//------------------------------//
// The Return of Harmony: Anger 
// Story: A New Purpose in Life 
// by Tx Avenger 218 
//------------------------------//

“Discord!” Before I can answer, the sudden shout of his name catches my attention. He looks up past me while I look back.
 
“Oh, it’s you all again.” He says boringly. My eyes lay upon my friends, all of them bright and vibrant as they once were before.
 
“Twilight? Girls?” I ask in disbelief. They all look stunned to see me on my knees in front of the god of chaos while I’m shocked that they are all back to normal.
 
“Swift? What are you doing here?” Twilight replies. I groan.
 
“I was trying to finish him.” I look to my side to see my katana. I reach over, grab it and slowly pull myself onto my feet while looking at my friends angrily. “Because you all failed to.” I hiss at them.
 
“What do you mean? We’re here now, aren’t we!?” Rainbow tries to counter.
 
I glare at her, “Now?! Just hours ago, you all were at each other’s and wanted to leave!” I grab my chest in pain but continue, “And you, Rainbow, some loyalty you are. All of you were suckered in by this monster’s lies and became the opposite of what you are! Aghhh!” I crouch on one knee and grip my chest tighter.
 
“But Swift, you should have known that we would have gotten back together in the end with the magic of friendship!” Twilight replies with a smile, trying to convince me. In the end… I thought I wanted to get my friends back, but now they're acting like everything is hunky dory! Well it’s fucking not!
 
“Don’t go spewing that crap at me Twilight! If you truly believed in friendship then you would have worked harder to get yours back!”
 
She opens her mouth to say something, but I stop her.
 
“You were the most level-headed out of everypony else here! You should have been the one to save everypony!” I yell and slowly walk towards the middle of the girls and Discord while holding my side, limping and dragging my blade. “You lasted the longest out of all of them… but you gave up in the end!” I yell the last part. “How was I supposed to help you when you all threw me away like nothing!” I yell louder. I drop my angry expression, sadness coming to take its place. “You betrayed me.” I mutter to myself. Just as I-
 
“Swift I-“ I hold up my hand to stop her.
 
“I’m done.” I grimly say. I turn to the side and begin walking away. What’s the point? All my friends before betrayed me, the ones here may be good but they turn so easily. I guess I’ll be a ghost, I lower my head a little, after all… for years, it was the best I ever was. Might as well keep going.
 
I can feel the shocked stares my friends have on me. I wanted to protect them, I really did… but seeing as they were able to turn back to normal on their own… I guess they don’t need me.
 
“Hey! What about my offer?!” Discords asks me. I stop and look at him. I just give him a blank stare, and flip him off. He scratches his head confused since I’m sure he doesn’t know about what I’m doing.
 
“In other words… fuck off.” I bluntly say and continue moving. All this was fun and all, but there’s plenty more out there in this world for me to see, might as well go see it.
 
“Discord! You did this! You did all of this!” I hear Twilight shout.
 
“Oh really? I didn’t even know!” Discord says nonchalantly and proceeds to laugh.
 
“Stop that!” the mare yells.
 
“Hahaha!” Discord continues to laugh.
 
“Please!” she tries to ask the draconequus politely. Keep trying just like that, Twilight. It ain’t gonna work.
 
“Hahahahaha!” he laughs more.
 
“I said stop that!”
 
“Hahahahahahahahahahaaaaa!!”
 
You’re really pushing it Discord. She can’t stay calm for-
 
“SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!”
 
Silence immediately follows. I stop in my tracks and slowly turn around. Twilight is clearly pissed, the others are surprised with their mouths agape and open, and Discord is pretty stunned as well. I didn’t walk far, but I’m still somewhat a fair distance away from them all.
 
“Wow.” Is all I can say. Did I rub off a little on her?
 
“All this time you’ve put us all at each other’s throats! You’ve done too much and hurt too many for your selfish reasons! Princess Celestia chose me…” she looks over at me with a sad expression before turning back to Discord angrily, “And Swift to defeat you! You may have separated us once before…” Twilight and the others get into a battle ready stance, “But now, we will defeat you Discord!” Twilight shouts. The girls definitely look ready to give it their all this time. After Twilight’s little outburst, now I want to see just how they’ll defeat him where I couldn’t.
 
“Fine. If your friendship is sooooo powerful, go right ahead. Just make it quick.” He taunts them and makes some glasses appear before putting them on. “I have some more chaos to spread.”
 
“Hehe, you sure are full of it Discord.” I say to him while smiling, making him look at me.
 
“I guess I am because I know I can be. No one has powers like me.”
 
“Ready girls?”
 
“Ready!”
 
The chaos spirit groans as he looks towards the girls in annoyance. “You know what, I’ve had enough of this. I think it’ll be better for all of if I just disharmonized them permanently!” he yells and brings his claws close together. Pe-permanently?! Okay, that got my attention.
 
“You can do that?” I ask in disbelief. One thing about the girls freeing themselves from their opposite sides is one thing, but permanently…
 
“I can. I just thought it would be more funny and satisfying to see them all lose themselves to each other.” An eerie bright orb begins to form in between his hands and continues to grow slowly.
 
He’s seriously gonna do it. I can’t just stand by and-
 
No, no. They let themselves get taken over before and the last time I interfered I ended up in the hospital!
 
But this time they are going to be forced to change. Could I really-?
 
Another damn decision I have to make. I hate that.
 
“Time to end this.” Discord says in singsong voice, the orb in his hands already very large as it is.
 
And again that same damn decision somehow makes its choice for me! Damnit. I quickly move in front of the others, an even distance between the girls and Discord, and stand there.
 
“Really? Even after all that, you’re still going to protect them?!” Discord asks me with surprise as he barely tries to contain the power in his hands.
 
I chuckle, “Yeah, I’m indecisive. Sue me.” I casually say and stand my ground. My life has been crap as long as I can remember. At least with this… it can all end, and I can die for something good and don’t have to run anymore.
 
Yeah, I think I can live with that…
 
“Too late to back out now!” Discord yells and let’s go, a giant beam of energy shooting straight at me with no curving, no moving to the side whatsoever, just directly at me. But technically, I won’t be alive for long. Hehe.
 
*Gasp* “Swift!” I hear behind me. No doubt Twilight is surprised as hell to see me taking a shot for them. I look behind me to give my friends a smile.
 
My eyes widen to see that while I was conversing with Discord, my friends charged up the Elements of Harmony and fired a rainbow blast as well. I’m fast, but my wounds impair me.
 
First, Discord hits me, making me slide back a bit before the girls hit as well. Immediately, pain shoots throughout my entire body,
 
Then nothing.
 
No pain whatsoever.
 
“What the-“ I begin to say.
 
Pain! Lots of it again! I drop my katana and fall to my knees and then to my back. My body continues to burn and the biggest headache in the world ignites in my brain. I groan out loudly and grab my head to try to suppress the headache, but I fails to. Thoughts begin coursing through every recess of my mind, thoughts of tearing apart living things, helping to build houses, destroying buildings, helping others, tearing clothes, helping someone that was kicked down, spilling blood, helping to paint houses, kicking, beating, and hurting others to near death, and even going to standing between a weak person and a bully. Each thought pounding and hitting each other, the good trying to push the bad, the bad doing the same back.
 
What the hell is going on with me?! I try to form the words out my mouth but I can barely only think them.
 
“Swift!”
 
“Get control. Get control! Staaayyy… iiinnnn… controooolll!!” I yell and try to concentrate. I roll onto my front and to my hands and knees. As I look at the ground, seeing the regular, plain, ordinary dirt in front of me, somehow it calms me down.
 
“How?” I try to say through a breaking voice. The burning sensation is almost too much to bear. I punch the ground a few times with both fists until I grab a clump of the dirt and look at it closely in my hand. Looking it, the sensation begins to recede but the headache still remains. Why is this stupid clump of dirt helping me?! I yell in my mind and hold it up to throw it.
 
I don’t. It remains in my hand. Slowly I bring it down towards me again. That’s what this is in front of me, just something ordinary. Just a small piece of something larger.
 
That’s what I was before, ordinary. At one point in my life, even if I can’t remember it, I was just like this, among the others in my species, blending in with them and living my life. Then something happened for a reason… and now I’m here.
 
I’m here and no one else of my kind is. Why is it that I’m here and no one else is?
 
“Swift?” I slowly look up to meet the face of Twilight Sparkle.
 
“Because I have a purpose.” I mouth the words. She looks confused for a second. I look to my side and spot my katana again. Gripping it tightly, I slowly stand up, muscling through the pain as I fully stand in front of everyone. No one in my world would help because most of them were too stingy to lend a goddamn hand to help for just a second… but not her. She helped without a moment’s notice and gained a friend… and so did I.
 
The headache recedes, the burning feeling is slightly there but something else is as well: power.
 
Strength and power I can feel within my body, coursing through every fiber in my physical form… and it hurts.
 
I feel like I’m about to blow up. The power inside needs to be released or else-
 
“Looks like your Elements of Harmony failed again. No surprise.”
 
-------------------------------------------------------
 
“Yooouuuu!” Swift Wind yells in a low voice, oddly enough the echoing of a few other voices following suit. The Elements of Harmony bearers back off from their friend as he slowly turns around and stares at Discord. To his surprise, the human in front of him is standing up tall with no limp whatsoever along with his eyes glowing pure white as well. “You tried to tear us all apart! You made me doubt my existence in this world; doubt the existence of my very own being!!” Swift’s multiple voices boom loudly, his own being the loudest of all.
 
“What’s going-“
 
“SILENCE!” The human cuts off the god of chaos. He points his sword directly at his opponent. “I hated you the moment I laid my eyes on you. You made my life hell! It was you who made me doubt my friends, the only friends I ever made in my entire life that treated me like a person!” Swift slowly makes his way towards Discord. “And I will do what is necessary to banish you to your prison!” Swift holds his sword up horizontally; the dangerous object glowing as well as the different symbols of each Element of Harmony begins appearing along the blade. Swift Wind holds his sword outwards away from his body with both hands.
 
“Begone, demon!” he yells and slices the air. The Element of Generosity shoots out from his blade, the symbol leaving the sword and flying through the air, a transparent light following suit and striking Discord.
 
“Ugh!” the draconequus grunts as he’s hit.
 
Swift sliced the air again and this time the Laughter element flies. Discord tries to dodge it, but it homes in and strikes him again. He then twirls around, sending two more at the spirit at the same time, the Honesty and Kindness elements. Discord slides back as both elements hit him. He falls to his knees and grab his chest from the build up of the elements within him.
 
“I will not be defeated by something like you!” Discord yells and stretches his arm out. More orbs of chaotic energy shoot out towards the overpowered guardian, where as he slices upwards, hitting the orbs into dust as the Loyalty element curves upwards high into the sky and strikes Discord directly.
 
Swift Wind stands up tall and holds his katana firmly with two hands. “Five down, one to go.” He says to himself and slowly walks forward. “Time to put you in your place, Discord!” Swift yells and slowly goes from a walk to a jog and is now running while holding his katana.
 
“No! Stay away from me!” Discord shouts and tries to stop the determined human. Swift doesn’t even falter and swats Discord’s futile attempts of stopping him away like nothing.
 
“I WILL DEFEAT YOU!” he yells as he runs. Swift closes the distance between the two, and slices, along with Discord doing the same using his incredibly sharp claws.
 
“…”
 
Like the silence of the dead of night, a quiet feeling takes over all in the area. The two combatants stand with their forms of weapon and attack outstretched, Swift Wind standing behind Discord as they have their backs to each other.
 
A deep dark crimson begins to form on the side of Swift Winds stomach. He grunts as the cut already allows blood to flow freely onto his clothes and form.
 
“Hehe.” Discord snickers at his blow. “Uh.” He groans as Swift Wind’s blow takes effect and his glasses break.
 
A sudden bright light appears from Discord as he slowly becomes encased in stone from the tail and feet up. “NO!” the spirit yells as he finally realizes he’s been defeated. He tries to swat the stone creeping up his form away in a vain attempt to stop it. Finally, all that’s left is his head. That doesn’t last long as it quickly finishes him up, a look of terror and fear plastered onto the spirits face as he’s immortalized in his stone prison yet again. A slightly transparent dome forms around Discord before expanding at a rapid pace. The dome engulfs Ponyville in a matter of seconds before shooting outwards, a bright light blinding all who look upon the former capital of chaos.
 
The girls look back upon their friend once the bright light passes and see the distinguishable red on him. “Swift!” Twilight shouts and teleports to him. “Swift. Are you alright?” she cautiously asks him, or if it even is him. He suddenly gets back into standing tall and places the katana back in its sheath on his back before his eyes return to normal.
 
“Uhhh.” Swift groans before collapsing forward.
 
“Swift!” she gasps and quickly uses her magic to grab him and puts him back onto his feet. He sways a bit, but the two Pegasi quickly hold onto him and keep him steady.
 
“Um, Swift? Could you… could you wake up, please?” Fluttershy shyly asks the human. His eyes remain closed. “If… if that’s alright with you.”
 
“Oh for the love of- Swift! Wake up!!!” Rainbow Dash yells in his ear.
 
--------------------------------------------
 
“Huh! Wha! I’m up! I’m up! OW!” My eyes shoot open and I look around but the sudden shooting pain in my side makes me double over onto my knee.
 
“Swift, are you alright?” Twilight asks me while coming in my field of vision. I look at her sternly before getting back onto my feet.
 
“Well, besides the fact that I have an open wound in my side, a couple broken ribs, and a twisted ankle… I’m just peachy.” I joke to them. Some give off a stern look, particularly Twilight and Rarity. Rainbow and Applejack chuckle. Fluttershy turns away to avoid seeing the blood, and Pinkie is looking at a flower on the floor. I look around and see that everything is back to normal.
 
“We should really get that looked at.” Twilight proposes, gesturing to my wounds and all, particularly the one in my side.
 
I wave her off, “I’ll live.”
 
“Not for long if we leave that untreated.”
 
“Whatever,” I look around some more, “Looks like everything’s back to normal, huh?”
 
“Yeah, it sure is.”
 
“About time.”
 
“Hold on, I have to ask.” Dash begins, catching all of our attention, then turn I turn to my side while she’s hovering in the air. “Swift, aren’t you in pain or anything?”
 
Uhhhhh… didn’t I just establish my wounds just a few minutes ago? “Uhhhh-“
 
“Not in the way you just said. I mean do you feel any burns or anything like when you touch magic?”
 
I look at her weirdly, “What do you mean?”
 
“Ugh.” She groans, “I mean, Twilight just caught you with her magic to hold you up. You didn’t wake up or yell out in pain or anything!” Rainbow explains. One minute I was trying to realize my purpose, the next the loud rainbow maned pony is yelling in my ear.
 
“No, I don’t feel anything like that.” I double check myself to make sure that I’m not just ignoring the burning sensation.
 
Nope, nothing. I feel fine… excluding the pain in my side.
 
“How is this possible?” I ask to nopony in particular. Everyone looks confused, even Twilight.
 
“I’m not sure. I only used magic out of the suddenness of you collapsing. But I guess if anyone has an answer for that it would have to be the Princess.” Twilight answers.
 
“You really think so?” I ask. I’m not trying to doubt her, I just want to make sure she’s sure.
 
Twilight smiles, “I know so.”
 
I nod my head in agreement, “Alright, let’s get back to Canterlot and ask. Ow.” I groan a bit louder than I intended.
 
“But first you gotta quit being so stubborn and get that looked at.” Twilight voices her displeasure of my attitude towards my wound. As much as I want to hurry up and get answers, maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad idea.
 
“Yeah… you’re probably right about that. Blurry vision is definitely not a good sign.” I wearily say and almost lose my balance.
 
“Whoa! I got you.” Rainbow quickly grabs me and keeps my steady.
 
“Thanks.”
 
“No problem, now let’s hurry up and get you to the hospital.”
 
“Alright, sure.” My friends begin to lead me.
 
“What happened?” Multiple voices start saying. We stop and look around to see a bunch of the different Ponyville citizens coming out of the woodwork. All of them appear to be heavily disoriented as a few fall over.
 
“I don’t think a disoriented doctor is somepony that should be looking into me.” I voice optimism of the scene around us. If everypony in Ponyville around us is like this, then I don’t think I want to take the chance of having a doctor fall over while stitching me up, or give me the wrong medicine.
 
“You’re probably right about that.” Applejack agrees.
 
“Then where should we go?” Rainbow asks. Everyone begins to think on what exactly we should and how I should get some proper medical attention. My attention is elsewhere.
 
“What should we do with him?” I ask about the giant gray statue of the jerk who caused all this. I gently place my hand on it, a cold feeling shivering up my spine until the thing tips over and crashes to the ground.
 
“Leave it. He ain’t goin’ anywhere.” Applejack proposes.
 
I chuckle and shrug my shoulders as best I can, “Sweet.”
 
“Hmmmm… I got it!” Twilight yells in excitement. Guess she got something.
 
We all look at her, “What’d you get?”
 
“Let me try something.” That’s all she gives us before her horn lights up. I tense at what exactly she’s doing.
 
“Twilight what are-“ I don’t get to finish before we all are immediately engulfed in a pink ball and disappear…
 
“Ow! Watch it.” I groan from the stitching. Twilight thought it would be faster and better to teleport to Canterlot for both talking to the Princess and getting the medical attention I need. Fortunately, there were other plans taking place. While I’m here cooped up in the medical ward of the castle getting stitched up and put on painkillers so I won’t be as woozy or disoriented, the girls are being escorted to the throne room to be properly pronounced the ‘saviors of Canterlot’ or something. Thankfully Canterlot wasn’t too screwed up by Discord. Ponyville clearly did.
 
“Suck it up.” The nurse quiets me as she makes another loop.
 
“Well excuse me if I’m not used to getting stitched up. Maybe you should be better at the stitching.” I reply.
 
She looks up at me, “Well excuse me if I’m not used to stitching up your kind. Maybe you should bring more of your kind here.” Why that smug little-. Whatever.
 
“Fine, point taken.” I grumble as she continues to stitch at my side.
 
“Alright, that should about do it.” She says and snips the wire. “Stay here and I’ll go get you some more medicine for the pain later.” She asks of me.
 
I nod, “Sure.” I give my best smile and she walks away and out of the room. I shift myself off the bed, “Not.” I put on my shirt and quietly move over to another door that I hope leads me in the direction of the throne room. “Ain’t no way I’m missing this event. How often do we defeat a god and get recognized for it? Not many.” I say to myself and make my way down the hallway…
 
-----------------------------------------
 
“We are gathered here today to once again honor the heroism of these six friends who stood up to the villain Discord and saved Equestria from eternal chaos.” The princess announces. Right now, me and the other bearers of Harmony are in the throne room, surrounded by our fellow ponies and friends in this momentous occasion.
 
Well, almost all of our friends. Swift is getting patched up right now after his brawl with Discord. I just wish he was here as well to see this but he needs to get healed first.
 
I hold up my hoof to stop the Princess from moving a curtain. She nods, allowing me to step forward so I may speak. “I wish to thank you all for being here today. The fight against Discord wasn’t an easy one…” I look at my friends behind me. They give me a reassuring smile and gesture me to continue, “But in the end, we came together like friends should and defeated Discord using the power and magic of friendship.” I say. The ponies began to stomp and clap their hooves together. After a few seconds, I hold up my right hoof to quiet down. “But I’m afraid we can’t take all the credit. I don’t think we would have been in any position to defeat Discord, if it wasn’t for the only human in Equestria, with a high tolerance to us and determination, I’d like to thank,” I look at the door we came through, making my eyes widen in surprise, “Swift?”
 
-----------------------------------------
 
All eyes fall upon me from the confused tone of Twilight’s voice. I chuckle and lay against the door frame, “Oh, don’t stop on my account. Please, continue.” Twilight’s probably thinking that I should be back in the medical ward getting properly treated for all my wounds and all, but of course that’s not the case.
 
“Nonsense, Mister Wind. Come up here. You are as much responsible for defeating Discord as these six are.” The Princess gestures me onto the stage.
 
I chuckle and push against the door frame, “Well, if you insist your majesty. I just don’t want to take all the credit, now do I. Hehehe.” I chuckle. A couple others laugh from the crowd as I slowly make my way down the carpet and up the stairs towards my friends. Yeah, friends. I think that’s clearly been established. Once I make it to the top and look back at all the ponies, they all begin clapping and cheering, stomping their hooves on the ground and together, their form of clapping I’m guessing.
 
“Are you alright?” Twilight whispers to me from behind, loud enough so I can hear her over the cheering.
 
“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just on a hell of a lot of painkillers and muscle relaxants.” I reply. I’m not too loopy right now, but the medicine has already done its job.
 
The Princess clears her throat, “Now, we are gathered here today to once again honor the heroism of these six friends…” she gestures to the Elements of Harmony bearers, “And today to especially honor the heroic bravery of a recent citizen to Equestria…” she gestures to me, “All of whom who stood up to the villain Discord and saved Equestria from eternal chaos.” She finishes saying. The audience in front of us claps and cheers for their heroes in front of them. I have saved the citizens of Ponyville on more than one occasion, but it feels pretty nice being fully recognized like this, fanfare music playing, a large crowd cheering with a large figure of royalty standing right behind me. Feels good. Feels really good.
 
Something tugs on my shirt. Turning my gaze reveals it to be one Twilight Sparkle. She immediately points to a nearby window. As I look up upon, nothing escapes my lips, save for a slight gasp and widened eyes. The window is stain glass, much like the previous windows I saw before here in the castle, except the one thing unique about this window is those that appear on it. On the bottom, all six Elements of Harmony unleash their magical powers… on me. Standing between the girls and Discord at the top, is me; my legs slightly sprayed out with my hands held together, holding my sword above my head as the girls infuse their energy into me, whereas I unleash it upon the god of chaos.
 
I stand baffled at the decorative window on the wall. I know that the windows around the Royal palace here in Canterlot portray the historical events that play out here in Equestria… but never did I ever hope, or even think in the slightest, that I would ever be part of those. A golden shoe covered white hoof places itself on my shoulder. “Congratulations Swift, you are now part of Equestria’s history.” Princess Celestia says to me. Honestly, I have no words to express this. I just…
 
“Um… I… wow. I…” I stammer out. I look at my friends and to the Princess to see them all giving me a warm smile. I slowly avert my gaze behind me and spot that one of the windows is actually a clear door that leads to a balcony. “I… I need to talk to you your highness… in private.” I begin walking over to the balcony but stop to look at my friends, Spike included of course, “You girls can come to.” I add and continue moving. I can tell they are confused and worried by my sudden desire to talk to the Princess. She gives the audiences a few words but I don’t care to listen as my mind begins to race with both questions and guilt. Questions first, guilt second.
 
“What is it you need?” The Princess asks me once all nine of us are on the balcony and the door is closed.
 
*Sigh*… “During our fight with Discord, there was a… heated conversation between me and…” I look towards the girls, who recoil a little in sadness. “Them.” The Princess looks towards them for a second before turning back to me. “I was going to leave and never come back… but Discord said he grew tired and was gonna make them disharmonized permanently,” I turn around to face them, “Meaning… take Fluttershy for instance, take all that sweet loving kindness she has and turn it completely opposite, turning the mare we once loved into a total-“ I don’t continue as I see the scared and almost teary eyed look upon her face. “Yeah, they would become the opposite forever.” I lean back against the stone railing, “I didn’t want them to become that. No one should become the opposite of what they want, no matter who it is.” I say sadly. Even for the most hated of people, being stuck as your exact opposite forever will probably become the living hell you fear most. “Anyways, as a last token of good faith for the ones who saved my life,” I look at them with caring look upon my face, “I moved in front of them and opted to take Discords fury full on.”
 
The Princess receives a shocked look, “But… don’t you remember what happened the last time you-“ the memory of the Princess almost killing me resurfaces to both our minds. I’m already at peace with what happened, but I’m sure she isn’t.
 
I nod, “I still do. The same situation always comes back to me with eventually running. I’ve done enough of that.” I say sternly. “I guess I was alright with my life being ended like that, to protect the ones who showed me compassion in a long time.” I look at each of my friends, each one showing me that same compassionate and knowing smile I’ve known in the few months I’ve been here. “But of course, I didn’t realize that the girls were charging up the Elements until it was too late. Hehe, imagine my surprise and the look on my face when I saw the glowing bright energy from Discords attack, and the rainbow multi-colored beam of energy from the other direction.”
 
“Are you crazy?! This is no laughing matter! You could have died!!” Twilight steps up and shouts.
 
I chuckle for a bit, “Yeah, I could have.” I stare into the open sky. Her mood and facial expression continuously changing as my tale continues. “I don’t know how, but somehow that entire magical prowess didn’t kill me… but somehow gave me control.” I say while looking at my hand and gripping it tightly at the end. I stand up straight, “Just as you saw on the window, your highness, the Elements of Harmony power somehow didn’t destroy me, but infused with me and gave me the power to vanquish Discord.” The Princesses mood remains unchanged as I look directly at her.
 
“So my question Princess, why has magic had no effect on me whatsoever? According to Rainbow Dash, after the power left me I was blacked out. Twilight caught me with her magic as I was falling and she even teleported us here just after so I can get proper medical attention.” I finish explaining. She looks at the girls and they confirm my story.
 
She walks over to the balcony railing with me and looks out to the sun with me. “The Elements of Harmony are not meant to harm another; their name implies what it is they do.”
 
“Bring peace and harmony?”
 
“Yes.” Now that I think about it, Nightmare Moon was never truly destroyed. She was just a different personality of the Princess of the Night, Luna. And Discord wasn’t destroyed, he only became imprisoned stone. “The Elements of Harmony are to never harm another living thing. When they interacted with you, they fused with, adding just enough magic to your form to allow you to interact with it without the pain you usually feel when in contact with magic.”
 
I stare at her baffled by this new set of information. The thought that I am now “un-allergic” to magic has already occurred to me, especially after the teleporting, but the idea on how that came to be is a refresher. “So, even from another world, totally untouched by magic, the Elements do no harm?”
 
She shakes her head, “They do make sure that any evil that threatens to bring harm to the innocent or good, is stopped… just like how you did with Discord.” She explains.
 
“Wow.”
 
“Feel better knowing you can partake in magic without it biting back?” she asks me.
 
It’s true, it may be weird and all, but it feels good. I remember at some points how I was worried or scared my friends might accidentally do something with magic that could kill me, and I remember the times on how they had to cut corners in some issues so I wouldn’t come to harm. At least now, we wouldn’t have that issue anymore. “It does, it feels good, Princess.”
 
“You’re very welcome, Swift.” She stares back out into the open world, her sun halfway down the horizon and close to allowing forth the way for her sister to reign. “Equestria is touched by magic for all.”
 
“The Earth ponies with their lay of the land natural attunement to it, the Pegasi with their ability to make the weather change with just a few clouds and wind speeds, and the unicorns with their direct control of this invisible force… right?” I ask her nervously because I just now realize I interrupted her.
 
“Exactly. With how you are, and your condition with magic, I’m not entirely surprised that they made sure you weren’t supposed to come to harm by it anymore.” She adds a bit more.
 
With how all this is, it definitely feels nice. “Thanks. Thank you, Princess, for putting my mind at ease with all this.”
 
She pats my back, “I’m glad to hear that.” She turns around and begins to head on inside. “Come, Equestria wishes to thank its saviors from a lifetime of chaos with a feast you shall not forget.” The Princess says before leaving the balcony.
 
All my friends begin expressing on how they are starving and can’t wait and hope they have sweets and that stuff. “Twilight…” the purple unicorn stops as the others move on ahead of her but stop at the mention of her name. “I need to talk to you, privately.”
 
She looks back to the others, “You girls go on ahead. We’ll be by soon.” She waves them off and walks up to me. She closes the doors again as soon as the others leave. “What is it?”
 
“I have to get something off my chest. After I said I was done, and promptly turned right back around on that… I guess should come clean.”
 
She places her hoof on my side, “I don’t want you to do something you’re not comfortable with just because of me.” she tries to console me. I shake my head no.
 
“No, I have to.”
 
“Swift, you’ve done so much for us already. I don’t think you can do anything to-“
 
“I was about accept.”
 
“… what?”
 
*Sigh*… “Discord offered me a choice: be on the run forever in his world, or be his right hand man in ruling.” At this point I’m leaning on the railing using my arms to support me on it. “I was going to accept his offer.”
 
Twilight is a bit shocked at my confession. “I…”
 
“You hate me don’t you?” I quickly say.
 
She drops her shocked expression and moves closer to me. “No… no I don’t hate you. What gave you that idea?”
 
I look at her with a confused look on my face. “Seriously? I abandon and betray you… and you tell me that you don’t have a single iota of hated for me within you?!” I shake my head and chuckle. “Don’t make me laugh.”
 
“No, really! I don’t hate you, Swift!” she blurts out.
 
“And why is that Twilight?” I say while looking directly at her.
 
“Because you’re my friend.” She says.
 
I turn back and chuckle. Friends… is that it? That’s the one reason why because of my betrayal that you forgive me? Wow. “Is that it, seriously? I mean, how you can you look at me and tell that you aren’t mad at all about me taking Discord up on his offer?!”
 
Her faces scrunches up a bit.
 
“Well?!” I say a little louder for an answer. There is no way she has no hate inside her whatsoever about me at this point.
 
“Well what do you want me to say?!” she replies almost as loud.
 
“I want you to tell me truthfully that something inside of you is telling you that you feel hurt, betrayed and angry because of my actions!!” I yell while shifting my entire body at her.
 
“You wanna hear it?! Fine! I hate that you were going to side with Discord! I hate how you constantly use profanity, even when I told you I don’t want you to use it anymore! And I hate how you use too much force and always plan to kill everything that even shows a hint of negativity to us!”
 
She breathes in to regain her breath and continues, “I mean, we’ve done what we can to accept your methods of fighting, but we aren’t immune to this! We aren’t used to all the violence that you can bring. You have to tone it down or else you’ll be considered a monster to plenty of other ponies! Just like Discord!” she tries to explain. Wow comparing me to him, low.
 
“I’ll do my-“
 
“And how can you choose Discord over us?!” she cuts me off. “After everything you’ve done for us… after everything we’ve done for you! You accept his offer to spread even more chaos!? What is wrong with you?!” Alright, being a bit more forceful.
 
“Twilight I-“
 
“You wanted me to express myself? Fine! I hate you.” She says calmly a little. Alright, that’s good.
 
“I hate you.” She says a bit louder before I can say something.
 
“Twi-“
 
“I hate you!” A bit louder.
 
“Twilight…”
 
“I hate you!” A little louder than the previous. Now she’s getting real close.
 
“Tw-“
 
“I HATE YOU!” she yells really loudly, making me fall flat on my ass and stare with a shocked expression on my face. She slowly backs up and sits on her flank as well, slowly breathing in and out to catch her breath.
 
“I…” At this point I can’t really form words. The first ‘I hate you’ was expected but hearing it multiple times, louder each time until she’s right at your face… now I truly feel like a complete asshole. Actually, I feel like something worse than that.
 
The tired unicorn continues to breathe in and out slowly but steadily, “… I’m sorry.” She apologizes.
 
My face still retains it’s expression as I swallow, “It’s… it’s alright. Lord knows I deserve it.”
 
“But Swift-“
 
“No.” I interrupt her. “No… I do deserve it. You were so kind to me, so compassionate and willing to let me stay here… and in the end… this is what I do?” I say sadly. Twilight and Zecora finding those books for me, Rainbow Dash helping me with my guns, Applejack and Dash assisting with my truck and all, Rarity offering me clothes and a place to stay, Fluttershy just being something that I rarely seen back on my world, and Pinkie Pie actually throwing me a birthday/welcome party to Ponyville. After all that, I betray them. “Yeah, I deserve it.”
 
“Oh Swift…” she says gently and moves over to me. She sits down next to me on my left and places a hoof on my shoulder. “Maybe you do deserve it…” I sigh. “Or maybe you don’t…” Yeah right. “But what is your reason for accepting?”
 
I look at her, “What?”
 
“Why did you choose to accept?”
 
I lay back against the railing and look up. What was my reason for accepting? I haven’t really established that for myself now have I. “Why… did I accept? Why… why… why.” I repeat to try and come up with an answer.
 
“What made you come to that answer?”
 
I sigh and delve into my mind, truthfully trying to figure out what the answer is. “I guess I was tired.”
 
“Tired?”
 
“Yeah. All the running, all the hiding, all the paranoia… Discord said that if I don’t accept, I’ll be on the run for the rest of my life.” I quietly but sadly say. She squeezes my shoulder a little bit to try and reassure me.
 
“Too familiar?”
 
I nod, “Yeah… way too familiar. The thought of going through all that again. Years running from a higher power, years of scavenging and reusing all the time… I didn’t want that again. Not again. Not ever!” I sternly say and clench my fist. “I hated it all and didn’t want that again. I… I…”
 
“Was scared?”
 
My mind goes blank. Was I scared of having to repeat? Was I scared of all that paranoia creeping back up? Was I just… intimidated by Discord to follow him? “You really think so?” I ask her while looking right at.
 
“I can’t say for certain, but it is possible. The thought of having to go back on the run, no friends or others to help you out when you’re in a jam… it’s frightening right?” I nod. “You already had your due of that torment… I guess I can’t really blame you for accepting. The consequence of reliving that part of your life and all.”
 
I sigh again, “Maybe you can or maybe you can’t… either way, Discord is trapped and hopefully we can have a much needed respite.”
 
“On that we can agree.” That rest… sounds like heaven at this point. Hopefully Discord’s sudden change of the land will scare away the creatures of the Everfree Forest for enough time for me to properly rest and recuperate.
 
Shut the fuck up! “Hahaha.” I lowly chuckle at the memory. She catches on my laugh and looks at me.
 
“What’s so funny?”
 
“I still can’t believe you told the god spirit of chaos to shut up like that.” Her faces starts to blush as she remembers her outburst.
 
“I know. I’m so embarrassed. I can only imagine what my parents would say.” She turns away from me and buries her face into her hooves on the ground.
 
I chuckle and gently glide my hand along her back for me to console her. “But it felt good right?” When a person pisses you off so much, and when you yell something loud enough to make them stop like that, it’s always a good feeling.
 
She looks at me for a second before going back to her hideaway. “I couldn’t do it to my friends, even if they were acting like that… but to Discord, it just felt so good!” she squeals a little. She moves and sits back up against the railing, where as I wrap my arm around her shoulders. She lays her head against my shoulder. “I guess you're rubbing off on me.”
 
“Yeah, I guess I am.” Night has already started to creep in. She slips the bulk of herself under my arm and tries to push me up. “C’mon, let’s get to the others before they worry.”
 
I get up with her help and stand tall. “Yeah.”
 
I go to the door and open it, allowing her to go first and then me. “Thank you.”
 
“No, thank you. For helping me with this Twi. You’re a true friend. I should never take that for granted.” I gratefully say to her. Realizing that it was just fear of running again that put me in that position… I feel better now. Now if I can, maybe I can steel myself to better my feelings and be a true guardian, and possibly go easy on murdering the Timberwolves that usually wonder in. Maybe just injure them? I don’t know. I’ll cross that bridge when I get there.
 
“You’re welcome Swift.” She replies with a reassuring smile and thankful look and smile on her face. So good, so happy when it’s needed, an ear to listen to you on your downiest of days. That face, her expressions, her hairstyle, her potential… beautiful. I’m really surprised that she hasn’t gotten a stallion yet. “C’mon, race you to the others!” She suddenly bolts off and out the room.
 
I can’t help but snap out of my daydream and get a giddy smile on my face. “Oh heck no!” I say and take off after her.
 
If anyone’s good at being fast, its me! And Rainbow Dash. We should really have a race sometime to see who’s fastest.