The Spirits of Forest and Tree

by Never2muchpinkie

Chapter 7: Friends again...but at what cost?

All of them reacted with disgust. “You … you…” Twilight was shaking with so much fury she couldn’t finish her sentence.

Celestia looked furious. “You attacked your best and only remaining friend?”

“How could you?” asked Luna angrily.

“After everything you had been through together,” added in Cadence.

The three Cutie Mark Crusaders looked over at each other. They couldn’t ever imagine doing that to each other, no matter what the situation.

Rainbow Dash flew up into the air. “You think it’s showing loyalty to a friend to attack them? You’re disgusting!”

Shadow Blaze didn’t react to their outbursts. “Be more careful with what you say, or the past may meet up with the present, and that will bring disaster upon you.”

Even Discord looked displeased. “I know you’re mad at me, Fluttershy, but I hope you know I would never attack you.”

Fluttershy was quiet for a moment, but then said, “I know.”

Shadow Blaze walked forward a bit, making the rest of them back up. “That’s quite enough from all of you. As I said to you before, my method was successful. Of course, Aqua Sapphire never quite grasped the reason I attacked her. She was so certain that the monsters aura had somehow made its way to me... that I had 'inherited' its evil. So basically I was just that monster in a smaller form.

“I took over a few villages, pushing them to their limits to get them to overcome how shamefully weak they all were. I saw gradual improvement over the next month, before Aqua Sapphire presented herself in front of me again. She tried to talk me down and get me to stop what I was doing, but I knew what I was doing was right. I told her if she wanted me to stop then she was going to have to make me stop.

“Though reluctant, she engaged me in battle. She was much stronger than before, but still far from a proper match for me, so I beat her again.

“I went to a new town, and started work on them, threatening the old one to keep up the standards I had set. Two months later she showed up again. Once more she had far accelerated her skills. It was wonderful. She really had grown quite strong, but still fell short of my standard, and so I beat her again.

“Over and over she showed herself before me, and each time she showed remarkable growth. She would always try to talk to me during battle, but I had no interest in the words of a weakling. With every battle, where she would call my way of doing things into question, she did not realize she was only proving me right. Her growth was a direct result of her hurt and pains and trials, and she gained it by working alone and forging herself into a new, stronger being each time.

“There finally came the day when she said to me that she could no longer allow me to go on as I was. She believed her old friend was dead, that the monster I killed was a small issue compared to the monster in my heart. She still didn’t comprehend what I was doing all of this for. Rage and anger was a big part of it, but I also wanted ponies to be able to stand up on their own hooves without simply relying on someone stronger to do their dirty work for them.

“She took me by surprise in that battle. It seems she had finally thrown her hesitation aside and resolved to kill me. It was a long and protracted battle, and I admit I was arrogant about winning. Imagine my surprise when she dodged out of the way of my best spell and took me down. I came to the point where I was too injured to move. She was almost at that point too.

"She stood over me, ready to deliver the final blow. I laughed, remembering all the mock battles we used to have back when the four of us were around. She had been better than me then. I said to her, 'Just like old times, huh?' Just like that, her resolve vanished. Her anger vanished. She looked scared and hurt. And without a word she ran away.

“Though I trained hard for the next month before I tried to start my reign over again, she had always been better than me at learning things quickly.

“In time she became the queen of the land. She took on the sole role of changing the seasons and raising the sun and moon. Every time I showed up somewhere a pony would call out for her, and a little while later she would come to fight me. I couldn’t best her no matter how hard I trained. Countless times we clashed, but despite her great magical strength she still had one great weakness: she wasn’t willing to kill me. Each time she won she wouldn’t even try to tie me up or negate my magic. She would just leave me defeated wherever we battled.

“Eventually, even she realized how demoralizing my existence was to the ponies of the land. She still couldn’t bring herself to kill me, so she did all she could to prepare for the future. She created the Elements of Harmony and the Tree of Harmony, emblazoned with her life force, to give ponies a piece of her power so they could stand up to evil they couldn’t fight themselves. And she was responsible, thought I didn’t know it at the time, for the creation of you two, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.”

The two of them gasped.

“That was why you were born Alicorns instead of being transformed like Cadence and Twilight. She needed a symbol of strength in pony form like us to be a beacon to the people. It would take a long time for you to grow into your power, but that was all so one day you could take care of the sun and the moon. During the time of your Hearths Warming Eve you were simply not strong enough yet.

“With that she defeated me one last time. Like a coward she wouldn’t do the right thing with her title and eliminate a threat to the kingdom. She sealed me into the Everfree Forest, implanting herself into the Tree of Harmony to keep watch over me and keep me sealed away forevermore.

“Now I’m free, and I’m never going to be sealed away again. I have you to thank for that, Discord. You’ve been a great help.”

Fluttershy scowled at him, making Discord flinch. “Hey, I was never trying to release you. I didn’t even know about you.”

“If you hadn’t forced the Royal Sisters to remove the Elements of Harmony from the tree and then plant those seeds to suck its power away I might never have escaped. Now that I’ve got my body back I’m repressing her influence for a change. It feels great.”

He smiled down at them as he said, “Well, now that you know the truth I’m sure you can appreciate the magnitude of what I’m attempting. You heard yourself that pushing her into a corner forced her to grow into my equal and then surpass me. And it’s the same for all of you. My aim in showing you your fears was to get you to realize how weak you really are and grow stronger from it. If you are solely fearful you will never grow into your best self. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Twilight was shaking hard, her horn sporadically glowing as she tried to keep herself under control. “You are sick! You attacked your friend so many times, and you’re so deluded that you can’t even realize why she kept sparing your life? It’s because she didn’t want you to die. She wanted to see you return to the you that you used to be.

"I said it before and I’m saying it again right now: I will NEVER accept what you’re doing! You are pure evil who has twisted the desires of your friends solely for power and a big name for yourself. There is absolutely nothing righteous in what you’re doing.”

Shadow Blaze’s horn lit up slightly, all degrees of civility and joviality gone. “So that is your final answer? Even now, after I’ve shown you the truth, are you still too blind to realize the significance of what I’ve told you? You are the worst kind. You are as blind as she was.

"I guess just talking won’t open your eyes, will it? Well, you’re going to accept the righteousness of my mission whether you like it or not. The weak must be eliminated or grow stronger trying. Let me prove that right now.”

Fluttershy let out a frightened exclamation as she was bathed in a magical aura and lifted into the air. His horn glowed brighter as he shot a big blast of energy at her.

Though all the alicorn’s horns began glowing they weren’t in time. There was a big explosion followed shortly after by a thud and a big cloud of smoke.

“I did warn you,” said Shadow Blaze, “that if you weren’t careful the past would catch up the present, didn’t I?”

“He didn’t,” said Twilight with wide-eyed horror, her legs feeling weak. “Fluttershy…”

They suddenly heard the sound of coughing, and out of the cloud of dust Fluttershy emerged, looking none the worse for wear.

Shadow Blaze looked questioningly at the pony. “How could she possibly be unharmed after that?”

“Fluttershy!” cried out Twilight, a few tears coming down her eyes. “You’re alive!”

“I am?” she responded, sounding confused. “But how?” As the dust faded away Fluttershy let out a loud gasp as she saw the body of Discord on the ground, a large wound on his back. “Discord? You… you saved me?”

Discord looked up at her, her eyes half-closed. He let out a weak laugh. “My… my body just moved on its own. I… I couldn’t let my only friend die. So… does this qualify as being of use?”

“H-huh?”

“Y-you said… if I proved myself useful on this trip… that we could be friends again.”

Tears began welling up in Fluttershy’s eyes as she looked down at her savior. “Y-yes. We ARE friends again. Thank you, Discord.”

“I... I’m… so… glad. I know I caused a lot of trouble… for you, but… thank you for be-believing in me.” A tear came down his face. Struggling, he lifted one claw and snapped it, and a piece of paper appeared. It was like a living slideshow that had exaggerated caricatures of Discord picking up Fluttershy and hugging her, with the words “best friends” appearing up top every time it reached the end.

Fluttershy could only watch helplessly, the tears now beginning to flow freely as she just looked at him.

“Please… Fluttershy. You… have to… stay alive. Win… for… me… friend.” Discord let out a final breath and his eyes closed. As his life faded and his magic ceased the slideshow suddenly stopped on the paper, and all Fluttershy felt was hurt and pain. He had done something for her that she never would have expected, and she had doubted him and yelled at him. He had been innocent, and she hadn’t even wanted to let him explain his side.

She began sobbing over him as each of the other ponies was swept up in her pain as well. They never in a million years thought that Discord would go that far for anyone. He had proven his friendship without a shadow of a doubt.

Shadow Blaze spoke up again with a bit of distaste. “So the strong protected the weak and died for it. Sheesh. I guess this means the past truly did meet the present.”

Fluttershy looked up from her place over Discord’s body, tears still flowing but now she was glaring at him with all the hatred she could muster, her body shaking with her passion. “You shut your mouth! You’re just a heartless monster. I hate you!” She looked down at Discord’s body as she stood up. “I WILL win for you, and for Equestria.

“Girls! Help me out. We’re taking him down!” Her element began glowing, waiting for the light of the others.

“Right!” cried out Rarity.

“Let’s do it!” said Pinkie Pie.

“Right behind ya!” said Applejack.

“He’s going down!” said Rainbow Dash.

“You got that right!” said Twilight.

Each of their five elements began powering up as well.

Shadow Blaze looked over at them with interest. “Aren’t you the element of kindness, Fluttershy? Can you really use your elements power to its full effect with hatred?”

“It’s a kindness to take you out, so that no one else has to suffer because of you,” Fluttershy responded.

“Oh, well. I didn’t want to fight with all of you but I’ll indulge you. Maybe then you’ll truly understand the reality of this world.”

“All of us will join in too,” Celestia said strongly. “While some of what you said is correct, if this is the way you will treat all who do not see it your way then we will never agree.”

“I’m here, my sister.” said Luna, standing next to her.

Cadance and Shining Armor agreed, the two of them next to each other as well as they charged up their power.

An almost childlike glee was on Shadowblaze’s features. “To think that I’d have the honor of fighting all of you together. Show me what the ponies of the present are capable of. Let’s see who is right.” A strong glow came from his horn as he waited for all of them.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders stood off to the side, watching in awe at the battle that was about to commence. “So, they’re going to win, right?” asked Sweetie Belle, looking over at her sister.

“Of… of course!” said Scootaloo strongly. “Rainbow Dash is with them. Right now every one of the strongest magic users around is here.”

“He… he just seems so confident,” said Apple Bloom. “He ain’t scared at all.”

Scootaloo did feel a sense of dread deep down that she was trying to squash. “Think about it. The Elements of Harmony alone have been enough to beat every foe they’ve had to use them on, right? Now they have three alicorns and the captain of the royal guard. How could they possibly lose?”

“B-but… if they do…” Sweetie Belle looked uncertainly between the two opposing forces. “If they lose then Equestria is doomed. No one will be able to beat him.”

The three groups of the elements bearers, husband and wife, and the royal sisters had finished powering up, as well as Shadow Blaze. The two forces all shot their powers toward each other. They met in an explosive wave of air.

Comments

[Dustin Lange]

Once again, I cry...

This time because of Discord...

Why!?