//------------------------------// // Chapter Nine // Story: Mending Hearts:Fluttercord // by atomicpuffin //------------------------------// *Canterlot* The girls and Spike were standing in the middle of Canterlot, getting some odd looks from the ponies shopping. "Why didn't we end up at the castle?" Rainbow Dash looked around, then turned to look at the castle. "I guess I wasn't specific enough, hold on...oh no!" Fluttershy cried, the ring was gone. She frowned, it must have had only three uses. Why would it only be good for three uses!? Where's the sense in that? She placed her hoof over her face as the words ran through her mind. My dear, what's the fun in making sense? Twilight placed her hoof on Fluttershy's shoulder, "It's okay, I can get us the rest of the way." Her horn began to glow brightly with its magic. They all teleported to the throne room where Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were waiting. "Twilight, thank goodness you and your friends have come. We must prepare for the attack that is sure to come. I'm not sure what has caused Discord to turn so viciously on us, this is not his usual antics." Celestia looked out the window worried. "Princess, it's not what it seems. Fluttershy just finished telling us that Discord is attacking ponies against his will, under the orders of King Sombra." Twilight explained. Celestia turned her eyes widening. "Sombra? How is it possible that he has gained enough power to control Discord?" Fluttershy stepped forward before Twilight could explain. "He forced Discord to bind himself to him with blood magic your majesty. King Sombra was going to hurt me if he didn't." "Blood magic!" Celestia hissed. Princess Luna stepped forward towards the pegasus. "Child art thou saying Discord sacrificed himself to protect thee?" Fluttershy nodded, Twilight looked to the princesses. "That's why we're here, to warn you of King Sombra's plan. He wants Equestria and is using Discord to get it. Princess, there has to be a way we can reverse the spell?" Celestia and Luna shared a grim look. Celestia sighed and looked at the ponies, especially at the little, yellow pegasus, whose heart lay in her eyes. "I'm afraid...there's only one way to break a binding of blood magic…" She didn't continue, Twilight however didn't need her to. None of the ponies said anything. Then Rainbow got impatient, "Well? What exactly is it? Do we have to kick some Sombra butt or what?" Twilight lowered her head not wanting to see Fluttershy's expression. Luna was the one to answer. "The only way out of a blood binding is death…" Fluttershy gasped and her eyes filled with tears, "You're going to kill Discord!" The princesses lowered their gazes, Princess Celestia spoke again. "It is a grave decision, however the only one available. In order to protect Equestria from Sombra we have to stop Discord. "After what he did to the Crystal Empire...we can not allow the same to happen to Canterlot, I'm sorry Fluttershy…" Fluttershy thought of Discord, he must have known the princesses would be forced to kill him and still he had accepted. She began to cry harder and felt all her friends crowd around her in a group hug. Lending their comfort and strength to her. Suddenly the castle shook. "Discord!" Fluttershy yelled running out of the throne room looking for a way to see outside. She heard her friends running behind her and they all ran out on a balcony in time to see Discord throw another energy blast at the city below. They all stared in horror, even Fluttershy, at the monster attacking the city. Discord had enlarged himself and he looked even more dragon-like, with his larger wings and broader body. His body was still its mismatched jumble of parts, but his face was longer and his teeth were more pronounced. He turned to the castle and began to build another energy ball. "Discord stop!" Fluttershy yelled, however he couldn't hear her and released his magic at the castle. "Fluttershy! Look out!" Twilight quickly used her magic to shield all of them from the blast. When the dust settled they saw Princess Luna and Princess Celestia standing in front of them. "Twilight take your friends inside and stay there until this is over." They spread their wings and flew to meet the draconequus. "No wait! You can't!" Fluttershy cried, she was about to follow them when Twilight stopped her with her magic. "You can't Fluttershy...I...I'm sorry…" A tear slipped out as she teleported them to the throne room again. "Hey what did you do that for? We have to go back out there and help!" Rainbow turned on Twilight. Twilight glared at her friend, "Help them with what exactly Rainbow? Discord is our friend too, the last thing I want to do is hurt him." Rainbow seemed to lose the fight in her at this, she stopped flying. "No...I...I meant we have to stop them...I don't like him all the time, but Discord's not a bad guy. Even now...it's not his fault...I...I can't watch them destroy him…" She lowered her head and all of them stared at her in shock. This was the first time Rainbow had shown real compassion for Discord. Fluttershy put her arms around Rainbow, "Thank you…" Another loud crash broke the moment as they remembered the fight outside. They heard a scream, it was Princess Luna. She crashed through one of the stained windows landing in the throne room. She didn't get back up and they all ran over to her. "Is she?" Spike asked as Rarity put her ear to the princess' chest. "No she's breathing and her heart beat is strong, I think she's just been knocked unconscious by the blast." "Hold on, let me see if I can heal her with my magic...I've been studying more healing spells." Twilight stepped over by Luna and focused on her task. The others turned as they heard Celestia scream, but in rage. "You'll pay for that you monster!" Through the shattered window they could see Celestia shoot magic from her horn at Discord who twisted out of its path. He shot back with his own magic, Celestia dove avoiding the blast. This dance in the sky continued for what felt like hours for the six watching, but in reality was only five minutes. When Discord avoided one of Celestia's blasts, she quickly fired another at his exposed back. Discord caught off guard by the blast, fell in their direction. "Uh-oh...DUCK!" Applejack knocked Spike, Rarity and Pinkie to the right as Rainbow pushed Fluttershy in the opposite direction and Twilight put up a barrier over her and Luna. Discord came crashing through the wall and slid over to the opposite side. He slowly lifted to all fours shaking the rubble off his back. "Discord!" Fluttershy tried to run to him, but Rainbow held her back. "Hang on Fluttershy, I want to help him too...but you can't get in the middle now!" "I can't just sit here!" Celestia flew through the opening and when her eyes fell on the unconscious Luna they then narrowed on the monster opposite her. "It's time to end this Discord…I am sorry." Discord hissed at her, but made no move to stop her, as her magic built. Fluttershy broke free from Rainbow and ran between Discord and Celestia. "Stop!" Celestia lifted her head barely redirecting her magic in time. "Fluttershy get out of the...AH!" She was thrown across the room by a magical blast from behind Fluttershy. "Princess!" Twilight ran over to her former teacher, who lay unmoving on the ground. Fluttershy looked back at Discord and he frowned whispering, "I'm sorry...I can't stop…" Fluttershy backed away from him, truly afraid this time. He couldn't control himself, no matter what she said...these two would only settle this in a fight to the death. Rainbow Dash grabbed her tail and quickly pulled her to the side again. When Twilight reached the princess she nudged the alicorn with her muzzle. "Twilight…" The princess rasped, but she couldn't get back up, the direct blast had drained her energy. "Twilight, get...Luna...away…" Celestia continued to rasp. Twilight had tears running down her cheeks. "No, I can't leave you here." A deep laugh filled the room. It wasn't from Discord, who growled at the noise. A black shadow swirled next the princesses' thrones forming into Sombra. He smiled at the fallen princesses and the shocked ponies. "It feels good being home." He laughed again. Celestia tried again to gain her feet only to fall back to the ground weak as a newborn foal. Sombra looked over to her and glared, then he turned to Discord and his horn flashed. Discord howled in pain as the collar burned him, "I told you to finish them off slave and I expect you to follow through." When the collar stopped glowing Discord turned his gaze on the princess. Twilight stepped forward to block his view, her horn lowering in warning. "Don't touch her! Friend or not, I wont allow you to harm Celestia!" Sombra laughed again, "Then he'll destroy you along with her." Discord growled at Sombra, "That wasn't part of it. You said only the princesses…" "She's a princess now isn't she? That includes her." Discord turned on Sombra and snarled. King Sombra simply used the collar to bring Discord down to the floor in pain again. "You will do as I say." He released his magic and Discord shakily got to his feet turning his head back to Twilight who still protected the princess. "Move Twilight…" "NO!" "Please...I can't...I don't…" "I wont leave her!" Discord lowered his head in defeat, "Then I'm sorry…" He lifted his paw and it glowed with his magic as Twilight's horn began to glow brighter with hers. "No! Discord, Twilight stop!" Fluttershy jumped between the two. Both instantly stopped the magical flow and the glows faded. "Why did you stop! I said destroy them! Now!" King Sombra yelled getting impatient. Fluttershy turned on him. "You! How dare you try to make Discord hurt one of his own friends! What would you gain from it? How dare you pick on those who can't fight back?" "Fluttershy…" Discord warned, but she ignored him to enraged to realize what she was saying. "What you aren't strong enough to fight the princesses yourself? I thought you said you were no novice to magic, and yet you sit by making another do the hard work for you! "Face it Sombra you're nothing without Discord!" Sombra's eyes glowed brighter as he bared his teeth at the pegasus. "Nothing am I? Well I'm enough to get rid of a pest like you!" His horn glowed and he fired his magic at Fluttershy. "Fluttershy!" All her friends shouted as the blast hit and caused a dust cloud to fill the room. Sombra laughed as the ponies began to scream. He froze when he saw a pair of yellow and red eyes glaring at him through the dust. As the room cleared they all saw that Sombra had missed his intended target. Discord was on all fours standing over Fluttershy, he had protected her from the blast. Sombra growled and yelled in fury. "How dare you defy your master!" He flashed his horn, but unlike before Discord continued to glare at him. "What!" Sombra looked in shock as the draconequus didn't drop in pain. Discord grinned at Sombra, "Surprise." Then he lowered his head and looked at Fluttershy, "Are you alright love?" She looked up and nodded, not knowing how to respond. "Good, I'll be with you once I deal with this pest." He turned his glare back on Sombra and began to slowly advance towards the pony. "Stop! I said stop! You can't defy me. I am your master...I control you." Each sentence sounded less sure than the last and Discord chuckled reaching for the collar. "I told you Sombra...no pony can control chaos…" He grabbed the collar, "So no pony can control me…" He ripped the hateful thing off. Sombra's eyes widened in fear as it fell to the ground useless. "But...but how did you...no magic can counter blood magic! Not even yours!" He shot more magic at Discord who simply diverted the blast and continued his slow advance. "You're right Sombra...but you should have done more research before tampering with power you don't fully understand. "This magic is as old as I am, and if it's one thing I've learned in my life it's that all magic has rules...even mine...so blood magic would be no different. "Blood magic is a contract, a binding where one serves the other, most think the only way out is death. Although that is the easiest solution there is another way. "If the contract ends, so does the magical seal…Sombra, tell me are you smart enough to remember what I bargained for?" He was only a foot away from the terrified pony. King Sombra tried to hide it, but all could see the fear in his eyes, the King of Shadows was afraid of the Lord of Chaos. When he didn't answer Discord continued. "I said I would give you my powers for that mare's life...when you tried to end that life you broke our contract and my bindings…now you will have to answer to me!" He snarled and lifted his paw, before the pony could escape Discord pinned him to the ground. Discord brought his snort inches away from Sombra's nose, and whispered so only he could hear. "I want nothing more than to make you suffer as you tried to make Fluttershy suffer...you caged her. Would have had me kill one of her best friends. You held a blade to her threatening to hurt her…and no pony hurts the mare I love!" He lifted his claws and they began to glow with his magic. Sombra closed his eyes and braced for the final blow...that never came… He felt the paw holding him down lift and he chanced opening his eye at the chimera above him. He had shrunk back to his normal size. He was still glaring, but he was no longer poised for attack. "Yes, I want that...but then I would truly become the monster you tried to turn me into…" He snapped his fingers and chains clamped around Sombra's hooves as Discord turned from him. "Don't try to escape, you can't turn to a shadow with those on. They counter your magic." Sombra glared at his back then began to laugh, stopping Discord. "You think I made you into the monster that destroyed the Crystal Empire? I merely told you that I wanted the empire back…I didn't force you to release your full power on them... "It was your own dark power that destroyed the city, and I enjoyed seeing such power I simply watched. Face it my lord you are evil and dangerous by nature and nothing will ever change that…" Discords ears lay back and his heart quickened at the pony's words. No, it couldn't be this was just a trick, but...Sombra knew he had lost so why? He thought of the destruction he had cause, all the while blaming Sombra...had he been wrong? He stopped breathing when those hateful words filled his head. 'Why fight your true nature...You'll always be nothing but a monster...You really think you wont turn on them again… ' He looked at Fluttershy as the horrible truth set in, 'Yes, but do you love her as much as you do me?' He heard the laughter in his head, he saw the ponies running in fear from him. He had failed...he was still the Lord of Chaos… "No…" He whispered as the guards came in and took a laughing Sombra away. Discord turned to the ponies left in the room. Princess Luna was starting to wake up, Applejack and Rarity were letting the princess lean against them for support. Celestia had finally managed to gain her footing with Twilight's help. His friends...he had almost hurt them...again. He fell to his knees as the despair set it, he wouldn't have been able to stop himself from hurting them. It wasn't Sombra he had fought. It was his own nature, and he had lost. "Discord?" He looked up at the sweet voice, Fluttershy was walking towards him tears in her eyes. They were so bright, not just from her tears, but also from a deep emotion he knew all too well. "Discord…" She flew at him and threw her hooves around his neck crying into his shoulder. He knew he had to set her away from him, that he had to protect her...but he was too weak to fight the need to hold her one last time. "Fluttershy...I'm sorry...so sorry...so sorry…" He sobbed as he clung to her, never wanting to let her go. His heart broke at that moment, he was doing what was best for her. This beautiful mare who cared for him, who he loved more than life and chaos. He had vowed to protect her from harm. Now he had to protect her from him. "Fluttershy...I love you..." and he disappeared.