not after everything. Even if love…and friendship…and harmony is all…meaningless. And…only causes pain and heartache.” Celestia’s eyes studied the floor and her heart fell to the pit of her stomach. “Am I right?” Celestia bit her lip hard. “I can’t hear you, Darling…” said Discord, stroking her chin with his claw and sending chills through her spine. She jerked her head away and closed her eyes. “Yes,” she replied. “You’re right, Discord. I can’t kill you. I never will.” “So then, we agree that your attempts to defeat me will be futile,” said Discord smiling in contentment. Celestia started walking towards the exit of the room and felt her eyes starting to overflow with tears as the fibers of her being were cracking and crumbling into nothingness. “Oh, cheer up, Celestia!” said the draconequus relaxing back on the throne. “You may learn to like it here. And I thought you had fun dancing in the rain…” Celestia paused at that last statement and felt a warm tear with warm memories wrapped inside it plummet to the floor. _______________________________ Luna stirred when she heard a flash and the clopping of hooves on stone. She lifted her head to see Celestia entering the cave with a slower gait than usual. Immediately, the younger alicorn’s heart began to sink. Based upon the look on her sister’s face, she guessed things with Discord did not go so well. Her sister shifted her teary violet eyes to look at her. Something about them was so different. They looked drained. Drained of all hope and life. Celestia paused in the middle of the cave and stared at the ground. “Tia…” said Luna softly. “What happened?” “Nothing, Luna,” Celestia replied. “Go back to sleep.” “Tia,” said Luna getting up. “Something happened. What is it?” “Don’t worry about it,” said Celestia quietly. “You talked to Discord?” said Luna. “Yes,” Celestia replied closing her eyes. “He’s…he’s different now, Luna. It’s… Just….Just don’t worry about this, okay? There’s nothing we can do now….” “What?” said Luna confused. “What do you mean? Nothing we can do? What are you talking about? You’re going to tell me! Please, Tia! I need to know why you’re so upset!” “I AM NOT GOING TO KILL THE ONE I LOVE!” Celestia shouted emotionally. “He said something…that’s so true, Luna! Fighting him…is meaningless…because in the end I’ll have to kill him and I can’t do that! Don’t you see? We can’t fight. We can’t take back the kingdom. There is no hope. There is nothing left for us. True Discord is gone and he is never coming back! Everything is lost.” “No,” said Luna quietly. “Don’t believe that, Tia. Please don’t. There’s always a way.” “NO THERE ISN’T!” said Celestia, her eyes glowing and her hair aflame for a split-second. Luna fell backwards in shock. Her older sister collapsed onto the cave floor and wept. Luna had never seen her sister like this before. Something had happened. Something Discord must’ve done to her. Maybe to her mind. Luna was not convinced hope was gone, but it appeared to her that her sister was fully convinced. In fact, as the sun disappeared and the moon rose, Princess Celestia’s coat and mane changed color and faded. The splendor disappeared. The magic vanished. And all that was left were shades of gray. TO BE CONTINUED… Continued Author’s Note: Ok! Wanna hear the awesome thing! It’s awesome news! First: I saw on Equestria Daily that Season 3 is gonna be in November! But that’s not all! Guess who is gonna be in it? Go on. Guess? Who could it be? They revealed it at Comic Con. Hmmm…. :) There was speculation a while ago….. No…wishful thinkers they did not say Trixie (I d on’t think), although that would be cool. Alright. Come on, people. I’ve written this stupid fanfic for a good fangirlish reason. Gimme a break. If you couldn’t figure that one out….geeeezzzz….. DISCORD’S COMING BACK IN SEASON 3 PRETTY MUCH 100% CONFIRMED PEOPLE. WAS THERE EVER ANY DOUBT? YOU DARE DOUBTED? DOUBTERS SHOULD BE TRAPPED IN STONE! OR SENT TO THE MOON! BUT PROBABLY STONE IS BETTTERRR. >:D Mwhaha. *Starts merrily chipping away at Discord statue with hammer* I know most of you probably scrolled. Cheaters. I’m not stupid. *shakes head* Tsk, Tsk. Eyeeyeyeyee….Anywho. This story’s moving along. Quicker than predicted, which is good. :) We’re getting there! Just wait…. Peace, people