Risen Earth

by PonyTom

Chapter 7: Dreams

The Earthen Alliance ponies have grown in number...

I've found myself very unsettled by this fact. Ponies I know, that I've spoken to, are wearing their bands and giving me glares ranging from uncertain to outright hostile. They still get their soap boxes and shout protests, but the number of curious ponies simply listening has fallen, and the number of ponies shouting and cheering has increased.

This morning, I was asked to come to Rarity's where Fluttershy was bawling her eyes out; somepony had killed three of her chickens - they seemed to have been stomped to death - and spray painted vulgar images and phrases all over her property - including, but not limited to 'die sky whore' and 'I bet you have sex with your animals'. She was utterly humiliated and frightened and... and I was angry. I Immediatly met up with the mayor to talk to her about it; she said she already had ponies investigating the situation, and that those responsible would be held accountible for the damage and the chicken killings, but that there was little to no evidence to use, and that until something came up, her hooves were tied. Likely, that's why they chose Fluttershy as a victim; not only is she less likely to defend herself, but she's also removed enough from Ponyville that it'd be unlikely for there to be witnesses.

So, now we're trying to console Fluttershy, who will be spending a bit of time with Rarity until her house can be cleaned up. She's asked all of her animal friends to find safety until this was sorted out. Her chickens are no longer a thing of concern; if the vandals didn't kill all of them, they let the others free, or scared them away. Considering the nature of the crime, I'll assume the chickens are alive, otherwise they would have been left to mortify our friend even more.

We've promised to help Fluttershy hold a funeral for the dead chickens, and hopefully find the missing ones.

Everypony knows, without a doubt, that the Earthen Organization is behind this. I haven't been able to determine any form of hierarchy, but Mayor Mare promised me she'd find some way to get some answers. Either way, everypony in town has been notified of potential vandals and animal killers roaming the streets at night. I sent a message to Celestia. I'm hoping she answers; whatever is going on in Canterlot has been eating up a lot of her time, and considering past messages, I'm certain it's related to our current issues.

From the journal of former princess, Twilight Sparkle
Four weeks before Ponyville incident

***

"We have to do this... there is no other way...."

I stood next to Pinkie Pie as we trotted along the street, keeping our eyes peeled. We were surrounded by houses and buildings. I fixed my hat firmly to my head; a cowpony hat... not usually my thing, but it had a sort of rustic charm. It had been a while since I had come here; the town had grown exponentially; it was actually about as big as Ponyville was before it was utterly obliterated! Unfortunately, I couldn't take time to bask and appreciate my surroundings as another friend approached from the side.

"From what we've been told, the train should stop here sometime soon."

"Are you sure about this?" I felt nervous. We had done a lot of tough missions before, but this was going to be exceedingly dangerous; to attempt to follow an Empire train with a 'highly volatile' prisoner? Heck, the prisoner alone was plenty of reason to feel concerned. I felt an itch under the right side of my vest; an old wound acting up.

"Oh yes..." she said. "The security here should be lax, though. We've got a lot of ponies working with us on this one, and our Intel said that this is the least guarded point because it's the furthest from our usual hot spots."

The itching was getting to me. I bit my lip and looked around, trying to determine if anypony was watching. When I was certain I wouldn't raise suspicion, I reached back and shoved my mouth under my vest to chew at the itch on my beck. Pinkie kept close to me so I wouldn't blow my cover. Once the annoyance subsided, I withdrew and sighed in relief. Pinkie smiled. "How's the injury?"

"Oh, it's doing better..." I sighed. It was a slow process, but it was getting better. It was kind of her to ask, though we both knew that the wound would never heal fully.

"There you are, my pony friends! Are you ready for this deed's end?"

We all turned to face a familiar face; Zecora. She had painted her coat white to hide her stripes; after all, though as a Zebra she wasn't technically any different from an Earth Pony, the Empire has grown considerably xenophobic since it's establishment. "The train it waits, it's cargo patient... but do be careful, and not complacent. I feel that things here are amiss, so do not be fooled by calm nor bliss..."

"Of course, Zecora" I said, smiling. "We've not come this far just to get caught now. All we have to do is get to that train and crack it open..." I looked around a bit and leaned in to whisper. "Remember... when we get close, I won't be of much help, and I'll be extremely disoriented... if what I hear is true, I may not even be able to remain conscious if we're here too long..."

Pinkie frowned. "Twilight, if you start to get too weak, you just draw your distance and let good old Pinkie Pie take care of it, alright?"

I couldn't help but smile. "Thanks Pinkie.... you know the plan just as well as any of us..." I sighed a bit and turned to face our fourth friend. "What about you? Are you ready for this, Fluttershy?"

The butter yellow mare smiled to me; she wore a hat that looked like something Rarity would have designed, and a dress the gave her the very appearance of innocence. "Oh yes, Twilight... you just be careful." I don't know why everypony was telling me to be careful; we were just going to open a door, maybe shut off some machines. I guess if we had to fight then I'd have to be careful, but wasn't the entire purpose of this mission not to fight?

"If nothing else, I can always try to fly" I smirked. I was just joking, of course, but Fluttershy still frowned.

"Twilight... don't."

She simply worried. I knew why. The doctors told me that even with all the surgery, they doubted my wing would ever heal enough to fly again. As it was I had to get surgery every few months to make sure the muscles didn't fuse together. Plus, it itched like a beast every once in a while. I hugged my friend. "I'm kidding... I know my limits better than anypony. Don't worry." She nodded and hugged back. She's such a caring friend.

With that out of the way, we all exchanged glances, and then we moved on towards the train station.

As we approached, a single stallion stood in waiting for our arrival. He wore the Empire's uniform and barrette, and the moment he noticed us, he motioned us over. "There's our guy" said Pinkie quietly, and we approached. The stallion led us towards a bathroom with a sign that read 'out of order'. We pushed the door open and headed inside; a few other ponies in there, wearing the same uniforms.

"Alright Princess, ladies" said the stallion. "We have your disguises here. Princess Twilight, most of the guard tend to were Barrettes that expose their foreheads, but things here are rather relaxed, so I doubt they'd notice if you covered your horn. As long as we're on this mission, you are to refer to each other by new names..." he cleared his throat. "Princess, you are 'Twinkle Shine" why did that name sound familiar? "Pinkie-Pie, you are 'Surprise', Fluttershy, you are 'Springshine', and Zecora, you are 'Summer'. We may not need the names, but why risk it?" We all nodded and began working to get into our disguises. "Remember" he began, "The security here is lax, but that doesn't mean we can be careless. We must act with duty. Follow my instructions, and we should be fine. Now... let's go unleash chaos." And so, with our disguises on, we made our way out from an out-of-order bathroom, and the stallion cleared his throat.

"Rookies, you are representing the Empire! Now, let's get back to duty and I'll consider how I'll tan your hides later!" He was, of course, putting on a show for anypony who had noticed us going in or coming out of the otherwise 'out of order' restroom. We did not respond; we were not expected to. With that show done, and nopony seeming to care or even acknowledge us, we carried on. As we made our way through the station, we eventually caught sight of the car where our target was; it sort of stuck out, what with some soldiers standing around it. We approached, and our 'fearless leader' - a stallion I admit embarrassingly to not knowing the name of - began his part. "We're here to replace your shift. Urgent matters need your attentions, soldiers. Report to HQ and ask for details; tell them Commander Cotton sent you." The guards exchanged glances, but didn't nod or anything before trotting off.

"I can't believe that worked" said Fluttershy quietly.

I wanted to say something, but I was becoming increasingly aware of the fact that we were in the right place. "G-girls... I'm kind of dizzy... can we... can we hurry this up?"

"Of course" said Fluttershy, a smile on her face as she trotted towards the train and we all gathered around, trying to maintain the appearance of soldiers keeping watch while one of our own examined the cargo; our little group had successfully replaced any guards on this side that might prove problematic. She placed her hoof on the door and pushed. When it became obvious she was having trouble, we all cautiously gathered around and helped by adding a bit of our own muscle; my own strength adding little with the Spellbreakers disrupting my sense of... well... anything.

Eventually, we pried it open.

"Well well well, I was wondering when somepony would come for me." We all looked up to see the very thing we had come for. A creature of hysteria; his own body reflecting the chaos he represented.

"Discord..."

"Twilight Sparkle..." He grinned. "You're not looking so well, my dear. I guess that much is to be expected, what with all these Spellbreakers..." he shuddered. "Nasty bits of technology if I do say so myself. I can barely feel them, but I imagine you're on the verge of throwing up."

"Let's just... g-get him out of here..." it was true. I was barely remaining conscious as was. But that's when it hit me. "W-wait... you're barely effected?"

Discord laughed. "Puh-lease. My magic defies logic. I'll explain this so you can understand, Twilight..." A pair of thick glasses appeared on his face (taped together in the middle). "My magic works on a different wavelength from yours. We have similar effects, but whereas your magic requires focus, concentration, visual contact, and understanding of what you're trying to accomplish, my magic requires little more than me wanting it to be and the right mindset to make it happen." He giggled. "Sometimes, I do things that I don't even realize I'm doing!"

"Well, Discord" said Fluttershy, smiling. "Would you be a dear and come with us?"

"Of course! I was getting bored anyway." He stepped out of the train and stretched, audibly popping his bones (and making other noises bones should not make). I stared, dumbfounded.

"Are you telling me you could have left at any time?"

"Yep." Discord grinned.

"Why didn't you!?"

He stuck his tongue out. "Where is the fun in that? Watching what you ponies can do left to your own devices was interesting for a while!" He smirked. "I dare say I haven't seen your kind unleash chaos so delicious before! If I knew all it took was a little technology, I would have invented the steam engine a long time ago!" Before I could say anything more, there was a loud crack that filled the air. A familiar sound that I dreaded to this day; the sound that crippled me. I jumped, and was quick to feel around myself; no holes, no blood, no pain. I was fine. Discord yawned. "Yeah, they tried shooting me a few times too, but they always get dissuaded when the bullets turn to-"

Pinkie Pie screamed. "Fluttershy!"

That caught my attention; I turned quickly to find Fluttershy on the floor, trembling, her eyes wide as precious life pooled beneath her. My own vertigo forgotten, Pinkie, Zecora and myself rushed to the mare, and I took her in my hooves and held her up. She looked up to me, fear etched into her. "T-Twilight...." she gasped. Had she been shot in the lung? I had to save her! I focused on my magic, tried to call up any healing spell I knew, but as I tried, all I succeeded in doing was making the vertigo worse. But I kept trying. I was desperate. My friend was injured. She was dying. I had to do it for her, no matter how much it hurt me. I had to!

For an instant, I felt a spark.

I could do it! I could use magic! I was beating the Spellbreakers! I just had to push! I could save her! I could--

"Twilight..."

I looked down to Fluttershy, clutching her in my hooves. The fear that had filled her eyes was gone. Instead... she was smiling. It was a smile of a pony who was not ashamed. Who was not scared. Who was accepting her death. "Twilight... I'm sorry..."

No.

"Fluttershy, don't! You're going to be okay!"

She didn't respond. She stared back at me, silently, and let out a sigh.

No.

"Fluttershy?"

NO!

Discord rolled his eyes. "Come on Flutters, I've done this joke already. All it does is get ponies' hopes up."

She still didn't respond, as I desperately tried to focus my magic; I could only get small sparks, not enough to do anything, and the more I tried, the more I felt like I was going to pass out.

"If you don't stop, I'm going to turn Twilight into a duck. You don't want that now, do you?" Discord raised an eyebrow, keeping his vision glued to Fluttershy.

Still nothing.

Discord stared down at the mare. He showed complete and utter indifference; part of me found it disturbing. Fluttershy was.... and he didn't seem to care? Slowly, he leaned down to put himself at eye level with her. His eyes widened a bit, and then he placed an ear on her chest. Slowly, he stood up tall again, took a deep breath, and let out.

"Well then..."

Normally, those words would mean nothing. But the moment he said them, I felt a great deal of dread strike me.

The ground began to shift. Before I even realized Discord had weaved any magic, earth tore upwards, some of it turning to be as if small mountains, bits of it floating into the sky altogether. Discord himself turned to face the pony who had shot her; one of our own, who had a Battle Saddle. With a swift motion, he snapped his claws; the very car he had been imprisoned in... stood up? The wheels were like legs that it stood tall on. Then, like an angry bull, the car charged into the pony at a blinding speed, who screamed as he was crushed against the wall with a sickening crunch.

"Don't think you get off that easy!" shouted Discord.

The pony kept screaming. He shouldn't have even been alive. His body was crushed! But he was screaming! "You're going to feel this one for as looong as I can make it entertaining!" Sweet merciful Celestia... Discord was keeping him alive. And once more, the car slammed into him. It kept going, again and again and again, until the pony was a fine paste, and there was nothing left for his spirit to be remained tethered to. Guards began hurrying in, opening fire upon the spirit of chaos as they turned on their Spellbreakers. Instead, the bullets turned into peanuts as they struck Discord, and the anti-magical machines began to play ragtime music, before exploding and engulfing their wielders in flame. With the chaos Discord unleashed, I could feel my own body absorbing latent magic with the help of his own powers disrupting the anti-magical properties of the ones that had been holding him, and I quickly hurried to Fluttershy. I focused my magic on her. I knew enough about healing.

She was still alive, but barely. I tried to focus my magic, but Discord's disruption wasn't allowing me the full access to my spell power. I didn't have anywhere near enough power to heal her. No. Even with the spell breakers off, I don't think I had the power to heal her. I was strong, but most of the healing spells I knew were for first aid... I couldn't heal bullet wounds of this severity.

Then, the ground beneath us launched upwards, and I fell away from Fluttershy.

"FLUTTERSHY!"

I hit the ground hard. I think... I think I was unconscious for a bit, because by the time I opened my eyes, the entire world around me was different.

Trees everywhere. Apple Trees, to be precise. They were running around with legs... they were picking up ponies and ripping them in half. Black vines began to sprout from the ground, shredding buildings and destroying the train. I looked around quickly, trying to find Fluttershy. Then, I found her, cradled in Discord's arms as he drifted in the air.

His eyes were so filled with sadness. I don't think I ever could have fathomed seeing him like that before; lost, utterly defeated. He placed a claw on her mane and brushed it aside, staring down at her, all the while, his tail continued to snap makeshift fingers, casting spells all the while. He looked down to me, the defeat still aching in his eyes as they met mine.

"You can't save her." He said. It was then that he pressed Fluttershy against his chest, squeezed his eyes shut...

And then, a bright flash filled my vision.

Chunks of earth fell back to the ground. I looked around to find that Pinkie Pie; indeed, the entire group I had traveled with, was gone; at least, not near me. Chunks of risen earth may have separated us. Zecora hobbled near me, her suit torn and damaged. "... We must... flee... it's not too late... lest we are to meet our fate..."

I looked to my hooves, to my body. I was covered in blood. Fluttershy's blood. The life fluid of my friend now marked me. Zecora nudged me to try to make me stand. "Twilight come, we must flee! Chaos lingers, can't you see?" I looked up to see that, indeed, the black vines were still growing, attacking anything near them; some of them destroying buildings, ripping apart corpses... even ponies that had somehow survived. The monster apple trees continued their own onslaught. I stumbled to my hooves, and I focused my magic. Just as I felt the magic fill me, the spell to teleport, I heard a voice. A whisper.

'I found another way...'

***

"Fluttershy, no!"

I shot upward, panting and heaving. I looked around; I was in the bedroom. The loft of the secret room Pinkie Pie had afforded me in her mansion. I turned my hooves to feel my back; wingless. As reality began to seperate itself from my dreams, I felt myself become empty. It was just a dream... but... I think... I think deep down, I knew, that that's how it would have played out. Maybe it was just my sleep-addled brain but... maybe I had been fooling myself to think that I could have saved Fluttershy?

I only wished I could say that it brought me comfort.

I looked out the window to see that it was still very early. The sun hadn't even come up yet! I don't know how long I had actually slept, but I doubt it counted anywhere near a full night's sleep. I groaned, putting a hoof on the bridge of my nose and stroking it as I mulled the dream over.

It was then that it hit me.

"Discord."

He was free. Did anypony know where he was? Could he be trusted? The fact that Equestria wasn't consumed in chaos suggested that, if nothing else, he wasn't being aggressive. He was powerful enough that I doubted anything had happened to him since then. Maybe... just maybe...

I would have to bring it up to Rainbow Dash.

Fluttershy had died to find Discord. She had died to free him. Just maybe we can make her death mean something.

***

"No."

"What!?"

Pinkie had been so kind as to not hit me in the head this journey to the Underground. Still, I had to put on the blindfold again (apparently, this would be the case until I officially joined). I made a point of finding Rainbow Dash and proposing my plan; find Discord and recruit him. "Why not!? Fluttershy died setting him free!"

"Yeah, and from what Pinkie tells me, he could have left any time!" Wow... that was weird. My dreams were pretty accurate! "She died because of something that had the power to do something refused to! For his amusement! And even then, ever since, he hasn't done a thing! Oh, wait, yes he did; he juiced up the Everfree Forest!" She turned on me, staring me in the eyes. "After he was freed, the Everfree Forest began to expand at an accelerated rate. It's almost taken over the remains of Old Ponyville and Applelooza! We've reports that ponies plan to deconstruct and reconstruct some of Dodge Junction just to draw distance from it!"

"Wait" I shook my head. "Shouldn't the Tree of Harmony be stopping the Everfree Forest from progressing?"

"That's what I thought too." Rainbow shook her head, turning away from me. "I don't know what he did. Maybe the Tree of Harmony only stops an immediate threat? I don't know. All I know is the Everfree expanded in that time, and that the deeper you go, the more dangerous the plants become." She huffed. "I think the only reason we were allowed to get Fluttershy's tombstone set up was because Discord hadn't been focusing quite then."

"Rainbow Dash, please" I tried to push. It might be risky, but still, I couldn't do nothing. "Please, let me investigate this. Fluttershy sacrificed so much for this... please?"

She stood silently for a few moments. "You're not even in my organization. You can do what you want. You just won't have our backing."

"And what if I did join? Would you help me then?"

"If you did join, you'd have to get the majority vote." Rainbow grimaced, trying to make obvious her displeasure at the mere thought. "But that monster is the reason my friend is dead. I'll sooner let Equestria burn than I will ask his help - not that I think he'd give it anyway." That was... comforting. "I'd kill him myself if I didn't think he'd turn our bullets into marshmallows..."

"Then consider me in." That seemed to catch her attention. I honestly didn't want to be part of this organization, but... I had no other options right now. Even if we couldn't find Discord, if nothing else, I might be able to win ponies over or something. It wasn't much, but I had to believe I could do something, somehow. Maybe I was hoping too much... but hope is what got me here today.

"Fine. You're in." Rainbow snorted. "Just remember. Your authority as a princess here is only as strong as other ponies want to make it. Until we re-establish the rule of the royals, you're just another pony as far as we're concerned."

"That's fine by me."

"Good." Rainbow turned her nose up a bit and stared down at me in an authoritive manner. "If you're honestly going to join our organization, then I think you need to make a trip - especially if you're going to follow Fluttershy's insane plan. You need to see the state of Equestria; I mean really see it, before you do something that will likely get you killed for real."

"Fine." I stared her in the eyes; I don't know why, but I was feeling particularly bold. "I'll see Equestria. I'll do anything you want. I won't kill anypony though. Even if I can't use Fluttershy's plan, I intend to find a way to end this as peacefully as possible."

"Feel free." Rainbow turned her back and trotted away. "Just remember; that's what we're doing. Sometimes, 'as peacefully as possible' still requires blood."

I watched her leave. I felt a strong conflict of emotions well up inside of me as I did; a one time dear friend... and she didn't believe in me? Didn't believe in Fluttershy? Maybe she was right. Maybe it was hopeless. But what's the harm in trying? I sighed, turning to face Pinkie Pie, who smiled at me.

"Well, guess I won't have to blindfold you this time, Twilight!"

"Guess not." I smirked a bit, but found myself frowning again. Pinkie patted my shoulder gently.

"Forgive her, Twilight..." She smiled a bit and hugged me. "She's just seen a lot... she's hard to win over... but the fact she didn't hit you tells me she's warming up to you again!"

Well... I... guess that was comforting?

All the sudden I found myself realizing something; I had joined a rebel organization, considered fugitives and treasoners, and was ready to move around and see a world that would likely kill me at first glance.

What did I just get myself into?

TO BE CONTINUED...

Comments

[Thorai]

Yayy, updated!