Autumn

by canonkiller

Contamination

~So, how's everypony doing? Ready for winter? I'm not. I would like winter if it wasn't cold... anyway, we've topped 4000 views! Yay! And Obsidian and Sunrise make such a cute couple <3 ~

Twilight Who Never Sparkled, Silly was walking around, bored after making the night. She could still see the lengths of time running about her, but they were larger, more detailed, catching images before her eyes. This made it incredibly easy to watch for knots - each pony's timeline normally wove around another, but when they went taught, it was a presign of a disturbance.

There weren't many in the town that were problemous. Everyone got along well, which was a good relief from the anarchy-wracked realms around. She had kept a close eye on the newest draconequus, under her own orders to not interfere until she was back in her infinite form.

The creature in question had gone out with a young dragoness while she was putting up the stars, and she had felt compelled to watch them and make sure nothing went wrong, but her morality had won out and she had left them alone. She didn't like not being able to see everything whenever she wanted to, but she couldn't interact without this form and remaining in this space-time. And she had to stay until the other Alicorn was strong enough to move the sun and moon, or more problems would occur that she didn't want to bother with fixing.

Seeing a knot forming, she trotted off.

<I told you.>

Obsidian jolted up from where he was lying on cold stone. He was back in the barren, desolate wasteland.

<I told you I would get her for you. I did, didn't I?>

"I thought..." A sinking feeling settled in Obsidian's stomach and heart. "I thought that..."

<...Somepony actually liked you? Sorry kiddo, but that's not how things work for draconequus. Nopony wishes to like you. Now, because I have done my part, you have to pay up.>

"Payment? But I didn't-"

<Well, you woke up before I could continue. Not very considerate. Anyway, the payment isn't actually bad for you. You just have to tell me you accept.>

"Accept what?"

<Powers of chaos.> The voice took a tone that made it obvious that this was common information. <Your powers will become as strong as your fathers'.>

"That's going to happen anyway, isn't it?"

<Not really. You see, you have very very very minor chaos. He has an average level. I have the optimum levels, which is the maximum. You won't ever be as strong as I am, but you can be as strong as him.>

"And nothing happens to me?"

<Only little things.> The voice shrugged.

"Well, okay... I accept?"

A odd kind of smoke took form in the air, floating for a few moments before enveloping Obsidian's form. He struggled against the smoke, coughing and clawing at it, until it finally managed to seep in through his mouth and nose. He stilled almost seconds after, his eyes closing and body settling back into a normal standing position. Streching out his claws a few times, he took a deep breath.

"A long time..." The not-Obsidian began, before coughing into the back of his paw. "It's been a long time since I felt mortal."

Twilight backed up from the hunk of unnatural metal as it sagged forward and the light in it's eyes dimmed.

"What's going on?!" She screamed, plunged into darkness as the meager source of light flickered out. "You can't just leave us here without telling us what's going on!"

"Calm down, Twi." Applejack's hoof on her shoulder pulled her back into a state of somwhat balanced psychology. "He can't hear ya, there's no use in losin' your voice, y'hear me? Ah don't think it's possible for a machine to go dyin'. At least, not like that. He'll be wakin' up soon enough, and we'll have ta fight him."

"How do you know?"

"Oh, Twi. Haven't you realized everything that can go wrong will?"

Discord knocked on the door a few times, waiting for his son to get up. For once in his life he had made an actual breakfast, and there was no way the little runt was going to miss it.

Shoving the door aside with one paw, he stormed up beside his son's bed, peering over the pillow. Obsidian was muttering in his sleep, paws twitching. Rolling his eyes, Discord leaned back, ready to roar, when Obsidian's head shot up and his eyes instantly focused on his father.

The older spirit took a few steps back, falling on his rump with shock. Not only did he wake up so weirdly, his eyes...

...they were different sizes.

Just like his.

Discord knew exactly what this meant.

"SPIKE! YOU'VE GOT TO HELP ME!"

The large dragon raised his head from the stone, momentarily confused. He had set up a new den in the mountians of Canterlot - ponies knew he was alive, but not where he was. Finally seeing the draconequus floating in front of him, he started growling.

"Oh come on. Don't be like that. I'm not after your precious Elements, even though they're in the library behind you. I need help."

"That's obvious. You've needed help since you were born." He laughed at his own joke, but was still wary. Twilight had instructed him to hide the Elements in his hoard so they would never be found by anypony without the benefits of Equestria at heart.

"Please, don't make jokes about my states of mental deprivation. I need to stop discord."

Spike cocked his head. "You know, I was joking about you needing help, but I am really beginning to believe being trapped in stone has gotten to you..."

"Well, it sort of has, but - wait a sec - no! No no no! You don't understand!"

"If you need a psychiatrist, I can get you somepony from Canterlot in no time at all."

"Listen to me, you numbskulled overgrown lizard!"

"That's Mr. numbskulled overgrown lizard to you."

"Fine, whatever you want to be called, I need a book."

"Dealing With Multiple Personalities?"

"What? NO! The history books on how you beat me." He glanced over the dragon's shoulder. "Didn't you keep the Elements right there?"

Spike looked back over his shoulder, noticing the missing garments for himself. "What did you do with them?!"

Discord shook his head and put his hands up defensively as the dragon stood up to his full height. "Calm down, calm down. I did nothing, I swear."

"Pinkie Pie swear?"

"Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye. Good enough? Anyway, I didn't take them, but I know where they are. Or, where they were."

Spike settled slightly, sitting down. "And?"

"Well, you see... ahaha... this is awkward... okay, so, my mom - you wouldn't know her, I'm sure... well, her dad just happens to be, you know, the embodiment of absense and darkness... and he's sorta pissed off at me right now... you know how he had Twilight and her friends? Well, Celestia and Luna are dead, and Twilight must have summoned the Elements - there was magic residue all over the place where she was kidnapped, in her signature violet sheen... so anyway, there's one problem with using the Elements on my grandpa... what doesn't kill him makes him stronger, and whatever he's hit with, he destroys. And he can't die, which means the Elements don't really exist anymore. And I have reason to believe that he's preying on my son..."

"Crimsonleaf is King? Good for him." Spike was still trying to understand what Discord had said.

Discord blushed, scuffing the rocky floor with his hoof. "Well not exactly. I didn't want to tell you, but... I'm King."

"Y-y-y-you? But Crimsonleaf was next in line! Unless..."

"I GET IT, I get it." The spirit interrupted. "Do you know what made my eyes like this?"

"That was random."

"From birth my grandfather had poisoned me. I was a God since I opened my eyes and realized the wasteland he trained me in wasn't the real world. And he didn't have a pleasant way of giving me my powers. I had to watch him break... everything... that I loved before I could use those powers."

"And where do I fit in here?" Spike had relaxed completely, although he still partially believed Discord was suffering from multiple personality disorder, the chaotic draconequus wasn't being agressive.

"Well, the thing my son loves... it's..." Discord took a deep breath, wishing he had some cider with him to calm his nerves. "He's in love with your daughter."

The dragon's eyes narrowed.

Spike's angry roar echoed around the mountian, matched by Discord's girly scream.

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