Unlikely Places

by flutterstare

Into the Dark

4

Into the Dark

“Really now, I thought we were over this whole ‘summoning’ business.” Discord casually inspected his nails as he floated in midair in the Princess’s chamber. “It can be quite tedious you know, especially on a weekday when I have so much work to do.”

Ignoring his sarcasm, Celestia paced wide circles around the room, nervously adjusting her crown as she did. “I have an urgent matter to discuss. Certain… events have put the stability of my kingdom in jeopardy. I am not sure if you are yet aware–”

“Yes, yes. I heard about that little crisis with Princess Luna the other day,” Discord said, “Where did she run off to? The Crystal Empire? Sunny Saddle Arabia maybe?”

Celestia gave him an angry look, but managed to keep her composure. “She did not deem it necessary to tell me, but I assure you she is far beyond my diplomatic reach. There is unrest among my citizens. They are lost without leadership; you know that. As the only other being of immense power in whom I have any trust, I need you to help me get them safely through this.”

Discord threw his head back and laughed. “You need my help? Oh, this is grand!” he chortled, “What is it you want me to do, Princess? Take Luna’s place? Is that it? Is Celestia going to replace her second banana sister with the prince of chaos?”

“Well, I–”

“Luna did not leave on a whim, Celestia. She left because you two had a falling out. She left because she refused to work with you anymore, and what makes you think I’d be any different?”

“I don’t think that–”

“You may be able to keep all these simple-minded ponies in the dark, but I know better. Don’t think I haven’t figured it out. Honestly, we all should have seen this coming. Your relationship with your sister has been deteriorating for years now. What with the recent news out of Ponyville, I can’t imagine that–“

“DON’T YOU DARE!” Celestia's voice boomed and reverberated throughout the chamber. I was so intense and uncharacteristic that even Discord flinched in surprise. The window panes rattled, the sunlight drained from the room, and the Princess appeared to grow taller. “Do not bring Twilight Sparkle into this, Discord. She is none of your concern.”

“Still emotional, are we?” Discord scoffed, “I figured after a week or so you would have gotten over it.”

That was the final straw. Celestia felt more rage well up inside her than she had ever felt before. “You will leave!” she boomed, “I command that you depart my kingdom and never come back!”

Discord raised an eyebrow. “Surely you can’t be serious?”

“Unlike you, beast, I am always serious.”

Discord narrowed his eyes and spent a calculated amount of time staring down the furious Celestia. He could have objected; could have refused to bend to her outlandish demand. It would not have been wise, though. He knew from personal experience that an emotionally unstable Princess was no easy adversary. Equestria had always been his home, but things had changed. He did not feel welcome any more.

“Now!” Celestia shouted. Her horn began to glow with a menacing red hue.

“Very well.” Discord shrugged. “I have been looking for a change in scenery anyway.” He walked casually to Celestia’s window, arms held behind his back. “You know, Princess, these ponies may think you’re perfect now, but don’t expect that to last. Eventually they will figure you out. One day, somepony is going to discover that even the great Celsetia has skeletons in her closet; and when that day comes,” He turned and looked her right in the eye, “I hope I’m there to see you fall.”

Within the blink of an eye, the draconequus had vanished. Celestia breathed in deeply and managed to calm herself down. She knew what this meant. She was now completely alone. Not just in the sense that she was the only one left in the room, but she also had no allies left who knew the secrets she knew. She was now Equestria’s sole protector. Everything was up to her.

She straightened her crown and took a few moments to compose herself. “He’s wrong,” she assure herself, “I know what’s best for my kingdom.”

She rang the service bell that sat on her desk, calling in one of her aides. When the pony arrived, she put on her best smile so as not to appear distressed.

“How may I assist you, Princess?” the young stallion asked, smiling right back.

“I need you to set up a meeting for me with the Royal Library director,” she said, “I am commissioning the construction of a very important addition to the archives.”

* * *

Seven Centuries Later

Autumn Breeze desperately gasped for air as thick vines tightened around her neck. She struggled to break free from the creeping green plants, but it was no use. The vines had ensnared and constricted her limbs like a hundred leafy snakes. She could feel the life being squeezed out of her.

“Indy! Sky! Do something!” She screamed.

Her two companions were no better off. Sky was dangling upside-down above a giant venus fly trap, and Indigo was thrashing violently against the ever-growing tide of carnivorous flora. There was no hope left. They were in the middle of nowhere with nopony to help them. Their quest would come to an brutally unceremonious end at the edge of the merciless Everfree Forest.

In what she was sure would be her final moments, Autumn couldn’t help but wonder how they had gotten to this point. Not three days ago, the worst of her troubles had been figuring out how to divide their daily rations three ways instead of two.

The day the three young ponies left Hidden Springs to embark on their journey across the mountains seemed much longer ago than it actually was. That was probably because the social dynamic between them had changed so much.

Having an extra pony along didn’t change anything about their traveling routine. They covered about the same distance every day, and still camped at the flattest spots they could find every night. Indigo slept outside as usual; Autumn and Sky shared the tent. There weren’t many trees in the rocky mountainous terrain, so they never got lost, and – after they had crested the mountains – they could see the expansive Everfree Forest growing larger in front of them. Something truly remarkable happened in those few days, something none of the three had expected: Autumn and Sky became friends.

When she first met Viridian Skyshimmer Seaheart the Third, or “Sky” as he preferred, Autumn would have sworn they had zero chance of working well together. He came off as overconfident, incompetent in delicate situations, and frankly a lot like the ponies who Autumn used to avoid back in school. The fact that he blackmailed his way into their traveling party didn’t do much to boost his image either. Autumn’s initial intention had been to make her way through the mountains as quickly as possible so she and Indigo could return to their dynamic duet.

For the umpteenth time on this particular adventure however, Autumn found herself utterly surprised. As it turned out, Autumn and Sky had a lot in common. Besides being about the same age, they had similar senses of humor, and shared an inner loathing for self-declared authority. Amazingly, both of them had always dreamed of becoming adventurers.

Sky also proved himself to be an extremely useful companion along the way. Despite Indigo’s grumblings, having a unicorn along made everything much easier. For the first time since they left Manehattan, they were able to regularly have fires at night. What’s more, Sky had remarkable cooking skills, and he was able to turn what used to be boring rations and the occasional forest mushroom into interesting and unique dishes every night. He was a little showy with it sometimes, but it was hard to blame him.

They talked constantly, sometimes about serious matters and sometimes just goofing around. Autumn found herself fascinated with Sky and his distinctive personality; and as far as she she could tell, Sky found Autumn interesting as well. They enjoyed picking each others brains for this and that, comparing opinions and experiences. Autumn even found herself dangerously close to bringing up the subject of the Schism and the Elements of Harmony room, just to see what his thoughts were. She decided to avoid the topic in the interest of keeping their quest a secret. It wouldn’t have been a matter worth discussing anyway – Sky didn’t like history.

Autumn couldn’t help but liking him. He reminded her of Indigo back when they first met in primary school. He was so new and interesting that she found herself wanting to get to know him better. She actually began to regret his imminent departure from their group. If only there was some way to safely include him on their dangerous quest. She couldn’t dwell on such things, though. The idea was out of the question; and even if it weren’t, Indigo shared none of Autumn’s sympathies.

As far as the winged member of their trio was concerned, Sky only brought trouble with him. From day one, Indigo barely talked to him and had spite in her voice whenever she did. Sky’s ability to start fires using magic only made her regret that she hadn’t been able to accomplish that herself. She found his flashy cooking to be no more than a waste of time. On top of all that, Indigo’s best friend and traveling companion was talking with Sky all the time; more than she was with Indigo. It was almost as if she had been replaced. She felt like a third wheel which was not at all fair; Sky was supposed to be the third wheel.

So as Autumn and Sky grew closer, Indigo’s resentment of the young stallion grew more fervent. This cycle continued until they finally reached the western side of the Foal mountains and stood at the edge of the Everfree Forest.

At first, no one was sure exactly what to do. Sky hadn’t planned at all for where he would go after this, and Autumn and Indigo had been expecting to find a path through the forest. They spent a couple hours discussing their options, and ultimately decided (to Indigo’s discontent) that it was best sorted out in the morning. They set up a three-pony camp for what they thought would be the last time, and drifted off to sleep just like any other night.

The Everfree Forest is not just any other forest though, and all three ponies were awoken the next morning with the most unpleasant of surprises. By the time Autumn realized what was happening, it was already too late. The vines had entangled her back legs and pulled her halfway out of the tent. She yelled to Sky for help, but he was already ensnared himself and being dragged away to make plant food. Indigo had been caught too, dashing their last hope for escape.

As consciousness faded, Autumn wondered how long it would take the Order of Everlasting Truth to discover that she had failed her mission. She wondered if her father would ever be released to learn of his daughter’s gruesome demise. She wondered if anypony might ever find the remains of their campsite at the edge of the forest; if the ancient artifacts hidden in her bag might one day be recovered and used to finish the quest.

She felt the cold grip of death approaching as lights danced in front of her eyes. This was the end. She only wished that Indigo and Sky could have been spared the untimely demise they didn’t deserve. Just before she blacked out–

THWACK

An enormous vibration rippled through the vines as if they had been hit with a train. Autumn looked down to see a purple figure on the ground below her. Whoever it was, the pony had just delivered a powerful buck to the base of the plant, causing its grip on her to weaken. With a flourish of robes, the pony threw a splash of white powder over the vines. They instantly began to writhe and contract in agony. The purple figure then pulled out what appeared to be a lasso, and with one swift movement snared the giant venus fly trap and brought it crashing to the ground. A second splash of white powder, and more retracting vines. Finally, the pony ran to the vines which had ensnared Indigo, and with another tremendous buck nearly brought everything to the ground. After a third bout of magic powder the plant had clearly had enough. It dropped the three young ponies and slithered hastily back into the dark forest, leaving behind nothing but bruises and a few stray leaves.

Autumn hit the ground hard. She struggled to get back on her hoofs. Failing, she toppled over and landed with a painful thud. As she slipped into unconsciousness, the figure that had saved them slowly approached. Somepony wearing a purple robe with a long silver mane. Autumn tried to say something, but her throat was far too sore.

Then everything went black.

* * *

He wound his way happily through the trees, taking note of everything that had changed since he had been there last. It had been so long since he had been in the Everfree Forest; he was determined to have some fun, just like the good old days. He laughed and gleefully began making a mental list of things he wanted do. There was so much chaos to be wreaked, yet so little time.

Suddenly, he sensed something that drew his attention. Somepony was crying for help on the other side of the forest. What was the cause of all this distress? He placed an eagle-like talon on a nearby tree and assessed the situation.

“Ah,” he said to himself in a soothing baritone, “It seems a few young ponies have had a run in with Everfree’s carnivorous creeping redweed. Now this I simply cannot miss.”

Within the blink of an eye, he disappeared from where he had been and reappeared on the other side of the forest a mere thirty meters from where Autumn, Indigo, and Sky struggled for their lives. He kept himself out of sight, keen to see what they would do.

“Indy! Sky! Do something!”

“Awww, poor little ponies; so weak and defenseless.” He smiled in wicked pleasure. “I’ll bet they didn’t even know what hit them.”

He watched for a precious few more moments as the plants entangled themselves even tighter around the thrashing ponies. If he hadn’t witnessed the same thing happen a thousand times before, the sight might have been horrifying. Not to him though: he reveled in the disorderly.

“Well, I’ve had my fun. I suppose I should do something to save the poor things.” He reached out to rescue the ponies just before it was too late, but found himself upstaged by yet another pony. This one wore a long flowing robe of purple, and moved swiftly and efficiently.

He watched as she delivered a series of surprisingly strong blows to the vines, and warded them off with splashes of white powder from under her robe.

“It appears this pony knows of the redweed’s aversion to salt,” he observed as the vines snaked painfully past him back into the deep dark forest.

The events that followed were of less interest to him. He cared little for the affairs of most ponies; and as capable as this robed mare seemed to be, he did not feel she deserved much consideration. He watched and listened lazily as two of the formerly ensnared ponies talked frantically with the robed one. The other lay motionless on the ground, presumably unconscious.

He played with the idea of using these ponies to test his powers. He thought of several ways he could make their lives more chaotic: bringing the redweed back, for example, or starting some sort of freak snowstorm. Ultimately, he decided that they were not worth his time. He was about to take his leave when something truly remarkable and unbelievably coincidental happened. One of the ponies, a blue pegasus, ruffled through a nearby saddlebag and pulled out two very small items to show them to the robed pony.

He recognized them at once. He gasped out loud and moved in as close as he dared to get a better view. Could they really be? After all this time?

There they were right in front of him, being handled as if they were common trinkets. He couldn’t believe his eyes, which was incredibly uncommon for him. He honestly did not know what he should do. He had to keep watching them. He needed to learn who these ponies were and what they were doing with such powerful items. Powerful items that he was very well acquainted with.

Soon, he would make his move.

* * *

Darkness. She stares into the swirling abyss in front of her. It beckons to her. It calls her name; begs her to become one with the emptiness beyond; implores her to fill the void that has been empty for too long.

She feels the urge. Her mind says no, but her soul says yes. She belongs in the darkness where no one can see her, where no one can hear her. She takes a step forward–

But no. She steps back. Something is missing. It’s not ready yet. She can’t go until all the pieces are in place.

Somepony else is there. She turns around. Who is it? She can’t tell. She squints through the darkness and the fog. She can almost make out the face now–

SPLASH

A wave of icy water crashed over Autumn’s head, thrusting her back into consciousness. Her eyes were still shut, but she could hear voices around her.

“Moisten! I said moisten her forehead!”

“I’m sorry! I was never very good at levitation.”

“That’s like the most basic spell!”

“I know! You don't have to rub it in.”

Autumn stirred. She cracked open her eyes and attempted to push herself up from the ground. Her head still hurt. She had been having the strangest dream.

“Autumn! You’re awake!” cried a fuzzy blue blob. It raced over and helped her to her hoofs. “Thank the stars. You had us really scared for a while.”

Autumn’s vision finally cleared, and she could see that she had been unconscious for longer than a few minutes. First of all, she was no longer anywhere near the spot she had blacked out in; she appeared to be even deeper in the dense forest. Indigo and Sky were there, but both of them were wearing bandages that clearly had taken quite a while to wrap. Moreover, the sky was getting darker. The sun had only just risen when the vines woke Autumn up, but now it seemed to be closer to dusk.

“What happened?” Autumn asked in a daze, “Where are we?”

“After you passed out, we carried you and all our stuff further into the forest to find a good spot to recuperate.” Noticing Autumn’s concerned expression at the mention of moving deeper into the forest, Indigo held up a knowing hoof. “Don’t worry, we’re completely safe.”

“Your mysterious friend made sure of that,” chimed in Sky.

Then Autumn noticed the camp fire blazing just behind him. Her eyes locked on the mare who sat beside it, face buried in the old map that had originally belonged to her.

“Always make sure you’re not camping near creeping redweed,” said Sister Ambrosia, looking up from her map, “You are very lucky I came along when I did.”

“Wha... Ambrosia!?” Autumn cried, “What are you doing here?”

She chuckled and folded her map back up. “I would tell you the entire story, but I’m afraid your friends have already heard it and it’s not very interesting. So I shall give you the short version: about a week ago, several members of the order, including myself, were released from the sanctuary to serve as scouts. Our objective is to monitor key locations around Equestria. It just so happened that I was passing by on the way to my destination near Los Pegasus, when I saw a great deal of commotion coming from the forest edge; and guess who I found struggling with a carnivorous plant?” She smiled and pulled her hood down. “You were unconscious for hours. I knew you’d come around eventually, but I’ll admit I was worried for a while there.”

Autumn felt as if she were going to faint again. Of all the ponies she had met since leaving Manehattan, Ambrosia had been the nicest; not to mention the one she would have liked most to run into again. For her to have come along at the perfect moment and saved them was beyond comprehension. Autumn still didn’t believe in fate, but it was starting to make a strong case for itself.

Autumn Breeze had always been a pony who restrained her emotions. She experienced them just as strongly as any other pony, but she usually found it more productive to separate herself from her more sentimental impulses and analyze situations rationally. Ever since her encounter with her mother at the sanctuary, however, she had been much more open to emotional expression. On this particular occasion, she found herself expressing joy in an uncharacteristically bubbly way.

She bounded happily over to Ambrosia and gave her a big welcoming hug, which was generously returned. The other two young ponies were slightly taken aback by this, but Indigo at least understood where the affection came from. The two embraced one another for a full twenty seconds before Ambrosia pulled away to get a look at a bandaged wound on Autumn’s leg.

“We’ll have to redress this later,” she said, “I’ll give you some bandages to take on the road with you as well.”

“I’m so glad you ran into us!” Autumn exclaimed, ignoring her injury, “We have so much to tell you about where we’ve been and who we’ve met and–oh! I almost forgot! We think we found a second–” She stopped herself, remembering that Sky was right behind her. “…Err. What I mean to say is… We’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”

Sky eyed them suspiciously. He wasn’t ignorant; he knew that all three of them were trying to keep something from him.

“We shall discuss everything in time. Right now, we should eat.” Ambrosia opened up her own saddlebag revealing a veritable stockpile of canned and packaged foodstuffs. Autumn suddenly realized how hungry she was. She hadn’t eaten since yesterday after all, and their own food supply had been whittled down to the more tasteless items. Later, she decided, once Sky was distracted or asleep she could talk candidly with Ambrosia.

The three younger ponies ate the best meal they had had in days. Ambrosia insisted that she was not hungry, and chose to collect firewood and set up camp while the others gorged on dandelions and fresh strawberries. Autumn and Indigo tried to keep the conversation steered away from Ambrosia, but Sky was understandably interested. He wanted to know exactly who she was and how they knew her. Autumn made her answers as vague as possible, trying her best to make it seem like they were no more than old friends.

Indigo’s tactics were a bit more blunt. She answered to most of Sky’s questions with responses such as “None of your business” or “That’s nothing you need to know.”

He may not have gotten any clear answers, but it was obvious to Sky that there was some connection between Ambrosia’s presence and Autumn and Indigo’s secretive quest. He eventually accepted that they weren’t going to tell him, but that wasn’t the end of it. He quietly plotted how he might get the information he desired before leaving them the next morning.

The sun had set by the time they finished eating, and Ambrosia had superbly erected a campsite for four. All that was left for them to do was sit and talk, which meant they had to come up with non-secret topics to discuss.

Most of the next few hours Ambrosia spent sharing some important skills for wilderness survival, especially in the treacherous Everfree Forest. She explained how to identify the six species of carnivorous plants, and how sodium was a good deterrent for all but two of them. “That’s how I saved you three,” she explained, waving a half empty bag of salt in front of them. She demonstrated the proper way to tie a bear bag, and made sure to emphasize the importance of hanging it up at least thirty meters away from the campsite. She also had tips for foraging, tent placement, and avoiding timberwolves.

It must have been close to midnight but the time Sky stretched his hooves and stood up from the dying campfire. “Well,” he said, “Thanks for all the advice miss Ambrosia, but I think I’m about ready to hit the sack.” He yawned and headed off towards the tent. “Goodnight everypony.”

“I think I actually agree with him for once,” Indigo said drowsily, “I’m going to bed as well.” She trotted over to her bed roll at flopped down heavily. “But he still has to go as soon as we wake up tomorrow.” She rolled over and fell silent.

Autumn and Ambrosia sat next to each other, watching the fire burn down, not saying a word. They both knew that they needed to talk, but they chose to wait until they could be absolutely sure that Sky had fallen asleep. Indigo began to snore, interrupting the silence but not eliciting any response from the two earth ponies. What seemed like hours passed, but still neither of them said a word. Autumn was eager to talk, eager to get advice, but was unsure how to begin. So the long silence continued.

The camp fire had burned down to no more than glowing coals when she finally decided to speak.

“I’m scared, Ambrosia,” she said, “I’m scared and I’m confused and I’m conflicted about whether I’m doing the right thing or not.”

“We’re all scared, Autumn.” Ambrosia kept her eyes fixed on the simmering coals. The orange light reflected in her eyes like fiery glass orbs. “This is a scary time for anyone who’s smart enough to understand it. If there was nothing to be scared of then Equestria wouldn’t so desperately need you to face this challenge. As for the question of morality, I can assure you this is a quest of utmost righteousness. We’re all behind you every step of the way.” She put a hoof around Autumn.

There was another brief silence. Indigo had ceased her snoring, and the tranquil sounds of the wilderness filled their ears. “I must warn you though,” Ambrosia eventually continued, “it is very possible that you are being followed.”

Autumn looked at her. “We haven’t told anypony.”

“I’m sure you haven’t, but that’s not the problem,” she explained solemnly. “It has come to my attention that there may be a traitor among those brothers and sisters released to serve as scouts. We have no way of knowing if any of them are double agents for Celestia.”

“I thought only the most trusted ponies were allowed outside the sanctuary.” Autumn inquired.

“Even a pony as keen as your mother can be double-crossed,” Ambrosia replied. “Their were five of us, I believe. Brother Melrose, Sister Cortland, Mother Suncrisp, Father Fallawater, and of course myself. I strongly suspect one of them to be a spy, but I am not sure exactly who.”

“Fallawater…” Autumn mumbled.

“What’s that?”

“If I had to guess, I’d put my money on that Fallawater guy,” Autumn explained, “He was such a jerk to us when we visited the sanctuary. He just seems kind of slimy, you know? Like a snake.”

Ambrosia let out a warm laugh. “I’ll be the first to admit that Father Fallawater is not the most pleasant character, but I wouldn’t be so quick to accuse him of spying. He is one of the Grandmaster’s oldest and most trustworthy followers.”

“Oh, come on. He looks the part, doesn’t he?” Autumn asked, half jokingly. “What with all those scars he has?”

Ambrosia, stopped laughing and became very solemn once again. “Father Fallawater was once captured by the Royal Guard while on a mission in Canterlot. He spent nearly three months in prison under interrogation. In all that time, he never once said a word about the Order or anyone involved with it. He got those scars making a daring and dangerous escape that was miraculously successful.”

Autumn immediately felt bad about her accusation. She thought about trying to apologize, but decided it was best to simply stop talking.

“Regardless,” Ambrosia continued, “I’d advise you to move quickly and keep an eye out for trouble. You never know when you’re being watched.” The two of them scanned the tree line around the campsite, as if there was somepony watching them at that very moment. There was, in fact, someone watching them; but there was no way for them to know that.

“Oh!” Autumn suddenly remembered. “I think we found another one of those artifacts we need. It’s not an apple, but it seems very similar.” Autumn stood up to fetch her saddlebag. “Here, I’ll get it for you.”

“No, no.” Ambrosia beckoned for her to sit back down. “That won’t be necessary. I fully trust your judgement.”

“But… you could help me decide if it really is genuine. I don’t even know what to do with these things.”

“My dear,” Ambrosia smiled, “I only know as much about the items you carry as you do, probably less. I know that they are very old and that you need them to get into the Elements of Harmony room. That is the extent of my knowledge.”

“Oh…” Autumn was fairly disappointed, “I just thought that–”

A sudden rustling noise in the brush behind them made both ponies leap to their hooves and whirl around. Ambrosia rushed into the bushes and tackled the eavesdropper who had been lurking in the darkness. Was this the spy Celestia had sent to follow Autumn? No, it was a mint-green unicorn with a baby-blue mane.

“Sky!” Autumn cried. “What the hay are you doing!?”

“Oh, you know. Just going for an evening stroll.” He smiled sheepishly, struggling against Ambrosia who had him pinned to the ground.

“How much did you hear?” she demanded, “And don’t lie!”

“Nothing, really!” he cried, “I mean, there was a good bit about a secret order devoted to opposing Celestia and using ancient artifacts to break into the Elements of Harmony room, but that’s pretty much it!”

“Great! Just great!” Autumn exclaimed, putting a hoof to her forehead, “We were doing so well for so long and then we blew it on the last night before he leaves. What are we supposed to do now?”

“Actually,” Ambrosia let Sky up and narrowed her eyes in thought. “This might be a good thing after all.”

* * *

“No. No way. Absolutely not. I refuse. Not happening. End of story.” Indigo crossed her hooves and turned away defiantly.

“Indy,” Autumn pleaded, “Ambrosia and I talked about it, and we both think it’s for the best.”

“I don’t care how much he knows. There is no way in Equestria that unicorn is coming with us!”

It was the next morning, and while Ambrosia and Sky packed up the campsite, Autumn had been explaining the deliberations of the past night to her best friend. Sky had overheard pretty much everything important, and he couldn’t be allowed to wander off on his own. Besides, both Ambrosia and Autumn agreed that he could be extremely helpful to their quest. Autumn certainly trusted him, and Ambrosia trusted Autumn’s judgement. They proceeded to fill him in on all the details and introduce him to the problem they endeavored to solve.

Sky was completely entranced by the prospect of a grand adventure. He was a little doubtful of the notion that Celestia had any flaws, but he clearly was more than enticed enough to accept the offer of partnership. They explained that it would be dangerous, but he didn’t seem to care. Sky had lived a cushy boring life before he met Autumn; a little danger was exactly what he was looking for.

They already knew that he worked well with them, and he had proven his usefulness on the trail. All that remained was to convince his most skeptical acquaintance.

“I agreed to tolerate him for our entire trip through the mountains. The deal was: we get to the forest, and he leaves. Why can’t we stick with that initiative?” Indigo asked.

Autumn frowned. “Don’t pretend you haven’t noticed how helpful he is. We’ve made great progress since he joined us. We’re friends now.”

“Speak for yourself!” Indigo scoffed, “I refuse to make friends with anypony who who eavesdrops on my private conversations.”

“Indigo, Viridian is coming with us whether you like it or not,” Autumn replied staunchly, “You know we can’t let him go, and he has already accepted my offer. Now I suggest you help him pack up our stuff and be nice, because you’re gonna be around him for quite some time.”

“Unbelievable,” Indigo grumbled. Nonetheless, she followed Autumn over to the other two ponies who had already finished breaking camp.

Ambrosia and Sky were sitting on either side of a very strange brass device. It was tall and thin with a small opening on top, a bit like a candlestick except it had a small knob protruding from one side.

“What’re you guys up to?” Autumn asked cheerily, trying to contrast Indigo’s indignation.

“Ambrosia is helping me send a letter to my parents,” Sky explained, “I decided they should at least know that I am safe but that they won’t be seeing me for quite some time.” He gestured towards a bound scroll lying on the ground. “She’s got some fancy device that lets her send letters without magic.”

“It does use magic, actually,” Ambrosia explained as she fiddled with the brass knob, “just not unicorn magic.” She held up a small brown satchel filled with bright red flowers; the petals of which glowed faintly like the embers of small fire. “Dragon’s Breathe. It’s a flower that mimics the magical abilities found among certain breeds of dragon.”

“Where did you get that?” Autumn asked in awe.

“We were given them as a means to send our reports back to the sanctuary. They are quick and efficient.” Ambrosia carefully placed a few petals in the basin of the device and then turned the knob once more. “Are you sure this letter has everything you wanted to say in it?” She asked.

“I think so…” Sky looked over his letter one last time. “It’s weird,” he said, “exciting, but very strange. I’m leaving my old life behind so quickly.”

“Welcome to the club,” said Autumn.

“Hold the letter over the device, and I’ll send it right to your parents’ doorstep.”

Sky carefully levitated the letter over the top of the brass device as instructed. Ambrosia pushed the knob down like a button, causing magical red flames to spew out of a tiny hole on top. The flames engulfed the letter and disintegrated it into a stream of magical energy which quickly flew up through the trees and back east towards Hidden Springs.

Sky watched his letter disappear and let out a long sigh. “If you had told me three days ago that before the week was over I would be in the Everfree Forest on a secret mission to break into the most secure room in the country, I would have laughed in your face.”

“The most important decisions in life are often made more quickly than most ponies are prepared for,” Ambrosia said. She put a hoof on Sky’s shoulder, just as she had done to Autumn at the sanctuary. “Young miss Breeze here has already discovered that for herself.” She turned and gave the young mare a knowing smile. “You two are very much alike; it is interesting that you are fated to help her fulfill her destiny.”

“I still don’t believe in destiny,” Autumn commented, “but for your sake, Ambrosia, I’m willing to make an exception.”

“I am glad to hear it.” Ambrosia reached into her robes and pulled out a silver necklace. It was strung through a glistening pearl-like gem; an expensive looking piece, the kind of thing Autumn would expect to see at a classy dinner party. “I have one more thing before you depart.” She presented the necklace to Autumn. “This is a tracking stone. If you are ever in danger or in need of assistance, simply rub this talisman between your hooves until it glows bright white. I will be able to tell where you are and come to your aide as quickly as I can.”

“How’s that?” Sky asked, squinting at the token held in Autumn’s hooves.

Ambrosia chuckled. “I have my ways, Viridian. Don’t you worry about that.”

“Ambrosia,” Autumn began, placing the generous gift around her neck, “this is the second time you have done so much for us without asking anything in return. You have no idea how much this means to me; to us. If there’s anything we can ever do for you–”

“You are already doing more than enough.” Ambrosia’s smiles never failed to fill Autumn’s heart with warmth. Even after knowing her for such a short period of time, Autumn had more trust in the silver-maned mare than almost anypony else she knew.

“Now, you three must be on your way. It is in your best interest to reach Canterlot before the Summer Sun Celebration.” She helped them strap on their saddlebags and pointed them in the right direction. “The trail starts about fifty meters out and continues directly west through the forest,” she said, “I cannot stress enough the importance of not straying from the path. This forest is vast and dangerous; you could very easily become lost.”

“Thanks for everything, miss,” Sky said as he headed toward the trail.

“Yeah, thanks again Ambrosia,” Indigo agreed.

Autumn was the last to leave, taking a few seconds to exchange friendly glances with Ambrosia. They said nothing, but each understood the feeling of friendship between them. With one final nod, Autumn turned and took off after her companions on the long road to the town of Ponyville.

Ambrosia watched them disappear into the forest. She was reminded of a time not long ago when she had watched Autumn run off into the woods on the outskirts of Manehattan. At the time, Autumn had been running from Ambrosia. She knew that the young mare trusted her now, but she also could not deny the similarities.

Ambrosia tried not to frown very often, at least not when she was around other ponies. While alone though, a contemplative grimace often found itself upon her muzzle. Her golden eyes remained fixed upon the shadowy forest long after they had left her sight. She listened to sounds of the wilderness, felt the gentle breeze in her mane, and thought hard about the trio of young ponies who’s troubles – she knew – had only just begun.

A twig snapped in the bushes behind her, breaking her concentration. She cautiously scanned the tree line. Her perception had always been very keen, it was not easy to elude her. She was almost entirely sure that they were not being watched. Almost.

“I suppose I have work to do,” She said to herself. She swung her own saddlebag over her back, and pulled up her purple hood. One last sweep of the site, and the purple robe had vanished into the forest, along with all traces of the pony who wore it.

The place looked as if nopony had ever even been there.

* * *

“OK, I've got one for you. Your name is Viridian, but your coat is like a minty blue-green–”

“Aquamarine.”

“Gesundheit.”

“No, that’s the name of the color: aquamarine.”

“Oh, right. So what’s up with that?”

Sky laughed. “Yeah, I get that a lot. It’s actually a family name – hence Viridian Skyshimmer Seaheart the Third – my grandfather is actually viridian colored.”

Autumn and Sky had been passing the time they spent wandering through Everfree by asking each other questions. Most of what Autumn asked Sky was trivial, but Sky was using the opportunity to learn as much as he could about the Order of Everlasting Truth and all the other things he had missed before joining up. For someone who claimed to dislike history, he took a fervent fascination with their quest.

“My turn,” Sky said, “How did you know that the gem in the Pinkamena room was one of the items you were looking for?”

Autumn opened her mouth to respond–

“Besides the fact that they glow. I mean, couldn’t they just be two magic stones from around the same time?”

Autumn pondered this for a moment. The truth was, she wasn’t really sure how she knew either. Even before she had observed them acting strange when near each other, there was something compelling about the balloon-shaped gem that she couldn’t ignore. It was the same compelling feeling she got from the first gem, but only after she had found the second one. It was as if bringing them together had reignited some ancient unknown magic that Autumn was unusually adept at picking up on.

“Gut feeling, I suppose.” Autumn chose not to explain this all to Sky, at least not until she understood it better herself.

Sky shrugged the vague answer off and moved on to his next question. “So I get why you’re involved in this business, being a descendant of Applemap or whoever, but what does she have to do with all this?” On the word “she” Sky flapped his front legs in a crude effort to mime a pair of wings.

Autumn stifled a laugh. “You mean Indy? Oh she’s–”

“Autumn’s best friend.” Indigo swooped down from above and landed defensively next to Autumn. She had been circling high in the sky, searching in the distance for the illusive town of Ponyville. “I am here because Autumn trusts me and because I watch her back and have always been there for her. Unlike you, Autumn chose to have me along.”

“Touchy,” smirked Sky, brushing by her, “Still jealous you could never start that fire?”

Indigo did not respond, she simply stood in placed and made growling noises. Sky snickered to himself as he walked through the trees ahead of the other two. He was generally a nice pony, but he took a bit too much pleasure in teasing Indigo.

“That unicorn is getting on my last nerve,” Indy grumbled.

“You really should try to get along with him,” Autumn suggested, “He’s not that bad when you get to know him.” She began walking after Sky.

“Get to know him?” Indigo walked alongside Autumn, pushing her way through the dense flora. “I know plenty about him, thank you. I know that he he’s a con artist and that he blackmailed us into bringing him along. Isn’t that enough to warrant caution?”

“He only started fixing dice games so he could make money to pay for arts school. He says he wants to be an actor.” Autumn explained.

“Yeah, he says.”

“And although I admit the blackmailing was a shallow move, it’s not like he hasn’t been helpful. Besides, he apologized for that.” Autumn took a moment to step over a rather large boulder. “I think he’ll end up doing a lot more good for us than you think. Like I said, he’s a good guy.”

“Autumn, it’s just–” Indigo ducked under a low-hanging branch. “I don’t want you getting… distracted or anything. Honestly, we just met him.”

“Distracted?” Autumn stopped in her tracks. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Indigo started to answer, but was interrupted by Sky, who had walked back to meet his lagging companions. “Say,” he said, “Have you two noticed anything funny about the trail lately?”

Autumn and Indigo looked down at their hooves and at the terrain around them.

“Like how we don’t seem to be on it anymore?”

“Oh no…” Autumn frantically swiveled around, desperately trying to find the narrow dirt path. “Oh no, this is bad. How could we lose the trail?” She turned to Indigo. “You were flying up above us, did you not see it stray off somewhere?”

“First of all, I can barley see anything through the canopy; you’re lucky I managed to follow you at all from way up there. Second,” she pointed a hoof at Sky, “Captain smart-mouth over here was walking out front, so why aren’t you blaming him?”

“Did you at least see the town?” Sky asked in an effort to change the subject, “Which direction is it? How far?”

“No, I did not see the town,” Indigo retorted grumpily, “All I could see for miles in every direction was forest. This place is like an infinite sea of thick green loneliness.”

“Great! Wonderful! Perfect!” Autumn stomped off into the trees, kicking everything out of her way. “The one thing Ambrosia warned us not to do, and we manage to screw it up on the first day. Great Job, Autumn!” She sat down heavily in the grass, feeling despondent and a little frightened.

For a few minutes, nopony said anything. Sky and Indigo stood awkwardly next to each other, both feeling as though they were somehow at fault for their current circumstances – not to mention Autumn’s despair. Sky wanted to say something comforting, but he struggled to find the right words. In the end, in was Indigo who was first to offer reassurance.

“If it makes you feel any better, I still think you’re the best pony to make the plan.”

“Right,” Autumn said, “A plan… I can’t really think right now. How about we just set up camp early, and get a fresh start in the morning?”

“Sounds good, chief!” said Indigo, “I’ll get the tent out.”

“And I’ll collect some wood,” Sky chimed in.

The other two scurried off to perform their duties, leaving Autumn alone to consider their predicament. She felt the tracking stone hanging around her neck. How embarrassing would that be, having to use it after only one day?

Autumn put it out of her mind and went to help Indigo set up the tent.

* * *

“Interesting…” he stroked his beard as he followed the three young ponies through the Everfree Forest. “It would seem that they know almost nothing of the significance of the Elements, yet they endeavor to collect them.”

How such average ponies ever came across the gems was beyond his comprehension. There was nothing particularly special about any of them; they barely even seemed old enough to be on their own. If he had not seen them for himself, he would never have believed that two of the Elements of Harmony were tucked away inside that lumpy saddlebag.

There was something intriguing about the Earth Pony, though.

He hadn’t noticed it at first, but there was something strangely familiar about her. It was almost as if he had met her before. Of course, that was impossible: he hadn’t been in Equestria for many centuries. Still, there was a perplexing nature about the girl; he just couldn’t seem to put a finger on it.

He knew he needed to figure out what was going on, but he couldn’t decide how to go about it.

“Hmmmm…” He smiled goofily. “Perhaps I should do what I do best: introduce a little mischief to the situation.”

He cracked his knuckles, and with a snap of his claw twisted the dirt path the ponies were following off to the side. They continued into the uncharted wilderness, completely unaware of their loss of direction.

He chuckled to himself. “It seems I’ve still got it. Now let’s watch and see what happens.”

* * *

Autumn quietly stepped out of the tent, closing the flap behind her. She then tip-hoofed around a snoring Indigo, who was sprawled out only half on her bed roll. Autumn hadn’t been able to sleep at all. She had stared blankly at the tent ceiling for hours before finally opting to take a short walk for fresh air.

She still couldn’t decide how they were going to make it to Ponyville, or anywhere for that matter. They were lost in the vast and dangerous Everfree Forest with no idea where they were on the map and no way to know what direction they should be going. She just didn’t understand how they could have lost the trail like that.

About ten meters outside the campsite, Autumn came across a rocky stream. She decided to walk along the shallow creek for a ways, but not too far; it was unwise to stray very far from camp.

Autumn reconsidered the possibility of using the amulet to contact Ambrosia. She didn’t like the idea of calling her back after such a short time, but there was little else she could think to do. The only other option was to choose a direction and walk until they came across something. In the expansive Everfree Forest though, it was more likely they’d come across something life-threatening than helpful.

Autumn stared at the ground as she walked, deep in concentration. So deep, in fact, that she banged her head right into a very large solid object sitting in the path of the stream. She groaned and rubbed her throbbing head, looking up to see what it was she had hit. At first, she couldn’t make sense of what she was seeing. It was at least three meters tall, oddly shaped, and multi-colored. She took a step back to get a better look, and her jaw dropped. Two massive gemstones – an orange one in the shape of an apple and a blue one in the shape of a balloon – stood embedded in the soil on either side of the creek.

“Wha…?” Autumn struggled with words. “How did we not notice these?”

“Well, they didn’t exist until a few moments ago.”

Autumn let out a startled gasp at the unexpected response to her question. It was a relaxed – almost joking – male’s voice; and it belonged to the strangest creature she had ever seen.

Rocking casually back and forth in a hammock strung between the two monoliths, was a beast that looked as though he had been stitched together from a number of animals. As if this weren’t strange enough, he wore a pair of sunglasses and held a tropical drink with a silly straw.

Autumn blinked a few times. Certainly, she must be dreaming.

“Autumn Breeze,” he began, taking a sip from his drink, “An interesting name; very poetic in that way ponies are so fond of.” Suddenly, the hammock, drink, and sunglasses had vanished, and the creature was floating in midair between the two stones. “What is it that makes her so special?”

The two massive gemstones instantly dissolved into a twisting writhing mass of vines which began slithering rapidly towards Autumn. She yelped and tried to back away, but the plant moved too quickly and had grabbed her legs before she could react. They flipped her upside-down and lifted her several meters in the air, putting her at eye-level with the creature.

“I give up,” he said shrugging, “I’ve been trying to figure you out for an entire day now, but I just can’t seem to make heads or tails of what it is that sets you apart from any other pony.”

“Who are you?” Autumn shouted. She struggled with the vines, not unlike she had done at the edge of the forest the other day. “What do you want with me?”

The strange creature ignored her, pacing back and forth on an invisible floor. “I’ve ruled out royalty, and seeing as you’re still wing-less and have remained the same shape for more than a day I can safely assume you’re not a changeling. The only other option I can even think of is some sort of treasure hunter; but you’re so young, you and your even-less-interesting companions.”

“You leave my friends alone!” Autumn struggled harder against the vines. She was becoming frightened of how long it was taking her to wake up from this nightmare.

“Yes, your ‘friends’. Let’s talk about them for a moment.” He reached up and pulled a projector screen down from thin air. Images began to flash across it; scenes featuring the trio from the past couple of days. “A blue pegasus with a red and purple mane, a short temper, and a knack for wilderness survival. I surmise that she can be quite the trouble-maker; although, you must be good friends, because you’ve put up with her this long. Her cutie mark is typical of many pegasi: a horseshoe with a pair of wings. Perhaps it refers to her passion for flight, perhaps it has some deeper meaning; I don’t really care. She is average, uninteresting.”

The Images transitioned from focusing on Indigo to shots of Sky. They played like a film, but couldn’t have been taken with any camera; as if they were being projected directly from his mind onto the screen.

“The green unicorn you seem to have a fondness for, which is surprising because I assumed you would not have much in common. The other one clearly doesn’t like him very much, but I am unable to tell if he is bothered by this. His cutie mark is unique, as there is a different image on either flank. One side is a comedic mask, and the other a tragic mask; either he is very interested in theatre or deception is his game, maybe both. He is also average and just as uninteresting. But you…”

The vines that held Autumn disappeared, and she fell into a large pile of pillows that had not been there a few seconds before.

“You are different. There is something immensely not-average about you, and I would very much like to know what it is.” He moved in very close to Autumn and looked her directly in the eye. His one fang hung out the side of his twisted grin. There was absolutely nothing cohesive or straightforward about this character.

“I know I’m dreaming,” Autumn began, “but this is getting really weird. I need to wake up.” She began shaking her head vigorously and stomping her hooves on the ground, making her look quite silly.

“I’m afraid that won’t do you much good,” he chuckled, “If this is a dream then it certainly isn't yours, because I’ve been in it since before you were born.”

“If I’m not dreaming…” Autumn narrowed her eyes in confusion, “Then who in Equestria are you?”

“Hmmm…” The creature put a pipe to his mouth that puffed a steady stream of bubbles. “Difficult to answer; I go by many names. Who am I, though? Who really am I? I am everything that ponykind and the citizens of Equestria are afraid to embrace. I am the embodiment of disarray, confusion, and disharmony. I am the harbinger of mayhem, the herald of bedlam, the patron saint of all things chaotic!” He extended a mismatched eagle claw in a mock gesture of companionship. “You can call me Discord.”

“Right…” Autumn chose not to accept the shake. “And what is it you want from me again?”

“Enlightenment,” Discord said, his voice taking a refreshingly serious turn, “You have in your possession ancient items of unspeakable power; items that I happen to have a very personal history with. No average pony could bear the responsibility of the Elements, and so I want to know how you – a seemingly average pony – have come to possess two of them.”

“Unspeakable power?” Autumn repeated, “I think you’re mistaken. We are just average ponies. I mean, we have a few old relics with us but–”

“Nonsense.” Discord was determined to get an answer to his question. “You carry the Elements of Honesty and Laughter, no? You have them in your bag. I saw them.”

“What do you mean Elements? I have no idea what–” Autumn suddenly made the connection. “…The gems? The apple and the balloon? Those are the ancient items you are talking about?”

“Remarkable!” Discord began pacing circles around Autumn, stroking his beard thoughtfully as he did. “You seem to have no grasp of the significance of the items you carry. I suppose that makes sense, what with big bad Celestia so unwilling to acknowledge her past. I still don't understand how it is that you have them, though. Tell me, where did you get the Elements?”

Remembering what Ambrosia had said about dangerous ponies lurking in the forest, Autumn began to back away suspiciously. “I don’t think that’s any of your business…”

“Oh, don’t be so unforthcoming.” Autumn backed right into something. She whirled around to find that Discord had changed places instantaneously. “I think you’ll find me to be more than trustworthy.” He put on a devilish grin and then tapped Autumn strongly on the top of her head.

Autumn’s head began to spin, and she was overcome with a strange sensation somewhere between nausea and drowsiness. The world around her grew grey and blurry, and she found it difficult to stand up straight. She also had the strongest urge to tell this creature everything she knew. “Of course you’re trustworthy,” she found herself saying, “What do you want to know?”

“Wonderful!” Discord smirked, “Where did you get the Elements?”

“We got the blue one from a magical research facility in Hidden Springs. It was in a storage room where they kept old records and a rusty cannon. I stole it from a display case. The orange one was given to me by my mother back at the sanctuary before we started on our quest.”

“Oh dear, this is much more interesting than I thought.” Discord conjured up a comfy chair and a tub of popcorn and took a seat. “I’m going to need you to elaborate, my dear.”

So Autumn told the draconequus her whole story, about how she had run away from home after getting a mysterious note from a hooded pony. About how she and Indigo had stumbled across the sanctuary of the Order of Everlasting Truth, and learned of the quest to unlock the secrets kept far beneath the Library of Canterlot. She explained how they had persuaded Sky to let them into the facility, and how his mother had brought them right to the second gem without them even knowing it. She told him where they had been and where they were headed; who had helped them and who was after them; all the while Discord simply sat and listened, munching on the occasional piece of popcorn.

When Autumn had finished, Discord took a few minutes to organize his thoughts, as well as let her regain her former consciousness. He tapped his fingers and considered his options. Somewhere at the back of his mind, the soft voice of an old friend reminded him that he needed to consider the moral consequences of his actions as well.

Autumn stumbled around and shook her head, slowly sliding back into reality. Discord watched her and thought to himself how pitiful the scene was. Did she really think she was going to be the savior of Equestria? No, he supposed, she didn’t think that. She did not understand the magnitude of the quest she had undertaken.

“I have made my decision!” Discord declared, rising from his seat, “I came here to enjoy myself, and relive some of my fondest memories. This seems like exactly the kind of thing that could ruin a good time if I were to get tangled up in it, so I won’t!” Discord leapt into the air, and the popcorn and chair disappeared beneath him. “I will, however, offer you some free advice: Do not be so quick to trust those who got to you first. There are forces at work here that you cannot possibly comprehend, and every story has more that one side. I am no more a fan of the Princess than you are, but she has very clear reasons for doing what she did; and she will not be too pleased when she discovers you attempting to undo centuries of her work (if she has not already discovered you, that is).”

Discord turned and began to slither his way back into the dark of the forest. Autumn, who had only just managed to shake off the effects of his spell, called out to him right before he completely vanished.

“Wait!” she called, “Now it’s your turn.”

“I’m afraid I don’t follow.” Discord replied.

“I answered your questions, so now it’s your turn to answer mine. That’s how the game works.” Autumn had no idea what she was doing, but she wanted answers out of this strange being and she saw no other way to get to him.

Discord stared at her for a moment and then burst into roaring laughter. It was amusing and frightening at the same time. “You’re clever, I’ll give you that,” he said, wiping a tear from his eye, “Very well, what would you like to know?”

“How do you know about these… Elements?” Autumn asked, “It’s supposed to be an ancient secret.”

“Simple,” Discord chuckled, “I’m almost as ‘ancient’ as the Elements themselves. Of course, I haven’t been within a thousand miles of them for quite some time now. What is it, six-hundred years since I was in Equestria last? Maybe more.”

“Six-hundred years?” Autumn repeated, astounded, “But… but that doesn’t make any sense.”

“Oh, what fun is there in making sense?” Discord put a scaly arm around Autumn. “The world makes far too much sense as it is, don’t you think? Here in Equestria, things aren’t allowed to not make sense anymore; that’s why I left.” He pivoted himself so that his muzzle was pressed up against Autumn’s. “And it’s all thanks to those colorful little rocks you’re carrying around in your bag.”

“Do you know what they do? Or where they came from?” Autumn asked eagerly, “Oh! Or where we can find the others? Can you tell me?”

“No, no, no, I’ve already answered your question.” He pulled a comically large pocket watch out from behind his back and flipped it open. “It seems that I’ve run out of time and really must be going. Good evening to you.”

“Wait!” she begged, “I would really appreciate it if–“

“I do not need your appreciation, miss Breeze, nor anypony’s other than my own. I’ve already said that I refuse to involve myself in this dreadful business and wish to put as much distance – both mental and physical – between myself and those gems as possible!”

“But you have to help us!” Autumn shouted, the desperation in her voice now clear.

“I have to?” Discord stopped once more and turned to address the pony. “Did you just suggest that I have to do something? I do not think you understand. I bow to nopony!” His voice took a dark and frightening turn. “I thrive off of the unpredictable and disorderly, I have NO obligation nor responsibility to do anything. But go on, amuse me. Why do I ‘have’ to help you?”

“Because… because you need us to succeed,” Autumn said.

Discord raised a bushy eyebrow, but allowed her to continue.

“If these ‘elements’ are as powerful as you say they are, then we can use them to change the way things are in Equestria. You said it yourself, they where the reason you left in the first place; so we can make them the reason to bring you back.” Autumn took a moment to choose her next words carefully. “I can’t make you help us, but that doesn’t mean you can’t choose to.”

Discord smiled and shook his head. “Once again, I applaud your exceptional cleverness. I suppose you are right, miss Breeze; there are ancient magics in this world than even I can’t control. Magical forces that existed long before ponykind, before me, and before your Princess.” He shifted his gaze upwards through the trees, to the shimmering stars above, “Even Celestia and I must submit ourselves to the ultimate will of destiny.”

“So you’ll help us then?” Autumn asked excitedly.

Discord looked back down at the young pony and smiled broadly, showing off his one long fang once again. “Don’t you worry about that my dear,” he chuckled, “Like you said before, this is all just a dream.”

Darkness.

* * *

Autumn’s eyes shot open, and she sat bolt upright. For a moment, she did not understand what she was looking at; it was pale green and leathery. She quickly came to her senses, and realized that she was seeing the inside of her tent. She shook her head and looked around.

She didn’t understand. Just a moment ago she had been talking to a strange and powerful creature in the woods. She was so close to getting his help; what happened? How did she get here?

Looking down she saw her sleeping bag twisted around her, as if she had been tossing and turning all night. Sky was still asleep on the other side of the tent. His face was buried in his pillow, snoring away without a care in the world.

The thought that it had all just been a dream crept through her mind. A very strange and creepy dream, but a dream no less. The more she thought about it, the more it seemed the most plausible solution. Disappointment and frustration washed over her. This meant they were still lost in the woods with absolutely no way out. The same sense of failure she had experienced the night before was once again upon her.

She did not have much time to dwell before a shout from outside the tent drew her attention. “Autumn!” called the unmistakable voice of Indigo, “You need to get out here!”

Autumn clambered out of the tent, expecting to see more redweed or something equally as dangerous. Instead, she found Indigo frantically looking around the peaceful campsite.

“What is it? What did you see?” Autumn asked.

“Look around,” said Indigo. Autumn obliged, looking left and right around the site. “Notice anything strange?”

“All I see is trees,” Autumn admitted.

“We moved!” Indigo exclaimed, a hint of fear in her voice, “We’re in a different location than we were when we set up camp yesterday!”

“That’s impossible,” Autumn replied. The more she looked around though, the more she began to see what Indigo meant. The forest was different than she remembered: it was much thinner and let in far more sunshine. On top of that, she could here songbirds that would never venture very far into Everfree, and there was no sign of the small brook nearby or their fire pit.

“Oh my gosh, I think you’re right.” Autumn’s mouth hung open in awe. “But how in Equestria…?”

“What’s all this commotion?” Sky asked groggily, popping his head out from the tent.

Something caught Autumn’s eye through the trees. She trotted over to get a better look at what revealed itself to be a sign post stuck in the ground alongside a wide dirt path. Autumn gasped.

“The trail!” she shouted.

“The trail? You found it?” Sky asked, digging around in his saddlebag, “How did we miss it when– Hey! Who replaced all my food with popcorn!?”

Autumn suddenly realized that it hadn't been a dream at all. She knew exactly how their campsite had moved in the middle of the night without them noticing. Why here? she thought, Why did he bring us here?

She refocused on the wooden signpost. It was very old, and the letters had nearly worn away. She could only barely make out the words printed upon it: Ponyville, Dead Ahead.

* * *

“Goats, goats, always with the goats.” Discord leaned back against a large boulder and watched yet another goat meander by.

He sighed and twirled his tail in the air, and the goat’s horns grew several times their normal size. The extra weight caused the creature to topple forward, legs flailing in the air. It bleated helplessly, completely unable to move. Pitiful.

Discord was consistently bored these days. He knew that adjusting to a new home would be difficult, but this was worse than torture.

The first place he had gone after being banished by Celestia was the faraway land of zebras. He knew that they were similar to ponies, and had hoped they would be just as entertaining to mess with. Unfortunately, he had overlooked the fact that most zebras are skilled practitioners of magic and enchantments. After the first few unpleasant experiences, he decided to find a less resourceful population to live among.

He tried the griffon kingdom, the fire swamps, the frozen north, and a few places where there was no intelligent life at all. He even spent some time in dragon territory. None of it felt right though, and so he always ended up moving on to a different place.

Eventually, he found himself in the mountainous nation of the minotaurs. They were not intelligent creatures, and they had very short tempers. Their tendency to overreact and explode into fits of rage was entertaining at first, though it quickly became tiresome. After a hundred years or so of watching them roar angrily and smash things, his interest had waned. He considered taking over and reshaping the landscape to fit his chaotic preferences; something similar to what he had done twice before in the land of Equestria. It wasn’t worth it though, he decided. That urge had been significantly diminished many years ago by a pegasus – the closest thing he had ever had to a friend. Besides, it just wouldn’t be the same without the familiarity of that distant land he once called home.

Instead, the draconequus slinked into the mountains, and had been biding his time with the region’s surprisingly dense goat population. Life was mundane. He didn’t know what to do with himself. There are only so many ways to entertain oneself with goats and rocks.

Discord flicked his tail again, returning the creature’s horns to normal size. It was shaping up to be yet another dull uninteresting day. Luckily for him, something surprising suddenly happened.

A pegasus pony, an actual pony, swooped down and landed directly in front of him. She looked rugged, clearly having travelled for days to get there, and she wore a long black traveling cloak with a brown burlap satchel.

“You are the spirit called Discord?” she asked rather bluntly.

Discord blinked once to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating. “That depends on whether you’re talking to me or to Charlie here.” He pulled a nearby goat closer and put an arm around it. It felt good to act like his old self again.

The pegasus was unamused. She reached into her satchel and pulled out a folded piece of parchment which she threw on the ground in front of him. “She said you’d know what it means.” With that, the newcomer took flight once more and was headed back the way she came.

“Wait! Leaving so soon?” Discord called after her, “I could make us some goat’s milk tea!” No use, the pegasus vanished as quickly as she had appeared. “Drat…” Discord was disappointed. He could have had some fun.

He turned his attention to the parchment the pegasus had left behind, which still lay folded on the ground. He picked it up and opened it curiously, wondering who would be trying to contact him. It read:

A great change is coming. I am certain you can feel it too. It is the same feeling I had before the Ascension Summit, meaning Equestria may be in grave danger. I know you still care for your homeland, and I know you long to return. I advise that you do so promptly. I will most likely have already arrived on it’s shores by the time you receive this letter. Celestia may be stubborn, but she can be reasoned with; I know this better than anyone.

We can no longer avoid the inevitable. The time for action is upon us. Destiny awaits.

The loopy lettering had clearly been written using magic, meaning the sender was a unicorn. Discord recognized the style at once, he knew exactly who had sent the letter.

Discord crossed his arms behind his back and strolled casually around his boulder. “Well Charlie, it seems we finally have an interesting situation. Perhaps this won’t be such a bad day after all.” He began stroking his beard. “I certainly have no intention of confronting Celestia or getting myself involved in any of this tedious political business, but I have been waiting for an opportunity to go back… Yes… Yes, I think a short trip to Equestria might be just the refreshing experience I need. I’ll lay low, of course, stay out of sight; but won’t it be fun to see my old stomping grounds again!

Besides,” he said, grinning at Charlie who was busy munching on the parchment paper, “how could I miss the touching reunion of Equestria's royal sisters?”

Comments

[TheBananaVan]

This story is absolutly brilliant so far. I'm really glad I found this gem. I can't wait for the next chapter, keep up the good work.