The earth shook violently as I continued running though the woods. I cursed under my breath as I tried my best to run faster. I kicked my hooves hard as I ignored my pony body telling me a few times already that I needed to rest. But I can't... I couldn't... Not with those unicorns inside those robot-like-thingies running towards Pegasopolis and firing mana beams at the pegasi with their bazookas or whatever it was! Everything is starting to look crazy! I mean, how in the world did those unicorns managed to create robots in the first place!? What is worse, the lightning bolts of the pegasi have no effect on them! If this keeps up, then...
“We're almost there!” shouted Sweetie Belle, who was riding on my back, and Spike as well. Her horn was glowing, so she could sense the location of the site where they treated my wounds.
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were running a few hooves ahead of me. The reason why Sweetie Belle is on me is because she is not that much of a runner.
“There!” Sweetie Belle shouted, and I could see a clearing up ahead.
The three of us skidded to a stop after we got to the clearing. And look, there it was, my flying armor. Well, I stole it, so it's technically mine. Gah, no time for nonsense. Sweetie Belle and Spike jumped off of my back while Apple Bloom and Scootaloo both took the armor and dragged it towards me. I nodded my thanks, took the armor, and wore it.
“Gold,” Spike spoke as I made some adjustments to make myself a bit more comfortable with the armor. “Do you really have to do this? I mean, you could just go home and—”
“We already talked about this Spike,” I cut him off with my nervous voice. Now that I am wearing the armor, I am starting to tremble whether or not this will work or not but...I gotta try, right? I mean, I did try and succeed when I wanted to rid the black clouds.
Spike noticed how nervous I sounded like, so he grabbed my hoof. “Gold, don't do this! This is crazy!”
I chuckled nervously, even though he was starting to get on my nerves. “Don't I know it?”
I then shifted my attention to Sweetie Belle. She and the other crusaders were quiet, merely listening to the mana blasts echoing from the War Planes. They shook and shivered in fear.
“Spike,” I whispered quietly so only Spike, who was closest to me, could only hear. He blinked worriedly at me. “Look at them,” I gestured with my head, and Spike shifted his gaze at the crusaders. “Those are the faces that I hated to see.” He looked back to me, and I stared back at him. “That's the look I don't want to see on my brothers. That is why I work so hard back home, so I could make some money and not see them depressed or scared. And this,” I gestured my armor with a hoof, “is why I need to do this,” I returned my hoof on the ground, “because I don't want you to have this kind of future, where you and the others be depressed and scared.” I sighed through my nostrils and gazed at the direction of the War Planes. “Somepony has to stop this madness. If the pegasi couldn't, then there must be somepony else out there that could do it...”
“But is that pony you?” Scootaloo suddenly asked as she and the two crusaders turned their gazes on me. “I mean, no offense, but did you see those moving piece of metal they got!? What could you possibly do!?”
I felt my ears flattened. I sighed. “I could use a boost on my ego, you know...” I shook my head.
“Seriously, Gold, I agree with Spike this time,” Sweetie Belle spoke. “And with Scootaloo. There is no possible way that you can change everything!”
“And Ah highly doubt that wearin' that armor helps.” Apple Bloom chimed in.
I stared at four sets of eyes staring back at me. Their eyes are starting to make me feel really nervous and doubt about myself...
---
Darn it! Why do I feel like I need to do something first!? This is the very reason why I don't like to socialize much! I become so attached to the people...and ponies and dragons, that leaving them without helping them dealing with their problems gives me so much guilt!
I was so angry with myself. I opened my eyes angrily and stomped the ground to try and release this anger within me. Nothing, and I am still angry. I stomped and I stomped and I stomped! Gah!
I stopped as soon as my hoof was aching... Ouch... I hung my head low and panted... Heh... It's...kinda weird that a furry creature like myself is sweating. Dogs back home sweat through their noses and tongue...
‘Jay...’
‘What do you want?’ I quickly asked in my head. I think I heard Spike's voice, but whatever... ‘Look, I'm sure you're busy with whatever it is you're doing inside, so just...buzz off...’
‘I am busy, yes, and I think it's about time to tell you about it.’
‘About what is making you busy?’
‘And a few other things, yes. You are now aware that...I'm...Discord, right?’
I didn't answer...
‘This body... This form you're using... Imagine a box, and that box is this body. Inside that box has Dis—has my chaos energy, and Nightmare Moon's curse energy. I am doing my best to control these energies.’
I blinked slowly... I don't know how to respond to that...
‘It's a really difficult process, even for a soul like myself, but with the energies of the Elements of Harmony, I am able to control these energies easier...but...’
I blinked twice. ‘Wait wait... Elements of Harmony...? If this is your body, then I could assume that the curse transformed your dragon-like body into a pony. And from what Spike said, I could also guess that if these energies you speak of are out of control, this pony body would go wild? And what the heck? How did the Elements went inside this body? I destroyed it...which I am not proud of... And Fluttershy told me the story of what happened. The Elements weren't used to defeat Nightmare Moon.’
‘How you connect those pieces of facts are very bright. But your lack of knowledge on magic and mana made you ignorant on those fields.’
Ouch...
‘Upon your...wild act...of destroying the Elements, you released their — shall we say — their energy. If m...my body could hold two powerful negative energies, then maybe five harmonious energies could stabilize them. I managed to absorb them, but it wasn't enough to completely stabilize the curse and chaos energies, but it did help me to handle them easier...’
“Gold?” I heard Spike called my name. He sounded...sad.
‘...you're telling me this...why?’
---
I soared in the air, high above the ground, and close to the black blanket of clouds in hopes that the ponies down below wouldn't notice me as I glided towards Unicornia. Spike was tightening his grip around my neck, shivering slightly.
It took me a while to convince Sweetie Belle to use her magic to give the armor's gem enough juice to power up.
‘That massive energy from the mana cannon. I'm sure it left m...Twilight drained. If my theory is correct, then she wouldn't have enough mana to use even the most basic of spells.’ Discord's voice echoed in my thoughts as I recalled about it. ‘That would leave Unicornia vulnerable, with their princess powerless,’ I turned my gaze down, staring at the fiery War Planes down below. Vulnerable, right... It really looks like they have sent out all of their might to end this war right now. Which means... ‘They have probably left their kingdom very very vulnerable...’