Autumn

by canonkiller

Still

Twilight lit the small fireplace, burning a few of the larger dust mats she had found. The small room was looking almost good as new, except for the massive... thing... lying on the bed. It looked shapeless, but whenever Twilight walked past it, she could feel it's glare as it hissed. Whatever it was, she was not going to touch it.

So, as karmic intervention always does, the teleporting draconequus basically landed on top of it.

The purple Unicorn looked on in amused surprise, barely able to see past the draconequus's writhing tail. When the leftover dust settled, Discord was sitting on what looked to be a black beanbag.

Twilight Sparkle lifted an eyebrow towards the thing, and Discord gave her a sarcastic smirk in return, eventually giving in to her half-glare and turning the thing back, with the exception of it flying through the air out he window as he did so. As the angry bay of the creature faded, Discord turned his attention back to Twilight. "Anyway, have you seen Sunrise since she left?"

"Have you gone looking for her?"

"Do you REALLY think I would sit her and tap my claws until a carcass drags itself back? Of course I've been looking!"

"No, she hasn't shown up."

Discord frowned. "I haven't been able to contact Spike again, either. Hope they're okay..."

Spike looked down at the smashed ink vial on the ground, and back at the dry quill in his claw. "Damn."

"I'm sure they're fine. Spike's strong."

"What have you been doing while I've been trying to save my daughter-in-law?"

The Unicorn growled at the offhand insult before taking a deep breath and returning to her cleaning. "I've been getting the dust out of the castle for you. I'm almost done."

He took to the air, floating above her head. "Woman's work?"

"You. Did. NOT. Just. Go. There." She snarled, grabbing her duster with her magic. "You little rat."

"You know it's tru-ue~"

With a playful roar, Twilight launched herself at the draconequus, rubbing the duster all over his belly and causing him to erupt with giggles. Twilight was caught in the sudden mirth, and started laughing as well.

Both of them noticed what they were doing with a sudden jolt, and Twilight got off Discord's belly almost as fast as he scurried away from her.

He eyed the blush on her cheeks. "Sparkle-butt, do you like me~"

"No!" She shouted, pink cheeks turning red. "No!"

He lifted a sadistic eyebrow, but leaned in with a smirk. "You shouldn't lie to yourself~"

When the Unicorn didn't reply, he backed up, watching as she scuffed a hoof on the ground and tried her hardest not to meet his eyes.

"Oh. Oh-kay. Awkward." He turned away, looking out the window to give Twilight some time to sort out her words.

"I guess... I do like you... a little."

"You attacked me with a duster."

"It was just... for a second... you reminded me of Sunrise. That's how I used to tease her for messing up my books."

It dawned on him then. "Twilight... have you noticed anything... different... about Sunrise lately?"

"She's married..."

"Anything else?"

"She's smiling a lot. And looks healthy. Glowing with..." Her voice trailed off. "...Glowing."

Discord simply nodded.

"She's pregnant." Twilight monotoned.

"Secrety-secret. Can't tell anypony. That's why I'm so bucking worried."

"What...?"

"I don't know how the types of magic... mesh. Not only draconequus and dragon, but chaos and old magic, and on top of that, the minor Shard in him to her purity." He took a deep breath. "I don't know if her or her kid will live."

Obsidian threw himself against the Shard's wall, hoping that it would at least relent. Or move. The almost-electronic pulse raced across the surface again though, and decimated his efforts by launching him through the air. A ripple of pain surged through his subconscious as he slammed into the ground, spikes seemingly jabbed into his spine.

"Oh, come on! That's dirty."

"You do not want." The voice echoed around him. "You are punished."

"I'm letting you possess my body."

The entity laughed. "Like you could fight back."

Obsidian cracked a smile, channeling some of the power he had received into regaining his sight. The familiar lines of time surrounded him, a tangled web of silver. With a few sharps twists, a spire of stone shot out of the ground, slamming the eternal being's body into the air and dropping drastically to enlarge the fall. After a few earthly attacks, he felt the Shard shift off his surface, withdrawing so his injuries would be his alone.

With a mad laugh, he snapped his wings open, shooting up and away from the ground and letting the stones settle again. The Shard roared daggers inside his mind for such disobedience as he restrained it under thick temporal chains.

"Now, to go find Sunrise."

There is a very thin line between waking and dreaming. On one side is outlandish horrors and graphic chaos. On the other, there are dreams, wondrous and blooming, spirals of color glowing like miniature stars, landscapes of clouds and flowers forming the world.

This line, where time has no meaning, where minutes can seem like hours and vice-versa, is a very dangerous place to tread.