Chapter 2: Stumbling in the Dark
Shining Armor pulled the cloak a bit tighter around him as he cautiously walked through the Everfree Forest. The forest carried a strange, persistent damp chill that seeped deep into his bones, making them ache. There was always something off about this place. Celestia told him once that the forest wasn’t always like this. That once it flourished beautifully and was a place that could rival the royal gardens. However it was during Nightmare Moon’s brief reign, she twisted the once inviting forest to her whims. Despite all the years and Celestia’s best efforts, her magic still held claim to the land, corrupting it, along with all the life within.
Suddenly, his left ear twitched as the sharp sound of a stick snapping behind him, pulling him out of his thoughts. He stopped dead in his tracks and turned his head slightly towards the noise, peering out of the corner of his eyes. Series of offensive and shield spells came flooding to his mind as he studied the area, expecting something to come rushing out of the undergrowth but every bush was still and undisturbed. His ears splayed back against his head as the deadening silence continued.
Shining Armor felt the fur on his back bristle at the notion of being stalked. Sticks don’t commit suicide and snap themselves and smart predators stop moving when they know they have spooked their prey. He snorted derisively.
‘Two can play that game,’ he thought. With his horn obscured beneath the hood of his cloak, he cast a light, near invisible personal shield that shimmered softly over his fur. It wouldn’t do much but protect him from a single strike, but it was discreet enough that it wouldn’t give away that he knew something was up. Satisfied in his preparation, he continued walking.
He peered between the trees ahead, unsure of what might be waiting for him as the already small path narrowed down into something he thought a goat wouldn’t even find suitable to follow.
"This is a perfect spot for an ambush," he whispered, eyes darting around.
A familiar voice whispered loudly in his ear, “Oh please, if I was going to pounce on you I’d have done it long ago!”
Shining Armor jumped and reared around only to face Discord, who was sitting there on a small stool staring at him while drinking a cup of tea, or rather drinking the cup and leaving behind the tea literally floating there in the shape of the cup.
“Discord!” Shining Armor shouted, eyes narrowing and horn glowing.
“Oh, Shiny, I’m hurt!” Discord moaned playfully and threw an arm over Shining’s neck, pulling him into a side embrace. “Here you are the brother of one of my bestest friends and this is how you greet me?”
Shining shook himself out of the hug and took an aggressive stance against Discord, “Have you forgotten how you served us to Tirek on a silver platter, Discord?” His horn light up menacingly, “Because I sure haven’t.”
“Come now,” Discord licked a foretalon and thumb and extinguished Shining’s horn like he would a candle, “Sure it wasn’t one of my proudest moments, but I’m reformed now! Remember?” Discord flashed a toothed grin as an innocent halo popped over his head.
“I heard that once before and then YOU helped SEND MY WIFE to TARTARUS!” Shining punctuated each shout with a stern hoof into Discord’s chest. “WE WERE COUNTING ON YOU! I WAS COUNTING ON YOU!” Shining breathed heavily, trying to fight back the tears of so much pent up rage, stress, and anger from bursting forth.
Discord just sat there and said nothing, letting Shining continue to unleash on him. Shining took deep breaths trying to recollecting himself before continuing softly, while he pawed gently at the ground, “I don’t know if you’ve been alone your whole life, or ever been in love. I honestly don’t know you even understand what it means to have somepony so special, and so dear to you, taken away from you. To be put in danger. And all while you’re forced to sit there and watch, helpless to save them.” Shining’s head shot up from staring at his hoof and looked straight at Discord; Shining’s eyes glinted coldly.
“The pain of having my magic drained was nothing - NOTHING - compared to the feeling of having Cadence taken from me. The feeling…..it’s,” Shining’s face contorted, “it’s indescribable.” Shining’s stare fixated the immortal and powerful god of Chaos in place as he listened intently. “Discord, what you did to me-” Shining said, his voice almost a growl as his body shook with rage “-the position you put me in, you stole from me Discord! You stole away what felt like my very heart and soul!” Discord watched as a cold sneer crept along Shining’s face. “So if you think that ‘becoming friends-’” Shining spat the last two words with venomous sarcasm, “-with my sister will ever be enough to right the wrongs between us-” he gestured his hoof between them violently. Shining looked like he wanted to finish saying something, but couldn’t as he just shook his head and looked away from Discord in disgust. Moments of silence passed between them as not a sound could be heard. It was as if the entire forest had stopped to listen to the exchange between these two.
Finally Discord coughed and began to shift his weight from one leg to the other, unsure of what to say, or do for that matter, as his ear splayed back against his head. Sure, Fluttershy had chastised him before, and he certainly felt sorry and made amends with her, but this? This was different.
Discord pushed aside these thoughts and slowly approached the stallion in front of him. “Look, Shining-” Discord swallowed nervously, “-I’m still fairly new to this whole friendship thing. I haven’t had friends, true friends, in millennia and as old as I am…..” Discord moved to sit down in front of Shining Armor, forcing the stallion to look him in the eyes. “I’m still very much a foal with much to learn.”
Shining raised an eyebrow as he listened. He was taken aback a little at the sudden depth and sincerity Discord displayed, having never seen or heard the draconequus to anything more than crack jokes or otherwise be a pain.
Discord continued, “I realize now just how deeply I hurt you. I damaged your trust more than I could have ever anticipated and I may never earn it back…” Discord looked Shining in the eyes, “I truly am sorry.”
Shining looked away conflicted. Half of him wanted to believe that perhaps Twilight and her friends were good influences and that maybe, just maybe, Discord wasn’t all bad. However, memories of seeing his wife sent to Tartarus, drained and defenceless tore at his heart and tied knots in his gut. He narrowed his eyes and looked at Discord coldly. No matter how heartfelt an apology he received, he couldn’t bring himself to forgive the draconequus.
Discord nodded and looked at the ground, “I understand.”
“Discord.” Shining Armor said firmly.
Discord picked his head back up.
“What are you even doing out here?” he asked, looking at Discord leerily.
“Oh, here?” Discord gestured to the forest, “Well simply, this is the most chaotic place in Equestria, well aside from the chaos realm or course, and as safe a place as any for me to have my…..fun without hurting anypony!” He said, rebounding back into his usual self. “Well that and Zecora ran into a spot of trouble with some dark magic a couple days back and I’ve been helping her recover as best I can,” he added waving his hoof in a manner-of-fact fashion as if his revelation was the most mundane thing ever.
Shining felt a knot build in his stomach, “What do you mean Zecora ran into a spot of trouble with dark magic?”
“I’m not entirely sure,” he said suddenly pulling a pocket watch out of nowhere and lazily spinning it on it’s chain. Shining Armor wasn’t entirely sure, but he could’ve sworn that he saw it running backwards. “She said some sort of black cloud attacked her and got her pretty good on the flank.”
“Black cloud?” Shining said as his brows furrowed. Suddenly his eyes shot open “You mean the Nightmare!? The Nightmare is back!?” Shining said getting progressively louder and more worried.
“The Nightmare?” Discord asked confused.
Shining looked at him incredulously, “Discord, I know you were trapped in stone, but you can’t expect me to believe you don’t know about Nightmare Moon…”
“Oh, you’re talking about the thing that little Lulu was bonded to!” Discord laughed.
Shining Armor looked off to the side and mouthed the word “Lulu” to himself.
‘Tia and Lulu, huh?’ he thought to himself and shrugged, turning his attention back to Discord.
“Ahem, no!” Discord coughed as he gathered himself, “This is something else. The Nightmare’s magic, oh, how can I explain this….” Discord stroked his goatee a little and then snapped his fingers. “It tastes different. The Nightmare’s magic is more like a nice dark red wine that was started to turn. This, this is more like cider that had been sitting out in the sun too long.”
Shining wasn’t entirely sure he followed the comparison and the confusion showed on his face.
Discord just waved it off. “Anyway, point is, you don’t have to worry about Nightmare Moon returning anytime soon.”
This did little to comfort the Royal Captain. “So what you’re saying is there a new threat that we know little-to-nothing about, except that it takes the form of a black cloud and can hurt ponies?”
“Well, when you put it that way, it sounds a bit worse.”
Shining just rolled his eyes and snorted.
“Now say,” Discord drew up close to Shining Armor’s face and began to peer at him suspiciously, “What are you doing out here?”
Shining’s breath caught a little before he answered back in an even tone, “I’m headed to Zecora’s. Just wanted to check up on something she handled for my sister a while back.”
Discord’s eyes narrowed. He was the king of half-truths and could smell one immediately, “Oh, that’s just great of you to come visit her, but why now? I’d imagine you’d be deep in the forelegs of your lover after all that’s happened recently.” Shining’s eyes burned with hatred as his head snapped up to face Discord. ‘Okay, bad comment,’ Discord thought.
“Well, I’d love to be, but lately I find myself waking up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, afraid that I can’t protect my wife. So, if you must know, I’m hoping she has something that’ll make be a bit more powerful.”
“Hmmm.” Discord could tell this wasn’t the entire truth. Far from it. He paused for a minute just scratching his chin and staring at Shining, internally debating whether to press the stallion for more information. Finally Discord waved his claw away dismissively. “Well, a bit of advice on power from an immortal god with plenty of it. Be careful.” A strangely haunted look overcame Discord, “Such strength rarely comes without a hefty price to pay. The path to power is often leads to the you to the road of ruin.”
Shining just stared at him resolutely. “Thank you, but whatever that price may be, I don’t care. Nothing can come close to the cost of losing Cadence once again because I can’t defend her.”
“Hmmm, well, if that’s the case-,” Discord snapped his fingers and Shining disappeared, having teleported him away.