The Empire of Discord

by themultiversewatcher

Dodge Junction

After catching their breaths, Treble, Rose, Dusty and Chase took the time to look around themselves. They noticed that they were in the middle of a red rock canyon, with the walls rising into the sky. Behind them, they could see buttes standing tall and proud, although not as high as the canyon. Beneath their hooves, the dusty ground was a lighter brown color, giving the impression of a road running thorough the area. The road stretched on behind them for miles, while in front of them, it ran into a small pass between the cliff faces.

Silence held in the air as the group entered the narrow passageway. Suddenly, Treble doubled over in pain.

"Oh my gosh," cried Rose, "Treble, are you all right?"

The only thing the amber pegasus could do was wheeze. As soon as it had begun, the pain subsided, and Treble collapsed on the ground.

"What on earth was that?" asked Treble. He felt like he knew the answer, and it wasn't good, "It felt like someone was squeezing my heart, trying to make it stop beating."

"It was Discord," Chase said ominously, his face set in a grimace, "And since he stopped, I can only assume he has better things to do than to mess with us."

"That's not good. C'mon, guys, let's get moving."

"Wait," Dusty interrupted, "Does the air feel different to you?"

"Now that I think about it, yeah," Treble replied. He pointed upwards. The others followed his gaze up into the sky. Above them, dark clouds had formed, while a few feet behind them, the sun shone downwards, making the sky look like it had been split in two, "I suspect that is also Discord's doing."

The thought was disconcerting enough, and with possibly one of the most powerful beings in Equestria having caused it, it didn't make any of them feel any easier about the situation. The feeling of being watched pushed the travelers into moving forwards a little faster.

Once on the other side of the pass, the four of them came to a standstill. There, stretched out before them, was the remains of a town. Some of the buildings had scorch marks and charred holes in them, as if fire was thrown at them at one point or another. Others had been completely demolished, leaving only the foundations as a silent reminder that there were once families living there at all. Still others were completely untouched, standing silent guard over the windswept desert village, looking for all the world like the families had disappeared overnight. Behind the town stood an orchard of trees that looked as though an inferno had wiped them all out. The charred remains of the plants surrounded a large building that looked vaguely like a factory building. As the wind blew through the trees, it gave off an eerie moan, accompanied by the sounds of branches clacking together.

"What happened here?" Rose wondered aloud, "It looks like the town hasn't been inhabited for years. Who could have done such damage?"

"I don't know," Dusty answered. She shuddered slightly and began to lean on Rose's side, "I'm not sure I want to find out."

"It was the military that did this," came a voice from the factory, "They were quite ruthless."

From the shadows of the doorway walked a light yellow earth pony mare with a two-toned red mane and tail, with green eyes and a very noticeable mole on the left side of her face. Her cutie mark looked like a pair of cherries.

"Who are you?" Rose asked.

"I'm known as Cherry Jubilee, Queen of the Cherry Hill Orchards," answered the mare, "Or I was, before they came through here. Now I'm just Cherry Jubilee. I watch over this old town, keeping it safe for when the land recovers. Sorry there isn't much to see. Why don't you two and those two fellas you have with you come over to my place. I promise it's better than any of these old, decrepit houses."

"We'd love to," Dusty replied, feeling happy that she didn't have to stick around the old village too much longer, "Hey, Treble, Chase! Come on, we're going someplace we can stay!"

"Coming," the two stallions answered, breaking away from what they were doing to follow the girls and Cherry.

The small group followed the kind mare to a large ranch house. The building was well kept, despite it's surroundings. They could make out the tops of trees in the distance, assuming it was a reserve orchard, and probably Cherry's gardens. The pony in question opened the large entrance doors, motioning for the others to enter before her. Everyone gasped when they entered the building. The walls, floors, and ceilings were clean as can be, contrasting heavily with the rest of the town. They were led into a large room with a wooden table near the center. The four guests sat down around the table as Cherry entered the kitchen to get refreshments. Moments later, she came back carrying a large pitcher of cherry juice and five cups, setting them around the table.

"So," the hostess began, "What are you all doing hanging around here? You're the first visitors I've had in five years."

"We just came back from...very far away," Treble began, "Things have changed so much around here, it's almost unnatural."

"Almost isn't the word I'd use. Equestria is a very different place than it was when I was young. It used to be a place of happiness and friendship, but now...nopony wants to come here anymore. Ever since that Discord took over thirty years ago, it's become a very dangerous place to live. I know I'd like to leave, but Discord's magic makes crossing the borders impossible. Five years ago, when the ponies that disappeared came back, everypony was so excited, but...things changed. The resistance was crushed easily. Not even the Elements of Harmony could do anything to stop Discord. All I know for certain is that, five years ago, the Chaos Guard nearly doubled in size. They came in here, and demanded that a huge tribute be paid every year. I am the only one of the townsfolk that can afford that kind of fee, but, alas, not enough to save the town.

"As you've noticed," Cherry continued, "The town is completely derelict now. The Guard came back for the tributes, and those that could not pay were either executed on the spot, or enslaved to work in one of the massive Chaos Armories. Some ponies could pay the tribute, but could not afford to pay it for more than a few years. Those that were smart packed their things and left in a hurry. Those who stayed to fight had their houses burned. Finally, the last neighbor I had left moved away last year. I'm the only one left here now, though I can't last forever. I've gone through my funds, and found that I could only pay for three more years before I, too, have to leave for parts unknown. Alright, that's enough depressing thoughts. Who here is hungry?" Everyone present raised their hooves. "Great, I'll go make sandwiches. For dessert, I've got some of my famous cherry pie I've been saving for just such an occasion."

Cherry took that cue to leave and went into the kitchen once more. Treble clenched his jaw once more in determination. The others had the same expression on their faces. Cherry Jubilee's story just gave them all another reason to hate Discord. If nothing else, his cruelty was something that none of them could stand. Shortly thereafter, Cherry came back with food and dessert. The small and humble meal was, for the weary travelers, one of the best meals they had ever had. The cherry pie made the party smile in bliss, the warm gooey tartness of the cherries got along very well with the sweetness of the cinnamon sugar that lay on top of the dessert.

They chatted long into the night, mostly about their respective families and what they were probably up to at this point in time. Eventually, though, the five ponies bid each other goodnight. Cherry's house was large enough for them to fit comfortably, Treble and Chase in one room and Dusty and Rose in the other. That night they slept without dreams, a deep, quiet, and restful sleep. They didn't know it yet, but they would have to use all of their collective wits to survive the ordeal they were set to be in.

Author's Note:

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