"What do you mean, you lost her?!" Tirek shouted in the phone. "She was the weakest of the six! She shouldn't be so hard!"
"I couldn't even fool her." the Reflection replied from the other end of the call. "She saw right through my disguise just because I didn't have a stupid flower. This Fluttershy girl's more resourceful than we thought. And I lost track of her."
Tirek sighed in discontent. "If she puts two and two together and Devastator is already online, my plans will be ruined! I can almost see that grin on her face." Then, he grew an idea that slowly turned his despair into a wicked smile of pleasure. "Yes... I can just see it."
"Tirek?"
"It seems, despite your failure, you've lead her straight to me. All we have to do... is wait."
Flash Sentry's car parked at the curb in front of an apartment building. Twilight, Fluttershy, Flash, Spike, and Fluffy walked out and towards the front door holding Discord's mirror.
"Thanks for giving us a ride, Flash." Twilight said. "I know it's a little late..."
"Hey, it's all right." Flash Sentry replied. "I'd do anything to help you."
As soon as they entered, they only saw a one-man desk with a sloucher. He saw the kids and sighed. "What do you want?"
"We've come for a certain tenant here." Twilight explained.
"You mean that old ghoul?" the landlord asked. "Her special hobbies crept all the other tenants out of here. She practically has the whole apartment to herself. You'll find her in room 126."
"Thank you." Twilight said.
The crew walked up a flight of stairs that would lead to a hallway.
"So... what's up with this Lyric?" Fluttershy asked. "I never got to ask."
"Well, she's my contact from this town. Every time I picked up a strange reading, she would give me some more information. I always knew Lyric knew more than what she was leading on. As soon as I decided to come here, she gave me her address and told me to come to her anytime I truly needed her. If anyone knows how to fix Discord, she's our best chance."
They arrived at the door number and Twilight raised her fist to knock. She stopped when she heard an exotic voice from the other side of the door.
"No need to knock and no need to fear. The door is open. Come in here."
Discord shrugged and Twilight just opened the door. They all walked in and started to shiver at the sight of the room. It was full of candles and exotic masks hung on the walls. In the middle of the room, a grown woman with black and white hair sat in a skeleton-like chair. She had gray skin, a black robe, golden bracelets, and black stripes reaching up to the cheeks. At the far end of the room, there was a computer in the corner, a cauldron in the center, and a few rats watching from the edges.
"Yikes." Fluttershy gasped. "If Rarity were here, she'd call this a 'crash in fashion'."
"I know it's not fanciest, but just understand, the relics you see here are tokens from my homeland."
"Are you.. Lyric?" Twilight asked.
"Yes, I'm Lyric, but if it's all the same, call me Zecora dear. It is my true name."
"Uh, what's with the rhyming?" Discord asked.
"The explanation for that's a bit hard to explain. Needless to say, an impulse tic in my brain." She observed Discord inside the mirror. "This could be real... or just too much candle scent. Are you the one, chaotic gent?"
"If you were asking if I'm Discord, you got that right. Except now, I'm very useless and our friends are going to be turned into lab experiments. I tried using all the Equestrian magic I got to break out of here, but it's not enough. So..."
Zecora interrupted with a chuckle. "My little Discord, of course, it's not enough. You just don't have the right amount of stuff."
"Hey, I've got plenty of stuff!" Discord replied.
Flash Sentry leaned in next to the mirror. "Do you even know what she's talking about?"
"Not in the slightest."
"What I mean is, the only right trick," Zecora said, "Is to use the other form of magic."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Discord asked. "Equestrian magic's the only magic in this world, right?"
"Of course, it's not. Can't you see? There's so much more. Just take it from me.
"It's not just abracadabra
Not just alakazam
I'm going to clear the air right now
And it's no scam"
"It's no scam," the rats sang.
"It's not just hocus pocus," Zecora sang
"Not bibbitti-boppitty-boo
You just have to know where to look
And it will come to you"
"It'll come to you," the rats sang.
"It's not what you're used to," Zecora sang,
"But it's something you can share
It's in the past, present, and future
And you can find it anywhere
It's a whole other magic
Something new to find
It's a whole other magic
And it starts with being kind
Nobody can possibly miss it
If they know what to look for
Endless possibilities galore
It's another...
It's another...
Discord, you thought it was best
To never have to ask for help
Look at everything you accomplished
Did you do it all by yourself
NO
You can't abandon your friends
You can't go on your own
If you remember what's important
Then you're never truly alone
It's a whole other magic
Overcomes everything
It's a whole other magic
Blooms like the flowers in Spring
I can't tell you what's for sure
That can be in your future
But you'll be surprised what it will bring
Ms. Sparkle, listen real close
You're blooming into a dazzling rose
I didn't just bring you here
For the magic lights and show
You needed to learn something
Now the seed of friendship will grow
IT'S A WHOLE OTHER MAGIC
YOU'VE LEARNED IT THE HARD WAY
IT'S A WHOLE OTHER MAGIC
THINK ABOUT YOUR ENTIRE STAY
NOW, TELL ME YOU DON'T FEEL IT
DEEP WITHIN YOUR VERY CORE
ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES GALORE"
Suddenly, the candles started to light up and made the whole room beautiful. Everyone was amazed at the change in n scenery and danced to the music while the creatures started singing.
"ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES...
ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES..."
"ENDLESS POSSIBILITIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEES,..." Twilight sang.
"GAAAAAALOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORE" Zecora finished.
"Well, Discord, without any doubt," Zecora continued, "Do you have any idea what I'm talking about?"
"Yeah." Discord rolled his eyes. "I learned that this singing has been a waste of time and I'm not one step closer to being out of this mirror!"
Zecora slapped herself in the face and exasperated. "All right. I'll give you this. But know that you're taking a big risk."
"Did that rhyme?" Flash Sentry asked. "It seems close."
A couple hours later, Zecora stepped away from her glowing cauldron and approached the kids with a handful of green dust. They jerked their heads when she got closer.
"Will that help me?" Discord asked.
"A sprinkle of this, and you shall pass." Zecora replied. "You'll be free from your confines in the glass."
She held out her hand and blew the dust toward the mirror. The glass started to glow and Discord laughed as he changed into a blob-like phantom exiting the mirror. He returned whole and laid across the floor. He got back up and cheered. He materialized with noise-makers and party-blowers.
"I'M FREE!" he cheered. All his friends joined in on his celebration. "I'M OUT OF THE MIRROR! AND NOW, TIREK WON'T KNOW WHAT HIT HIM!"
"Don't think it's over for your Reflection's curse." Zecora interrupted earning everyone's attention. "You're just risking something much worse."
"What?" Discord asked. "What are you talking about?"
"You may be out, but you're not yet free. If not fixed, you'll disappear completely. Two parallel counterparts can't coexist in one realm. The clash you create will overwhelm. So if you don't put the Reflection back in the mirror, then by sunset, you will disappear."
"...AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Discord screamed in utter panic. "WHAT DO I DO?!"
"You heard her." Fluttershy said. "All you have to do is beat the Reflection and push him back in the mirror."
"Yeah." Spike said. "And we know where Tirek is. We find him, we'll find the Reflection."
"Okay." Discord calmed down. "All right. And this time, I won't face him alone. I'll have you guys with me. It's time to get our friends back."