... Fading Future Third Cycle
By Kendell2
My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic
Fanfiction
Pony POV Series Dark World
"Oh Twilight Tragedy, you've failed me?" asked Discord, in that sickening false compassionate tone he likes to as he set on his throne. But he almost seemed...bored...weird... "Tisk, tisk, tisk, how disappointing of you."
"I... I'm sorry, master. An older pony was there, they knew you'd send me and had a trap set. I managed to "erase" that one, sir, but I had to retreat for the time being. They laughed and said you must be slipping, letting your second-in-command walk into a trap so easily," I reply, looking up at him, bruises covering my face and upper body. I have a pleading, miserable, fearful look in my eyes, like beaten dog expecting to be punished.
Discord sighed in annoyance. "Oh did they? Well, I'll just go play with them a little, then we'll play some games when we return. And do tell Fluttercruel to get the play room ready, I'll have a few new toys for her when I return," he said, disappearing in a flash of light.
I smirk as he goes, standing up tall and wiping the blood from my mouth. Watching Liarjack for so long has made me a pretty crafty liar myself.
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"Yah sure yah want me to do this, Twilight?" asked Apple Pie, the little filly staring up at me, fear in her eyes.
I nod quickly, a determination in my eyes that I had to be very careful to hide from my "master". " Yes, don't worry. I'm immortal, you can't kill me that easily, just give me everything you've got, for this to work, Discord really has to think you kicked my flanks. Don't hold back one bit!"
Apple Pie nodded with a sad sigh. "Alright, hold still..." she muttered, before turning around, taking aim with her hind legs right at my face.
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Apple Pie is definitely an Apple, even if the Sweet Apple Acres is now who knows what (that changes from day to day, last I checked, it was covered in snow and on fire at the same time).
My name is Twilight Tragedy, at least that's what "Master" Discord calls me. Oh, I remember when I called him Master and believed I meant it for real, he thinks I still do. I don't know how long we've lived in this rotten dystopia of his, it's easy to lose track of time when you're immortal. But given how long it's been, it was only a matter of time until the old man slipped up and one of us got free without his knowing.
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I walk down around my room, Master is out taking a ride on Spike, nothing for me to do but read up on the latest black magic he wants me to try out. As I lift up the book, something catches my eyes, a little scroll, shoved under my bed. For some reason I feel like it's calling out to me...
My horn lights up, so does the paper as I telekinetically pull it from it's hiding place. I wonder how I never noticed it... Unrolling it, I instantly notice something. It's my writing, but I don't remember writing it...Then I read what's written on it.
"Friendship Is Magic..."
Friendship is Magic? But...Tragedy is magic, that's what the master has always told me...But why don't I remember writing this? Its my writing, I had to have wrote this... Maybe the master is playing a game with me, he was in my room a few times earlier when I came in...But then why...why does it seem so familiar? Why does it sound so right?
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Ok, I'm sure I found the scroll between her bed and the wall, she can't be free, not this time. Time for some fun.
(Hehe)
What?
(Oh, nothing, just how smug you are. You'll never beat me, I WILL find away to continue your punishment)
Whatever, you may have beat me a few times, but not this time. I've made sure of it.
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Discord found the scroll once, but thankfully, I had the strange intuition to write a second scroll and hide it in another location, just in case Discord found it.
I head into my room, opening an old book I found in the "master's" personal collection. He gives me access to it, having his personal assassin up to snuff on all the deadliest spells is useful... And being immortal, seeing me mess up on them was a favorite pass time of his. And now, he's going to regret it... That's not the only thing he's going to regret...
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I walk down the hall. Friendship is magic? Why...why does that just click? Why do I feel like it's important? Why do I feel like...like it's right? I can't ask the master, I know that...why do I know that? What's going on?
I see a dull orange Earth Pony walking past me. A thought comes to my mind. "Liarjack," I call, getting her to turn to face me.
"Yeah, Twilight?" she asked, looking at me.
"Tragedy is magic, right?" I ask, innocently as possible.
"Why of course it is, Twilight, no doubt about it!"
Funny thing about Liarjack...she lies, and even I knew it.
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I know Apple Pie and her friends won't be able to hide from him, I feel a pang of guilt in my heart, but I know that if this succeeds, their sacrifice won't be in vain, I can't LET it be in vain.
I get out a clock and a calendar, as well as all of the ingredients I would need. The irony of the fact this all is going to end the same way I began it doesn't escape me. I'm just sending another message to myself...
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I look over the letter once more, master is busy "rearranging" the glass menagerie that used to be Manehatten into a giant board game, which he then intends to play.
"What does it mean?" I whisper. My head feels like it's burning, like something is trying to break out inside my brain. I was curious originally...But first I asked Liarjack about that, and her answer just confirmed my suspicions that SOMETHING was up...Now I can't think of anything else...
"If I sent myself this letter...somehow...I wonder if..." I write a letter of my own.
"Friendship is Magic? What does that mean?"
I slide the letter back where I found the first one, putting a darker ribbon on it to identify it as different, just in case.
A few weeks later, I find a different colored ribbon on it...
And so it continued that way...Until I could remember it...I could remember everything...
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Time magic is a tricky, risky thing, you know. If the times weren't so dire, I'd never do this, but it's not like there's a possible future WORSE that this one. Summoning as much power as I have, I concentrate on sending my thoughts back into time, another message to myself. At the one moment in time it'll matter the most.
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Maybe once the world stops being kind, maybe when the world stops being playful, maybe that's when we stop too.
With Applejack -the first of my friends I formally made in Ponyville- still next to me, I look at the part of the sky Rainbow Dash flew away towards. Why did she leave us? She wouldn't without a reason. I know whatever it was it had to be important. Maybe loyalties only last until something bigger comes along. So much for the ponytail of the loyal Samurai.
Maybe friendship only lasts until the world applies just the right pressure. Is this the truth Applejack didn't want me to see?
"Friendship report 25; Pinkie Pie learned that she should always expect the best from her friends, and never assume the worst."
I give a blink of confusion. Where did that thought come from? Or...was it just a memory?... I remember... That was the day that Pinkie Pie almost went insane because she assumed we'd all abandoned her, when all we were just unable to tell her what we were really doing...I look back up as Rainbow Dash flies off...Am I doing the same? Am I just assuming the worst? Maybe she knows something I don't, just like we knew we were throwing Pinkie a surprise party and she didn't...
I look to Applejack. Just because she's been lying all this time, doesn't mean I shouldn't think this is one. She told the truth about Rainbow flying away...
Before I can sort things out, the maze walls begin to crash down around us, vanish.
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The effect is immediate, new memories rush into my mind, ones that weren't there before. A sudden "epiphany" about not thinking the worst of my friends, restoring my hope just before I lost it. Calling Discord out on cheating...Him showing me my mistake, the Elements weren't in the maze. I begin to lose hope again, it's not enough. I concentrate again, powering up the spell once more.
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I...I was wrong...Whatever happened to my friends...All this is...It's my fault...I-
"Wait, he doesn't play fair...If he doesn't play fair, then why should I think he ever wanted to? Even if I'd chosen right, he'd just have done whatever he did no matter where we went."
I...That's right! Discord is a cheater! It didn't matter which choice I made, there WAS no right one!... But what does it matter then? No matter what I do-
"A cheater can still be beaten. As long as I have hope, I can't give up, I can't quit just because it seems too hard. Did Fluttershy back down when that dragon was on the rampage? Did Rainbow Dash stop when she saw how far Rarity was from her during that fall? No! So what gives me the right to quit now?! If I give up now, Discord win!"
Where are all these ideas coming from?...They're right though...If I give up now, Discord DOES win. If I keep trying, he MIGHT win...And all of Equestria is counting on me...I can't afford to give up now!
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More new memories, rushing to Ponyville. There they are! The Elements!...But they don't work...No, I'm giving up again!...But wait, what's this? Memories of letters rushing to me from Celestia, my own friendship letters. I see my own darkness be washed away. I see myself pinning my friends down one by one and restoring their memories, them to their old selves. I smile as one glorious memory enters my mind. The look of shock on the "master's" face as he's beaten...
I use another new spell I know on the mirror before me, causing it to distort and change to show me events happening elsewhere.
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I see Discord...surrounded by dozens of ponies, many of which aren't even recognizable anymore, transformed into Celestia knows what......My new friends...I let the rage rise inside of me, feed the one thing I have left to do.
Discord laughs that stupid laugh of his, Apple Pie's throat firmly in his lion paw. "I've enjoyed this game, but I'm afraid it's time for someone else to have a turn," he said. "Fluttercruel should have a lot of fun with you, little rebel lea-" Discord screamed as Apple Pie bit down on his paw, causing him to drop the little filly. "You little brat! Ugh! Why do I never see that coming?!"
"Ah ain't goin' down without a fight!" exclaimed the little filly, jumping at Discord and attempting to buck him in the face. Discord just teleports behind her and whips her away with his tail.
"Aww, how cute! You actually think you can fight me," stated Discord with a chuckle. "That hasn't worked well for anyone else, are you certain that's a game you want to play?"
"Mimic did a pretty good job, that's why you're missin' a tooth, ain't it?"
Discord's rolled his eyes. "Oh please, that's not a surprise anymor-."
Apple Pie leapt up while Discord was distracted and bucked him right in the face. Stunned by the kick, Discord was left open to another kick to the face. Funny thing about not feeling pain a lot, it hurts a LOT more when you finally do get hurt.
Apple Pie goes for a third kick, but Discord finally teleports out of the way. "Alright, lets try this," he growled, snapping his fingers and and several huge spikes come out of the ground, but Apple Pie leaps out of the way right at him and kicks him right in the head.
I smirk, I know why he didn't just teleport away. The time change is starting to catch up with him.
Apple Pie takes advantage and gives him a quartet of kicks right to the skull. Finally, a loud crack resounds through the air.
Discord's horn went flying into the air and embedded into the ground nearby, Discord yelling out in pain. Looking close, I notice grey stone were the crack happened.
"Ahh! What the heck?! Why doesn't that ever work?!" exclaimed Discord in complete anger, holding the bleeding stump where his horn used to be.
Apple Pie chuckled. "Yeah, not bad for a little filly, huh?"
Discord snarled in complete rage, his composure dissolving into almost animalistic anger. "Oh yes, and it'll be the last thing you ever do!" he yells at the top of his lungs, fury filling every word that this mere filly had actually managed to HURT him. "You know, THIS part I always enjoy!"
You don't want to know what happened next...Just know that when the ancient unicorn Mimic managed to bust out Discord's tooth, he turned her bones to glass and slammed her into the ground at Sonic Rainboom speeds over and over again, then vaporized her body...Apple Pie's demise was no less brutal. My blood boils like fire and I let my tears flow freely...
Discord panted in fury, a murderous rage in his eyes as he stood over what was LEFT of the filly who had broken his horn, probably wondering how he'd been rendered unable to teleport...Only to notice something. Particles of light rising off the bodies of his victims, them slowly fading away. "Oh no......" he muttered, watching the bodies vanish. He then looks back at his tail and his eyes widen in shock. "No...No!" he exclaimed, fear in his eyes as he sees stone slowly but surely begin spreading across his body.
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It'll take Discord far longer to make it here than before, if the effect will be as I've read it should be on him. I have a lot to do before he gets here. And to make sure he DOES get her, I cast a temporal displacement spell on the two of us, after he's as weak as I need him to be, that is. I'm going to enjoy this...But first...
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First I find Liarjack, looking torn, a conflicted look on her face. I see little bits of light coming off of her, heading towards Ponyville. That's a good sign, exactly what I'd hoped would happen.
I let her rest her head on my shoulder, crying softly. "Twi...Ah didn't mean at lie...Discord told me our friendship was gonna break...Ah...Ah just couldn't stand the truth...this is all mah fault..."
"Applejack...It's ok, you don't have to lie anymore, not now, not ever again...Discord tricked you, just like he tricked all of us...Now we're all getting a second chance, even if we don't remember it...Just don't make the same mistake twice...I've already forgiven you...Me and my past self too...I remember..."
The darkness fades from her body, reverting her to her normal colors. She looks up and gives me a genuine smile. "Thanks, Twi'...Just don't go lyin' to yourself now," she said as she fades away completely. "Ah'll be seeing yah soon Ah guess..." she says as she disappears into light.
I let the bitterness towards the one making me witness this grow...But her words still stick to me.
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Next was Fluttercruel, though hers was a bit strange, I'll admit. Two streams of light, separate but together rose off of them... Before I could say anything, she... They hugged me instead...
"It's alright, Twilight. Everything will be ok... But don't say we never have to be cruel again," said Fluttershy, at least I think it was.
Fluttershy's body language changed completely, to a more strong willed pony instead. "Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind, the actual cruel thing is to let a thorn fester that needs to be pulled out, no matter how much it hurts..."
She, they, smiled and faded. I don't know what to think about that one... But I feel strangely... Good...
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I head to Rarigreed's room, expecting to find her in similar condition...Instead I'm greeted by "Tom" being hurled right through the door and the window behind me, followed by several other smaller rocks the poor mare was hypnotized into thinking were gems.
"Rarity?" I ask, poking my head through the window.
Rarity was throwing rocks out of windows and in all directions, tears streaming down her face. "Stupid rocks! I don't want you!" she screamed, throwing another, forcing me to dodge.
"Rarity!" I yell again, trying to get her attention.
She twirls around, looking at my face in surprise...Then wrapped her hoofs around me, sobbing her eyes out. All I can do is hug her back. I feel a burning fire inside me, directed towards the one putting her through all this misery. I feel the fire growing...I'll keep breeding it there...
"I don't want any of this Twilight!" the poor mare sobbed. "Even if they were gems, I wouldn't! The only thing I want...The only thing I want is...is...Sweetie Belle...I...I just let her slip away! All this time...I missed her whole life...Now I just want her back!" she cried, even as she began to fad away a bit.
"Rarity... You're getting another chance now... I don't have time to explain, but... You'll have a second chance, you'll have Sweetie Belle back, I promise... You're probably never going to remember this consciously... But never forget how much Sweetie Belle means to you, how important she is to you... Don't ever let your desires get between you and her ever again! Promise me Rarity that you won't!" I plead, looking her right in the eyes. "Promise me!"
Rarity's colors return as she continues fading. She gives me a smile and we hug. "I swear... I shall never go sisterless again..." she said, tears running down her face as she too fades away in my forelegs.
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Next was Angry Pie, who was well...NOT Angry pie. She was presently wearing a party hat, throwing the various weapons she'd wielded against anything that had ever laughed at her out the window. Gummy, restored to his original, infant self, was sitting there, staring at his owner happily. I look around, finding her normally dank and dreary room made up like a party was happening.
Does...does she know what's happening? She looks almost more sane than I remember her, no matter what she's doing. Even BEFORE Discord got his claws in her...
"Pinkie?" I ask, confusion in my voice.
Pinkie gave a gasp and was in front of me before I could even move, smiling ear to ear, oh how I missed that smile...Once more I breed the fire inside me towards HIM for making me not see it in so long.
"Hey Twilight! Welcome to the party!" exclaimed the pink pony, placing a party hat on my head.
"P-party?" I reply, my brain trying hard to understand what's happening. Even if I remember her parties...After Applejack and Rarity, I wasn't expecting this. Even if Fluttershy was strange, she wasn't like this.
"Yeah! Our Rebirth Party! We're all gonna be brand new ponies now! If you can have a birthday party, why can't you have a rebirth party?" Pinkie exclaims, just dripping happiness.
My eyes widen. "You know?! How do you-"
"Oh! It's a long story, but this has kinda happened to me before...It's a really really REALLY long story, and I don't have time to explain now, that's why I didn't have time to invite everypony else, even though I really wanted to, but I'll make up for that, promise! But this time I understand, this is happening cause this world is REALLY bad and the new one will be how it's supposed to and everypony will be happy again!" said Pinkie, in her normal, rapid voice. "But let's party until I get reborn, ok?"
I give a small smile. I almost stop myself from laughing, before reminding myself I don't need to anymore. For the first time in Celestia knows how long, I laugh. I have fun. And so does Pinkie Pie. Even as Pinkie begins to fade, we dance and have fun as much as we can until Pinkie's fading begins to speed up.
"That was great, Twilight! I wish it could've lasted longer and I know I might not remember it this time, but that's alright! It was worth it just to see you smile again! I know you've got a lot of important things to do, just don't keep us waiting too long! I think I'm going to be throwing a big party! It'll last for three weeks! Then you cut off my coffee and I fall asleep and undergo character development!"
"I... I wouldn't miss it for the world, Pinkie," I don't care if she sounds nuts! She's her again, that's all that matters.
"Pinkie Pie Swear!"
"Alright, cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my-" I say, going through the motions...And jabbing my hoof right into my eye. Naturally, I give a scream. I could never get that part right.
Pinkie hugs me anyway. And I hug her back, watching her fade away in my hooves with a big smile.
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One left, Traitor Dash. I find curled up in her room, confused and distraught. She looks up at me as I enter, her body fading like the rest, a tad more so, since I spent so long with Pinkie Pie. "Twilight... I'm sorry... I..."
"I figured that out a long time ago, Rainbow. I know what happened...I figured it out when you knew what it used to be like but still called yourself a traitor..." I say, once more using her REAL name. I pull her to her hooves and hug her. "... And I forgive you..." I reply, tears going down my own cheeks as she fades in my grasp. "... And I'm sure the me I'm going to be will forgive you too..." I see her mane slowly turn back to it's proper color as she fades away too.
And the fire in me grows. I see black spots begin to spread over my back like cancers...I'm going to make HIM pay for putting Rainbow through this...
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I head into Spike's chamber, the protective spell I put on myself to keep tethered here just a bit longer is beginning to weaken, but it's got to last, I'm not done yet. There are still some things I've got to do.
I put my hoof on the massive dragon's snout, seeing bits of him fading as well. He can't speak anymore, he lost that capability when he annoyed Discord too much. All I do is lean in, resting my head on his as he fades, tears streaming down my face.
I know what's happening, I know this is for the best... I wonder why it still hurts to see my friends fade away. Why I feel guilty knowing Apple Pie and the others probably died at Discord's claws when I know the life they'll receive will be so much greater? I don't know, some things we'll never know... And I don't care, I like it, it feeds the flames inside of me, this is what I want... I want to make HIM pay for all of this!
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As I walk down the path towards the place were my final act will take place, I look over, seeing Ditzy Doo, cradling Dinky, whose no longer a pony-shaped muffin but a living breathing little foal.
"Mommy missed her muffin...Mommy loves you...Mommy promises she'll never let anyone take her little muffin away ever again..." she repeats, her and her foal slowly continuing to fade, tears streaming down both their faces as they embrace and fade away into a new life.
I let my memories of the horrors Discord put that poor mare and her beloved child through feed the flames...
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I find HIM crawling weakly towards his palace, his body turning to stone slowly but surely. Most of his tail is gone, faded away.
"Twilight Tragedy... What's going on?" asked Discord, fear and uncertainty in his voice. He can barely move, his power is gone. Perfect.
"Twilight Tragedy-" asked Discord, fear in his voice. He can barely move, his power is gone. Perfect.
A let my colors rush back. "It's Twilight Sparkle, Discord! And what's happening is things going back to how they're MEANT to be," I say, it feels good to call myself that. Is it wrong to enjoy seeing him like this? Maybe, but after so long, I don't care.
"But-"
"Because you slipped up, "master". Remember all those times you let me off your leash just to pull me back?" I ask, enjoying every second of this. "I wrote myself a little message during one of those times. You know what I wrote?" I ask, glaring right in these heartless eyes.
"A few of my old friendship lessons I remembered thanks your little games!" I tell him, stomping right up to his face. "That reminded me of my old friendships, how much they meant to me. And that broke your spell! This entire time I've been acting like your little pawn?" I lean in so he can see my eyes clearly and he can see how little of his taint is still in me. "I. Tricked. You."
Discord looks at me in complete disbelief. "But... But...I took precautions this time! That's... That's not possible! You can't have outsmarted me! You're just a pony!"
"Oh, it's possible, Discord!" I reply, taking a few steps back. "And here's something else that's possible, thanks to you, I found a little time spell. Enough to send back something to myself in the past. All of my friendship letters. To remind her of what she had to fight for! And guess what, Discord? She and the others beat you! That means in the timeline overwriting this one, you're a powerless statue! And that's what you're turning into now!" I state, watching stone continue to snake up his body and then fade away. "You know something else?" I ask, horn glowing brightly, tearing chunks of rock out of the earth and forming them into a massive spear. "I'm not."
"And I'm going to make you know what it's like to be hurt before we fade!" I yelled, wrapping the earth around his limbs, holding him to the ground. I aim my spear right over his head. "What it's like to be at someone's mercy!" I yell, driving it down...
Only it goes right in front of his face, shattering his remaining tooth to bits and embedding into the ground.
"Now they match..." I state with a smirk, turning, and walking away, I look back, seeing Discord stare at me in complete disbelief as he continues to fade, blood running from his shattered tooth. I wonder if what little of this he subconsciously remembers in the new timeline will ever have an effect on him. I don't care. I made my point. I hurt the thing that matters the most to him. His pride. Even in the real timeline, it'll be forever in the back of his mind that someone outsmarted him somehow and he'll never understand why. And more importantly, he'll always have a little doubt in the back of his mind... He'll always know he can lose.
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I stand, looking up at the two gold and silver statues of Celestia and Luna as they, and I, begin to fade. I look over to an unmarked grave, I see light rising from it too and heading to... Ponyville? I don't have time to think about that, I look up to Celestia's statue as it fades.
"... Dear Princess Celestia..." I say, looking up as my body continues to fade away. "I learned that even when everything is hopeless, when it seems the bleakest, that's when friendship is the most important. As long as we don't forget what our friendships mean to us, there will always be hope. And as long as there's hope, there's a chance to set things right... And also, we need to remember that even if someone hurts our friends, it doesn't give us an excuse to become just like them in return. You can still stand up for your friends without acting like a monster yourself... Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle..." I say as both Princesses, restored and fading themselves, stand over me smiling. I smile back. We just stand together as everything goes white and my memories of this world fade, replaced by memories of a new one...
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(No, sorry, me, but this is far from over...hehe...What next?)
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(Ponies lie to live, and live to lie, with or without Discord encouraging them to hide from reality, no pony wants to ever be truly honest with themselves or each other, no pony wants to face the truth and grow up, they LIKE the comfortable lies the fog gives them, they don't WANT to know the truth, they all think it's better to put in the small effort with a white lie than the real effort to actually face reality, how can any pony not see the world needs rebuilding from the ground up? Ponies need sadness and pain in order to believe their lives have any meaning, you'd have to be crazy not see the universe needs rebuilding. Ponies only give or are kind to others to make themselves feel better, so it's only selfishness under a different name, it's clear the world was broken with or without Discord. Loyalties last only until the right lie is told or the right conflict is presented. No pony can trust another, you'd have to be insane not to see the world needs to be completely remade. Compromises leads to compromising what you hold dear. And so the cycle continues, and continues, and continues, delivering justice, righteous vengeance, on the wicked. I Nightmare Purgatory, no, we Nightmare Eclipse.)