Author’s Note: IT’S DONE. IT’S DONE. OMG IT’S DONE. NO TROLLS? THERE’S SOMETHING VERY WRONG. Yes. That in the tune to “What’s This?” from The Nightmare Before Christmas. Don’t judge me. I’m so freakin excited! XD lol. Yes I know it’s know it’s now 2014, and our epic new season is in full swing but just be thankful I’m finally done people! Lol. PLEASE NOTE: You may realize there was a full scene reveal during the premiere. And there of course are certain Discordy things regarding that flashback stoning scene obviously VERY different in this fanfic. Also, the premiere gave origins to the Elements and that was different to my theory as well. So after seeing that awesome episode, I cried in a corner for a little bit than sucked it up and decided I just had to make this story an Alternate Universe. Oh well. I can’t always be right. (Unless it’s in an AU…then I’m ALWAYS RIGHT.) >:) So the tags will immediately be changed on FiMfiction after this chapter is posted. Anyways…please enjoy!
Breaking Free
“The Final Word”
Part II
Consequences could be met by attempting to ease Discord's mind back to a perceptive state. Celestia feared much, especially the dramatic influence of recalling so much pain and hurt and the effect it would have on his psyche. She did indeed fear that should those memories return, the Discord that almost tore apart her kingdom would resurface and this heinous cycle might even begin again. She really couldn't let him go on like this though. There were such things as memory spells. The irony of this: her student, Twilight told her she used then on her friends when they were under Discord's enchantments. Now if Discord was truly under Chaos's spell, something that was agreed between the both of them, not even a memory spell could fix that.
Now, as they walked along to the edge of lake, the melancholy weeping willow drooped overhead, casting its arms over them. Celestia's violet eyes panned over to the water lapping gently against the bank. It was just enough for her to notice, mixed with the warmth in her horn, that told her evening was fast approaching and soon, the moon would touch the water with its glow. For now, at least, she could enjoy seeing the sun sparkling on the surface. It gave her a peace, like a contrast to the fires of worries and duties that burned in her like the sun burned in her since birth. Perhaps that was why she liked coming here so much, especially with Discord; because here, there were no worries or cares. In the years of their youth, time really did stand still here. Maybe it could again. Not in the eternal-life role she always put it in, but rather a joyful stop in time.
“Do you recognize it?” she asked cheerfully. “We used to just sit by here and talk all the time. That was why I had the liberty of having the cabin built by here years ago.” Discord smiled a little and cocked his head.
“It is nice here,” he replied. “Perfect for a waterskii-nnn…no?”
“No.”
“Aw. Come on!” Discord plopped on the bank and pouted. “Did we have ANY fun when we were kids or was fun restricted as well?”
“We had lots fun! Don’t make it sound like I spoiled everything, because I did not,” said Celestia sitting by him and chuckling.
“But I can tell you’ve always been stuffy,” said Discord sighing and leaning back in the grass.
“I was not!” said Celestia pushing him a little. “You don’t remember a thing. You couldn’t tell.”
“I remember some,” he replied yawning.
“Like what?”
“Like telling you…you were too grim,” said Discord poking Celestia’s nose. Celestia laughed and glared at him, still smiling as he floated above her head, disturbing the water with his paw.
“Well. Do you….remember the time in the court yard?” she asked playfully splashing water at him.
“No.” Discord said turning the water that got on him into an ice cream cone. He started licking it proudly.
“You can’t do that!” said Celestia trying to be authoritative but her giggling didn’t help that.
“I don’t see the ice cream hurting anypony,” said Discord swallowing the cone. He then winced and held his head. “Owww! Brain freeze!”
“Well now it is!” Celestia laughed. “Well anyway, you me and Luna! At the courtyard years ago all danced in the chocolate milk rain. It was our first day of school. It feels…” She paused and looked down. Discord paused and sank down to her level, never taking his eyes off her.
“What?” he said. “It feels…what?”
“It just feels like a lifetime ago…” said Celestia smiling sadly at him. “Back when things made sense and memories were intact and…you were you. Such an adventure. But still one I would never trade for the world if it means….” Discord looked at her intently.
“Princess…” he said calmly. “I may be reformed for now…”
“For now…?” she said sadly.
“Listen,” he said. “I don’t really think you can destroy evil. You can trap it. Make it go to sleep. But sooner or later, it wakes up again. It controls and it invades. So, what if it returns?”
“I don’t know…”
“The Elements of Harmony are with Twilight Sparkle. And she will use them if I rise up again.” Celestia’s face began to turn pale. “I understand, Princess. I don’t remember everything. But I feel as if I do somehow know you. And I understand. So promise me.”
“What?!” Celestia looked at him shocked. Discord moved closer to her.
“If ever the dark comes back in me, trap me in stone again. It’s all right.” He smiled. Celestia felt her stomach twist in horrible knots. She looked in his eyes and they glistened with a new light. This was not him. This could not be real. Was it? He was truly suggesting this. That for the better of everything else, everypony else, he go against what he was made for and be contained if he should try and use his powers for evil? And he was willing? Her mind raced.
“S-so if you use your powers against what I say and for evil…and you are dark again…you say now…turn you to stone? You-you…want me to promise you? That I won’t be hesitant to trap that darkness away again, should it arise.”
“Yes,” Discord replied sprawling out on the grass again. “What’s the problem? Of course I’m going to push the envelope, Princess. But you know as well as I do that I won’t do anything to take over. Trust me. That is the dark side of me. Just wanting power and control. But I am carefree and will continue to use my powers, as they really are neutral. And I will do as you say. But I will never, ever do anything to hurt you or anypony else, so long as I remain in my current reformed-minded state. Because taking over…getting turned to stone…forget about me…that would hurt you. I know it would. I can sense that. I don’t want that to happen. But I also don’t want you to have to make that decision. I’m making it for you.” Celestia smiled and nodded.
“Thank you, Discord,” she said softly. “I can’t believe you would say something like this. It doesn’t seem like you…”
“What? This is reformed Discord,” he replied zapping a blue suit, hat and monocle on himself. “See?” He sipped some tea that he also made appear. Celestia chuckled at his antics.
“Of course,” she said. “I can see you trying hard to push my buttons in the future. However, I have to ask why you’ve made such a decision so quickly? Such a change of heart…only from loss of memory…” She glanced down thoughtfully.
“You seem to know so much more about me than even I do,” Discord gestured to her. “If I did have a friend before, she’d know exactly what is right for me, right? She was no friend to the darkness, right? I understand now. I couldn’t have it all my way. Remember? This is why I made the conscious decision to obey Fluttershy. She is my friend and I cannot upset or hurt my friends. But…back then…the darkness had to be contained. The Princess knew what was right. Yes?”
“Right…” said Celestia quietly. She hung her head as the rush of emotions sailed its way into the forefront of her heart. She placed herself back right into that moment when she rejected him. When everything in her world collapsed into oblivion all because of her selfishness. Her shame stabbed her and could almost be seen weighing heavily on her snow-white face.
“Ugh. Again with being grim?” Discord poked her. “Very well. I have no choice.” He zapped and there appeared a wig identical to Celestia’s hair. “Who am I? Look. Look. Who am I?” He frowned overdramatically and twirled the end of the wig with his claw. “I’m Princess Celestia. I’m going to make a law against fun and smiling,” he said trying to make his voice high. “Bow to me. Bring me cake. My wings are so pretty. I’m going to turn everypony to stone if they don’t chew my cake for me.”
“Oh. YOU ARE DEAD!” Celestia shouted, bursting out laughing. Discord flew away and Celestia teleported in front of him, midair, deleting his wig.
“What will I do without my beautiful hair?” Discord mocked. Celestia darted towards him and he teleported away. He zapped behind her, teasing her.
“You are such a juvenile!” Celestia said smirking.
“Yet you laugh,” mocked Discord. “You can’t catch me.”
“I can turn you back to stone,” Celestia teased back.
“Oh, face it. You can’t live without me.”
“Why?”
“Because I make your life not so mundane and BORING.” Celestia sighed and rolled her eyes and landed back on the ground.
“Sometimes mundane isn’t always bad,” she said a little softer. “Sometimes that’s all we have to forget…”
“Forget?” he said landing beside her.
“Forget how wonderful everything was when carefree was a way of life. Forget how it vanished when time stopped. Forget how I broke you.”
“Broke me?” Discord asked confused. Celestia felt her entire being slowly deflate.
“Nothing,” she said quietly. “Forget I said that.” Discord glared at her and hovered over her.
“If we are to be friends again…perhaps that requires no secret keeping, dear Tia?” he said flicking her ear.
“Stop it!” Celestia said annoyed. “I can’t tell you. It was…a mistake. If…If you only knew. It’s why you turned. And it’s my fault. Luna said it wasn’t. But…but it was.”
“Would could you do to me that….?” Discord paused and looked down. Celestia stared wearily at the grass. “All right,” he said softly. “Don’t tell me. Whatever it was, I may remember it sometime. But…it doesn’t matter right now. Reformed Discord, remember?” Celestia smiled. Then she blinked and gasped a little in realization. She looked up at him in shock.
“You called me Tia…” she said quietly.
“What?” said Discord.
“A little while ago. You called me Tia.”
“I did?” said the confused draconequus. He scratched his neck. “I’m sorry, Princess. I didn’t…” Celestia leaned forward embracing him in jubilation.
“You always used to call me that,” she said quietly. “You remember…” She paused and looked up at him. “It’s okay if you do start to remember the bad things. Even if you never remember anything. I think…you really are still Discord. Even if you don’t really know me.”
“I think somehow, I already do know you, Princess,” Discord replied smiling. At that moment, one of the palace guards galloped at full speed to them.
“You’re Highness,” he shouted urgently, panting from his run. “I’m sorry to interrupt. It’s urgent!”
“Yes?” What is it?” Celestia immediately approached him.
“Princess Luna is missing. Her Royal Night Guards have even been searching everywhere. She’s vanished.
“Luna?!” Celestia shouted worriedly. “Where could she….” The realization hit her and twisted her stomach. “No.”
“What is it?!” Discord asked.
“It’s Chaos!” Celestia replied, the panic setting in. “It has to be. He’s taken her. He’s luring me in. He knew I wanted to confront him, Discord. Now he has Luna!”
“My father,” said Discord hanging his head. “I can remember some things about him. Most involve him being sinister and manipulative.”
“He’s nothing like you,” Celestia said narrowing her eyes. “You never wanted to be like him. Even when the darkness took you, your chaos was nothing like his or Eris’s. You may have learned to trick from him but you never caused chaos to hurt anypony. That’s the difference between you two. And he’s manipulated you for far too long. Come on. I think I may know how we can stop him, but I need your help.” With a glow from her horn, the two vanished.
___________________________
Lights shined a blue and green as Discord found himself surrounded by a vast empty space of nothingness. Celestia stepped forward and continued to let her horn glow amidst the hollow space. In a few moments, it became much easier to move.
“Princess? Where are we?” he asked.
“This is a pocket dimension created for the alicorns,” said Celestia. “The gods bestowed my parents, Luna and I with a place to look upon our kingdom with. The windows let us see that our subjects remain in harmony with one another. Some, we watch grow and learn as faithful and true as they are. We can guide and protect, see when enemies might come long in advance, look back on things we…” She paused.
“You think these ‘windows” would show the past? And show me everything that happened to me?” said Discord slowly.
“They would show me everything I remember,” Celestia explained. “But I didn’t want to overwhelm you.”
“I don’t think it matters if I remember or not,” said Discord. “Your idea about Chaos will still work.”
“I hope so,” said Celestia worriedly. The invisible plane beneath them erupted at that moment to unleash a great black pillar of smoke. Chaos charged above their heads and smiled widely, blinking all sets of red eyes and holding out his many arms making him look ten times bigger and stronger. His tail of his smoke looked substantially large and began whirling in a tornado-like motion.
“Well. Well. Like you, cowardly Princess to try and hide from me. Heheheh,” said Chaos, his voice sending an array of chills down Discord’s spine.
“I would never hide from you,” Celestia shouted back. “Merely trying to find the proper field to sort things out. We wouldn’t want anypony to get hurt, now would we?”
“Clever,” said Chaos looking around and blinking again. “But there aren’t any pathetic rules in a pocket dimension, earthly, or cosmic, binding mortal, demigod, or god. Anything goes. I could kill you, you realize.”
“I don’t care,” said Celestia gritting her teeth. “LUNA!” she shouted. “Where is she?! If you hurt her…”
“Fear not. I have her unharmed,” said Chaos smiling bigger. He reached into the black abyss he originated from and grabbed a gasping alicorn. Luna wriggled in his claw.
“Tia! Dis!” she shouted looking down at them in desperation. “LET ME GO!” she shouted angrily.
“Release my sister, Chaos,” said Celestia stomping her hoof. “You got me here, now let her go! I need to know she’s safe.”
“I won’t let you escape so easily, Princess. Besides, the little Night One shouldn't have meddled in this. She knows too much.”
“Scared I’ll tell our mother, Chaos?” Luna mocked. She sighed. “I’ll be fine, Tia. Please just think about what you’re doing!”
“Princess,” said Discord nervously to Celestia. “Please. Can we talk this over?! I despise having to talk some sense into you. It irks every fiber of my being. But I don’t see this ending well.” He turned to Chaos. “So help me, Chaos, if you hurt this fine lady, you will certainly receive a punishment so great, nothing can compare. As I have been reformed, I’d rather forget about this whole thing. So, let her sister go now!” The shadow of smoke laughed mockingly and grinned upon Discord. Discord felt a twinge inside him that surpassed understanding. It was a twinge of anger and fear and a seed of hate. It was a vine that seemed to twist into his throat.
"Father," he said sharply. A question, no, a statement; an immediate recognition of kin. A distance coming closer every second it seemed, just with a glance at his own flesh and blood. The glass was dim, yes, but the veil could be seen through still. It was an understanding of silence between to the two creatures for a split second, as if this were there first, second, thousandth, meeting. The recognition of chaos and disorder and the knowledge of blood ties that bound them forever.
"Yes. Hello, Son," Chaos beamed. "I see. You know me."
"Well enough I suppose," Discord replied analyzing the god before him.
"Discord," Celestia whispered "If I could help you to remember everything in this moment, I would. But we're running out of time! Chaos!" she shouted. "Luna has nothing to do with this! How dare you try to manipulate everything around me...take everything away from me to turn the world your way. I can assure you... THIS WON'T BE."
Celestia lunged forward, jumping headlong into the air, her magic afire. Chaos easily avoided her by splitting himself into duel clouds. Her figure sailed through them, landing with ease on top of the starry blue-green atmosphere. She unfolded her wings and charged forth on foot, cascading a great ball of energy from her horn. Chaos smirked and merely made the slightest flicking motion with one of his claws, Celestia shrieked with an electric shock that threw her back. Luna screamed.
"Tia! No!"
The sun princess sailed backwards into the sea-green abyss. Discord stared wide-eyed. He glanced up at the sets of gleaming red sclera staring down at him and impulsively began to float upward in a dramatic charge.
"Why?" He shouted tossing a cloud and bolt of purple lightening at the smoky god. Chaos barely flinched as it plummeted into his vapor core and exploded. "Why did you cause me to forget?! Why?"
"This is what you wanted, isn't it?" Chaos replied, cackling and sending another burst of magic Discord's way. "I know you've forgotten. But we made this deal. Oh, how fragile you've always been. Too bad. Perhaps you do make a better statue...son."
"Stop that!" Discord countered the magic with a flaming force field. "If I know one thing, father, I always knew you to be clever. Perhaps I took more from you than I'd hoped, though. You only wish to corrupt. You and mother both! I could scarcely recall these minor images of my younger years when mother would teach me the ways of my power. But you would teach every dark avenue you could." Chaos stared and blinked. He growled.
"I wanted you to become the earth, the wildfires, the raging hurricanes, the roaring seas,” Chaos shouted. “I wanted you to become avarice and hate and the embodiment of evil, writhing pain, spite, deception, lust, everything a puppeteer wishes to invoke. I wanted you to be the Next. You WERE the Next one. It was almost to be. You were to be great. A god, no less. Bah! Demigod? I expected more from my flesh and blood. Perhaps you could've become better; immortal, ascended beyond any laws of cosmic grounding and transcended beyond anything else, decaying the very universe and all universes in existence and...nonexistent. And in the rotting remains of those macrocosms, you'd create your own worlds, sending galaxies collapsing, dying, stars...the very stars themselves...dying, shrieking, burning, and imploding into nothing. And it’s all just you. Oh, it makes me so weak to think of such beauty; I cease to breathe. I expected so much from you, my son. But you surprised me. You did. You went against everything I expected, which in a way, I commend. You truly are Discord in the flesh. You sought more than the devastation I created. You became a light. I cannot comprehend such light. I knew it when I first laid my eyes on you, that you were not me, or your mother, or even the reflection, or the edge of the mirror, dimmed. You would be your own reflection. A demigod draconequus that would feel mortal things not even the gods could ascertain. My seed is so sickening and wonderful to me. I cannot bare it, son. You must understand my great dilemma. I cannot love what I cannot understand. I tried. But now, it is far too late. I erased most of your memories of your love. I feared it was choking you. I had to test you. Had to see if you could truly run on your own chaotic plans for Equestria before erasing your memories. But now, you, as my last hope for vengeance were gone. You have choked me too much. Now my weak little seed, I'm afraid you must be crushed."
Discord stared with contempt.
"Do anything to me, and you will receive your just reward, Chaos. In your demented mind, you might not see this world is not worth preserving. Is that it? I have seen things now that I still may not fully understand. But things you certainly can never obtain with your nature. What of companionship? Love? Did you really ever love mother? You don't. You can't. And I might prove it. She needs me to do this." He looked at Celestia." And I hate to do this. Let Princess Luna go free. Or we won't hurt you." Chaos blinked and then burst out laughing.
"What can you possibly do to ME?" He grinned. "You and I are flesh and blood. If we were to battle here...why we may destroy this place and a hole could be torn right through your precious universe. You've grown too soft on those ponies yes? You'd hate to see harm come to them. Besides, what could you do to me, really? You two demigods cannot withstand me."
"You can't be so sure, Chaos! Do not underestimate us," Celestia snapped, flaring her horn again.
"Ready for another meaningless round, Princess?" Chaos taunted. Celestia glared at him.
"Let my sister go, and stop playing these games. She has nothing you want. Leave her be!"
"Very well," said Chaos sighing. "He dropped Luna and she shrieked. Celestia immediately began to run to her but a force field suddenly threw her back. The dome entrapped Luna from all sides. Discord tried to penetrate it with his magic but was thrown back by the force as well. Luna stood helplessly, her hoof pressed against the clear field. "Nah-ah-ah!" said Chaos in a reprimanding tone. "You just asked for me to let her go. Not in what manner. If she has no part in this, then she has no part. It doesn't mean she's free, Princess. You're the one who wanted to face me. She was only attempting to help but now it's too late for that. Look where we are. Do you want Discord to have his memories back? Well, I can't give them back to him! It was a deal! It is so much deeper, though, Princess. I sense you just truly want to take revenge on me for all I've done to you. I can't say I blame you."
"You did. Is that what you want? and Honest fact? Here it is! You're destroying everything that made me happy, Chaos," Celestia snapped. "And yes. Maybe I do want revenge. Maybe I do want to fight you just for the fun of it! Maybe I don't care what happens!"
"Princess...?" Discord asked worriedly.
"Maybe I just want so badly to rip some sort of spell that could reverse everything bad that's happened straight from you're sick twisted brain! Maybe I do want to just see you die! Watch you die! Just watch you slowly wither away until there's nothing left but an empty shell like what you did to me!" There was deafening silence as Celestia paused. Chaos couldn't grin any wider. He floated closer to Celestia's ear and murmured.
"Oh, Princess. The sun still casts such a thick...dark...shadow."
"SILENCE!" Celestia roared as she turned and her eyes flashed yellow. The rims began to form around her pupils. Her sclera began to disappear and the violet, yellow, and orange colors of heat and rage were all melting together in her eyes. Her horn flared with enormous heat and her mane began whipping violently and glowing like fire itself, as if it had turned to flames. She began floating without her wings, but her wings were outstretched fully. Her voice became enormous, multiplied and echoing as she spoke. "I AM PRINCESS CELESTIA. I AM IN DIRECT POWER WITH THE SUN. I CONTROL IT. SO WHAT MAKES YOU THINK I CAN'T JUST COOK YOU WITH THE FIRE OF A THOUSAND SUNS, CHAOS?! YOU MADE ME THIS WAY! YOU DESERVE TO DIE! PERHAPS I DO HAVE SUCH POWER!"
"Sister," Luna chirped helplessly. "No. Please no. Not this. Not again. Do not let him get inside your head! Oh, Tia! Please. This is the eclipse of your nature, rearing its ugly head again, as Nightmare Moon would overshadow me. Do not let it rename you, sister. You may think you ripped it from you but it was still lingering. It gripped from the foundations of this brokenness you feel. Don't let it consume you! This isn't Celestia! The sun must warm the love in your heart, never the fire of your anger! Let it go. Let her fade as I had to. Please." Celestia's eyes burned momentarily. The fixed on Luna and seemed to drink in every word she spoke with malice. Two tears fell from her eyes and evaporated on her steaming coat of pure glowing white. It became white like a star, the most powerful comet, burning fiercer and greater than the greatest fires. An aura of cyan formed around Celestia's body, with the hotter the heat grew. Her mane became nothing but pure flame with every color fire could produce inside of it, embers flailing into the air like dust. If it hadn't been for the gravity of the moment, and the heaviness of her transformation, causing the very pocket dimension to tremble, she would've looked almost like a goddess. Chaos looked quite surprised by her appearance, but not phased. Discord kept a safe distance, for fear of getting scorched. That horrifyingly dead look in her eyes seemed a bit familiar to him, but he couldn't place it.
"Princess!" He shouted floating up. "I'm not sure this is the way. I know I’ve only just been reformed, but even I know, that we can't have this! Listen to your sister! She knows! If there was a way...for me to understand everything, I would. I don't care how bad things got. If you're mad at him, well. Why? Princess. It doesn't matter now. Whatever may have happened….I don't know. It's my fault. Be mad at me!"
"Discord!" Luna said exasperated.
"Ha!" Said Chaos smirking. "Fool!" Celestia looked at Discord and stared. She closed her eyes in deep thought.
"I cannot blame you," she said quietly. "What happened was my fault. I've spent so much time dwelling in that. In my misery. I made this. My own shadow has bound me. But I pleaded for your forgiveness, when it was I who should've been forgiving myself and accepting what had been with a sense of greater hope. I should've spent the times I've had, never wallowing in what I didn't have, but treasuring what I did. I should've never wasted a thousand years pining for company, but instead pouring myself into my work and then my students. I should've laughed more. I should've given everything, including time. I should've been dependable, a more trustworthy leader, a caring, loving sister, and a friend to all. I should've been a Princess. But I'm the shell of one. And I am broken. And I need to be fixed. And I can be." With that, Celestia landed on the plain and her colors returned to her. Her tears continued to run down her cheeks. She smiled and seemed brighter, like the world was finally off her shoulders forever. "And maybe there was a part of me that wished to fight. But you cannot force me into a battle I know I cannot win. So just let my sister go. You, Chaos, not even you deserve what we have planned if you refuse. A fate so terrible, I cannot say." Chaos cackled again.
"Go on then," he replied. "I'm not afraid of your sparks. Discord glanced nervously. For a moment, he locked eyes with Celestia. Perhaps Chaos would fight hard, but now was the time. He was asking for it. Discord began to make his move, feeling the force of power on his paw, when Chaos suddenly charged toward him, about to strike. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of white as the princess flew, horn ablaze to intercept his attack. Chaos laughed and thick black magic pushed her. Celestia began charging her horn, light flowing freely from it, but the dark, vine-like black magic from Chaos began twisting around her hooves. Her strength was seeping fast. Tears began pouring out of her eyes as she collapsed onto the plain. Chaos ceased and chuckled. Discord began rushing over to her, midst the black vines, trying to pull her up. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Chaos charging fully toward him, the black completely knocking him over.
"NO!" he heard Celestia shriek. "You CAN'T take him away from me! I WON'T LET YOU!" Chaos stopped and Discord saw him turn to her slowly. The magic died down. He paused and grinned.
"You are all so weak." He said laughing deeply, and holding out a long black claw under Celestia’s chin. This love you have...it kills you..." He murmured. In a split second, Chaos stabbed her with his claw. Discord felt his stomach drop. Blood began to pool in Celestia's mouth as she fell. Luna screamed in horror, her face contorting in the highest degree of anguish. She threw herself at the dome, letting the field slice the very hairs on the tops of her purple coat. Seeing this image, the pain in her eyes, how she could not reach her sister, Discord began charging like a bullet into the unearthly atmosphere.
"What have you done?!" He choked, looking with shock at the princess as she lay limp and without breath on the never-ending plain of stars. He glared into Chaos's red eyes, two inches from them.
"She got in my way," Chaos chuckled. "Oh don't feel bad. Take no pity in her, son. Not after all she's put you through."
"Wh? But you. You k--... She's...she..." Discord deflated and soared back to where the princess lay still. As soon as he touched her side, he knew the sun had left her. Everything was gone from her, drained completely. She was empty. She was gone. And it hurt. It cut him deeper than he could ascertain. There were sparks of floating memories somewhere in the distance calling to him, like dancing dreams from long ago that seemed only dreams. Maybe they were. Maybe everything he thought he knew about her and everything that maybe was were his distant dreams. Oh and perhaps all too appropriate that now the fogged mirrors of fantasies he wished could've been were all shattered in this one moment. He had the hope, with her, the mirrors would become clear and so would his future. But now everything was blank. It seemed it was all connected to her all along. Oh, was it truly that he couldn't exist without her order after all? His world could spiral now, anyway he wished. Perhaps, he didn't want that. Perhaps he did need the balance. Perhaps the ache was there for light to his dark, the ying to his yang. But the dreams, still there, a distant calling, couldn't be salvaged in this moment. As distant as they seemed, the impact was too great. And hurt. He could not yet comprehend the weight he felt when he looked upon her in this moment. It crushed him and made him clutch his chest. The fire from within him began to burn deep in his core. But it did not remain when he rose again and faced Chaos.
'It is not what she would want. If I am sure of anything right now. I have to be sure of this. I must think of what she wanted me to do,' he thought. 'Reformed Discord doesn't hurt. He helps. And for you, Princess. Even if he's my father, I know I what I have to do to end all this.'
"What now, my seed? What will it be? Do you choose the battle now?" Chaos uttered in the lowest tone. Discord sighed, feeling the fire evaporate from his lungs.
"This I do not see as a battle, but what must be," Discord replied, clenching his fists. He let himself float weightless into the atmosphere, level with Chaos's smoking black head. "And you have corrupted too much to be forgiven now, Chaos. You've tried. But you've failed. If there's one thing for sure, despite the tricks and mind games you caused me, all to make me forget what seems so important; you've failed to crush me. You've failed to weaken me. You've failed to watch me descend completely into darkness. Perhaps I'll forever be as mad as you. Never as twisted. For I've seen things the gods scoff at. I've witnessed what the stars call mortal fantasy. And for the son of Chaos? What do they think now? Do they sit in shock and silence at my transformation? They shouldn't. It was easy. It was. Easy. It was like candle lit from within the depths of some cold hard gravestone of a heart long forlorn by something forgotten and terrible. Try to take your grasp on me now. I'm free from anything that ever happened before. I always will be, Father. But you never will be." He felt the spell reach his palms and a white aura began glowing around him. His eyes glowed yellow as the spell charged his very core. Chaos reared up, eyes flaming the brightest blood red, his claws wielding a black orb that began to expand and suck the dimension into itself like a cosmic portal. The bright particles began vanishing within the black hole. Discord stretched his arms and extended a blast of white and yellow bolts to meet the blackness. They crashed together, sending rays blinding Luna as she watched helplessly from the dome.
Discord began focusing the beams on Chaos's center, but the smoky form was about to throw the black orb. Discord's energy became brighter and more concentrated, the rays hitting a spot on the god's chest that sent him groaning in pain. The fact that Discord could even injure him was an impossibility. The spell itself was only something he a creature of chaos could bestow on his kin. The beam became pure heat, singeing the draconequus’s fur as his palms fixed themselves in the air. His mind became a beacon, a one-track fixed point, signaling everything that commanded the charge of this spell to his enemy, the enemy that seemed to end all beginnings and begin all ends. And now the stop button was being pushed. It was over. The god's massive black orb began to disintegrate around his form, as with the rest of him. The smoke started to thin out with the brightness of the white light. The sets of red eyes blinked and morphed away. The arms began to disappear, fall apart and snap into the body, changing into something completely different. The light was doing its work with its draconequus vessel. In a matter of moments, Discord's arms weakened with the force of the transformation. The white orb enveloped what was once Chaos and all that could be heard was loud moans and screams. Discord breathed and lowered himself down, crushing the dome Luna was trapped in.
"What? Wh?" She asked.
"You'll see," said Discord, glancing back to the big bright white orb before them. "The Princess. She...she instructed me to..." Luna looked down and her ears dropped as she solemnly nuzzled Celestia. A great flash of light almost blinded the two, when before them stood two alicorns, one gold and one dark blue.
"Mother! Father!" Luna chirped, in disbelief. Without saying a word, Queen Solena solemnly stepped forward to Celestia and tapped a spark of her horn on hers. The Sun Princess gasped for air and opened her violet eyes. She shot up and color flushed to her face.
"What? What happened? Mother? Father?" She cried. "What? Did...did I? Was I...? I felt it. I was dead. I felt death. I died. But...it's not what I wanted..." She looked at Discord. "I never want to feel it again. To feel the detachment. I do want to live. No matter what now. I wish you only understood..."
"My daughter," said Solina nuzzling her. " Even in these pocket dimensions, where the stars and gods still rule, they also understand when rules are thrown out. He killed you. So we came.
"And you told Discord to use the certain spell only he could use on his flesh and blood," said Orion. "But in such a place as this, all this must've happened. You planned accordingly. You were indeed willing to sacrifice yourself to save Luna and defeat Chaos." Celestia nodded. "We are proud, Tia."
"Very proud," Solina smiled. “As a reward for this sacrifice, we were allowed to come and bring you back to us.”
"Discord, did the spell work?!" Celestia asked glancing at the glowing orb.
"I believe it did," said Discord. At that moment, the light died down and all that was left was a small black figure and another large floating black orb. Discord held his palms out and brought the orb closer with his magic.
"What is that? Luna asked. "What did you do to him?"
"The only way for a non-god to kill a god," said Celestia. "You have to rip out their soul."
"That's Chaos's soul?!" said Luna stunned. "It's so black and dark."
"Indeed," Discord replied. "And heavy. So heavy. I would never wish to bear one as this. When I preformed this spell, Princess, it wasn't very easy. Nopony can do this without feeling almost everything in the soul they are ripping. Because I am his son, I had to do it. And I would be the only one to handle the darkness in his heart. But I saw something else too." He positioned the hard looking orb another way to reveal a bright spec glowing underneath it. "Look at this," his said."
"What's that?" Celestia inquired.
"That's the good in him," Discord replied.
"It's so small," Luna marveled.
"But yet it's so bright," Celestia pointed out.
"We'll see if with it he can make a case for himself," said Discord. He turned to the curled up dark figure on the plain before them. The black head looked up to reveal two normal pony eyes with red irises and a frightened look in them. The figure was an aged black coated earth pony, feeble looking, especially when he stood up. His legs wobbled.
"He has no power now," said Celestia. "He is helpless."
"That's Chaos?!" Luna breathed stunned. "You reduced him from a god to an earth pony?!"
"And now this is what's killing him," Celestia explained. "Gods cannot live without their soul for more than only minutes. Their bodies are reduced to the most feeble state, a mortal earthling, ripped from flight or magic and all power when the soul is removed. They cannot handle it. Because...in truth they are no longer a god when this occurs. And the weight of it all crushes them."
"P-lease," a cracked voice muttered. "D-don't let me die. I can't bare the thought. P-lease." Chaos in his new form fell helplessly amidst his pleading. "S-end me to T-artarus. Yes? Orion? Solina?" King Orion narrowed his eyes and whispered to Solina. He flared his horn and communed with the stars briefly before turning back and clearing his throat.
"Very well. You've lost this fight, Chaos. And we could wait for your death. But we are too kind for such things. You don't deserve such luxuries beyond Hades, but you will be sent to Tartarus, as punishment, which could only be the next to worse prison you could be trapped in. You will be imprisoned there for as long as it can hold you. You have meddled in our affairs long enough."
"Be gone, Chaos! May your kin always be the purest of pure, and never like you," said Solina flaring her horn. The ground trembled and a wide gap exploded around Chaos's pony frame. Discord forced the dark orb back into the pony's chest and it glowed, causing his eyes to glow red. He transformed into Chaos's god form again, sighing, gasping and gripping at his chest. Titans and creatures from below began reaching up with claws and gusts of powerful black tornados began to pull Chaos into the pit of monsters. He started to laugh manically.
"I knew it. Your compassion. All of you. Would make you all so weak. It kills all of you. You'll never see the last of me. I'll live forever! And oh my little seed, perhaps I was so wrong. You may always be so unpredictable. Oh take some of my darkness! I can't feel it in you. I thirst to find it!" His claws scrapped the plain as his smoky frame was groped by the monstrous arms from the black spinning hole. He reached his claw out with thick smoke trickling toward Discord. Discord held up his paw.
"I thirst to find more than a spec of light in you, Father," said Discord chuckling. "A spec, yes. Oh but so significant it seems. And yet you still are blind. And the veil is a bit clearer. I almost seem to recall fearing myself. I feared seeing a reflection of you. However, I am new. I am whole. I am my own version of what I create. Memories or no, this is my world, my life. It will forever have its own wonderful chaos. But you will never be there to man any strings. I may be a part of you, but you are not a part of me. I'm free now. Whatever happens, whatever will happen, it doesn't matter, but only that I know...I am simply Discord. I wish to bear no other titles, but only the knowledge that I am not just reformed. From you, from what I might have been, I am free." He blinked his eyes and glanced at Celestia with a knowing in his heart. The truth in his words flowed forth, sending a sigh of relief from him. "I am free forever." With this, Chaos stared in silence for only a moment. Then, he chuckled quietly and then progressively louder as he struggled to fight off the arms pulling him into the pit. He said nothing more. He just laughed. Smoke billowed and twisted like a tornado as the last bit of him was dragged underneath and the laughs died down. It soon evaporated and there was only silence and the blue-green, starry empty space again.
"Everything's fine," Celestia sighed. "Luna." She embraced her sister as tears began flow.
"Tia," Luna cried, burying her face in her wings. "I thought I'd lost you."
"I'm here," said Celestia smiling. "I'll never leave you..." She approached Discord and leaned against him. "I think it may be over." She breathed.
"There is nothing we can do for his mind, Tia," said Solina calmly. "There is always an order, even with gods, and even when deception is involved. The stars would never let us. We did manage to convince them to let us bring you back, but this is different." Celestia nodded solemnly.
"It's all right, Princess," said Discord. "I'm looking forward to seeing all the new and grand things you might have in store for me." He smiled. Celestia chuckled.
"I had a few things in mind," she said nudging him."Just wait."
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A few weeks had flown by. Discord found himself in his usual resting place by the lake. Celestia gingerly made her way over the summer weeds on the lawn as she reached the bottom of the all too familiar hill. Plans for Twilight's coronation flooded her mind already. It was high time for a break, though, so she approached the draconequus as he took in the warm summer breeze.
"May I join you?" Her violet eyes focused on the crystal-clear waters as they lapped onto his goat-like hooves.
"Please." He smiled and yawned, stretching back. Celestia plopped beside him and watched the weeping willow swing in the breeze.
"We used to just sit and talk for hours here," she reminisced. She bent her head down in a bit of sadness. "I realize you don't recall. Forgive me. I talk about the past too much."
"No! It's fine, Princess," said Discord shaking his head. "I actually quite like it. It paints a lovely picture of a life with you I never knew or almost know. I can't explain it."
"Not all of it was good," she replied. "That's why I'd better not speak of things long gone."
"Or perhaps speaking of them is the only way," said Discord thoughtfully. Celestia glanced at him and raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?" Discord jumped up and began floating. He extended his paw to her hoof. "We should take a walk," he said. Celestia took his paw and began walking near the garden.
"Where shall we go?" She inquired.
"Far," said Discord. "Take me into your mind, Princess. I want to know what happened. But I want to know everything. I don't want to be spared. I want to know the whole story and every story. I don’t want spells or magic windows. I want your thoughts. I want to know what you knew. I want to see everything the way you saw it. I want you to tell me my story. Your story. I suppose it’s…our story."
"It's quite a long story," said Celestia quietly. "Are you sure?"
"Sure! I'm free," said Discord smirking. So Celestia began talking and started at the very beginning. She told him everything. She spoke of all that she felt and saw and thought in this tragic tale. She told the story a long time, leading up until that very moment as they began walking near the cliffs where the stars came out. They paused on one of these cliffs. The sun began to cease shining. The Sun Princess let her magic rest it and Luna's moon began rising in the purple sky.
"What happens now?" Discord inquired, floating into the air.
"The future is whatever we make of it, I suppose," Celestia answered sighing. "For the first time, despite all that's happened, I don't have fear or worries. I only feel a tremendous sense of peace and freedom. I feel as if all this took place in someone else's life. I feel new. Perhaps I am reformed as well, Discord. I suppose there is more we can learn from each other." She smiled calmly, letting the evening breeze stroke her cheeks.
"Will you doubt me?" Discord asked quietly.
"What?" Celestia said.
"I know there's doubt, at least for some...perhaps for Princess Twilight Sparkle and The Elements there may be. But you? Would you trust me? Now that these battles seem to be over. Are we truly on the same ground?" Celestia hesitated. "It's all right. I understand. Upon hearing what I was like before all this, I understand. But you heard me. I have found the truth in my heart to know the difference. I may not fully trust that side of me, Princess. I don't think anypony can fully vanquish one side over the other. Chaos had good despite dark but he tried to find dark in me and was failing. It could be a spec like his. Perhaps we all have it. But we all have the choice to let it control us or to break out of those chains that bind. I pray you might not give up on me, Princess. I will vanquish your shadow of doubt even if it took me a thousand years. But I don't suppose I'd live that long? Oh, how would I know how to gain Forevermore? What good could I do?" He chuckled.
"You know..." Celestia replied. "You really didn't have to prove anything. Because I've always fought for you. I made you the promise when you were in stone. I'd never give up on you. It grew hard. It tore me apart to try so hard, but I had to believe in you. And now I know I'm back where I began. I can start over. Maybe...we can start over? I'd love to think you'd accept my friendship and my continuing to try and help you with your power. These weeks, I just see the old you again. I feel young again. It was a lifetime ago, but it feels real now. And that's all I want is now. All I worried about was you leaving me. And it doesn't matter anymore. Because I just want to keep telling these stories, and going to the lake, and dancing in the chocolate rain; and walk with you. And I don't care what tomorrow brings. Because we're both free, right? So let's just be free," she said beaming bright, tears welling in her eyes as she talked. Discord landed in front of her and cautiously embraced her. She laughed as happy tears rolled into his coat. He smiled and turned to gaze at the starry velvety sky. He swallowed and put his paw to his eye. "Are you crying too?" Celestia asked laughing some more.
"No," said Discord scowling. "I just have something in my eye."
"Okay," said Celestia winking. She gazed at the stars too, watching a shooting star and making a silent wish in her heart, feeling it fly as free as her spirit was tonight. "What should we do now?" She asked in a whisper after a moment of silence.
"Whatever you wish, Princess Celestia," said Discord. "But I guess we just keep on walking."
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CONCLUDES WITH EPILOGUE
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