//------------------------------//
// An Unlikily Hero 
// Story: Distorted 
// by Scorpion 
//------------------------------//

	Twilight’s body hit the ground with a dull thud. A supreme look of shock fell upon Discord’s face. He began to panic; he had just inadvertently killed the element of magic!

“Nononononono, this can’t be happening. This can’t be happening!”

The door behind him opened.

“What’s with all the yelling?” Spike stepped into the room, took one look at Twilight’s limp form and dulled half-lidded eyes, and ran to her.

“What did you do!?!” He yelled strong enough a small tuft of flame accented his exclamation.

“I… I don’t know…”

“She’s dead! YOU KILLED HER!” Denial swiftly flowed into anger. Even that façade cracked and gave way to an even more powerful emotion. Spike doubled over, pounded his fists into the ground, and sobbed. 

Discord could not stand to see anypony saddened, let alone the waves of depression racking the young dragon before him. He decided immediately that full power or not, he would pour his own soul into Twilight if it meant reviving her and ending any pain from her loss.

He walked over to her and surveyed the damage. She had a burned out hole that passed straight through her heart. He steeled himself; this was really going to hurt. He aimed his horn at her injury, and began to pour his own life force into her.

The massive flux of power drew Spike’s attention and he saw the agonized expression on the alicorn’s face as a steady stream of energy drained from his horn into Twilight.

“Wait, what are you doing?” The dragonling managed to ask between his sadness and confusion.

“Saving her.”

Spike instinctively backed away from the booming voice. He did not understand what the colt before him was doing.

Discord could not believe the pain he was in. Draining his own life force into the unicorn beneath him is about as bad as it sounds. He felt himself slipping away. As the dark embrace took him, he was almost relieved that his suffering was over.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________


Twilight inhaled sharply as the energy transfer took effect. She was about to ask what happened when she was all but tackled by Spike, knocking the wind out of her.

“Twilight! Thank Celestia you’re alive!”

Regaining her breath, Twilight consoled her hysterical assistant.

“Easy Spike, I’m fine. What happened?”

“I don’t know, I heard him yell and came in and you were on the floor and… and… you were dead!” Spike sobbed into her coat. His emotions were completely at a loss as to how to react.

“It’s okay Spike. Everything’s okay.” She tried to comfort her young assistant, rubbing a hoof along his fringe.

Twilight looked over to the being she had fought so hard to get rid of on that fateful day. She saw the shallow but steady rise of his chest, and thoughts darted around her head.

'That has to be Discord, but why did he save me? He did not seem like he was planning some “game” or that he wanted revenge. He must have some reason to save me, but then, why reflect my attack in the first place?’

Her eyes fell on the jewel on his chest and spotted a shift in the energies contained within it. She realized the truth.

'He didn’t mean to, it was that thing he’s wearing. Why is he disguised if he has not made any demands or changes? There are too many questions and none of the answers I can come up with satisfy any of them. If he would weaken himself that much for me, then I should at least give him time to explain.’

Spike had calmed down considerably and was now prepared to deal with the colt that had killed and then revived his adoptive mother.

“What are we going to do with him?” He asked Twilight, seeking guidance.

“Leave him where he is, I’ll get somepony to help us in case there is a problem.”

Spike nodded and with trepidation, went into the kitchen to find a makeshift weapon or two. He quickly returned holding a frying pan and wearing a pasta strainer on his head.

Twilight suppressed a giggle before looking out her front door hoping to spot one of her friends. As luck would have it, she spotted two of them. She quickly invited them inside and set about explaining what had happened and who had visited her.