Discord's Return

by The_WolfGirl

Chapter Two: Imprisonment

Chapter Two: Imprisonment

I woke, staring at my blood red mane waving in front of my face with a mind of its own. I brushed it out my face with a hoof. Looking around where I had awakened, I saw that I was trapped in a cage made of, was that…cotton candy? I leaned forwards and took a small bite, it was! I ate an entire bar and squeezed through the new space. Immediately I was teleported in a swirl of chaotic pink and purple into a different cell. This one with stone walls on three sides and iron bars on the last, there was no door.

Discord appeared in front of me with a flash of light. “Now, you've gone and put yourself in the bad- pony prison.” He grinned and snickered as my mane flared up.

“DISCORD!! Thou art a fool to think thee can imprison me!” My horn began to glow before disappearing in a burst of confetti that rained down and got tangled in my mane. “Hey, give that back!” I whined.

“No, bad ponies don’t get horns. Or wings for that matter.” My wings then floated off of me and out towards Discord, where they vanished with a small puff. My mane and tail grew to fill the entire space as I felt rage flow through my veins.

I roared, “Give unto me that which is mine, spawn of chaos!” The bars of my prison shook with the weight of my voice.

Discord merely laughed and zipped my mouth closed. “Not until you agree to steal the Elements of Harmony.”

I snarled and unzipped my mouth, “I’d rather die!” I screamed at him.

“Then you can stay in here until you decide to be nice.” He stalked off sulkily, my furious mane snapping at his heels.

After Discord had left me to my own devices, I sat down on the cold, stone floor of the cell and cried. I didn’t care if Discord heard me, once I started, I couldn't stop. I watched the teardrops splatter onto the ground below and stood up slowly, still dripping water from the corners of my eyes. My white and red flank was stained brown and grey by the dirt beneath me. My tears made it hard to see and blurred the world around me so that it looked like something out of a nightmare. I curled up as far from the entrance as I could get and closed my eyes, hoping to wake up back home in my cottage.

I woke to screaming coming from somewhere above me. I looked up at the bars and stone walls, wondering where I was for a brief second before remembering Discord and his cruel tricks. Just as I remembered the events of the previous day, Discord came strolling down the stairs that led up to what I assumed to be his living quarters.

“Aww, the itsy-bitsy pony’s woken up already,” Discord materialized a tray of food out of nowhere, “Here’s breakfast,” he added, throwing the tray through the bars and into my cell. I bent down to look at it. ‘It’ was hay with a glass of water. I sighed and attempted to use magic to levitate it before realizing that Discord had removed my horn, the confetti evidence was still on the cell floor. I bent down and buried my muzzle into the hay and ate slowly.

When I am done I lift my head and look directly at Discord, my eyes drilling through him. “What was all the screaming about, Discord? Did thou murder somepony?”

He laughs at me, “No, somepony just saw the ghost of the recently deceased grandfather.” I freeze, unable to believe my ears. Ghosts aren't supposed to be able to stay in this world, how had I missed somepony? My magic always… I trail off realizing the problem.

“Discord, thou must return my horn. Without it life and death cannot retain their fragile harmony!”

“You will get it back when you accept my proposal. Remember, you don’t have to kill anypony, simply retrieve the Elements of Harmony from their respective keepers.” He smirks at me, sure of my response.

“Thou knowest I cannot do that. `Twould break the cycle of harmony.”

“Don’t ghosts and stillborn foals break the cycle of harmony or whatever?”

“Yay and nay. The Elements keep some semblance of harmony. Without them, even I cannot function properly.”

“Argh!! Just say yes already. I won’t destroy them, if you want you can even keep one or two!”

“NO! Doth it take a million years of me saying the same thing to thee? Art thy ears broken? I will not help thee!” I know I should, it’s what Ashen Tree would have wanted. But I cannot say yes to so foul a creature, it goes against my very nature.

Discord growled loudly, “Fine, be that way!” He stormed off trailing angry pink clouds in his wake.

He came back many times over the next few days. He always asked the same question, ‘Will you agree yet?’, I always had the same response, ‘Nay, thou knowest I cannot.” Until, after what I suspected as three days of my imprisonment, Discord played his trump card. He came down to the cell and said two words, “He’s back,” I lowered my head in submission. “What is thy proof?” my voice was slow and sad, I could not bear to think what this might mean.

Discord merely stepped aside to reveal a shimmering ghost of my polar opposite. Ashen Tree was black, with ice blue swirling patterns and white hooves. His cutie mark was an ash tree in full blossom, a symbol of the life my brother once stood for. He stepped through the bars into my cell, “Sister, thou must stop this foolishness. Just do it already! The cycle is broken because of thee.”

“No, dost thou know what the demon wishes of me?”

Discord looked up at us, “Hey, I’m still here you know!” My brother and I gave him twin stare’s of disapproval before Ashen looked back at me.

“I know, Rose. He asks you to steal the Elements of Harmony. `Twould not be so bad, at least the cycle of life and death would be restored!” I lowered my head before looking up at Discord.

“Very well, Discord. I shall do thy bidding,” I returned my gaze to my lost brother, “I am sorry for what I did to thee. I shalt miss thee, brother.” He touched his horn to my forehead as my horn and wings shimmered into existence.
As our horns met for one, last, brief moment, my brother sent a thought stabbing through my brain, burying itself deep in my subconscious. Then my horn glowed a bright, red and every ghost throughout Equestria screamed as they dissipated into mist and every stillborn foal burst to life, startling many ponies that were in the process of mourning for their dead children.

“Nicely done, I knew you'd come around and see things my way!” Discord took a step towards the now meaningless cell as my horn’s triple glow faded to merely one.

My coat was slathered in sweat from my burst of intense magic. I teleported myself out of the cell and walked up the stairs. Discord followed, turning into a gray pony halfway up the stairs. I walked into a large and comfortably furnished living area, to my surprise there was no sign of chaos anywhere in the house. I looked out the window and did a surprised double-take. The view through the window was that of Ponyville, specifically the large oak tree that served as Ponyville’s library and the Element of Magic’s home.

“Discord, where the hell are we?” My voice was quiet with surprise and I stared at the pony Discord.

“Oh yeah. Did I forget to mention that I am now a respectable citizen of Ponyville? I have a job at the library, taking of care of any ponies in need of a book!”

My vision once more went black as I fainted.

Author's Note:

If you see anything wrong with this chapter please leave a comment to tell me! Thank you for reading this.

Comments

[UfUnNyF1r3nd]

No more WHY?!?!?!?!?!?!

[The_WolfGirl]

Sorry! I just started this a little while ago. I am still writing though. I expect to post the next chapter within a few days. Sorry for the wait.