I dreamed I was fighting again...
How could I tell it was a dream?
Well, the place was all weird. There were floating platforms of water that continued to fall over the edge but never run out of the liquid. There were pink fuzzy clouds in the sky that fizzled and flicked like a computer glitch. And there was her...
I called it that because it felt feminine. But I could never tell what it was. It was just there... A presence. One that was always in my dreams but never a part I could control.
She had been appearing a lot in my sleep this past month. Each time showing up after I had exhausted myself from an intense magic training session with Twilight. She had said it was normal to have strange dreams after using up a lot of mana. The body was simply pooling extra reserves from the core and mixed in with sleep because the brain was still functioning.
But her had never felt like a part of my dreams. She never appeared randomly. Always after I was drained of mana.
At first she had been a fleeting thing, always on the edge of my consciousness, teasing at me as I caught a glimpse of her indistinguishable form before vanishing. Now she stayed for longer and longer times.
She would always observe. Just stay still and watch as I mulled about in my sleep.
Yet if I focused hard enough on her, she vanished.
Whenever I dreamed about her I was always fighting.
I could never tell what either, which had been frustrating after Twilight hadn't understood that I was 'just fighting'.
It was always pressing down on me, pushing harder and harder until I couldn't take the pain anymore and would wake up in a cold sweat.
The first few times I had screamed and woke up both Twilight and Spike as they ran to check on me. Since then I hadn't screamed anymore, but the bags under my eyes told another story.
I still lost precious rest to these dreams. And with them coming more and more frequently I was barely able to hide how tired I was in front of Twilight.
Tonight she had almost figured it out when training me. She had stopped and asked if I was feeling well, which I had lied and told her yes.
Good thing she wasn't the element of Honesty or I'd be in trouble. I didn't want her to worry about me! They were just dreams and that was that!
Tonight was no different with her. She was there watching me as always.
Something shifted out of the corner of my eyes as the floor suddenly gave underneath me and I fell.
I felt the force pressing down on me once again, and I braced to push it back with all my might, but this time I saw something...
The thing. That which was pushing me down was actually her.
I was in too much shock to fight back for the moment as she took the advantage and hit me hard.
It stung, but I held back and fought.
Her seemed stronger this time around... Which confused me. What had changed? I had always had this dream the same way.
Her suddenly pushed down on my rib cage as I felt it crack under the press-
"AGH!" I put my hand over my mouth before I fully screamed.
I was awake now...
The dream was over...
Sighing, I shifted back under the covers as I tired not to think too much about what had just happened.
Something must've folded the wrong way as I laid back because I found myself wincing in pain as my gem screamed in agony.
Shouldn't have moved so quick after I used all that mana... I chided myself as I got comfortable again and fell back asleep.
__________________________
"Are you feeling okay, Crystal?" Spike asked as I blinked awake and found myself face first in my bowl of cereal. Ugh, great...
I turned to where the little drake was eating his morning gemstones, Emeralds in the morning for a healthy balance of nutrients, and combed my soggy hair back.
"Yea, just not woke up yet." I sighed as I went back to eating and shoved more grapes down my throat.
How Spike could manage to eat rocks I'll never know... Just glad he never thought about- *Shivers* Nevermind...
"Are you sure you're ok? You look a little pale..." He frowned worried, as I just waved him off.
Any louder and he'd alert Twilight, who was in the next room studying, and I'd never hear the end of it...
"I think it's just the lighting, or perhaps the milk on my face..." I said as I touched a clammy hand to my cheek. It felt cold to the touch as I shivered slightly, but it could just be the milk... Right?
I wasn't sick... Couldn't be. Gems don't-
"Guys! Princess Celestia is coming to Ponyville today!" Twilight poked her head into the kitchen. "Don't forget to clean up!" She chided as Spike just groaned and flopped his head on the table, "Yes, Twilight! We got that the first twenty times you told us!" He said.
"Oh uh, right..." She folded her ears embarrassed, before looking over to me. "I know the Princesses see you as their equal Crystal, but please don't forget this is an important meeting." She rubbed her hoof.
I nodded, "Right. Don't worry, I'll get the milk off me." I joked as that got a reaction out of her and she giggled.
"Make sure you do~!" She hollered, before going back to her studies.
Spike groaned as he picked up his half eaten bowl of gems and carried it in his arms, "I'm just gonna finish these upstairs." He grumbled, as I knew that was code for I'm going to hide out from Twilight, don't tell her where I am, as I nodded back. "Kay." I called, as I finished my breakfast and went to the downstairs 'public' bathroom to clean myself up.
True to what Spike had said, my skin was a tone paler than I remembered.
"Oh, it's just me." I thought as I combed back my hair. I didn't really need too, but it was soothing even if I could just shapeshift it perfect. "I'll just tone down the skin a bit, and no one will-"
I stopped myself after I had used my magic to darken my skin, and froze in disbelief. "I-It's still the same??" I blinked confused, as I tried again, only to achieve the same results. "Hmm... Maybe it's just this form." I noted, as I quickly shifted into my earth pony form and looked much better. "There." I smirked triumphantly as I paced around a bit and used a cloth to wipe off any dirt and grit that had accumulated. Being a gem tended to attract stuff like that. Then I smiled in the mirror before leaving the bathroom.
Twilight was already waiting it seemed, as she was currently fussing over Spike. "Twilight stop! I can comb my own scales!" The drake persisted, as Twilight kept trying to pat down one scale that refused to stay put. She stopped once she saw me, giving time for Spike to put enough distance between him and the mare's hoof.
"You're going as a pony?" Twilight asked confused.
I shrugged as I walked up to grab my saddlebags off the coat rack, "Yeah. I haven't done it in awhile so I wanted to." I lied, Twilight must not know the reason. "Plus, I don't think Celestia has seen me in my earth pony form, so it will be interesting." I added to smooth out the lie.
Twilight looked at me unsure before she rubbed her chin, "I suppose..." She hummed before grabbing her own things. She opened her mouth to say something else, but shook her head and dismissed it.
"Come on, let's go before the others get worried." She stated, as Spike hopped onto Twilight's back and we walked out the library.
-------------
"Wait. We're going to what?!" I exclaimed suddenly, as a few of my friends bent their ears back and winced at the tone my voice had pitched itself too. Sometimes when I was shocked it would do that high nasally voice crack thing... Not sure why...
Twilight, being the calmer of the group, stepped in for me. " With all due respect, Princess Celestia, how could you bring Discord here?!" She shouts, before realizing who's she's talking to and shrinks back to clear her throat, "Your majesty." She quickly puts in for respect.
Celestia seems unfazed by Twilight's outburst and simply nods, "I'm fully aware that the last time Discord was here, he created serious havoc." She repeats, silently hinting at us that she wasn't stupid. But just a little politer than flat out saying it. Regality and all.
Discord. She brought a ruler of Chaos, trapped in stone mind you, to Ponyville.
She might as well have handed us an active grenade and said it wasn't dangerous.
To get to the point, I was upset. Very much.
Twilight had told me all about the destruction this little booger had caused. Upside down houses, flipped personalities, all the power of a genie with none of the reigns attached to them.
He was the Trojan virus to a computer. If he didn't agree with something, all he had to do was go f*** you and snap his fingers and it would obey.
That kind of power was dangerous. It couldn't be contained. Maybe put off, but it was like a ticking time bomb, waiting to explode again in your face.
And you know what they say, Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
I had no idea why Celestia thought bringing him here was a good idea.
Sure, Twilight and her friends had some sort of Elements of Harmony that had defeated him last time, but would that hold true again?
There answer was maybe.
And I didn't like those kind of odds.
In the midst of my musings, I realized Rainbow had been quite busy voicing her concerns, while everyone else was agreeing.
The cards were stacking up against Celestia but she seemed unfazed. Perhaps she had an ace in the deck???
I watched as she nodded like she agreed before laying down her trump card, "Yes, I understand. But I have use for Discord's magic if it can be reformed to serve good instead of evil. This is why I've brought Discord here, because I believe that you are the ponies who can help him do just that." She said.
I just blinked. She was... Gambling with this?!
"This will never work! This is a disaster! How will we ever control him?! We're doomed!" Spike seemed to mimic my thoughts as he waved his claws around frantically.
Celestia was having none of this. "Need I remind you that you are the ponies who turned him back into stone like this in the first place?" She deadpanned.
Inwardly I groaned. I just thought of that lady!!! I had like, a whole internal debate as to why this wasn't a failsafe! FAUUUUUSSSSSSSSST!
While inwardly I was screaming, I had only slightly twitched an eyebrow on the outside. I might've been angry, but it wasn't going to help if I had a shouting match right now.
Though I suppose if I survive and this doesn't blow up in our faces, I could rub it in her face with a well place I told you so~!. Yeah, that would work...
By now Celestia had brought out a chest and opened it to reveal the elements of harmony.
Everyone seemed excited to see them, like a dear old friend being reunited to them, but all I did was raise an eyebrow.
This was it??
True they had their shine to them, and the gemstones on the regalia were exquisite, I was honestly expecting something more... Destructive??? Certainly not jewelry.
"Now where is Fluttershy? I believe she may know best how to begin reforming Discord." Celestia asked confused, as Rainbow just groaned...
------------------
"Okay, ponies, guess it's time to get started. Let's just hope this releasing spell works." Twilight frowned nervously, as everyone else had either their elements on or were battle ready.
I leaned back a bit, my gem glowing if I needed to summon my weapon or human form. If Discord was as bad as Twilight and the others had mentioned, then he might just bamboozle us the first few seconds he's free and make a run for it.
This was why I was watching from a few yards away...
"Everypony ready?" Twilight asked, as they replied affirmative.
Twilight didn't need any other words to begin.
She lit up her horn and began to concentrate.
Suddenly the others holding the elements began to glow and they pulsed and began to lift up into the air.
The amount of magic was intense! I could feel it radiating in waves towards my body from just the simple output, as it began to form a sort of rainbow band around the mares. As soon as it attached fully the rainbow band expanded and spun around them like a hyperactive tornado.
It spun faster and faster around them and discord, and then everything was still. Absolutely still.
Ok yes, I just wanted to reference the Magic Tree House series.
In reality the rainbow tornado wrapped around the statue and begun to crack open the casing as I saw something moving and screaming from underneath.
It didn't last long before the screaming turned into a rather loud yawn as the rainbow quietly vanished, like it had never even existed, and the six mares floated gently back down on the ground.
"Oh! Ooh! Ooooh! Well, it's about time somepony got me out of that prison block. What a relief!" A voice spoke, one oddly similar to John de Lancie, in such a playful manner with a sinister tone that it gave me shivers.
I turned my face only to bump right into one Dragonequus named Discord.