//------------------------------// // Under Mother's Wing // Story: Pony POV Series: Dark World Drabbles // by Godzillawolf //------------------------------// Warning! Spoilers for History of Tirek Part 5! Ponies know very little of me. They only know me as the Mother of All Deer and leader of Roedina... at least until my children imprisoned me. I can't tell you how they managed it, only they chose to mark my prison with a statue of 'Father Deer'. Thankfully other deer eventually destroyed that mockery freeing me. Sadly, I was released to witness that Nameless beast having enslaved my children, even my natural thrall (as their Mother Goddess, I have the a similar thrall over my kind as she does over the Dragons, but I neither need to use it frequently nor like using it, I prefer my children to follow me without force) was blocked by his control. I did my best to fight against him with the aid of my still loyal children, but I needed something to push things in our favor...seeing my deer enslaved and being able to do nothing...But...then a mixed blessing happened. Discord escaped his prison. The first time, I largely escaped his wrath (he mainly stuck to tormenting Equestria until he grew bored), but this time, I saw an opening. The Shadow of Chernobull was many things...but humble it cannot be. With Equestria under Discord's control, his story had been derailed, that had been his conquest. He was already angry, so all it took was a spy to plant the idea of defeating Discord himself in his mind. It was the best scenario I could think of. If Discord defeated that creature, then we could retake Roedina, if he by some miracle defeated Discord, Equestria was free and he'd likely be badly weakened from the effort of beating the embodiment of Chaos...the former obviously occurred, and the existence vampire was split into four, the Lights he'd stolen ripped out and returned. And naturally, with Makarov's influence taken away, the Hooviet Empire fell into complete anarchy and collapse. Reality finally caught up with it. Makarov had left their economy in ruins, their leadership had been reduced to idiotic puppets Makarov could easily control, and much of their military (especially after Makarov's first strike on Discord got a large portion of it turned to literal child's toys, cheese, and numerous other things) consisted of things that were only practical in that monster's twisted reality. It wasn't a year before a civil war broke out between various factions. Discord merely watched, and laughed, knowing that he'd thrown a country into chaos with one act and could simply watch the fireworks. That is until I decided to put my hoof down and reunite my divided children. (Interviewer's Notes (Libra): Darling, allow me, I have the planet's memory cued up in advanced.) The capital was a powder keg, multiple sides preparing for a fire fight with what military might they had that was still practical enough to use. The factions each had a goal. One was that of Hooviet loyalists, another deer who desired Roedina return to their old ways before the Empire, another that simply desired to reunify the country and bring peace, still another formed primarily of the formally oppressed civilians who desired an uprising. The final group desired the return of the royal family to power. All prepared to turn the capital into a war zone for their side. “ENOUGH!” Every deer in the sound of the announcement turned like it was a law of nature beckoning them to heed. Like they could not ignore it even if they tried. Vines and plants grew around the statue of Father Deer in front of the capital building, constricting and growing into it until it shattered to rubble. Flanked by deer of all kinds, stations, and walks of life, Mother Deer slowly and confidently trotted onto the battlefield, plant-life sprouting up and rejuvenating the city ravaged by war with her mere presence. She looked at them with the face of a saddened mother. “...Please, don't make me see my children slaughter each other again.” Only one faction still wanted to fight after a few words from the Mother of All Deer, and the Hooviet remnant quickly realized it was now alone and surrendered. No deer died that day. (Interviewer's Notes (Libra): Wonderful entrance, darling.) Thank you, I had grown tired of that mockery being my people's god. I won't say Roedina was mine the next day, it took time, but my children were reunited once more...but that still left Discord to deal with. While Equestria was his play thing for the moment, I knew sooner or later he would grow bored and come to 'play' with my people...and I feared there was little I could do...I was a mother and I felt helpless to protect my children. I did open the boarders to pony refugees, it was the merciful and kind thing to do...even if it could only buy them so much time of reprieve. Before I continue, I must explain my true nature. Mother Deer is merely one of my names, and it is a major aspect of who I am...but not all. My other names are the Tree of Harmony, Harmony, the Tree of Knowledge, the Tree of Life, the Tree of Change. I was planted here on this planet by Nature's Fury and Nature's Law to bring about a great change in the world. And I did so. I released the Twin Rainbows that changed the world forever. What you call the Elements of Harmony and Chaos, the Rainbows of Light and Darkness...I know as my children. Rarity...before I continue...thank you for finally reuniting my children for the first time in eons. (Interviewer's Notes (Libra): You're quite welcome, darling. Though you also have...a sister of mine to thank.) Yes, and for that I am eternally grateful. I remember my first sight. The two guardians of my children. A elf with immense power, but a kind heart, and the dragon that taught all others how to love that which was not a dragon. It's been so long since then. I'm so proud of how you ponies have used my child's blessing. But...one day, as I stood thinking... something happened. (Interviewer's Notes (Libra): Yes, that was the day Discord drove the essence of the Elements from their physical forms to create our Elements of Chaos and...made us immortal...) Yes...I'm sorry, that is something nopony should endure that, Libra... (Interviewer's Notes (Libra): It's alright, darling...continue.) I could feel the disturbance...something terrible happening...and then I looked up, seeing six beams of light streak across the sky towards me... I knew something terrible had happened to you six... Let me explain: while the Elements exist in the hearts of their bearers (and can be awakened, allowing multiple bearers of the same Element to exist), the six physical Elements of Harmony were created from the Rainbow of Light, the one I gave birth to all those eons ago. Their essence, forced out of them, could not just disappear into the either. It had to go somewhere. My wounded child, without a home to be in, had come to the one place any child would: to their mother. “Come home...” I said, looking to the Elements of Harmony. They swirled around me and entered my antler nubs. The form I've spent most of my existence in is my...one percent form for lack of a better word. With one Rainbow back inside me, I was at fifty percent. My nubs became full crystal antlers resembling the branches of the tree I once was, but only half the length they would have been with both. My fur gained a sheen not unlike a Crystal Pony, though not as intense as it would have been otherwise. I felt my child's power. It's strength...and while alone I couldn't be certain I could defeat Discord (as Celestia could not purify her sister on her own), and the risk of perishing was one I couldn't take...I could do something... “Mother Deer, what was that light?” one of my little deer asked, rushing in...and staring in awe of my new form...it felt awkward, I'm used to being looked upon as a mother by my children... “I am fine, but I have a message to be sent for all of Roedina.” I only had so much time before Discord realized what I could do now, but I told my little deer, and any other type of being that lived in Roedina, to pack everything they owned and prepare. When they day came, I stood on the balcony of the royal palace. “Attention, Roedina...today we begin our exodus...to where Discord cannot go.” I focused on the six pieces of my child within me. The Fruit of Knowledge, the Elements of Harmony, the Rainbow of Light. Magic, Generosity, Loyality, Kindness, Laughter, and Honesty. While you use friendship to fill the void, I had to use love. The love I had for my people, for everything of the natural world. The jewels in my antlers glowed brightly and a rainbow swirled around me. “Harmony...” The rainbow spread out, washing over everything. Every life it touched, rather sapient or nonsapient, vanished, leaving Roedina, my home, a ghost country. I shed a tear...this was the place I'd lived for thousands of years, and now I had to leave it. I admit, I was tempted to take it with us, but sadly the disturbance to Equus from such a large landmass leaving outweighed taking our home with us. When the rainbow light faded, we were on Luna's moon, the Elements forming a large dome around us, airtight and safe. We were on it's dark side, the side those on Equus would never see. The barrier around us was of pure harmony, something that Discord could never hope to touch. I made sure to make it a permanent spell, it would take a thousand years to fade even if I perished or the Elements left me. Even if Discord blew the moon to atoms, this tiny piece of it was beyond him. “...What do we do now, Mother?” a little fawn asked, looking up at me. “...We begin anew...” I said, putting my antlers to the ground and converting the lunar dust to fertile ground which quickly brought forth life. While we'd need to nurture it, and care for it. This dome would be a new home for my people, and those refugees that came with us. (Interviewer's Notes (Libra): The following was taken directly from Equus' memory. Which is also mine.) “Alright, my dears, I sensed a powerful magic disturbance from this country, let's finally pay the deer a visit and squash any hopes they currently have of defeating the Great and Really Great Discord, shall we, my little Princesses!” Discord announced, appearing in Roedina in a flash of light, Mad Tiara and Screwball standing on one side, Fluttercruel on the other. The young demi-god, having just received the power to do real damage with her Element of Chaos firmly implanted in her chest, had been eager to finally come with her father and have some fun. And show her father her love. “Finally!” Fluttercruel exclaimed, generating a buster sword (though one far less refined or well made than she'd later be able to create) and rushing into the nearest house with a look of bloodlust...then came out, looking disappointed. “There's no pony here!” Discord blinked, tapping his chin. “That's odd. Normally we'd have heard some screams and begging for mercy by now...” Mad Tiara poked her head literally through a window. “No pony here uncle!” Screwball knocked on a door, then opened it vertically. “Not here either!” After a half hour of searching for fresh playthings, the group teleported into the throne room of the royal palace, Discord throwing in dramatic lightning and evil laughter. “Well Mother Deer, I don't know what you're planning, but all I heard was 'come crash my party!'...Mother Deer?” The throne room was empty.. There wasn't even a cricket chirping until Discord created one for that precise reason. “What the buck?! Where is everypony?!” Fluttercruel screamed, throwing a tantrum and ripping through every door and area looking for somepony. “There's not even a house cat!” Discord shrugged. “Maybe Mother Deer made them invisible?” Fluttercruel created the largest sword she could physically carry and swung it around in a circle, forcing her fellow Chaotic Evil aligned family to duck or use some cartoon method of avoiding damage. As the throne shattered, a note was thrown from it and floated down into Discord's claw. “Huh? What's this?” the chaotic tyrant questioned, reattaching his own head. “'I'm sorry Discord, your country's worth of victims is on another celestial body'. Huh how about that?” he asked...then a look of realization appeared on his face. He reread the note. “She...she's lying!” Discord rapidly teleported from place to place as fast as her immense power could carry him, checking every home and place in the country before returning. “She...she took them and left?!” “WHAT?!” Fluttercruel asked. The Spirit of Chaos snarled in absolute fury. “You...you...you...you THIEF!” he roared, forming spheres of red energy in his claws and throwing them with all the finesse of a child taking a bat to his room in a temper tantrum, not caring what he hit and forcing his own family to dodge, wrecking the castle. “Those were my toys, my playthings! MINE!” he screamed like a child throwing a tantrum, blowing perfect holes of destruction in anything that even vaguely resembled the Mother of All Deer. “I had so many 'In Hooviet Roedina' literal puns I'll never get to do now because of you!” One temper tantrum later, there was barely a castle (or an area around it) left, on top of the destruction, Mad Tiara and Screwball were currently hanging on a flag pole above a pit of boiling taffy, among other bizarre things the enraged Chaos Spirit had left in his wake. “Please calm down Uncle...” Mad Tiara whimpered, looking scared. “Yeah, you still have us!” Screwball called. Discord...took a deep breath and actually settled down. He gingerly rescued his nieces from their position and set them down. “...Thanks...I needed that...” Discord's moment of clarity (and likely in this loop momentary freedom from his tormentor) was broken by the sound of every cuss word in many languages being thrown. Fluttercruel was cussing up a storm, stabbing what was once a picture of Mother Dear with every weapon she could think of. “Bucking thief! I finally get to bucking be with dad and bucking do something and you bucking ruin it you...you...” “Fluttercruel!” “...Yes dad...” “...We're going home, young lady...we can get some ice cream on the way...we'll figure out what happened later.” It was a thousand or so years until my child left me again, to only return when you desired to recreate their physical form and they had a new vessel in which to dwell, staying next to their spiritual siblings in the hearts of the Bearers who had awakened their new ones. Until then, I don't even know if Discord found us or not, but the field kept us safe and protected. Luna was kind enough to help us make our sanctuary a permanent lunar colony when I returned the Elements to their physical vessles. Contrary to the name, the sun does shine on the dark side of the moon, but only when it's not visible from Equus. Those of my children that wished to return to their ancestor's home land have, those that wish to remain on the first lunar colony have. (Interviewer's Notes (Libra): Thank you for the interview, darling.) Any time, Libra...now, may I ask you something? (Interviewer's Notes (Libra): Anything, darling.) ...How much longer until your children are coming? I love baby showers. (Interviewer's Notes (Libra): Not for a few more months, but glad you're interest-...wait, children?!)