Souls of Harmony...Go to Another World

by Masters-of-the-Elements

Discord's Escape

Souls of Harmony…Go to another World:
Discord’s Escape?

Ah, Equestria…you can’t find a more perfect paradise, from it glorious weather, to its cotton candy cloud, raining chocolate rain down on unsuspecting ponies.

“Wait-what?” a certain lavender unicorn exclaimed in surprise.

Twilight Sparkle, the studious unicorn and personal student of her land’s leader, was doing a bit of bird watching when she noticed a certain cloud soaring across the sky. She even doubt checked just in case she was seeing things. Once she had confirmed her worse fears, she panicked.

“No no, no, no!” Twilight muttered in a panic, as she teleported to the first floor of her library home. “How did he escape? Spike…! Spike…?”

Twilight felt kicking herself in the flank. She remembered that she had sent her dragon aid out on an errand, and he wasn’t due back for another ninety minutes. This only cause her panic to grow, and without much thought, she threw open her door with her magic, and ran out it…right into a certain cyan coat, rainbow mane Pegasus pony.

The two ponies collided into each other, and they went falling. The Pegasus pony landed awkwardly on her back, groaning slightly as she landed on one of her wings awkwardly. Twilight moan as she pushed herself up. She looked into a pair of magmata eyes, and everything else disappeared. The Pegasus pony looked in the unicorn’s eyes, and the world disappears for her as well.

“Heya Twi,” Rainbow Dash said breathlessly.

“Hi Rain…” Twilight replied, equally breathless.

For what seems like a lifetime the two ponies just stared deeply into each others eyes. The world could be ending, which is probably was, but they didn’t care at the moment. All that matter to them was looking deeply into each others eyes.

“Oh my…” a startled voice said, startling the two ponies back to reality.

Both blushing like mad, they looked up and saw their fours friends, each with own expression about the situation they had just found their close friends in.

The fashion designer, Rarity, was practically glowing as she stared down at her friends with wide eyes. She’s probably imaging her friends as cute couple. Next to her was the shy, butterscotch coat and pink mane pony Fluttershy, who was trying to look away while a little blush began to form on her cheeks. The pink earth pony known as Pinkie Pie didn’t seem effected by this new discovery, she was just bouncing up and down trying to follow that pink cloud in the sky. The final member Applejack, an earth pony with an orange coat and blonde mane, looked at the two with uncertainty.

The two, realizing their awkwardness they found themselves in, acted quickly; Twilight teleported off of her friend, as Rainbow jumped to the air. Twilight reappeared in an upright position, in front of her library as the cyan pony landed beside her.

“OOOWW, I smell something juicy,” Rarity said mischievously.

Before the marshmallow unicorn could get anything out of her friends, a familiar pink pony came into her line of sight. “Ow! Is it fresh made Apple cider? There’s nothing juicer then freshly made apple cider!” Pinkie said in her normal happy tone.

The energetic pink then began going on about other juicy fruits, and probably would have kept on going, if a certain earth pony hadn’t stuck her hoof into her friend’s mouth.

“Listen, what Twilight and Rainbow have is between them-” Applejack said softly.

“IT’S NOT LIKE THAT!!” the two embarrass ponies cried out.

“-Is between them. Besides, y’all, I think we have a more pressing matter at hoof,” Applejack finished seriously.

The group suddenly falls quiet, and they all looked at the cloud. The cloud had remained in place, like it was waiting on Twilight and her friends to do something. Once she saw the cloud mocking them, Rainbow Dash put on her usual determined face, and took towards the air, her wing arching from the fall but otherwise ok.

“Well what are we waiting for?” Rainbow asked eagerly, facing Twilight. “Let get the little guy out so we get a letter to the princess!”

“About that…?” Twilight replied regretfully. “Spike’s on an errand and wouldn’t be back for a while!” She finished up quickly.

“Is that all?” Rainbow asked cockily. “I can easily race back into town, get the little guy and be back here before you could blink!”

“That wouldn’t be needed, my little ponies!”

The six gasped at the familiar voice, and looked towards the sky. The co-rulers of the land, Princess Celestia and her younger sister Princess Luna descend to the ground. The younger Alicorn had on a purple saddlebag, decorated with jewels of the highest caliber. The six ponies immediately bow as the two royal sisters walked up to them.

“We don’t have time to formalities,” Celestia said grimly. “We and all of Equestria are in dire trouble.”

The six ponies lifted their heads, and exchanged worried expressions. Twilight stepped up to her teacher, voicing the thought that was on every pony’s minds.

“Umm, Princess…when did Discord escape?” the studious unicorn asked reluctantly.

Celestia looked at her student, her eyes becoming slightly downcast. “Unfortunately, Twilight Sparkle, my sister and I believe Discord has been free for some time,” the regal pony said calmly.

The silence that follows after the princess revealed that was so thick it could be cut with a knife. No pony, not even Pinkie Pie, knew how to process what they just learn. Sensing the tension in the air, Princess Luna stepped forward to continue where her sister left off.

“When Sister and I notice the cloud, we hurried to the garden, and to our surprise the statue was still in place,” the lunar princess explained grimly.

The six ponies now turned their eyes to the younger sister, their confusion growing. Applejack was the first to recover, and trotted up the princess, taking off her hat in a show of respect.

“Beg your pardon princesses, but if that varmint is still in prison, how is that cloud here?” the farmer asked uncertainly.

Princess Celestia sighs faintly, and looked at the farm pony. “My sister and I thought about that as well, but a spell confirmed that the statue is fairly new.” The princess noticed the blank stare she was getting, and sighs a little deeper. “When Discord is imprisoned by the power of the elements, the stone that cover his body often matches up with his true age.”

Realization quickly dawn on the group of friends, and new fears began to emerge within them. If what the princesses was saying was indeed true, then that mean only one thing…

“But Princess, how long has Discord been free?” Twilight asked uncertainly, stepping forward.

Celestia looked at her student with downcast and said grimly,” From what we can tell the replacement is roughly a year old.”

Twilight mouth dropped at this piece of information. “But that would mean Discord has been free from…”

“…Shortly after you six imprisoned him,” Celestia replied with a grim face.

Well, that was it. Twilight went into full panic attack…or she would have if a cyan hoof wasn’t placed on her shoulder. She turned her head and looked deeply into a pair of magmata eyes, and she felt her nerves settle enough to regain some of her composure.

“Don’t worry about a thing, Twi,” Rainbow reassured her in usual cocky voice. “We kicked Discord’s flank once, and we should as heck do it again. Right, Girls!”

Twilight let back at her other friends, and saw the determination they were all sporting.

“Darn totting we will!”

“…As long as nothing happens to my mane.”

“I-I-I can try, if that’s okay.”

“Don’t you worry your head off your auntie Pinkie Pie has everything under control.”

Twilight couldn’t help but smile. She was truly grace with some amazing friends. She put on her own determined expression and looked at the princesses, nodding that everypony was ready. Now it was Princess Celestia turn to smile. It never ceases to amaze her, just how much bravery these six processed.

Certainly, these six are braver then I was at their age, Celestia thought somberly as she looked at her sister.

Luna read the silent message her sister was sending her, and her horn became lit with her magic. Her saddlebags opened, and out floated a familiar set of necklaces and one crown. The younger sister then levitated the elements to their respective bearers, and they click around their necks. Last but not least Luna lowered the crown gingerly onto the head of the lavender unicorn. Once her element was in place Twilight looked up at her teacher and her younger sister, more determine then before.

“Now all we have to do is fine Discord and blast him with the rainbow!” Rainbow Dash said cockily.

“Ow, ow, ow,” Pinkie said excitedly, wavering her hoof and getting everypony’s attention. “How about we follow the cloud?”

“Get real Pinkie,” Rainbow said rudely. “Like Discord would be dumb enough to leave a trail we could easily follow.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure of that, darling,” Rarity said awkwardly, looking towards the sky.

Rainbow followed her friend’s glance, and was meant with a surprise that cause her mouth to drop. The cloud was still there, as if waiting for the group of ponies. Indeed, once the cloud noticed it was being watched, it zoomed off into the distance but still slow enough that it remained in the ponies’ line of sights.

“Something ain’t right here,” Applejack said cautiously. “It like that thing wants us to follow it.”

“Who cares?” Rainbow exclaimed, flying a little off the ground. “The sooner we find that creep, the sooner we can get rid of him!”

“That is true, Rainbow Dash,” Princess Celestia said, stepping in front of the six with a look of determination. “Shall we go then?”

The sounds of crickets suddenly filled the silence that formed around the six ponies. Five sets of eyes looked to their right, where the sound was coming from and saw their hyperactive friend making the noise. Pinkie immediately stopped her noise-making and gave her friends a big old innocent smile. Once the awkwardness of the moment had worn off, Twilight took a step toward her teacher.

“Umm, princess, why are you and Princess Luna coming?” the studious unicorn asked uncertainly.

Celestia looked at her student, and Twilight took a step back. There was a look in the princess eyes, one that she has only seen a couple of times. And every single time it scared her greatly.

“Because that fiend had used some sort of spell on the castle. Every single guard has been put into a magical sleep,” Celestia replied, her voice firm. “Even your brother and my darling niece had fallen under that maniac’s spell.”

Twilight’s eyes widen as she thought of Shining Armor and her new sister-in-law in some sort of magical sleep. Now it was the unicorn’s turn to narrow her eyes in determination, and looked back at her friends. No words were needed between the six friends, they all were aware of what was happening, and were ready to do their parts. Twilight looked the princess, and a silent message was sent between teacher and student.

Celestia couldn’t help but smile at the bravery of these six ponies. It made her feel a little guilty to always have to rely on these innocent souls when there was danger at hoof. She pushed that guilt deep down, now wasn’t the time to feel anything. Once Discord was imprison again, and then she could work out her own mixed feelings.

She looked at her sister quickly, sending a silent message to her, and then turned her attention to the cloud. The cloud hadn’t moved, surprisingly. That’s all change when the cloud sense that it was being watched. It seemed to look down and it noticed all eyes were now on it, it zooms off.

Wordlessly the group of eight set out, following the cloud closely.

(…)

“UUGGHH, are we there yet?” whined a certain white unicorn. “We been walking for hours and my hooves are killing me!”

Currently the group was traveling through the dreaded Everfree forest, being guided by their unusual guide, the Cotton Candy Cloud. And of course, a certain pony was already complaining. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, and looked at her friend.

“Rarity, we haven’t been walking for hours,” the cyan pony said in mild irritation. “It if anything, it only been a half-a-hour since we started walking.”

“Well, excccuse me,” Rarity replied, turning her nose up. “But some ponies have standards.”

Applejack just rolled her eyes, as she tuned out her friends as they started to bicker. She cast her eyes around the forest feeling like something wasn’t quite right here. She couldn’t put her hoof on it but something about this path seemed familiar.

“Anypony beside me feeling something’s rotten here?” the farmer asked suspiciously. “This place is feeling a might familiar to me.”

“I wouldn’t know,” Fluttershy squeaked meekly. “I stopped looking a while ago.”

Applejack looked behind her and saw her friend, who had a rope loosely tied around her neck. Shortly after they had entered the Everfree, Fluttershy had froze, and no matter what any pony said the timid Pegasus wouldn’t move, even the princesses’ encouraging words didn’t have any effect on her. In the end Applejack needed to tie a rope around her friend’s neck and drag her. Which was easier said then done, seeing as the timid Pegasus had grown a set of invisible dragon claws and was using them to dig into the ground.

“Fluttershy, we don’t have time for this!” Rainbow Dash said, have finished her little bickering match with Rarity. “By the time we get there, Discord would be long gone!”

Fluttershy didn’t response, she just squeal meekly and shrunk away a little. Applejack just glared at her impatient friend, and looked around her surroundings again. She couldn’t put her hoof on it, but this place did indeed seem familiar. She was walking along, trying to figure out her surroundings, when she suddenly bumped into somepony. Knocked off balance slightly, the farmer nearly fell over but was able to catch herself and straighten herself.

She looked at Twilight, and quickly noticed the startled expression the librarian was wearing. She cocked an eye as she followed her friend’s eyes. Now it was the farmer turn to become startled, as she finally realized why this part of the forest seemed so familiar.

There, in front of the group, was a familiar gorge with a familiar bridge which has been decaying due to age. Beyond the gorge was the ruin of a once mystic castle, the original ruling grounds of the royal pony sisters. Even though it had fallen into ruin due to age, there was still some awe inspiring about the place.

Applejack quickly recovered from her awe, and looked up. The cloud had remained in place, as if waiting from them to all gather. Once it was sure that the entire party could see it, it then dive bomb into the gorge, leaving behind the group of eight.

“It can’t be…?” Celestia suddenly said, causing everypony to look at her.

The two sisters have been hovering high above the others, keeping a close eye out for Discord, just in case he tried anything. The two have been so quiet this entire trip most of the others had forgotten they were even there.

Applejack narrowed her eyes, and studied the elder sister’s expression. The usually calm and composed face that the princess wore was gone, replaced with a look of dire distress. The farmer also notices beads of sweat on the elder sister’s brow. Applejack turned her eyes slightly to the left. The younger sister was in a similar shape, only maybe a little more worse for wear.

That was caused for alarm. Rarely do the immortal rulers of an entire nation lose their composure. And when they do everypony, even though those that don’t know them on a personal level, knows it never meant anything good. And true to form, Celestia dive bomb after the cloud, with her sister following close behind. The group of six ponies could only watch as the two rules disappear into the gorge.

“What the hay was that all about?” Rainbow exclaimed, bringing everypony out of their daze.

“I don’t know, but we got to follow them!” Twilight said in determination.

Applejack peeked over the side of the gorge, and couldn’t help but frown slightly. She looked back the unicorn, her uncertainly shining through her face. “I don’t know about that, sugar-cube? How are we all going to get down?”

Twilight looked down herself, and then looked back at her friend. Before she could speak, however, they all heard a bunch of noises, and they looked to their left. Pinkie had found a large fleet of stairs, and was currently (and comically) falling down them. She landed hard on the floor below, but other then being a little dazed she was fine.

“We can take the stairs, sillies,” Pinkie chirped once she recovered.

The ponies were shocked, but like all Pinkie Pine incidents the group quickly recovered and decided to follow her lead, minus the trembling down the stairs part. Before Twilight could make her way down, Applejack put a hoof onto her shoulder, to gain her attention.

“Umm, you might want to take her,” the farm pony said awkwardly and pointed to the shaking Pegasus behind her.

Twilight looked at Fluttershy and frown when she noticed her friend’s behavior. The timid winged pony had made many trips to the forest before. True, she has been afraid of it before, but that hadn’t stopped her in the past. So…what was different this time around? Twilight shook her head to clear it. Now wasn’t the time to being thinking about such things.

So, with a small sigh, Twilight’s horn lit up with magic, and she used her magic to take off the rope. She next picked up the scared pony gingerly, and descended the stairs, with Applejack following close behind. Once the last of them had reached the bottom, they all took off, worried about the princesses.

It didn’t take long for six to find the princesses; they both were standing by a mouth of a cave, where a faint light could be seen shimming from the opening. The group trotted up to the opening, and what they saw next took their breaths away. Even Fluttershy opened her eyes, and was in awe the sight before them.

It was tree, there was no doubt about it, but there was something mystic about the plant. The branches twist and turn in way no pony ever seen before; large gem-like structures hang from them, with wind-chime-like items hanging from them. At the center of the tree was a stare-like shape, eerie similar to a certain unicorn’s cutie mark. Toward the trunk of the tree were two familiar marks as well, in the shape of the princesses’ own cutie marks.

“What is this?” Twilight asked in wonder and awe.

“The tree of Harmony…” Princess Luna answered the unicorn, with a hint of nostalgia in her voice. “Many moons ago, sister and I obtained the elements from this tree, and use them to vanquish Discord. Even without the elements energizing it, the tree is truly a sight to behold.”

“Exactly!” a familiar voice said whimsically.

Immediately after hearing that voice, the group of eight readied themselves. Rainbow Dash and Princess Luna took to the air, scanning the area the best they could. The unicorns, Celestia included, lit up their horns with magic readying them for whatever the fiend might try. Finally, the farmer had gotten in front of her timid friend, who had once again closed her eyes, and was crunching low in the ground. Even Pinkie Pie had a rare serious look to her face.

“Discord! Where are you?” Celestia demanded firmly. “Show yourself immediately!”

“Show myself? Oh, dear, dear Celestia, I have been in front of you this entire time. All you had to do is look forward,” Discord replied whimsically.

The group of eight looked towards the tree, and watched as a familiar cloud come from behind it. There was a quick flash of light, and the cloud was replaced by the misshapen form of the Discord, smiling whimsically.

“Well hello everypony, so good to see you all again,” Discord greeted in false politeness.

Seven out of the eight shot glares at the misshapen creature. Discord wasn’t phased by the glares he just continued to look down at the group. His eyes lazily scan the group, and his smile grew slightly when he noticed the timid Pegasus among them.

“Discord!” Celestia said demandingly. “How did you escape this time?”

“And what are your plans, fiend!” Luna added threateningly, joining her sister.

Discord looked at the two princesses and laugh when he noticed the serious looks the sister worn. This only caused the younger of the sister to growl slightly, no doubt recalling some distant memory.

“Oh, my dear, naive ponies, what if this were my plan the entire time?” Discord asked whimsically. “What if everything you have experience up to this point was part of my plan? Why else would I risk exposing myself then?”

The six regular ponies exchanged uncertain looks. Those they were hesitant to admit it, Discord has brought up a very good point. If it was true and he has been free for more then a year, why risk exposing himself now. And more importantly, why did he show himself at the tree of harmony, where the elements were no doubt at their strongest.

It just doesn’t add up, no matter how one looks at it.

Princess Celestia, on the other hoof, wasn’t convinced in the least. She defile the claims Discord just made by bravely taking a step forward. Her horn lit up with her magic, and pointed it directly in the misshapen creature. All Discord did was chuckled whimsically at the display.

“I refused to believe anything that comes from your twisted mouth,” the eldest sister said threateningly.

“Oh, you do now, do you?” Discord asked, his smile turning sly. “Then why not blast me with your precious Elements? Let it be decided that way.”

The six ponies once again exchanged uncertain looks. Something clearly wasn’t sitting right with them about all of this. Twilight took her eyes off of her friends and looked at her mentor. Celestia hadn’t taken her eyes off the misshapen spirit of chaos, but she would want Discord taken care before he could start trouble.

The studious unicorn looked at her friends, who still shared her uncertainty, but nodded her head. Then, five ponies and one reluctant pony stepped forward. One by one the ponies closed their eyes, and the elements began to glow with a glorious light. Strangely the element of kindness seemed to falter a bit, but it soon glowed brightly, joining it other halves as a bright aura appeared around the bearers.

The energy from the elements soon reached it peek and lifted the bearers from the ground. Her friends began to encircle her, as Twilight could feel the elements surge within her, and her eyes opened to see them glowing white. With a final burst of light, two rainbows shot from the aura incasing the bearers. The two rainbows spiraled upward where they joined into a single rainbow and arced down, on a straight away to Discord.

No pony saw Discord’s grin grew ten fold and turned a little insane, as possibly the greatest source of light magic engulfed him a second later.

Author's Note:

I would like to take this time to say my ususal sorries about my grammar and spelling. hopefully you all can still enjoy it. And please, by nice by helping out and pointint out some of my flaws. Thank you.