For a moment, Twilight Sparkle dozes off. She starts to fall out of the sky, jarring her awake again. Violet wings flutter wildly like a bat to gain altitude once more. Once she is stable, her eyes droop again, a yawn leaving her mouth. Warmth hits her back as the rising sun follows her to Ponyville. She shakes her head trying to rattle the sheepishness away.
It took all night to climb out of Tartarus, she yawns again. Tirek has been in his cage and I’m the only one that has come to visit. Cerberus has not left his post either. So that means that the mysterious pony has no allegiance with Tirek. After some sleep I’ll continue…
The tiredness in her body is ruptured when she looks upon Ponyville from above. Ponies run frantically about town as the vicious vines reach out and try to ensnare them. Screams of those capture echo in the morning sky.
“What the,” she is at a loss, “The Ever-free Forest, again?”
While her wings feel heavy, she forces herself to soar up into the sky. Away from town is the small cottage of her friend, Fluttershy. Down below, the yellow Pegasus is herding her animal into her house. Bunnies bound away as the vines draw closer. Taking up the rear is the bear, who scoops up Fluttershy in his furry arms and runs inside. Angel is at the door, and slams it shut as the vines crawl up on the walls. Green thorns burrow into the rock as the tendrils swarm over her home.
Twilight Sparkle drops from the sky and is immediately surrounded by the thorn tentacles. Like snakes they seem to swarm her, coiling at her hooves. She winces at the pain, but her horn is aghast in magic. A spell blasts the vines away, freeing her from her grasp. Focusing her spell, it explodes outwards in a dome, eradicating all the other nearby foliage. Quickly, she turns to the do and knocks.
“W-Who’s there?” she hears Fluttershy quiver.
“It’s me, Twilight,” the princess shouts. “These are the same vines Discord caused. Have you seen him around?”
The door opens, and her yellow head pokes outside, “No, he hasn’t been around today. Which is weird, since he was supposed to come by for tea today.”
“Oh really…”
“You don’t think he did it,” Fluttershy says. “He’s learned his lesson after the incident with Tirek.”
Twilight is struck by a thought, “Don’t you think it is a bit strange that Ponyville was attacked by a fake Tirek, and now it is being attacked by these vines.”
“Um, I guess so.”
“You know what they both have in common, don’t you?” Twilight glares, “Discord.”
“Wait,” Fluttershy objects, “We don’t know that he is responsible for this.”
“Either way we need to put a stop to these vines from taking over the entire town,” Twilight takes flight, hovering over the cottage. “I’ll go get Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie while you get Apple Jack and Rarity.”
Before Fluttershy can speak another word, the Princess of Friendship soars into the clouds.
In the center of town, Twilight, Rainbow, and Pinkie have gathered. All three search the skies for Fluttershy, but there is no sign of their quiet friend. Meanwhile the vines have continued to linger closer. A beam of magic blasts some away, but soon spiked vines start floating in the sky like clouds. Lightning casts down at them, making the princess jump out of the way. Rainbow Dash flies up and bucks it out of the way, but is immediately zapped when she does. Falling to the earth, Pinkie Pie comes to the rescue with a giant pie. The Pegasus splatters in the whipped cream.
“Thanks Pinkie,” she pokes her head out of the custard, it clings to her mane.
Hopping over to Rainbow Dash, she licks the gooey treat off her, “Yum, you’re welcome.”
“Girls, focus,” Twilight shouts, shooting another beam of magic. Where are the others? Maybe I should have Rainbow Dash…
She fails to finish that thought when she spies Fluttershy floating down to them like a leaf on a breeze. Distraught is painted across her face.
“Fluttershy,” Twilight speaks, “Where are Rarity and Apple Jack?”
“Um,” she looks away, “They said they’re not coming.”
“What?” Rainbow leaps out of the pie. “Don’t they realize the town is under attack?”
“Yes, but, um,” she shies away, “They said they don’t want to be near the other.”
Twilight sighs, “We’ll have to deal with that later. Fluttershy, get as many ponies to town hall as possible. We’ll set up a defense here.”
“Do you think something to the Tree of Harmony?” Pinkie Pie asks.
“No,” Twilight says. “I checked that place before coming to grab either of you.”
Rainbow looks confused, “Then who—hey!”
Without her realizing, a plunder vine lassoes her leg and throws her to the ground. Others swarm around her, pinning her to the ground. Her wings are hugged tightly as she groans from the thorns digging into her body.
“Rainbow Dash!”
Twilight charges up a spell when a vine snakes around her horn and throws her to the ground. Another pounces on her, hogtying her wings to her legs. She looks over to find Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy in the same predicament. Of course, the pinker of the two seems less in turmoil, as she swings upside down with a smile on her face.
Oh no, I don’t know what to do, she cringes as the vines tighten. I got to get out or the town will be destroyed.
Suddenly, a blue light flashes throughout the entire town, and the girls are free. They look about in a state of confusion until they see another pony walking up to them. Her pink dark violet hair hangs to the side, until she brushes it back. A soft, sincere smile is pressed on her mouth.
“Starlight!” Twilight shouts, jumping up and running to her protégé. “Thank goodness you’re here.”
“Of course,” she answers. “Ponyville is my home too now.”
Starlight Glimmer stands against the vines drawing closer. Stomping her hoof, she casts another spell. Bright flash of energy swarms across the town, pushing the tendrils back. Yet, the plants charge again.
“They’re relentless,” Starlight proclaims.
“Still,” Twilight stands beside her, “We have to stop it from swarming Ponyville.”
“It looks like you might be in the need of my help.”
One of the vines drawing closer transforms into Discord. The draconequus stands up to the plunder plants as they come at him like a wave. Cracking his fingers, he transforms his attire to red robes. A staff is gripped in his bird-like claw. He grips the wooden staff in both hands, he slams it down to the ground. The vines part before turning into water, splashing down onto the girls and the rest of the town before harmlessly sinking into the earth.
“There we go,” he turns, changing back to his usual appearance. “No need to thank me.”
Shaking the water from her mane, Twilight stomps up to him, “We aren’t going to thank you, because this was clearly your fault!”
“My fault?” he is taken aback. “You must be joking.”
“Those are the same vines from your plunder seeds.”
Discord holds his hands up defensively, “I assure you, those were not the same ones that sprouted up. That was a more aggressive batch. I never would put you ponies in harm’s way.”
“But Tirek might,” she says.
“I suppose,” Discord shrugs, “But I don’t see what that has to do with me.”
“You two were partners,” she glares, “You betrayed us before. How do I know you aren’t doing that again?”
“I would never betray Fluttershy again,” he says, quickly moving to her side. “I felt awful doing it.”
Touching his side, Fluttershy stands up to Twilight, “I believe him.”
“I’m sure you do, but that doesn’t mean anything,” Twilight says. “He’s tricked us too many times before. And this reeks of his doing.”
Fluttershy huffs, “For being the Princess of Friendship, you are not being a good friend.”
Twilight, and many of the other ponies are left in utter shock. In the silence, Fluttershy flaps her wings, taking flight and leaves them. Discord looks uncomfortably from her to the princess, before walking off, following the shy pony back to her cottage.
It has been quite the eventful day, Thorn thinks, walking the streets of Ponyville at dusk. The roads are empty, and remnants of the plunder attack still linger on the walls of buildings. Mixing Berserk Root with the Plunder Seeds truly paid off. I had no idea the venom would affect them as well. Who knew Fluttershy had such wrath in her.
Looking up toward the setting sun, he says, “I know you are there, Discord.”
Casting shadow against the orange fireball are three bats, fluttering freely in the darkening sky. The nocturnal beasts form together, and grow. Discord drops down before the gray unicorn.
“I figured you would find me eventually,” Thorn Eclipse says with a smile. “You can sense when there is disharmony in the world. I can’t imagine the merging of six essences into one would slip off your radar.”
“Especially when one of those is mine,” he says sternly.
Thorn chuckles, “Well, what can I say? I am a bit of a fan.”
Discord scowls, “I don’t take kindly of being played for a fool, Spike.”
The smile fades, “How did you find out?”
“I remember the tooth you pilfered.”
Spike stomps closer, “Then I guess I’ll have to silence you before you tell the others.”
“Please,” Discord grins, “I’m the Lord of Chaos, you only have a fraction of my power.”
There is a glint in his emerald eyes, “But you forget that I am made up of many fractions…”
Suddenly, Discord is brought to his knees as his essence is ripped from his body. Like Lord Tirek, Thorn consumes it, growing stronger. In a matter of seconds, the draconequus is on the ground, weakened as the unicorn stands over him.
“I cannot have you around, Discord,” he says with a pitied look. “You are…too chaotic to contain.”
The tip of his horn glows in several colors before a beam hits the weakened Chaos Lord. Discord struggles to move, but ultimately succumbs as his body is turned to stone. A look of regret is forever etched in the rock. Thorn rears his head back as his horn becomes illuminated again. Pointing it at the statue, he blasts it to bits.
A sinister laugh erupts from his throat, “Goodbye, Discord…”