The Cycle Anew

by ManeWriter

Loyalty Corrupt

"Whats this all about, Trixie? How did you know about the visions?"

That question was simply begging to be asked once Twilight Sparkle realized how far from Ponyville they had traveled.

Though the lavender mare had forgiven her azure counter-part for what she had done in the past, Twilight couldn't help but feel a little wary of the situation.

"As I told you; what I have to say is for your ears only.", Trixie calmly reminded, "I want to make sure of that."

It was then, that Twilight abruptly stopped; wearing a suspicious frown on her face. Trixie realized a missing set of hoof-steps, and turned back to Twilight with an ever-so subtle glare.

"Be that as it may, I think this is far enough.", Twilight sternly informed, "If what you have to say is so important, then lets hear it."

Understanding the delicacy of her objective now, more than ever, Trixie reluctantly complied. She collected herself, and prepared to relay the information.

"Very well, Twilight Sparkle. Listen carefully.", Trixie unfastened her saddlebags and let them drop to the ground, "Relent your fruitless resistance."

Twilight's ears twitched as she mentally double-took the words that were spoken.

"What? Is this some kind of joke?", she demanded.

"I joke with you not.", Trixie answered with a smiling glare, "I'm here to deliver a message."

The sudden, menacing vibe that suffocated the air, threw Twilight on edge in an instant. Her hooves parted and dug into the earth.

With horn and spells on tow, the young protege exhaled an aggressive snort and prepared for the worst.

"Alright, Trixie! You'd better start talking right now! What you do want from me?!"

Unfazed by Twilight's opposition, Trixie held her unnerving smile with gusto.

"Sovereign speaks of you, Protege of the Sun Monarch. She who resists, but will inevitably fail. The Reapers can't be stopped."

A rush of dejected and righteous anger welled within Twilight as those words were uttered.

"How can you even think such a thing! What the hay's the MATTER WITH YOU?!", she roared.

Trixie only chuckled. She began stalking to the left, as an angered Twilight stalked to the right; circling one another.

"You see, we've been watching you, Twilight Sparkle. Lately, you've acquired information that was supposed to have been long-since destroyed. You have knowledge of the past that makes you a... unique concern."

Twilight gritted her teeth. With all of this info poured out at once, her mind began to race; connecting dots and loose-ends.

How could Trixie have this sort of knowledge? How much did she know? Why was she-...

"Trixie... No. They've gotten to you, didn't they?", Twilight whispered in sudden dread, "You're... indoctrinated."

At this, the azure unicorn cackled as though she had triumphed at something spectacular.

"It seems that somepony has been doing her homework! How precious.", Trixie said with a chest hollowing air to her voice, "While I respect your deductive skills, I'd have to disagree with your conception."

Twilight deepened her penetrating glare unto her rival.

"Horse feathers! Nopony who speaks of the Reapers the way you do, could possibly convince me otherwise!", she stubbornly declared.

"Oh, my simple little hay-seed. You simply don't understand, do you? I've studied the affects if Indoctrination as well. One who is unfortunate enough, succumbs to Reaper influence indefinitely, with absolutely no hope of self-awareness or rational thought. However, there is a loop-hole."

Despite her animosity toward Trixie, Twilight's natural sponge of a brain told her to listen.

"Indoctrination is at the peak of effectiveness only to those who fight it's influence. When I first spoke to Sovereign, I'll admit; I was horrified beyond imagination.", Trixie admit with a slight grimace, "At first, I resisted with youthful abandon. Hay, I even went so far as to ignore it; hoping that it was a just a sick joke. But as time pressed on, I started hearing whispers. They grated against my mind. Clawed into my spine! The more I ignored it, the more it persisted. The more I fought their words, the louder they became!"

Twilight nearly spit on the ground as she connected with Trixie was saying.

"I... I don't believe it! You willingly let yourself become a puppet?!"

Trixie scoffed.

"I wouldn't expect an ignoramus such as you to understand.", she mocked coldly.

"Why, Trixie?! What could you possibly hope to gain by serving those Machines?!"

"Sovereign has educated me. It enlightened me to a cycle of destruction that has maintained balance and eternal harmony of our world. The Reapers have prevented untimely cataclysms numerous times. Don't you see, Twilight Sparkle? The Reapers are our salvation! To that end, I will help Sovereign complete it's mission. The Reapers will return!"

The assertions of Twilight's fellow unicorn finally sent her over the edge with rage. Her eyes and horn glowed menacingly as she howled in contempt.

"DAMMIT, TRIXIE! By doing this, you could doom all of Equestria! No! All of our world! You've turned your back on your own kind!"

"Don't you EVER SAY THAT TO ME!", Trixie roared back with disdain, "To what end would blind loyalty serve us, in the face of our own extinction?! The end of this cycle is near, Twilight Sparkle! Either we resist it here and die, or accept the Reaper's blessings!"

"TRAITOR!"

Unable to contain her anger any longer, Twilight fired a highly concentrated blast from her horn directly at Trixie, who jumped to safety in the nick of time.

"It must continue! For the salvation and continuity of life, The Cycle must continue! If you're too blinded by your own self-righteousness to see that, than you must die! DRAGONS! ATTACK!"

Upon Trixie's echoing call, Twilight was suddenly trapped where she stood by a menagerie of wing, scale and claw!

Snarling and drooling for gore, five adolescent dragons surrounded the now frightened Twilight. Her ears drooped as an expression of terror enveloped her face.

"Trixie! W-What is this?!", she screamed.

The former showmare grinned again. She had the advantage, and she knew it.

"Poor, uneducated, FOAL! Your feeble mind can't possibly fathom their ways! Sovereign has scoured our world for thousands of years! Collecting resources. Indoctrinating allies! As we speak, it readies it's forces, poised to crush all resistance as it unleashes it's brethren for another glorious harvest!", Trixie cackled with triumph.

The scaly beasts began to encroach on the trembling Twilight. Their humid, scorching breath blanketed her with despair.

Slowly, she could feel every thread of rational thought unravel in her mind, one by one.

"Stop this madness, Trixie... Stop it!", she demanded through shuddered breaths as the blood thirsty dragon closed in, "Stop it! STOP IT!"

Trixie eagerly galloped toward a tall rock to garner a better view of a show that she was sure to enjoy. Her face fell into a dark, evil shade of sadistic delight.

"Dragons... Fetch me her hide.", she hissed, "And do be quick about it. I've had enough of this grief to last a lifetime."

That command sent warm tears spilling from Twilight's eyes. Her opposition roared fiercely and obeyed Trixie without so much as an ounce of hesitation.

Finally, the last threads of rational thought snapped apart, and Twilight's instinct to survive took over.

Her horn burst with a blinding light that disoriented her attackers just long enough for her to escape harm.

Much to her dismay, however, they recovered without fault, and launched themselves at the unicorn. Fangs bared and wings expanded, the dragons pursued Twilight relentlessly.

Adrenaline tore through Twilight's veins as she narrowly escaped death more times in one event, than what had ever transpired in her entire life.

Every swipe of the claw. Every clamp of the jaw. Every breath of flame; the dragons were hellbent on brutalizing their prey.

And a lack of stamina worked against her.

Her arsenal of spells had never been put to such a strenuous test. Not even during her magic duel with Trixie.

Sweat poured out of Twilight's body as she struggled to retain focus and strength in her magic. Her quick wit and prowess were the only thing keeping either of her attackers from sinking their fangs into her flesh.

She could feel every drip of malice and blood lust from the dragons, and it only added to her strain. She knew all to well; one mistake, and she would be horribly maimed.

At one point, she realized that she had already made a fatal error. And her horn's glow began to fade from magic exhaustion.

The five dragons were constantly changing their tactics. They assaulted their prey in formations and synchronizations that nipped at vital opportunities with every swipe. They were fast and tireless. Focused and unhesitating.

And it was taking a tole on Twilight.

Before long, the sweaty, achy unicorn found herself backed into a rocky corner. And her attackers had assumed the threatening Delta formation.

Her knees quaked beneath her as she made a attempt to glare at the dragon's, only able to muster a pathetic cringe instead. With the opportunity ripe, the beasts lunged forward yet again.

Time slowed to a maddening crawl as Twilight's limbs suddenly seized up. Her despair sky-rocketed when she realized that her trump-card... was all used up.

"Oh no..."

It was too late.

One of the dragons had clamped a toothy grip onto Twilight's back; sinking it's fangs into her flesh and drawing fresh blood. Suddenly desperate to escape, Twilight's legs burst into a frantic gallop, only to be held in place.

"No! NOOO!", she cried.

No mercy. No remorse. No grace. The dragon drove it's claws into Twilight's flank and promptly slammed her into the earth; rattling her bones upon impact. She whined helplessly in pain as she stared into the soulless eyes of her attacker.

Another dragon leaped to it's kin's side and carved a grueling slash unto it's victims neck; uttering another wail of agony and terror.

"Please...!", Twilight bawled.

With a triumphant roar, all five dragons huddled together and raised their flesh-rending claws above the helpless pony, prepared to slice her to ribbons.

"HALT!"

As though they hadn't even gave chase for minutes on end, the dutiful beasts lowered their claws and stood away from the torn and bloody unicorn; separating from one another to clear a path.

Smiling with self-satisfaction, Trixie trotted through the path and gazed upon the gruesome sight.

Her eyes gleamed with cruelty as she heard her rivals cries of anguish and fear.

"You've done well, comrades. You've done very well, indeed!", Trixie reveled victoriously, "But I've changed my mind. I will be the one to end this!"

Vision blurred and recollection all but gone, Twilight struggled to regain focus. But when she did, she quickly wished she hadn't.

Before her stood Trixie; levitating a sharp-pointed rock above her.

"It didn't have to be this way, Twilight Sparkle. We'd have made one helluva team, you and I.", Trixie said as the floating rock spun like a drill, "But there will be no mercy for anypony who stands in my way!"

Twilight's eyes burned as tears poured down the side of her face. Her expression was contorted into a haunting twist of dread and beseeching despair.

"Trixie... Don't...", she pleaded with a disheartening whine.

Hesitation set in.

Trixie's eyes softened at her fellow unicorn's plea, and there gazes met. Twilight's glistening eyes reflected many things. Things that once held meaning to Trixie. Things that beckoned for a future. A desire to flourish and live.

But it was too late. Their was no turning back. Not for either of them. Not for Twilight, and especially not for Trixie. Of that, she was all too certain.

Her smile long since gone, the azure unicorn's expression hardened once more.

"Long live Sovereign..."

Knowing that further hesitation would be too restraining, Trixie clenched her teeth and smashed the spear-headed stone into her target; expelling a cloud of thick dust.

Of all the emotions she had expected to feel when the dust settle, blind anger was definitely not one of them.

"What the-?! Where in Tartarus did she go?!", she cursed as she frantically scanned her surroundings.

Much to Trixie's surprise, one of her dragon comrades sniffed loudly before whirling around and unleashing a roar of animistic rage.

The azure unicorn and the other dragons turned to the source of the distress, and witnessed something that changed everything.

"You?!", she shouted in sheer disbelief.

"Wish you'd noticed me earlier. I was starting to feel left out."

The veracious dragons expelled their roars and snarls at the new arrival.

But Trixie began to sweat, and found it difficult to summon her seemingly ever-present confidence.

"Ahh. The infamous Spirit of Chaos.", she sneered.

The bloody mess that was Twilight Sparkle in grasp, Discord examined the situation with a mischievous smile.

"So you've heard of me! I'm honored.", he bowed before taking a closer look at the opposition, "Oh, and you must be Beatrix Lulamoon. Or should I say, 'The Great and Powerful Trixie'."

Just the sheer tone of Discord's mocking persona was enough for Trixie to grit her teeth. She stepped forward; ignoring her rising nervousness.

"You seem to know me by name, Spirit. I guess I should return your gesture of gratitude."

With the situation assessed in full, the mismatched Spirit gently laid Twilight upon the ground and began marching toward the antagonists. Confidently. Dauntlessly.

Trixie and her dragon comrades all frowned with anticipation.

"If the situation here is as dreadful as it looks, Fair Beatrix, then that means you've been a very bad girl. Haven't you?", Discord grinned.

Trixie attempted to lift a most convincing smile upon her face, but her nervousness dulled it's edge.

"I fail to see how that is any of your business, Draconequus.", she said as strongly as she could, "Might I suggest you hastily remove yourself before somepony gets hurt?"

Discord stopped in his tracks and feigned shock and displeasure.

"Ohhho-hohoho my!", he mocked, "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

Again, Trixie's confident facade was penetrated as though it were nothing. Sensing this, Discord's smile broadened.

"What exactly are you hoping to accomplish, Fair Beatrix? Salvation? Is that it? Is that how you justify your status as a puppet on a string?"

"Shut up!", Trixie blasted, "You have little rite to judge me, Spirit! My actions are of my own accord!"

At this very interesting piece of information, Discord raised a bushy grey eyebrow. His smile faded ever so slowly as he resumed his unnerving march.

"You mean, you willingly surrendered your freedom and self-hood to the Reapers?", his voice was suddenly devoid of amusement and playfulness.

This new vibe sent silent shudders through Trixie's body. The cold, unforgiving stare that Discord gave her was dwindling her courage more and more.

And that was scaring the Hell out of her.

Her scaly comrades leaped in front of her protectively; snarling at Discord.

"Beatrix? Before I rectify this absurdity, let me ask you a very important question.", Discord requested.

The white maned mare reflexively gulped, yet kept what was left of her adamant facade.

"Very well. What would that be?"

"Do you like chocolate milk?"

Well that was a thought provoker. Trixie actually found herself questioning if she had heard right.

"What the hay are you o-"

Her words were morphed into terrified screams as she witnessed the head of one of her comrades evenly spit apart; spattering it's blood across her face.

The other dragons howled with startled fury and poised themselves to attack the Spirit.

Trixie fell back on her haunches in suffocating fear.

"W-W-What have you done, you beast!", she sputtered.

"Take that as a 'no', then?"

Trixie shot to her now shaky hooves with wide eyes and erratic pulse. By now it was clear what she was in for, and she was suddenly desperate.

"Don't just stand there! Get him! GET HIM!", she commanded.

Obeying without a hitch, the furious dragons took to the air and soared at Discord. The clever draconequus smirked devilishly, and snapped his talons.

An untimely descent threw the four dragons off their focus as their wings were no longer where they should have been.

With no hesitation, and with the utmost confidence, Discord flicked his wrist and promptly flung the dragons back to Trixie. All but one. The unfortunate creature's head was caught by Discord, who swiftly and thoughtlessly twisted his arms; ushering a sickening, wet 'snap'.

Rigid for only a few seconds, the dragon's body fell limp, and the Spirit dropped the lifeless heap to the ground.

Witnessing these merciless acts hurled Trixie into vortex of despair she hadn't felt since her first encounter with Sovereign. And she was no longer able to hide her terror.

"You... You MONSTER!", she shrieked.

Discord expanded his wings in a threatening gesture.

"You're all mine, now. Indoctrinated Husks, you won't escape!"

The sight before her was blurred and distorted, only able to make out minimal detail. But Twilight was still very much alive, and barely clinging to consciousness.

The burning pain the enveloped her body was beyond anything she had ever suffered, and it crippled her to a certain degree. Though she found herself unable to move, her senses did not betray her.

Or, at least, that what she originally assumed.

"Twilight! Oh, Celestia, no! Twilight, can you hear me?!"

The sheer familiarity of that voice invoked a persistent denial with Twilight. It couldn't have been...

"Flu... Fluttershy? Is that... really you?"

Struggling to see through the blurs, Twilight squinted at the fuzzy shade of saffron and pink.

Fluttershy was positively beside herself with grief as she gazed hopelessly unto her bloody friend. She found herself at a loss for what to do, and couldn't decide whether to move her or not.

"Oh, Twilight! I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry! I... I-I was too scared!", Fluttershy wailed in shame.

From those words emerged a vivid memory that purged the haze from Twilight's vision. Battling the pain that twinged and burned through her seemed to be the only thing keeping her from falling unconscious, as she struggled to rise.

Alas, the torn unicorn could only collapse on her flank, and shake with unbearable weakness.

"Oh! Look at you! This is all my fault! If only I...!"

Fluttershy's words only fell into guilt-stricken sobs as she buried her face into her hooves. But her time for self-pity seemed nonexistent.

All train of thought was destroyed by the piercing shriek of Trixie, who helplessly shuffled back into a corner from the Spirit of Chaos.

As Twilight and Fluttershy gauged the scene before them, it became painfully obvious what Discord was about to do.

"Discord! NO! What are you doing?!", Twilight cried as she, once again, tried and failed to rise, "Fluttershy! We need to get down there!"

"W-What?! I... I-! But your wounds-"

"NOW!"

"EEP! Okay...!"

With her feeble insistence crushed, Fluttershy carefully took hold of Twilight and flew to the air, where Discord prepared to silence his last victim.

Trixie's face was a waterfall of tears, and she stared hopelessly into Discord's unforgiving red eyes.

"No... S-Stay back! Leave me ALONE!", she screeched.

"And miss out on all of this drama? Now who's the crazy one?", he mocked with a sadistic edge.

"I've told you everything I know! You said you'd let me go!"

Discord rolled his eyes out of sheer annoyance. He launched his eagle talons and clamped unto Trixie's neck; ushering another scream as she rigorously shook her head from side to side.

"I lied...", he grinned.

"No, don't! I want to live! Please! Have mercy, Discord!", she squealed and weakly beat upon the Spirit's grip.

"You? Live? A pathetic unicorn who chose a path of servitude to a catastrophic cause? You've surrendered your freedom. Forsaken your will to evolve and flourish! You're already dead, Beatrix. And I'm gonna make sure you stay that way."

Discord's promise was one that Trixie knew he could and would deliver on.

His ruthless slaughter of her dragon comrades had made that all too clear. Those facts alone drove her to deeper insanity.

She was going to die.

"Please... You can't do this to me..."

Discord's lion paw ignited with a piercing yellow flame.

"Die. Harlot of the Machines."

It was upon those words did the draconequus stumble in his actions, as his focus was destroyed by a voice all too familiar.

"DISCORD! STOP THIS!"

He needed not turn back. There was only one mare who reeked of idealism enough to protest his conviction other than Celestia herself.

"You can't kill her!", Twilight demanded as strongly as she could.

Fluttershy had descended to the ground and set her friend down as gently as she could.

Despite all of the carnage that ensued, the saffron pegasus found herself trembling at the sight before her. She could hardly believe her eyes, but they didn't deceive her.

The Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony was free.

"I think Sovereign took care of that for me, Twilight Sparkle.", Discord insisted, never taking his glare from his sobbing victim.

Twilight fell to the ground again; her weakness taking its toll. Frantic to stop the Spirit, however, she crawled closer to them.

"No! I don't believe that, Discord! Some part of the Old Trixie is still alive in there! She can still redeem herself!"

Discord scoffed loudly at the young mare's words.

"And how can you tell that, my dear? The sniveling pleas for mercy? The cascade of fearful tears? The undying, albeit, faded arrogance? Or the blood stained on her hooves?"

Finally, as though gaining strength from desperation, Twilight shakily rose to her hooves and remained standing.

"Its not right, Discord! Even you have to realize that she could be an ally to us! There's always another way!"

Twilight's insufferable softness wore on Discord's last nerve. With Trixie still in grasp, the Spirit whirled around and put his victim face to face with Twilight.

"An Ally?! Look at this thing, Twilight! LOOK AT IT! It's no more an ally than Cerberus is a helpless pup! It swore loyalty to the Reapers! It can't be trusted, and it deserves NO redemption!", he protested.

Discord's words, though stern and cold, held an unsettling truth. And yet, these allegations were challenged by Trixie's tears.

Twilight stared upon her fellow unicorn with nothing short of pity. The azure mare's eyes begged for mercy, her body language was that of a pony as afraid of death as any other. Down to the very blood and flesh.

"She doesn't deserve this, Discord.", Twilight finally said, "Please... Let her go."

Finally, the Spirit had had enough. He dropped the sniveling Trixie to the ground and crossed his arms disapprovingly at Twilight.

"Your blind idealism is a sign of weakness, Twilight Sparkle.", he growled, "Pray that it doesn't come back to haunt you."

Collecting herself from her sudden fall, Trixie's glistening eyes once again met Twilight's gaze; wallowing in sheer disbelief that she was spared.

"You... Y-You..."

"Begone, Beatrix Lulamoon.", Discord interjected with a sneer, "May we never cross paths again."

And with a snap of his talons, Trixie was gone. To where, was a mystery.

"Thank you, Discord. I... know that couldn't have been easy-"

"Shut up and hold still.", he commanded as he placed his lion upon Twilight's back.

She found no will to question the Spirit's actions when she was flooded with a rush of soothing relief throughout her body. She was overtaken by warmth and energy as her injuries steadily healed.

"I... I didn't know you could do that.", Twilight quietly marveled.

"Yeah? Well don't get used to it, ya bleeding-heart.", Discord spat.

The young protege couldn't help but smile. Her growing camaraderie with the draconequus had made her more comfortable around him. Every ounce of help he had given broadened her knowledge in ways she had only imagined.

She'd probably never say directly to the Spirit's face, but she was eternally grateful to him and everything he had done in the passed days.

Now, however, she realized she had a major problem.

She peeked behind her and realized that Fluttershy was missing. But any worry that might have arisen was vanquished as she saw her hiding behind a tree; shaking like a leaf.

"Twilight Sparkle..."

She turned back to Discord and was instantly unnerved by his grave demeanor.

"Tell them.", he said flatly.

"But I-... Its so soon, Discord. What would I do? What should I say?", she fretted.

The mismatched draconequus hunched over and placed an assuring paw upon Twilight's shoulder.

"You've got to worn them. Sovereign is coming. Even now, it's preparing to launch its mission. I was able to gather at least that much from Beatrix. Whatever happens from here on out, you must be ready."

It was no good. No matter how she played the scene out in her mind, she saw no possible way to convince anypony without dire consequences.

"But how? What if... What if nopony listens to me-YAH!"

Twilight was viciously snatched into Discord's grip as he tried to shake her out of her restraining fear.

"Whats wrong with you?! Threaten them! Kick their flanks! It shouldn't matter! If they won't listen, then MAKE them listen!", she shouted before dropping her on her haunches.

Twilight knew, despite his harshness, Discord was telling the cold hard truth. She only realized the haste she had to make when Discord turned to leave. But there was one loose end that was bothering the Hell out of her.

With a quick levitation spell, she gathered the Spirit's attention again.

"Discord, wait!", she called out.

When he turned, Discord abruptly caught a saddlebag thrown to him. He stared at it strangely before peeking at the contents inside. His expression thereafter, only spawned more concern.

"No way. This is..."

"I'll do my part. I'll try my best to convince everypony. Just please... do what you can. Whatever Trixie had in that bag, I'm sure its invaluable to our research.", she said with high hopes.

Discord suddenly found himself giddy with delight, and he leaped into the air.

"Oh, how wonderful! This could skyrocket our progress! Well done, Twilight Sparkle! Well done!"

With that, and a hardy cackle, the draconequus was gone with a snap.

There was no more time to lose. Twilight now knew what she had to do, and the knowledge of what her revelations could bring both encouraged and frightened her. But there was no alternative. She had to tell them everything.

"You can come out now, Fluttershy."

As predicted, said pegasus hesitated before peeking her head from behind her hiding place. With the coast clear, Fluttershy trotted to her friend. It was almost painful to see the expression of worry on her face, Twilight noted.

"T-Twilight? Whats going on? Why was Discord-"

"Fluttershy?"

"Oh, um... Yes?"

Twilight smiled weakly and began walking in the direction of Ponyville.

"Lets just go home. I'll explain everything over a nice cup of tea."

Comments

[Sgt Dash]

Paragon Twilight