//------------------------------// // Chapter Twelve—Revolves around Inverted Chaos and Spells Gone Wrong // Story: Tirek's Shadow // by LiterarySerenity //------------------------------// It was cold in the cavern. Twilight shivered, although she had trouble deciding whether this came from the temperature or recent experience facing Tirek in the ravine. Wilted flowers, crushed candy corn, and noticeable claw marks lay strewn about the interior and gave evidence to what had preceding the confrontation. Only the main throne room in the old castle, where Luna had transformed into Nightmare Moon and grappled with Celestia, gave the princess the same feeling of utter ruin or turmoil. Actually, the sensation perhaps struck her in a far keener way, because it was so personal and close to home. Yesterday, Twilight and Discord had spent quality time in this very spot, discussing how best to study the Tree of Harmony. They had argued (or, at least, Twilight had), and found a warming compromise in sharing stories. As in the vision of Starswirl the Bearded and Clover the Clever, this opportunity seemed to help the two friends connect in a new way. That is what Twilight had believed, especially after she managed to hear music from TOH. Now two of her friends, Rainbow Dash and Applejack, lay in an enchanted sleep amid the debris. Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy had done their best to make the spot more comfortable and tried in small ways to get them to stir (all to no avail)—and they examined the cave in the same stupefied silence as Twilight, throwing gazes over at the not-so-chaotic draconequus. After the initial question regarding his business card, the gray version of Discord had seemed to lose interest in the whole affair. And upon entering the cavern, he had strutted to the bookshelves holding the selection Twilight had borrowed from Canterlot and begun flicking through the volumes in total disregard for their harrowing situation. In fact, this callousness was so strident compared to whenever the chaos spirit had appeared uninterested in what Twilight had had to say in the past, the pony realized with a slight shock how he actually must have been listening to her during those times. More distressing yet was the Tree of Harmony, with shadows curled about the base and branches. They enclosed the tips holding the elements of loyalty and honesty. The rest of the tendrils stretched towards the remaining elements yet were still at the moment—perhaps due to whatever Discord had done at the end of the battle. He had somehow stopped the shadows from swallowing the rest of their friends, in exchange for himself. It probably had to do with the way Tirek had used Discord’s magic during the fight, and the draconequus must have somehow severed the connection. But that shadow was still roaming around somewhere, in the white globe surrounding the area. If Tirek was on his way into Ponyville— Perhaps Twilight could free her friends. Then they could use Rainbow Power and disperse the threat. She had had a bit of experience dispelling dark magic, when Rarity had—under the sway of a spell—used it to transform the town. This had taken calling on Princess Luna and Princess Cadence to put things right, but they had taught her a useful purification spell in the process. So Twilight focused, feeling magic swell in her horn and spread throughout her form. She heard her pony friends give hopeful gasps, while Discord grumbled something about flashy displays. Energy coursed about the shadows surrounding the Tree of Harmony, spreading to the tips where her friends’ elements had been imprisoned. It was so hard to hold onto such high-level magic, and taxing on the mind and body. To be fair, the spell did start to force back the tendrils, and to turn them a lighter, purplish hue. Twilight grunted with the effort, feeling the world start to spin. She might have fainted at this rate, except her horn gave out instead—being unused to handling such magic for that long. “I think it worked, a little bit.” Rarity consoled, offering Twilight a wet washcloth, which provided some small cool comfort for her horn. She had placed others on each of their slumbering friend’s heads, while Pinkie Pie had blown up an air mattress of sorts—apparently inspired by the regular mattress Discord had created earlier—to lay them upon. This drifted a bit like a balloon, with a string attached so Pinkie could move the bed around. Yet even the happy-go-lucky party pony had a fragile smile at best. “Maybe if you took a short rest, it would make a difference?” Fluttershy spoke up. “You did use a lot of magic, before.” “That would do wonders. But even if we had the time, I might not be able to do it without more practice.” Twilight said. “It’s at such a high-level that Luna and Cadence had to assist me last time. Unless—” Here she turned her attention to Discord. Despite everything, the draconequus might still have enough magic to supplement her spell. And if Tirek had been forced to return any of his powers that would be even better. “Discord, I need your help.” Twilight announced. “Oh?” Discord said, continuing to browse a book on early Esquestrian botany. The scholar who had written this volume had made a passing reference to the Tree of Harmony, alluding to the way magic flowed through the wilderness. The wilderness, and the Everfree Forest. Somehow, Twilight knew these must play a part in the solution, given how they had looked so faded and worn. Just like Discord. Hmm. “And what could I possibly do to assist you, Princess Twilight Sparkle?” The draconequus glanced at Twilight out of the corner of his eye, apparently more concerned with the book than her request. “Please. I believe we need to cast a purification spell on the Tree of Harmony, which means combining our magical abilities.” Twilight explained. “By doing this, we might be able to free the elements, wake our friends, get you back to normal, and expel Tirek.” “Ridiculous.” Discord closed the book he held with a snap. “I suggest you drop the whole issue and enjoy a pleasurable read instead.” Then, he promptly dropped the volume on the floor before the princess. “This is serious.” Twilight said, refusing to let him goad her. “We have to set everything right.” “Oh, Princess Twilight. Normally, I would happily oblige. But I don’t care much for magic anymore, although I do dabble in it.” The draconequus reached for another book, but Twilight yanked it out of his hold. “How rude. See what magic does? No. I far prefer having things as they are now, with us altogether and happy, in this gentile place.” He swept a claw around the cavern, apparently seeing a fine room where the rest saw shambles. Twilight shook her head. Discord was truly far away. She glanced at the card he had dropped, only to find nothing on that had changed. The riddle on the card still eluded her. What could it mean? “In my opinion, this ‘Tirek’ did us a favor.” Discord continued. “He took a big weight off my mind, and I have never felt better.” “You don’t meant that.” Fluttershy flew in his way. “Our friends are important, you enjoy magic, and you need to help Twilight to save every pony.” She moved as if to take Discord’s paw in her hooves, but the latter pulled away. “Really, my dear Fluttershy.” Discord chided, indicating the other ponies. “You must not engage in such public acts of affection. It’s common decency.” Fluttershy sagged in the air. “And you just need to remember what it’s like to cut loose.” Pinkie Pie bounced around the chaos spirit, party twirlers popping out of her tail. “Come on. Turn that frown upside down and laugh.” “Stop that.” Discord said, instead. “Parties are fine, if they are at the proper time and do not get too wild.” Pinkie Pie gasped, her mane deflating. “Don’t worry, girls.” Rarity interjected, addressing Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. “You have to remember this isn’t what Discord is like. He’s been brainwashed by that nasty Tirek character. Right, Twilight?” “Right.” Twilight agreed. Her other friends had been so less difficult to work with when Discord had tricked them into being the opposite of their true selves. Weeks ago, it would have seemed strange for the princess to say, but the lord of chaos they knew had been more cooperative. Seeing this reversed version just proved it. “He probably doesn’t even hear the music form the Tree of Harmony anymore.” “Music from a tree?” Discord shook his head, incredulous. “I could never conceive of that. And just how is such a thing supposed to sound?” “It’s—” That is when Twilight realized even she couldn’t hear the Tree of Harmony. She paused for a long moment, straining to hear even the faintest tune as she had during the fight. The last time she recalled hearing it was right before Tirek changed Discord. “The music is gone.” The pony breathed, causing most of her friends to cry out in dismay. “Why is every pony so worried?” Discord considered the ponies with a hint of agitation. “You truly are a puzzle.” Not so big a puzzle as you, right now. Twilight thought. But at least she could change that. “I just need to restore his memory, and everything will be fine.” The memory spell was easy enough, and Twilight could definitely manage it. She flew up. “Princess Twilight, I would prefer it if you left me as I am now.” Discord said then. “Whatever I was, a while back, must have been dreadful.” A certain fear entered his features. Well, that was a first. When Discord had hypnotized her friends, none of them had seemed to recall being anything other than their altered selves. Even Twilight had forgotten before Princess Celestia sent her own letters through Spike. Twilight came in, and Discord began backing away, trembling. “I—I beg you, Princess Twilight. Think of your subjects. Think of our friends with the being I used to be on the loose.” The draconequus was throwing nervous glances around the cavern, trying to make his way toward the cavern entrance. Yet then Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity blocked his path, and came up from behind, pushing him forward. “Nothing good will come of it!” There. Twilight touched her horn to Discord’s forehead, with the spell in full swing—expecting to feel the release of memories and the wash of colors return to the draconequus. “I won’t let you!” The chaos spirit protested, and it was like a door getting slammed in her face. Twilight fell backwards onto the cavern floor. “What happened?” Rarity asked, helping Twilight to her feet. “The spell failed.” Twilight almost added, again, because it felt like a lot of her magic lately had been having little to no effect. Had this been how Discord had felt against Tirek? “Either he has enough magic to repel me, or his mind is so protected I can’t get through.” “You need to trust us, Discord.” Fluttershy said. “We’re trying to help.” “Then don’t help me.” Discord was against the wall now, utterly alarmed. “Perhaps I should simply retire to my accommodations at the palace.” The palace. That was it! Twilight mused on the matter for a moment. While it was true they had activated Rainbow Power before the Tree of Harmony last time, the chest that had unleashed the magic had become her new home and castle. And in the council room, her friends had stood around the central star and felt the rainbow move through them and on towards all the new friends they had made along the road there. And in truth, Twilight hadn’t quite known how they were supposed to access the level of Rainbow Power they had at that time. But maybe, if they brought every pony into that council room, the magic would take hold and free her friends. “You’re absolutely right, Discord.” Twilight said. “I am?” Discord sounded surprised as her friends looked. “Yes. We’re going to the council room at the palace, to see if we can unleash Rainbow Power there.” “Oh, dear.” The draconequus muttered. “Do you think that could be the solution?” This seemed to bolster Fluttershy’s spirit a bit. “I think it’s a splendid idea.” Rarity rejoined. “Council room, here we come!” Pinkie Pie hopped, grabbing the string to the air mattress in her teeth and already moving outside. “I think I’ll stay here.” Discord said. “No, you won’t.” Twilight returned, grabbing the flailing chaos spirit with her magic and carrying him along. *** The trip back to Ponyville was a strange one. Aside from having to carry Discord and the air mattress with Rainbow Dash and Applejack, the ponies found that the whiteness encircled most of the Everfree Forest and their hometown. Not only that, but a certain still grayness had suffused everything within as well. If the Everfree Forest had appeared drained and still before, it was now completely petrified with varying shades of gray. Ponyville was no better. All the buildings and objects shattered throughout the streets were also gray, and it was actually difficult to tell one house from the next. Twilight hoped the mayor had gotten all the ponies underground or into safe locations, where they might be out of harm’s way. Although, seeing how extensiveness of the whiteness, she feared it might have touched the ponies anyway. But no. She couldn’t let get distracted. They had to fix this situation, quickly. So the ponies raced to the palace. “Twilight. You’re back.” Spike creaked open the door, getting taken aback at the sight he beheld. The poor baby dragon had apparently been worried sick, and he hugged Twilight. “But what—?” He began. “I’ll explain later.” Twilight said. “We need to get to the council room, right away.” “Right.” Spike opened the front doors all the way to allow them ample space to enter, and Twilight with the other ponies practically flew up the steps. Meanwhile, Discord was squirming with all his might—refusing or unable to resort to his magic to get free. “Here we go.” Twilight burst through the council room doors, with Pinkie Pie whopping from behind and helping Rarity and Fluttershy to off-load their friends onto the floor beside the star upon the floor. “Make sure Discord doesn’t leave.” The princess instructed Spike, setting down Discord, at which the dragon saluted and draconequus scowled. Then Twilight joined her friends around the star, in what should have been the appropriate positions before their chairs. “Ready, every pony?” Twilight asked, and every pony who could nodded her head. Then she reached out a hoof above the star, waiting for it to shine and send forth a bright rainbow. The seconds trickled past, leaking into minutes. And the longer they wanted, the more dread tore at Twilight’s insides. It wasn’t working. No. It couldn’t be so! “Let’s try something different.” Twilight asked. So they did. They ponies positioned themselves differently around the star, with no better effect. Here, there, and everywhere, they posed and beckoned, bounced and hoped. At one point, Pinkie Pie even tried to insert a song cue into the matter, yet none of the other ponies took up the cause. “Okay.” The princess said, getting frazzled. “This is fine. I’ll just send a letter to Princess Celestia to ask for help. In fact, shadows are something Princess Luna might know about. Perhaps she even saw it coming and has already come up with a plan.” She was pacing now. “Spike, take a letter.” “Will do, Twilight.” Spike took out paper and quill, writing down the message Twilight composed right then and there—telling the princesses of their need for help, and seeking guidance. “All right. Time to send it off.” Twilight said, struggling to remain calm. “Sending.” Spike said, and blew upon the scroll with his dragon’s fire. This should have sent away the message without further delay. But instead, a very odd thing happened. The scroll went up in flames, and its ashes fell to the floor. Twilight watched the ashes fall, and sat down before the small pile. The tears gathered along the rims of her eyes, threatening to drip down. “What do I do now?” The princess whispered. The card dropped to the floor, with its surface blank. And these words began to appear across the surface: “Giving up already, Twilight? I expected better.” “Discord!” At Twilight’s exclamation, the other ponies gathered around. “It’s the card he dropped earlier.” She said to her friends. “I think he might be able to communicate with us this way.” “But isn’t Discord here?” Rarity asked. “Nope.” Pinkie Pie said, at which they did look up. The door to the council room was open, and Discord had apparently snuck out amid all the commotion. “I’ll find him.” Spike ran out. “Goodness! Are you okay? Can you hear us?” Fluttershy asked. There was silence for what felt an even longer while than the ponies had stood around the star, but then the first set of words disappeared and more appeared: “Faintly, darling Fluttershy. I can hear Twilight the best. It seems I am in a dreamscape of some sort. I won’t be able to maintain this connection for very long at one time, though.” “Are you aware of anything that’s happening with us?” Twilight asked. “In a vague way. It is like watching yourself sleepwalk, while also being elsewhere and doing other things.” Twilight wasn’t going to ask for clarification on this point. She was just happy to actually hear from their Discord again. “Discord. What exactly did you do with Tirek? I know he hypnotized you into being the opposite of your true self, but what was your intention?” She asked. “I wanted to hypnotize him, and cut off our connection.” Discord answered. “But he overpowered me, will-wise. Perhaps it was for the best.” These last few words came slowly, and as if he were running out of ink. “What do you mean?” Twilight asked. “When I come back—” The words were even thinner and fainter now. “I will try to give you a short magic lesson that may help you. So don’t you dare give up before—” The words stopped. Twilight heaved a heavy sigh, learned her head back, and looked at the ceiling—mulling over what had happened, and what Discord had said. The council room door opened again, and Spike entered. “Hmm, Twilight? I didn’t find Discord, but you do have a visitor.” “It seems you are in trouble indeed.” The ponies looked up to see Zecora entering the room. “But I may have something you need.” She reached into a pair of saddlebags and withdrew an old book, laying it down on the floor before Twilight. And the title read: “Everfree Forest Lore.”