My Little Pony, Friendship is Magic: Stallion Edition

by SuperPinkBrony12

Chapter 146: Klutzy Draconequus

"Oh, this is so strange. We're here and that's there, and I clearly meant for us to be there and not here," Discord complained. "This has never happened before."

"Maybe your magic's still on the fritz or something?" Sunburst suggested.

Discord scoffed at the very suggestion. "My magic was working just fine when I joined you. This is probably just a fluke. After all, if at first you don't succeed, just try and try again."

"Actually, that won't work. Allow me to explain-" Thorax began.

Discord just rolled his eyes. "There's no need for you to do that, Thorax," He told the changeling. "I've got this."

Starlight wasn't so sure. "Maybe we should listen to what Thorax has to say? We still kind of need to come up with an actual plan."

"A what now? I mean seriously, we have me," Discord retorted. "I can do just about anything if I really wanted to. This is but a minor setback."

"But it isn't, it's actually-" Thorax began again, only to again be silenced by Discord.

"Enough already, if it weren't for your 'comments' this would be rescue operation would be over already!" Discord boasted. "Now, stand back and watch the master at work!"

"Seriously, we need a plan!" Sunburst protested. "We can't just go rushing in there and expect everything to work out, that's a sure fire way to get captured."

"A plan? I don't see why we need one," Discord retorted to Sunburst. "We have me, what more could we possibly need?"

"Well, a draconequus with magic and some common sense wouldn't hurt." Sunburst remarked.

Discord rolled his eyes. "Why are you even here again? My magic can actually do something, which is more than I can say for a book worm like you."

"Hey, this is no time for us to be fighting among ourselves!" Starlight protested. "Let's hear Thorax out and go from there. He's the expert here, he knows this place more than any of us."

But Discord wouldn't listen. "Stand back, everyone! One rescue coming right up!" He snapped his paws, and sent a flying pig straight towards the hive. But it didn't go very far before it suddenly and inexplicably vanished. Undeterred, Discord decided to try again, this time riding on a flying pig while wearing armor. "For Fluttershy!" He shouted, only to be left dangling from the cliff when his ride suddenly phased out in mid flight.

Thorax groaned. "I've been trying to tell you, Discord! Nothing other than changeling magic works here. Chrysalis' throne is carved from an ancient dark stone that soaks up outside magic the same way that changelings soak up love. It's how she keeps the hive safe. Why else do you think no one's ever been able to capture her?"

"Great, so magic doesn't work at all, huh?" Sunburst lightly groaned, then turned to Starlight. "So, what now? Any ideas?"

"Yes, oh fearless leader," Discord sarcastically remarked. "Let's hear what that 'big brain' of yours has cooked up."

But Starlight shook her head. "Without magic, I'm as stumped as you two are. But no one else is coming. So someone better come up with something," But no one said a word, prompting Starlight to groan. "What, am I supposed to think of everything around here?"

"W-well, you did go through the process of making sure we were all who we said we were," Thorax nervously commented. "And you were the one suggesting Discord hear me out. You've sort of put yourself in the position of leader."

Starlight gulped. "Great, my worst nightmare come to life! I never wanted to put in charge of anything ever again after what I did to that village! But I can't turn back now, I've got to come up with something!" She thought to herself, and then reluctantly she pondered. "Well... This throne – if we can get into the hive and destroy it, can we get our magic back, Thorax?"

Thorax nodded. "It should work, but the throne room will be heavily guarded."

"That's a terrible plan if you ask me, and they call me nuts!" Discord retorted. "Rushing right into the heart of the hive to destroy some stupid stone carved into a throne?!"

"Well if you've got a better idea, I'd sure like to hear it!" Starlight angrily remarked.

Discord reluctantly clammed up, but not before he asked. "How do we even get to the hive?"

"We walk, obviously." Sunburst told the chaos maker.

Discord was shocked at the idea! "Me?! Walk?! I haven't walked that far in a millennia!"

Starlight and Sunburst both groaned, as Starlight replied. "Well too bad, we're walking. It's really the only option we have. Now come along, and stop whining. We'll never get anywhere if we're at each others throats."

---

And so the group walked. It was a long way to the hive though, and it didn't take long for Discord to grow bored. "Oh, I don't know how any of you manage not being able to disappear and reappear whenever you want! This walk is killing me!"

Sunburst muttered under his breath. "I'm starting to wish you would just disappear."

"I heard that!" Discord snapped.

"What did I just get through saying not even five minutes ago?!" Starlight complained. "Look, none of us knew we'd not be able to use magic."

"Actually, I did. I just sort of forgot to warn you before we left." Thorax corrected.

Sunburst sighed. "Well, the best I've got right now are smoke bombs, and whatever else I've got in my saddle bag. Though even with magic, I'm not sure I'd be much help."

"Don't say that!" Starlight protested to Sunburst. "You're a big part of the reason why I'm even going through with this. Without you by my side, I don't know how I'd stay calm," Then another thought struck her and she quickly halted the group. "Before we go any further, we should start thinking about what to do in case we get separated. The changelings will surely try to trick us, so it might help if we have some way of knowing we are who we say are."

Discord's eyes lit up with delight at the idea! "Oh, you mean like a secret code or something? I can do that!" He began to pace back and forth as he pondered ideas. "How about if I say 'We are' and you all say 'Doomed'? Or maybe I say 'Rescue' and you say-" But while pondering, Discord had forgotten to watch where he was going, and he tripped over a rock.

Sunburst snickered. "I've got one, Discord. How about if we all say 'Klutzy' and you say 'Draconequus'? The changelings would never think of that!"

"'Klutzy Draconequus'? Works for me." Starlight smiled.

"I'll definitely remember it." Thorax agreed.

"And there's no way I'll forget it," Sunburst added. "Sorry, Discord, guess you've been outvoted."

Discord just groaned. "Me being the butt of a joke, never thought I'd see the day." He thought to himself.

---

Sneaking past the guards at the outskirts of the hive, the small group was able to make its way into the hive. The entire place was full of caverns and pathways that went in all sorts of directions. It most definitely looked like it would difficult to find your way around without a guide.

And as luck would have it, Thorax was that guide.

"Okay, I am definitely glad you came with us, Thorax. I don't think we'd be able to find our way around without you." Sunburst told the changeling.

Thorax just whispered back. "You definitely wouldn't. The hive is enormous."

Just then, a rock creaked and Sunburst noticed that the small hole through which he and the others had entered was now gone. He gulped. "Um, where's the way out? J-just in case."

Thorax's response was enough to very nearly unnerve both Sunburst and Starlight. "It's a changeling hive. It shifts and changes like we do, and we're the only ones who can navigate it. It's total chaos to non-changelings. Without me, you'd be lost forever."

"Well, I guess it's 'decent' chaos, not sure if I'd call it 'total'." Discord commented, not wanting to admit he was actually impressed by the idea of not being able to find your way.

The group made their way through the hive in silence for a bit, before Discord began to grow impatient and asked. "Are we absolutely sure that I'll get my magic back when we destroy this throne thingy?"

"If Thorax is right, and I hope he is, then yes." Starlight answered.

Discord groaned and sarcastically replied. "Well, that's reassuring. So it's not even a certainty? You've picked a heck of a time to take a gamble."

"It's not like we have any alternatives, destroying the throne is the best shot we have at the moment." Starlight told Discord.

Sunburst then asked. "And just how are we supposed to destroy this throne when we find it? Heck, how are we even supposed to know when we've found it?"

"I... don't know. Maybe Thorax will." Starlight confessed.

"Great, we're totally winging this entire plan," Sunburst sarcastically remarked. "I don't dare to ask how this might go wrong."

Meanwhile, Discord was examining Sunburst's saddle bags. "Why do you even have all these useless things?" He remarked. "And why did you waste your time with that self absorbed magician's smoke bombs? I was hoping you'd have some kind of throne destroying tools or something."

"Asks the Lord of Chaos who can't even go for a walk without whining nonstop!" Sunburst retorted, turning around to face Discord.

Discord just hissed. "Yes. But the thing is, when the throne is destroyed, I should be able to rip the very fabric of reality to save our friends. And you'll still be a washed up former magic student, turned royal foalsitter."

"You dare to mock Flurry Heart's Crystaller?!" Sunburst growled defensively! "Why I oughta-"

Starlight quickly stepped between the two and scolded! "How many times do I have to say it?! Cut it out, both of you! I'm just barely keeping it together as it is, and it would be wonderful if you two could actually try to help me instead of bickering like foals!"

Sunburst and Discord reluctantly ceased their arguing a second later. Starlight had a point, they'd be better off trying to help her instead of wasting time fighting.

"So, how can we help, Starlight?" Discord asked. "Anything you need us to do?"

Starlight gulped and confessed. "Actually, I have no real plan at the moment."

"You haven't thought of a plan?!" Sunburst nearly gasped!

"Who's had time to think of one?!" Starlight protested. "I'm working it on right now. But at least Thorax knows where we're going."

But at that moment Thorax spoke up. "Uh, about that. Guys? I um... think we're lost." And they were. Ahead of them was a huge cliff that lead to nowhere, and with the pathways constantly shifting and changing, it was anyone's guess if the way back would still be there.

"Great, a dead end. Guess we might as well just sit here and wait for the changelings to soak up all of our love or whatever gross thing it is that they do," Sunburst complained. Then he asked Thorax. "Actually, I've been meaning to ask. I don't think I've seen you hungry lately. So, how often is that you changelings feed?"

"Actually, all the time, we're always starving for love and can't get enough of it. Except Chrysalis for some reason, she seems to be satisfied no matter what," Thorax commented. "But I haven't been hungry at all since I met Spike and befriended Shining Armor and Cadence."

"So, you aren't hungry at all now? And haven't been even while you were impersonating Shining Armor for Flurry Heart?" Starlight questioned. This new discovery seemed odd.

Thorax nodded. "Once I made a few friends, I guess I just sort of forgot about the whole feeding thing."

"Is that about the same time that your wings changed?" Starlight inquired.

Thorax looked at his new shiny wings, and nodded again. "I... guess so. I never really noticed. I went to bed one night with normal wings and woke up the next morning with these shiny ones."

Discord yawned. "While I would love to just sit around chitchatting about feeding and not feeding, I have a Fluttershy to save!"

In the distance, if one listened closely, they might have heard the sound of hissing.

Sunburst glared at Discord! "Can you please lower your voice?! You're gonna get us all captured!" He complained in a hushed tone of voice.

Discord scoffed and replied. "Oh, you keep saying that, but I haven't seen an actual changeling since we got into this hive. They must all be asleep or something."

"And now that you've said that, an entire swarm is gonna descend upon us," Sunburst groaned. "You've never heard of 'tempting fate'? If it can go wrong, it will go wrong."

Just then, in the distance came the sound of what could best be described as humming. "W-What's that?" Sunburst asked, before he then added. "Wait, don't tell me-"

"It's a changeling patrol!" Thorax shouted!

Author's Note:

I'm not gonna have Sunburst snipe at Discord as much as Trixie did in the original episode, Sunburst isn't as egotistical.

I also wanted to tone down just a little bit, Starlight's reliance on magic and play up her fears about being a leader.

Comments

[Midnight Song18]

I love this story and I'm wondering where you're going to go with it. Is Soarin actually going to end up in a romantic relationship with either Spitfire or Rainbow Dash or is that just a fun little side plot?

Any direction you decide to take this story, I'm enjoying it! Please keep up the great work!

[Comickook]

Hey there. Once more, you did an excellent job on the latest chapter. Very good work on the characterizations, exchanges and future chapter set-up in all the right places. I DO really like how well you are doing in keeping the spirit similar to the actual episode while still modifying certain things appropriately to fit a different character.

And, yes, I will most certainly be looking forward to more of this.

[Yoshifan30]

"And now that you've said that, an entire swarm is gonna descend upon us," Sunburst groaned. "You've never heard of 'tempting fate'? If it can go wrong, it will go wrong."

Seriously you really need to stop saying that You guys are basically tempted fate lol