//------------------------------// // The Day The Fan Created Modern Art // Story: A Recollection Of Memories // by Rutilus.Luna //------------------------------// Turns out that screaming while you are in a bag is a foalish idea; leads to a lack of oxygen and you pass out fairly quickly. So as much as I would love to tell you what happened while I was in that bag, I simply don't remember. I can tell you what happened when I woke up later, and I shall, but what happened in the bag is going to remain one of the greatest mysteries of ponykind. I awoke in a bed. I found this odd, I was no expert on foalnapping but I was fairly sure that you didn't put the foalnapee on a bed. And it was a hay of a bed, easily the most comfortable bed I have ever had the pleasure of laying on in my entire life. I pondered whether or not I was dead for a while. I was simply laying in the world's most comfortable, not being bothered, for seemingly as long as I wanted. Sounds suspiciously like this paradise we are said to go to when we pass on, but the realization that I wasn't the most virtuous squashed that idea for the moment. Slowly I opened my eyes, as if expecting the bed to simply vanish once I looked at it, and peered around me. I was in the opposite of paradise, a room full of balloons. I was surrounded by them, all of them floating there, waiting for me to make a move. Taunting me with their smiling faces, daring me to leave the safety and comfort of the bed. I chose to defy them all and threw the covers over my head. I don't know how I knew, but the thin covers would protect me from them. They were incapable of doing me any harm. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Penny's raucous laughter makes me realize that to most, balloons are not threatening...in any way, shape, or form. Ponies just don't understand the inherent danger of them. They watch you no matter what you do, they follow you when you aren't looking, and their smiles are deceptively malicious. It is my fond hope that somepony out there will read these words and put an end to this threat before their masterplan is put into action. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was then that I heard his voice for the second time in my life. "Really? A bucket of water poured on somepony makes you laugh but a room full of balloons is terrifying? Here I was thinking that I had finally found a pony with a sense of humor." I heard a snap and saw a bright flash through my protective linen bubble. "Are you going to get out of bed or am I going to have to make the bed get you out of it? I'm quite starved and feel that almost three weeks has been a long enough time since I last had lunch." It clicked in that instant, I truly was running quite late for my lunch date. Forcing myself to calm down as best I could, I removed the covers from over me. There he was, standing tall and annoyed at what I could only guess was me. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm going to try my best to give as much detail as I can in this next bit, so far as what was said. The memory isn't quite what it used to be however, so don't quote me at all through this. Actually, just don't quote me at all. It's creepy, come up with your own words. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Um, I'm sorry I didn't come sooner. My parents didn't want me to." I only felt it right to apologize for being late, he was rather courteous for extending an invitation to me. "You should be sorry. I'm fading away to skin and bones here. Lunch is important you know, similar to a midnight snack." He didn't look any thinner from when I had last seen him, but I held my tongue just in case. As oddly polite as he was being I still had little reason to trust him; and, I didn't want to make him legitimately angry with me. Didn't seem wise for my health. He walked on through the door way and I followed, down a twisted turn or three, the hallway just seemed to stretch on forever. Of course, I had to say the one sentence, the bane of all parents out there, inciting pure rage in any soul unfortunate to hear it uttered out loud. "Are we there yet?" "I don't know, do you see any lunch yet?" In that single quip I was introduced to sarcasm, one of my other favorite things in life. At that point though it flew right over my head like a cloud flies over a fish, no chance of contact. "Did I miss it?" All I ended up with was a groan in response. A moment or two later we came to the end of the labyrinthian hallway, which ended in a wall. "All of that walking for a dead end?!" I was confused, annoyed, and hungry. Not a good combination for a young colt. "Only if you let it be." And with that Discord simply walked through the wall. It was certainly impressive, ponies normally don't just walk through walls. Defeated the purpose of a wall. I walked up to it and gave it a bit of a push. Nothing moved, I didn't fall through the wall, it was as sturdy a wall as I had ever come across; and, it had absolutely no intention of letting me pass. So I pushed harder, if Discord could get through this wall, I was too. "As amusing as it is to watch you struggle, lunch is getting cold. So I am going to give you a hint...You're doing it wrong." Speak of the draconequus, mentally even, and his head shall appear through a wall. "What the hay! That doesn't help!" I was no longer annoyed, I was really annoyed. "What would your mother say if she heard you swearing?" Discord's head pondered out loud before vanishing through the wall once more. Suddenly I tasted the most foul substance I ever had as a foal, soap. It was first degree tongue assault pure and simple. It should have been outlawed the day after soap was first conceived. Nopony shall ever insert soap into the mouth of another pony. No amount of spitting or scraping my tongue would get rid of the taste. Really annoyed became righteous anger as I charged once more at the wall. I no longer cared that it was a wall, it was going to be a hole once I was done with it. It was all that stood between me and getting rid of this foul taste. I built up speed and charged it as fast as I could, I charged right into a rather stable table leg. "How pleasant of you to finally join me for lunch." Discord managed amongst a grand laughter. I was too dizzy to make a retort of any sort. I managed to build up a decent amount of speed before I simply went through the wall; and, running head first into a table leg at that speed hurt. A lot. But at least the soap taste completely dissipated after the went through the wall. Thank goodness for small miracles. After my head stopped spinning I looked around to gain an idea of my surroundings. "Welcome to Grand Citadel De Discord!" Was belted out with a flourish of lights and confetti. "It's a cabin." And it was a cabin. A rather small one at that. It seemed pleasant enough but underwhelming for such an extravagant title. "My dear colt, you just ran through a solid wall and you call my home nothing more then a cabin?" Fair enough. I looked back at the wall to see if it looked any different now that I was on the other side. Nope, just the same old boring wall. "How did I get through that wall anyway?" Peering curiously at the odd entity in front of me. "I don't know. Its different for everypony. The trick is just to stop thinking that its a wall. Its a bit of a mass conspiracy but you can actually do it to any wall in existence. They just don't want you to know." I had no idea who "they" were but I was astounded, more gullible than anything else, but astounded all the same. "But it's now time to eat rather than discuss. Bon appetit." Discord continued while giving another snap. All sorts of food appeared on the table, all of it looking amazing. Grabbing a nearby chair, I eagerly dug in. Salads, sandwiches, pastries of every sort and I tried it all. Or tried to rather, despite that it seems like young colts stomachs are never ending they do have a limit, and they end up quite unhappy if that limit is surpassed. Eventually I ceased my scarfing and took a look at my host. Discord had hardly touched any food as best as I could tell, preferring to sit back and sip a glass of chocolate milk. For the second time it seemed like Discord was off in his own little world, watching, waiting for something unknown. "Bit for your thoughts?" I offered to the pervading silence. "You couldn't hope to understand most of them. And I have no desire to break your mind, yet." And the silence continued. "Not that I am ungrateful, but why did you invite me to lunch?" Discord stiffened at my question before teleporting behind me. "While I can see that you're interested in a game of 20 Questions with yours truly, I must inform you that you have been a terrible guest. You enter my home, eat my food, make a mess, and I don't even know your name." Discord rattled off. "Shears Spice, the second. Son of Shears Spice the first and Lily Spice. And you haven't told me your name either!" I challenged. There was a glint in Discord's eye; my challenge was accepted, and I was going to lose. "Shears Spice, I will have you know that is no way to speak to royalty. For I am Emperor Discord the draconequus, ruler of this land and master of chaos. Kneel before me if you value keeping your lunch in your stomach." Discord had a very self satisfied smirk on his face. I knew that there was only one way for me to win or at least come close, I just had to hope that he was bluffing. "...No." I merely sat and grinned. Discord seemed pleasantly surprised by my response. Seemed. "Ta-ta for now." And snap. I blinked a few times before I realized that I was in my room again. My bag from school in the same place I left it before getting foalnapped, in fact it seemed like nothing had changed at all. I called for my parents and received no response. It was a rather terrifying deja vu. I exited my room and looked around the house. Nopony other then me was home. I searched about and eventually found a note in the kitchen. Lily, Shears, It's your turn to handle the salvation project. Come to the meeting place as soon as possible. I know that you have a colt of your own and this is an added responsibility but we need to keep moving at all costs. The future of ponykind depends on it. -Blues I was confused. I knew that Blues was Graze and Lightnings father, but some sort of salvation project? The future of ponykind depending on my parents? Something big was going on and I had just unwittingly stumbled upon it. "Lily, we can't tell him. He's still young, still innocent. Let him enjoy that while he still has a chance." "You know as well as I do that with Discord's interest in him, we need to bring him into the fold as soon as possible. Besides, how are we supposed to explain two fillies are moving in with us?" My parents had returned from whatever meeting they had been at, and from the sounds of it, were in quite the discussion. Dropping the note I bolted for my room. I had no idea why it seemed like the right idea at the time, but instinctively I knew that I was not supposed to see that note. "We could just tell him that their parents are on an extended trip and they asked us to watch them while they're gone. Its mostly true." "I suppose, but what if one of them let's something slip? Luna really is quite talkative and I have a hard time believing that she will be capable of secrecy like that." Luna? A filly named Luna was going to be moving in? "...Honey, wasn't this note on the counter when we left?" Oh no. No no no no no, I forgot to put it back where it was. "I thought so, why? Where was it?" I was so going to be grounded again. "You don't think he found it do you...? Shears? Are you home?" I don't know why I chose to not answer. Maybe I thought I could get away with it. Probably why I hid in the corner. "Burn that. I'll go check and see if he is in his room." I heard light steps coming closer and closer to my door. It was Mom. At least I don't have to worry about much yelling. Dad was the one for that. Three knocks on my door were heard before the door swung open. She looked over at me and I at her. "Hi Mom." "Oh dear..." And then, awkward silence abound. Neither one of us certain of what to say to each other. Thankfully my father was more than willing to break the silence. "You are home. Okay. Be honest with us. Did you read the note?" I nodded in response. I wasn't sure whether or not I trusted my tongue not to fail me. "Okay. So it looks like your mother and I have some explaining to do. What did you hear us say, if anything?" "I heard you say that two fillies are going to be moving in, and one is named Luna." My father nodded at this admission and seemed to be lost when it came to continuing the conversation. Thankfully Mom was capable of picking up the slack. "That would be right. Luna and her sister, Celestia. They are orphans from when Discord took over and have been moving from family to family in order to keep them safe. Its our turn one week from now." Now I was intrigued. Discord had an interest in these ponies? Like he had an interest in me? Before the conversation could continue; however, knocking echoed throughout the house. As a trio we walked out to the front room. Father opened the door to see a rather odd guard. "Can I help you officer?" "I'm simply playing messenger with this one. And Shears, my condolences." Producing a royal scroll, he handed it to my father and walked away. With a shut of the door my Father went off to his study to read the scroll while Mom and I made sandwiches. "Have you met them?" "Who dear?" "Luna and Celestia. I want to know what they're like." "Ah. Well, Luna is certainly the louder of the two. She always seems to have a smile on her face and its positively infectious. Celestia on the other hand is a lot quieter. She's like a lighthouse in a rainstorm though. She always seems to be there for everypony." I digested this information. I was going to be living with two opposite sisters. I wonder if that would make me their brother? Probably not if they have lived with several other families. I hope so though, I've always been a little jealous of Graze and Lightning. I could only ponder what it was truly like to always have somepony out there that has your back, seemed nice. "Lily, can you come in here?" My mother gave me an apologetic look as she set down the partially made sandwich. So much was changing so fast, it was an exciting feeling I had never felt before. Nervous and excited all wrapped into one. I wanted to jump for joy and tell everypony I knew; but, I knew better then to do something so foalish. I figured that I should ask my parents just what I was allowed to tell others. I had some sandwiches to finish first though. "Can you come in here son?" I heard my father call from his study. I made my way there with the recently finished sandwiches in tow. I wasn't sure about my parents but I was getting pretty hungry again after all of the excitement that had been going on. I entered my father's study for the fourth time that I could remember. All the other times were because I was in trouble, and I was a bit nervous this time around. "When did you have lunch with Discord?" My father asked, keeping his face completely devoid of emotion. "When I came home for a late lunch. I came into the house but you were gone and so I tried to walk out and then I was foalnapped and I was brought to this cabin and there were balloons and Discord and it was terrifying and we had lunch and talked and then he sent me back home and then you guys got home." I rambled incoherently. There was no point in trying to cover my tracks, my parents knew what happened and were going to act accordingly. What I didn't expect was for my mom to run over and hug me. "Did you know that he was going to send this letter to us? Your story checks out with everything in this letter. What is at the end is what I called you in here for." My father cut through the moment. "What is that?" I honestly had no idea what else could have been going on. "Discord wants you to be his apprentice."