//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: The Deranged, The Innocent, and The Fool Caught in the Middle // Story: The Harmony War // by Ten Speed //------------------------------// After what seemed like a never ending maze of following that brick road it ended just as we exited the forest. We stood on the edge of Ponyville and attempted to find a path where we could enter unnoticed. Twilight knew Ponyville far better than I did. After all, all I had was the narrow view from a children's show. Not that it made a difference with the way buildings would uproot and rearrange themselves or hang in the air overhead. We slowly crept into town trying to keep a low profile. We had already past a few of the derelict buildings like Fluttershy's cottage and Rarity's boutique near the edge of town. A trio of ponies trotted past us in reverse forcing us to take cover behind a solitary warped tree. Given the hell the rest of the world was in, backwards ponies almost seemed normal. “I thought you said there weren't any ponies here,” I whispered trying not to lose my balance as we tried to obscure ourselves with the narrow woody plant. “There weren't,” came Twilight's flat response. “Not at first anyways. None of these are ponies I recognize.” I left it at that and broke from cover after the patrol had rounded the corner. There was a small cart, long since neglected, in the center of the street. That would be our next waypoint before we found some more permanent cover. I followed Twilight's lead. I watched in quiet awe of a thundercloud that roiled above town hall, which itself hung suspended upside down and in defiance of gravity. I wondered what kind of precipitation it would bring recalling the chocolate rain clouds in the show. This cloud certainly didn't look like cotton candy and it's presence felt ominous as we neared the cart. “Watch out!” Twilight shouted as she gave me a forceful shove. A sink had nearly fallen on us, the porcelain flying in all directions with nearly explosive force as it hit the ground. That could have been my head. “How did you know?” I asked. I never saw her take her eyes off the street in front of us. “Call it intuition,” Twilight said as she scanned the street after making our next cover. As I began to crouch down a snake crawled from the broken boards of the wagon. It didn't slither, it crawled with two little sickly legs. The gross bastardization startled me causing me to jump back but it seemed to care little about us and went about its business elsewhere. I settled back in and peaked around the corner of the cart looking for our best route. “You see that?” she asked in a low whisper. “What?” I answered her question with my own trying to find what she was talking about. “That alley on the right. I think we can use it,” she replied pointing with her head. One final check to make sure the coast was clear and we headed for the gap between what appeared to be an abandoned building and a wall made of random objects congealed into a tangled mass. Once through the threshold we glanced back to ensure we weren't seen or followed. The passageway was humid with a foul stench that I felt I should recognize but the answer eluded me. A thick layer of slime covered the wall of debris. I brought myself close to examine it; a cart, a wheel, a hay bale, and what seemed to be part of a train engine? I put a hand out and touched the muck that clung to everything. It was sticky. “I think we made a mistake,” Twilight said nervously disrupting my inspection. A low rumble filled the air. “Why is that?” I asked but a glob of slime plopped onto the ground with a dull splat prompting me to look up. There I was met with the hot humid breath of three immense heads. My heart jumped into my throat choking me as I realized just what we had stepped into. Those three gaping maws slowly descended as they continued to growl. There was no running away from this thing. I slowly reached for a broken board projecting from pile of chew toys without taking my eyes off of the behemoth drowning me in its shadow. As I brandished my makeshift weapon it was ripped from my hands. “Here Cerberus! Here boy! Go get it!” Twilight gestured playfully as she threw the plank I had planned to defend myself with. My eyes went wide with horror at what she had done but something that I did not expect happened. The giant hound sailed over my head and pounced on the piece of timber. It's heads fought briefly to retrieve it but the middle head came out victorious as it took all of two steps to return to Twilight and drop its prize in front of her. The hellhound lowered its heads playfully as Twilight stretched out a hoof and rubbed its muzzle with a smile. “That's a good boy! That's a good Cerberus!” I was slack jawed, I couldn't believe it. “When did she become so good with animals, let alone monstrosities like that?” The moment didn't last long as Cerberus began to whimper and look around wildly. The cause of the three headed beast's behavior became evident soon enough. That narrow alley vanished and we were teleported to a new location before Discord himself. We now stood before Town Hall where he was lazily draped across his throne. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised he brought us here seeing as he knew we were in the library, and where to find us in the forest. One question had been bugging me though, and that was; If he always knew where Twilight was and could follow her anywhere unnoticed why had he left her and Princess Celestia alive all this time? “I swear you can't find good help these days,” Discord said shooting an evil glance at Cerberus who in turn cowered with a whimper. He clapped his hands twice and the mammoth hound fled towards the forest. He turned his attention back to Twilight and I. “Aah, so nice of you to join me,” Discord began with a smile. “It's been so long since we've had an opportunity like this. Now we can have a little fun because just killing you would be boring.” His eyes narrowed on me, “Yes human I know what you're thinking. Oh, it's been a wonderful few years at your expense Twilight.” He chuckled as he turned to Twilight. “I was really starting to tire of you though. You were being oh so predictable...” He paused for dramatic effect, “That is until you brought the human here. A very interesting move indeed.” Twilight gritted her teeth. “You're twisted,” she muttered. “Did you forgot who you're talking to? Hello?” Discord answered with false surprise. He summoned a paddle ball and began playing with it as he rested his chin in his paw. “What makes it so fascinating that I'm here?” I ordered ignoring the school of fish swimming through the air. “Oh it's certainly strange to see a human here in Equestria but what makes it so intriguing is Twilight's little spell summoned you of all people.” Discord said as he cracked a sly grin. “What's that suppose to mean?” I barked clenching my fists. “I've watched you. I must say I have a certain affinity for your world. It's so... wonderfully chaotic...” Discord answered his words dripping poison. “Beautiful really...” “Are you responsible for what's happened on Earth!?” I demanded. I was enraged by they thought. “Goodness no. You're world didn't need my help to achieve the level of disharmony you find yourselves in. You humans are most peculiar species; capable of great compassion and equally great cruelty.” Discord laughed again, pleased with his analysis. Confusion flashed across Twilight's face. “How do you know who he is?” “In due time my dear.” Discord brushed her question off. “No, I think now is good,” I stated bluntly. Discord halted his game of paddle ball and set it down with a sigh. “Really? Fine I'll tell you,” he said as lifted off from his chair and hovered with his wings. He clapped his hands together again and a faded yellow letter poofed into existence. “Ahem,” he started as he cleared his throat, “to Daddy, I know your scared im scared to. dont worry though I know it will be ok. the doctors are scarry but I think they will make me better. even if I have to go away I will always be in your hart. I know this letter will make you happy when your sad. I love you Daddy, Love, Cecilia” My mind shattered and I slumped to my knees. In all the time I've kept that letter, never has anyone else seen it let alone read it. “I really should thank your daughter for if it wasn't for her I would have never escaped,” Discord gloated. I couldn't respond. The void in my heart felt like it was going to consume me. “How? That doesn't make sense. It doesn't explain anything,” Twilight asked unable to mask her confusion. “Oh? But it does my dear,” Discord began. “You searched through my spells in the library. You know they require two sentient living beings, one of them being The Catalyst. This spell in particular...” He paused letting the implications sink in. “...required The Catalyst be one of pure innocence and harmony and lets face it nopony in Equestria fit the bill. She was the key to unlock my prison.” He turned to me in a sinister tone, “Your darling daughter.” Little Cecilia! He murdered her! I began to hyperventilate as I doubled over nauseous at the revelation. My insides felt like they I had been scrambled with a red hot poker. “How could you have possibly done that? You were turned to stone!” Twilight gasped in horror. “After my release the first time I took out a little insurance policy. If I were to ever be returned to stone the key would forge itself inside the mind of that little girl. So technically you killed her Twilight when you and your friends used The Elements of Harmony to defeat me.” Discord had drifted over and hung his arm around Twilight as he revealed the truth behind his escape. Twilight recoiled at the accusation she was responsible for destroying an innocent life. “You're deranged,” I finally choked out without looking up. Discord's eyes flickered menacingly, “Deranged? Oh yes, but we're one and the same, you and I.” “We're nothing alike,” I replied grimly. I lifted my head to find his only inches away. “I beg to differ. We both thrive on chaos and misery. You've spent your life in a profession that wouldn't exist without discontent.” Discord asserted. I erupted with rage and swung my fist expecting to make a solid connection but Discord had vanished. The momentum spun me around and I landed on my back in the dust. “Aren't we the feisty one,” Discord chided as he stood over me. I jumped to my feet to continue my assault with all the fury I could muster. Mocking me he willed a blindfold into existence and covered his own eyes with it and placed his hands behind his back. He effortlessly flowed around my blows like water. I was getting tired... slow. He snaked his tail between my legs and tripped me. Helplessly I fell forward and landed face down in the dirt. I made my way to one knee and wiped the dust from my face. I winced as my sweat rolled into the small lacerations caused by the gravel that ended up ground into my skin. Discord's handicaps had been removed and he now stared back at me with contempt. I reached down and pulled the knife from my boot and hefted it by the blade. I drew my arm back and let the blade loose with all of my strength. It was right on target. What happened next was unexpected but it should not have been a surprise given who and what my target was. Reaching behind him Discord had produced a mirror from behind his back. What happened next was indescribable as the knife I'd sent whirling through the air entered the mirror and the reflection came out aimed directly back at me. “Look out!” Twilight shrieked but I didn't have time to react and barely managed to raise my hand in a vain attempt to shield myself from the projectile. I Let out a painful yelp as it sunk into my hand, burying itself all the way to the handle. I fell backwards as I writhed in agony. “Quite foolish to attack me so brazenly,” Discord gloated. He opened his mouth to chastise me further but was interrupted by Twilight leaping into the fray. She was quick, graceful. Her motion was fluid as she bucked, kicked, and dodged his counters. In the blink of an eye she was fighting mirror images of Discord and was managing to hold her ground. The speed and agility she possessed, I would have never imagined her to be capable of. Try as I might, I couldn't discern which was Discord and which were his copies but she seemed to be able to tell them apart. I began to actually have some hope that she had a chance. That hope faded as I watched Twilight begin to stumble from exhaustion and Discord's clones began to land several blows. She was thrown to the ground and the clones once again merged with their master. The ground began to shutter and a hole began to form beneath her. She jumped to her feet but she was tied to several anchors with a rope knotted around each hoof. She untied them at record speed, but the abyss that was attempting to swallow her up left her nowhere to go but the small island she was staked to and that was eroding quickly. If I was impressed at how fast she had freed herself, I was dumbfounded at the blazing speed she joined the sections of rope together. Soon as she had finished splicing the ropes together it was sailing in my direction. I grabbed it with my uninjured hand and rolled on top of it to secure it around my waste. Just in time as she leaped from the spit of land she had been standing on. She disappeared into the maw of the gaping chasm but the rope tightening around my waste told me she was still there. Sitting up I dug in with my heals and pushed myself backwards. I strained against the weight, a pony was heavier than I would have thought. Grunting and straining I kept reeling her in, beads of sweat forming on my brow. I let out a sigh of relief as she crested the edge of the pit but that relief was short lived as Discord lifted Twilight by a foreleg. He dropped her to the ground, conjuring a cage, he dropped it over the top of her. Satisfied that she wasn't going anywhere he turned his attention to me. “You've been quite bothersome haven't you? But... you've managed to impress and entertain me to some degree,” Discord said thoughtfully stroking his chin. “I think I might keep you around a while longer,” he said as he put a single claw to the top of my head. I don't why but it made me nauseous. The same sick feeling I had when I first arrived in the library. I felt cold, like I was freezing from the inside out. Then it stopped. “What's this? This doesn't make sense.” Discord paused and then laughed at the irony of his statement. “That's it! That must be why The Elements chose you! You somehow have an immunity to chaos!” Twilight proclaimed. She was right it seemed. I looked normal, I hadn't been turned into various shades of gray but that didn't matter. We were beaten. I had failed and broke yet another promise, the one I had made to Twilight. I began to tear up at my failings and a familiar feeling of despair returned. I tightened the piece of my shirt I had ripped up and wrapped around my bloody hand as I bowed my head. Ignoring our lament Discord strode back to his throne and plopped down. “It doesn't matter why The Elements chose him. And it's no matter if you are immune to my magic, I still know what makes you tick.” He grinned devilishly as he pulled out my daughters letter once again. With a flick of his wrist he sent that tattered note sailing in my direction. It landed gently on the ground in front of me. “Aah doubt. Such an endearing quality,” Discord said of our situation. “You know what makes doubt and despair especially delicious?” He asked sadistically as he leaned forward in his seat. “All it needs is a dash of hope,” he let out with riotous laughter. I fumbled to pick up that little rainbow letter written on that stained and faded parchment. I read it like I had a thousand times before while Discord droned in the background. “...always be in your hart... ...make you happy when your sad... I love you daddy...” I allowed a faint smile to find me as the tears streamed from my face and gently pattered onto the worn paper. I always hoped... Hope. A spark. In that instant something inside me changed. A flame had been ignited. I was filled with two things I hadn't known for an eternity. Hope and love. The words scribbled on that frail note began to glow, dimly at first but they grew more vibrant until the words themselves seemed to fly off the paper. Blues, reds, greens yellows... every color was there emanating from the letter in my hands. “What's this!?” Discord rose from his throne, the confidence he exuded previously was replace by a rare panic. “It's impossible! Give me that letter! I'll destroy it!” He shrieked leaping from his perch. It was too late. A glorious rainbow had already sprung forth and made an arc, descending on its target. “NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” Discord's protest was silenced as he was cast in stone and toppled to the ground. Still in a state of disbelief, I scrutinized the letter I still held in my hand. Whatever magic had been contained within was gone. I quickly secured it in my pocket and hurried to free Twlight from her prison. Soon as she was free she leaped up and hugged me. “You did it! You can control The Elements!” I smiled, “No. You're still wrong. It never was me. You're spell meant to bring you my daughter but I was they only way for her to get here.” I looked at the perplexed purple pony for a second then continued. “The only place she still lives is in my heart and that little rainbow letter. It took everything that's happened here to remind me of that.” Twilight sat down and pondered what I said for a moment before standing up and placing her hoof over my heart. “Thank you Cecilia,” smiling warmly as she said it. It melted my heart. I looked around, the world was still in shambles. The laws of physics, even for this place, were still being grossly violated as buildings drifted listlessly and fish swam through the air. I turned my attention to Discord's contorted figure. “What are we going to do with him?” I asked. Twilight”s demeanor changed in an instant as made a very somber walk towards where he laid in the dirt. “I hope you were right about being able to see everything. I want you to see this coming,” she said grimly. Then her powerful legs went to work as she bucked and kicked with relentless vigor. Discord's stone carapace began to fracture, then splinter, before finally shattering under the force of Twilight's blows. It was truly intimidating. Finally she had finished pulverizing the pile of rubble that remained trying to catch her breath in between sobs. “Easy, easy. It's over now,” I tried to comfort her as I knelt down and put an arm around her. “It doesn't make sense...” she whimpered wiping the tears from her eyes with a hoof. “The last time we defeated Discord everything returned to normal. Why is everything still... wrong?” She looked up at me, those deep sad eyes begging for an explanation. “I don't know Twilight,” I answered, “but I bet I know where we could find some answers. Do you think there would be something at the library in Canterlot?” Her ears perked up, her expression was one of shock. “But the only spells we could use are...” she glanced at the pile of debris that had been Discord, “his.” “We should still take a look. Who knows, we might find something,” I said shrugging my shoulders. “You might be right. We still need to find a way to get you back to your world,” she agreed. “It's settled then,” I said. With that we took a few hours to rest and scavenge some food before our long trek back to Canterlot.