//------------------------------// // Chapter 15 // Story: The Reception // by sister_mike //------------------------------// Chapter 15 Twilight Sparkle "Did... did we do it?" Applejack whispered. It took fifteen minutes for the rumbling and breaking of rock to stop. The castle and the cliff it had once sat on were completely demolished. Celestia, Luna and Cadance had flown back to fully ensure that the deed had been done—that Chrysalis was dead. "Let's hope so," Twilight whispered back. The groups of ponies sat in their chariots quietly. Twilight stared at the spot where the castle had been. Did that really just happen? Had she really survived? "I think what's the hardest thing to comprehend, is that this all took place over the course of two days," Rainbow Dash said, scratching her head. "It feels like it's been months." "Years even," Rarity said. She moaned slightly, "My hooves are killing me. I feel like we've been fighting this battle foreeevverr." Had it really just been about 48 hours? Twilight shook her head at the thought. What a wild ride. "W-W-W-W-What if she-she's not—" Fluttershy began to stutter. "She is," Twilight said firmly, "She's dead. Gone forever." After a few more tense, silent minutes, three flying silhouettes began to fly through the fog and dust. Celestia nodded her head. Luna seemed to smirk slightly. "She's gone," Luna said. "And she's never coming back," Cadance said firmly. "Come on my little ponies," Celestia said, "Let's go home." The princesses quickly rid of the rest of the changelings hanging around Canterlot, Twilight and her friends still helping. "Now that Canterlot is free of changelings, we can begin to clean up Equestria, and restore our great kingdom," Celestia said. "There's still someone else we need to deal with," Luna said, "Discord is still free." Luna led her sister and the mane 6 up the stairs of the palace and towards the room where Discord was being held. Twilight and her friends had to use the Elements of Harmony to seal him in stone once more. "Princess Celestia, there's something I've been meaning to ask you," Twilight said, as they walked down the hall. "What is it, my faithful student?" Celestia asked. "How were you able to communicate and send us places, when you were possessed by Chrysalis? You said that you could hear and see everything that was going on, but that you were powerless," Twilight said. Celestia paused, in front of Discord's door. She looked over at Twilight puzzled. "Communicate? Send you places? What are you talking about, dear Twilight?" Celestia asked, her voice genuinely confused. "When Twilight first broke us out of our cocoons, we ran into the labyrinth to try and escape the changelings. Then we were separated n' these doors appeared and a voice sounded like yours, urging us to go through," Applejack explained. "And when we were battling Chrysalis the first time, she was about to finish us off, but then someone sent us to safety again," Rarity added on. Celestia looked at them still quite puzzled. She pushed the door open and opened her mouth to speak, but another voice spoke first. The room filled with laughter. "Oh, that wasn't Celestia that helped you; it was me," said Discord. All of the ponies, including the princesses gasped. Discord was still heavily bound and chained, and slightly groggy, but more awake than he had been before. He chuckled as the ponies walked inside. "You helped us?" Twilight asked. "I doubt that; it's one of his tricks," Rainbow Dash said, crossing her forelegs. "Discord; do you speak the truth?" Luna asked darkly. "Oh Luna—you were more fun as Nightmare Moon," Discord said with a heavy sigh, "Of course it's the truth! I only speak the truth." "Why would you help us?" Twilight asked, still unbelieving. "Because you ponies are so much more fun than those boring changelings," Discord said, "I thought I'd shake things up a bit, and wake you up Twilight Sparkle." "You were the reason I woke up in the first place?" Twilight stuttered. "You really didn't think that after two and a half months you were going to wake up on your own, did you?" Discord asked. He laughed. "Of course I woke you up! I was the one who told all of you to go into the light and told you it was somewhere you needed to be. And I also saved you from Chrysalis when she was about to obliterate you." "Prove it! I don't believe you!" Rainbow Dash said, getting up in Discord's face. Discord smirked and cleared his throat. "Be patient." Rainbow Dash nearly fell out of the air. Fluttershy let out a little squeak. Twilight couldn't believe it. That was the voice. That was the voice, so Celestia-like, that had talked to all of them. "Why Discord," Celestia said, "Why would you help us?" "You can't expect me to come back and take over Equestria, if it's already overrun with changelings, now can you?" Discord said, with another heavy sigh, "Really Celestia, it's quite obvious." "It's just another prank he pulled," Luna said stiffly, "Only this time, it was in our favor and it was a prank on Chrysalis." "There's nothing more than I hate but changelings," Discord said. "You know we're here to put you back in imprisonment, Discord," Celestia said. Discord sighed again, "Yes, yes, I know. Here I go, saving all of Equestria, and you punish me by turning me back into stone. So fitting." "What, were you expecting us to just hand the kingdom over to you?" Luna asked. "Of course not; but I was hoping we could make some sort of deal," Discord said. "We're not here to make deals, Discord," Luna said. "Now hold on, sister; he did essentially aid us," Celestia said cautiously, "What is it you want, Discord?" "What if you send me to another dimension? Far, far away from Equestria, far enough that you know I won't ever disturb you and your ponies again," Discord said. Luna opened her mouth to argue, but Celestia cut her off. "Sure, I'll send you to another dimension Discord—as a stone statue," Celestia said. Before Discord could argue, Celestia gave the signal to Twilight and her friends, and they used the Elements of Harmony once again, sending Discord back into his statue-state prison. Celestia sent Discord away to another dimension, another magical feat Twilight didn't know existed. All of the ponies were exhausted. The princesses arranged a feast, prepared by themselves and volunteers, for survivors in Canterlot. "It's going to take a lot to rebuilt Equestria," Applejack said. "But we did it. We saved Equestria!" Pinkie Pie said, jumping gleefully beside her sisters. Twilight smiled at them, away in her own thoughts. So much had happened the past couple of days, she just didn't know where to start. Maybe she would write a report about to the princess. "Twilight!" Twilight lit up at the sound of the voice. She turned and saw a small purple dragon run into the room. "Spike!" Twilight pulled Spike into the biggest hug she'd ever given. She held onto the baby dragon close, afraid that if she let go, she'd never see him again. "I'm so glad you're all ok!" Spike said, " I can't believe you guys did it! Equestria is free!" "Yes, it's amazing, isn't it?" Twilight said. She smiled as she watched Spike regroup with the rest of their friends. The princesses chatted politely with other survivors who had wandered into the palace for food, and for long overdue need of company. Yes, they had done it all right. But as Twilight turned and watched the rising sun, she couldn't help but fear, that someday, down the road, she was suddenly going to wake up inside a hideous, green cocoon. The End.