• Published 15th Jul 2014
  • 17,748 Views, 592 Comments

Discord Punches Twilight In The Face - Craine



What happens when something crafted by a creature with no real care for material things is taken from him? Nopony else knew the answer either. But they found out. Oh... They found out.

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Chapter 3

Doomed.

Completely, utterly, incomprehensibly doomed is what she was.

Now, some ponies may have scoffed at the notion, may have written it off as an exaggeration; just Twilight Sparkle being Twilight Sparkle, they’d say.

But that wasn’t the case, because Twilight Sparkle was doomed and she knew it. With every sentence that poured from Fluttershy’s mouth, with every stomach-twisting recollection of her mistake, Twilight couldn’t realize any more how much she was doomed.

Her spotless record at the Canterlot Archive: doomed.

Her untainted conscience; doomed.

The approving nods from her mentor-turned-equal; doomed.

The unwavering respect from ponies who loved her like family; doomed

The most profound friendship she’d ever made, and possibly ever made since; doomed.

Doomed. All of it, doomed. And it was her own stupid fault.

Maybe, if she'd spent more time reading instead of that extra five minutes in bed every morning, she’d have actually finished.

Maybe, if she hadn’t brushed her mane and tail those few extra times, or brushed her teeth every morning, or tended to any essential routine at all, Twilight may’ve finished the book and returned it to Canterlot within an hour. She might've even finished if she hadn't insisted on rereading the first hundred-twenty-seven chapters.

“And that’s why, girls,” Fluttershy continued, “we have to find it! I’m afraid if we don’t find Discord’s book, something awful will happen!”

“Whoa. Back up,” Applejack cut in with a hoof to her temple. “Discord’s behind all the freaky weather? Why that—”

“But it’s not what you think!” Fluttershy cried. “He’s not doing it on purpose, he’s just upset.”

Rarity shot the pegasus a sideways stare and said, “Over a book? He conjures a storm filled with funnel clouds and lightning over just a book?”

Fluttershy started to shake. “Just a… a…” She frowned with trembling eyes.

“She’s right, you know, “Rainbow Dash piped up. “Discord’s just being a big baby. I bet if we set him down and give him the what-for, he’ll—”

“How can you say that?!” Fluttershy shouted.

Everypony flinched in their seats.

“You weren’t there! None of you! You didn’t see him pacing grooves in my yard, staring at an empty page! You didn’t clean up all the torn pages of scribbled words, or see him grin so wide when he couldn’t stop writing!” Fluttershy’s throat trembled. “You didn’t have to calm him down every time he misplaced it, or be crushed by his hugs when he found it, or even have the privilege to read it. It was…” She wiped the tears off her face. “It was so beautiful.”

Nopony else spoke, all eyes glued to Fluttershy. The mare didn’t shy away, she didn’t shrink behind her mane, and she did not apologize.

“I… I thought I understood Discord better when we first became friends, but…” she paused, her eyes cast aside, staring at nothing, “but I knew nothing. Nothing, girls. None of us did.”

Still, nopony spoke.

“That book holds everything Discord ever was, and what friendship helped him become. He poured sleepless nights into that book, talking to himself when he thought I wasn’t listening, burning hundreds of pages until he finally knew what to write.”

Rarity rubbed her elbow with a bitten lip. “I’ve done the same with many unseen clothing designs. More often than I care to admit, really.”

“That’s what he admires most about you Rarity.” The unicorn’s brows lifted at Fluttershy’s words. “He didn’t realize it until after he started writing, but you two have a common quirk; perfectionism.”

Rarity’s cheeks puffed with red. “Hmph! I’m not always a perfectionist.” She straightened out strands of loose hair that didn’t really need straightening.

Fluttershy turned to another and said, “Applejack.” The farm mare twitched. “He respects your ways and what they’ve done for Ponyville all these years. He says even when you’re gone, all you’ve done will survive through your children, that Ponyville will thrive and expand because of you.”

Applejack pulled her Stetson over her now-red muzzle. “Golly… Discord said that?”

Fluttershy turned to another. “Rainbow Dash.” The other pegasus tensed. “He says that you’re a leader, that your charisma makes ponies want to be better, that you could lead entire armies into war and crawl from the muck victorious.”

Rainbow’s eyes sparkled like a filly at an amusement park. “Like Commander Hurricane?” She grinned wide.

Fluttershy smiled back. “Like Commander Hurricane.”

With a giggle, and perhaps without even realizing it, Rainbow flapped her wings and hovered above her seat.

She turned to another. “Pinkie Pie, he—”

She was answered with quaking shudders and squeals as Pinkie twisted in her constant shaking.

Fluttershy paused. “We… should probably hurry.”

“What?! But what about…!”

All eyes turned to Twilight, who shrank away with wilted ears.

“Uh, you alright, Twi?” Applejack asked. “You’ve been all edgy ever since we arrived.”

Rainbow Dash smirked. “And what's with the little outburst?" she asked. "Something you wanna tell us, egghead?”

Twilight nearly choked on her own tongue. “W-what do you—of course not! Why would I take Discord’s book?!”

Silence.

Once upon a time, the idea of documenting her own stupidity would make her laugh her own tail off. But right then, Twilight realized there wouldn’t be enough ink or paper in the universe to write it.

“That’s… not what I asked,” Rainbow said with a slight frown.

Twilight began to sweat, and she felt five more frowns on her, digging into her coat, ripping through her veins and squeezing her heart.

“Come to think of it,” Rarity said with a squinted eye, “we haven’t seen much of you this past week.”

“She’s right,” Applejack agreed, slipping her hat back on. “And if’n memory serves, you only lock yourself indoors that long when you read. A lot.”

That’s when Twilight felt a sixth pair of eyes. She looked down beside her and felt her insides turn to ash. Then freeze. Then melt back into ash. Spike looked back up at her from the small stone seat next to her’s, frowning with lidded eyes.

She recognized that look; disappointment.

Twilight threw her most well-hidden, pleading look to the young dragon. He rolled his eyes, hopped off the chair, approached a desk, grabbed a quill and parchment, and left that rotunda, his little steps fading down the hall.

Rainbow Dash landed swiftly before a yelping alicorn. “Alright, what’s goin’ on?”

“Dash!”

“Oh, come on, Fluttershy!” Rainbow shot back, her glare never leaving Twilight. “I think the writing’s on the wall.”

“Hah! I g-g-g-ge-get it!” Pinkie shuddered.

“Twilight?” The frightened alicorn turned to an approaching Rarity, the artist’s frown more concerned than accusing. “Is there something we should know?”

Twilight shook and shook and shook so hard, her diamond seat rattled. Her arms and legs coiled against herself, her eyes darting between her friends.

The moment Applejack lifted from her seat, Twilight squeezed her eyes shut and wished she was somewhere else.

And right then, just like that, she felt biting-cold on her coat, heard the deep roils of thunder, and heard the unmistakable whistle of tall-mountain winds.

She peeked an eye open, then they both shot wide when, one; she remembered she occasionally teleported when she was scared out of her muscular structure, and two; she was far, far, far away from her castle. And, for that matter, far away from Ponyville.

She gasped at the clouds stretching over the sky like a canvas painted black. Vortexes scattered around. Lightning flashing wildly within, but not without. The sun, which she was certain should’ve been further along the sky, hung high and still, skirted by those very clouds.

“Twilight…”

Her back went rigid.

It was then that Twilight not only knew how she really got there, but that she was, in fact, completely, utterly, incomprehensibly doomed.

She slowly turned around and stumbled backwards, seeing exactly what she feared she would see. “D-D-D-Dis—” Twilight blinked, steeled her hooves, and stood her ground with a nervous smile. “Discord. H-how are you doing?”

He didn’t answer. He didn’t even look at her.

His eyes were settled onto the roil of chaos in the skies. His mismatched legs dangled over the summit, his arms craned at his side, his serpentine back hunched and stiff, his body deathly still against the mountain wind.

“I’ve been better…” he answered.

Despite her brain’s obnoxiously loud protests, Twilight approached the spirit with quiet, calculated steps. But when she stopped at his side and saw his face, she felt her heart crack like an egg.

His eyes were heavy and narrow, his brows stilted up, and any evidence that he could even smile didn’t exist. But the worst part—the part that made Twilight sit her little rump right beside him and try to search through layers she never knew until that day?

He looked old. Very old and very, very tired.

“Are… are you alr—”

“I’ll cut to the chase Twilight,” Discord cut in, gaining a tiny squeak from the purple mare, “I lost something very dear to me, and I’ve turned Equestria inside-out to find it.”

Twilight glanced at the horizon with a playful frown. “Huh. I hadn’t noticed.” She grinned back up at Discord, hoping his own smile would meet her’s. It didn’t, and her grin crumbled.

“There is a book somewhere on this world and it belongs to me.” Twilight gasped at those words with a hoof to her chest. “I ask for your help, Twilight.”

Then he looked at her, and Twilight was sure if she’d turned her head away any faster, she’d have been paralyzed from the neck down. She couldn’t look at him; she couldn’t look at those tired eyes, knowing the life was gone, and that she’d stolen that life.

“I...I—”

“Will you help me?” he asked.

Twilight squeezed her eyes shut again, hoping she’d open them and be back at her castle, in her warm queen-sized bed, with her sleeping-cap, free from this horrible dream.

She opened her eyes and saw only Discord awaiting an answer.

“I… Yes,” she said, “of course I will. W-we’re friends.”

She hoped for it—she’d dare say she worked for it, in fact—but when Discord smiled, it was alien. Not the taunting sneer he’d have most days, or that condescending grin. No, this was a smile. A tired, relieved smile that lifted ageless eyes.

And it sickened her to the core.

“Friends… Yes.” Discord turned back to the twisting maelstrom. “Friends.”

Twilight cringed. “Where was the last place you had it?” she asked.

“The Canterlot Archive,” Discord answered. “It was taken from its altar eight days ago.”

Despite her best efforts, Twilight gulped. “Okay, I’ll ask around. I-I’ll organize a search in Canterlot if I have to.”

He kept that smile, and Twilight couldn’t bring herself to accept it, or look at it. She wanted to; She wanted to return that smile, to feel some sort of accomplishment, to feel she’d lifted a friend from despair.

But she lied. She was a filthy liar and a bad, bad pony.

“Thank you, Twilight.”

That one stung. Right on the heart.

With a wrinkled nose, she shared the spirit’s view, finding an in-equine comfort in the chaos before her. But the silence thickened the already-humid air and numbed her limbs. She couldn’t stand it anymore. Something had to give.

“Discord?” He never turned to her, his smile held strong. “What… what do you think of m—”

He snapped his fingers.

The wind was gone, the cold was gone, the distant, stormy howls were gone, and when Twilight blinked, she found herself right back at her castle, right back in that rotonda, right back in her diamond chair.

She blinked again and realized she was alone. Then blinked a final time and finally realized her error. Every thought was now poisoned by her guilty conscience, and sent ripping pain through her chest.

She hissed as she clutched her aching heart.

“Oh,” she whimpered, “what have I done?”

“There you are!”

Twilight’s ears shot up and her head snapped toward a snorting Rainbow Dash at the double-doorway. She darted at the alicorn.

“No, wait!” Twilight screeched.

But as Twilight dived aside, Rainbow turned just in time and tackled her to the shiny floor. They rolled and tumbled until Twilight found her arms firmly pressed onto unyielding marble floors, staring up into furious eyes.

“Alright, princess! You’d better start talkin’ right now!” Rainbow demanded.

Twilight trembled and said, “Dash, I can explain!”

Rainbow dunked back with a shrill yelp and was yanked off of Twilight completely, her prismatic tail clamped in a frowning Applejack’s teeth.

The farm pony spit the tail out with a hoof pressed on Rainbow’s backside. “But she can’t rightly do that with a fool-headed pegasus breathin’ in her face, now can she?”

The others flooded the room, and Twilight took Pinkie Pie’s offered hoof and lifted herself up. Could she bring herself to look at any of them? No.

“Twilight?” Her heart teleported to her throat, and she gave a wide, trembling stare at a deeply concerned Fluttershy sauntering toward her, those blue eyes bright. “I’m not accusing you. I just want… I have to know.”

Twilight shivered, once again feeling all those eyes penetrate her flesh.

“Did you—”

“Yes!”

Everypony flinched.

“Yes, it was me, okay?! I took Discord’s book!”

“I knew it!” Rainbow shouted, Applejack’s firm hoof keeping her prone.

“Of all ponies I’d expected to steal… You?” Rarity said, barely keeping her jaw connected to her head.

“But I didn’t mean to!” Twilight defended. “It was just sitting there in the Canterlot Archive with no signed author and more pages than I knew a book could have! I was curious!”

Fluttershy stumbled back like she was diagnosed with cancer. “But… but how could you?”

Twilight took a tentative step. “Please, Fluttershy, I’m sor—”

“He didn't even get to finish it.” Fluttershy whispered, her mane falling over her eyes.

Twilight didn’t really know how it felt, but she was certain she’d popped a blood vessel right then. “Wait. What?”

Of course. Of course, Discord didn’t finish his book. A book left in a public library for all to read. It made perfect sense.

“That makes no sense!” Twilight protested. “All those pages and he’s still not finished? I spent over a week reading and rereading a book that wasn’t even finished?!”

“That’s not the point, Twilight!” Everypony gasped at Fluttershy’s sharp yell. “That book belongs to Discord, and he needs it back. Now!”

Twilight bit her lip. “I… I can’t!” she cried.

“Oh, come on, really?!” Rainbow said beneath AJ’s domineering hoof.

“I can’t give it to him now! If he finds out I took it…” She cast a worried glance at the wall. “I can’t betray him like that.”

“You’ve already betrayed him!” Fluttershy argued. “You’re betraying him right now!

Twilight threw a wide-eyed stare at the pegasus. “That’s not fair!”

Before anypony knew, Fluttershy was nose-to-nose with Twilight. “Fair?! Taking something that doesn’t belong to you, and hiding it from the owner is fair?! Pretending to be his friend as you sharpen the knife behind his back is fair?!”

Twilight could only gawk, and Fluttershy stumbled away with her own wide-eyed stare. “Oh, Twilight, I’m sorry. It’s just…”

Glimmering tears welled in Fluttershy’s eyes. “He was so sad when we couldn’t find it. Why can’t you understand that?” she asked with only the strength left to whisper.

Twilight couldn’t look at her anymore. She couldn’t look at anypony anymore. She just stared at her hooves, the life leaving her purple eyes like sap from a wounded tree.

“I do understand.” Twilight whispered back, and Fluttershy tilted her head. “I spoke with him just minutes ago, and… I lied. I told him I hadn’t seen the book, because—I don’t know—maybe I was just scared. Maybe I just wanted him to keep smiling when I promised to help.”

By now, Fluttershy was dried of anger, Rarity searched every inch of the room like it would help her change the subject, Rainbow Dash was calm, Applejack had fell on her haunches, and Pinkie was still shaking.

A saffron hoof found Twilight’s chin and lifted her to firm blue eyes.

“You have to give it back,” Fluttershy said.

Twilight said nothing for long, dragging moments, her eyes wanted to shift away, but were locked to the other mare’s.

“I will. Just… just give me time to figure this out.”

Fluttershy paused, then nodded. And so did everypony else.


“Shining Armor threatened Discord?!”

Celestia winced, her subsided headache threatening to return. “Please stop shouting, Luna.”

“Why do you think I came here alone?” Princess Cadance said with a disappointed frown. “It took all my patience to convince him to stay at the Empire. If it weren’t for that storm and the riots, he’d be here right now, rambling about combat strategies I don’t understand—and that I’m pretty sure wouldn’t work.” She sighed. “He means well, but… Guh, stallions.”

Celestia blanched and asked, “So, the storms have reached the north?”

Cadance gave a grim nod. “I had to take three different trains to get here because of destroyed transit stations.”

The matron of day wasn’t all that surprised; she’d received letter after letter of property damages and costs and scheduled meetings to accommodate them.

Luna shot Cadance an unamused look. “Well, you could’ve—oh, I don’t know—flew down here? Saved yourself some trouble?” she said.

Cadance returned her fellow princess’ look and, from a nearby window, pointed at twisting black skies that could swallow an army of professional fliers.

Luna squinted with wilted ears. “Oh. Somehow I completely forgot about that…”

Cadance sighed and said, “Look, we’re getting off topic here.”

“Yes,” Celestia agreed with a worried frown. “You mentioned Princess Twilight earlier. Is everything well?”

“I… I don’t know,” Cadance said. “When Discord was at the Crystal Empire, he left when we said her name. I came here personally to check on things.”

Celestia hummed quietly. “I haven’t received any letters from her. And, to my knowledge, she doesn’t know what has happened.”

“Wait a second,” Cadance said with a lifted hoof. “Twilight hasn’t written to you? With all the storms and madness going on?”

Celestia blinked, and realized she may have neglected certain details.

“Oh,” Cadance said. “Well, I think we should bring her in the loop. Who knows; she may be able to find Discord’s bo—”

A fiery flash of green burst before Celestia, and behind the parting smoke was a rolled parchment. The white mare smiled at the crystal princess.

“Huh. Ironic,” Cadance muttered.

With expertly contained haste, Celestia took the letter with her magic, tore the seal, unrolled it, and read.

Dear Princess Celestia,

I have my doubts as I write this, and I can’t imagine Twilight would forgive me, but I can’t sit back and watch anymore. She’s the one who took Discord’s book, but she meant no harm, I’m sure; she was just curious and she promised to return it the moment she was finished. I’ve just stepped outside for the first time in over a week, and these storm clouds seem to worsen by the minute. So I can safely guess Discord isn’t too happy.

Please, as an old friend and loyal subject, I ask that you keep this from Discord until the book is returned and to go easy on Twilight. She still gets a bit carried away, as you know.

—Yours truly;

Spike.

~

Celestia’s voice lowered to a slurred mumble before she even finished the second sentence. The annoyed protests of her sister weren’t even heard as Celestia’s eyes blazed past every written line.

She read the letter again. Then again. And again, until finally, Luna’s hoof pressed on her shoulder.

“Sister, what is it?” The moon mare’s voice was no longer annoyed, but concerned. “You seem distressed.”

“It was Twilight…” Celestia muttered as though she’d just discovered the cause of world hunger. “Twilight took Discord’s book…”

The silence that followed probably killed an entire field of flowers somewhere.

“Oh, is that all?” Luna asked. “Heavens, Celestia, you had me worried.”

Cadance gawked at her fellow alicorn. “Luna! Didn’t you hear her?! This is no laughing matter!”

“Clearly,” Luna answered with a level smile and a faint twitch. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to walk to that corner over there,” she pointed to the darkest throne room corner, “and faint in peace.”

When the shock finally wore off, and a stumbling Luna was halfway to her corner, Celestia rolled the letter back up.

“What should we do?” Cadance asked, a bead of sweat falling down her neck. “Discord can’t find out about this.”

“He won’t,” Celestia said with a determined frown.

“But what if—”

“He won’t,”

Cadance shut her mouth.

“We’re going to retrieve that book immediately and return it to Discord. He needn’t be any the wiser of who took it,” Celestia instructed with closed eyes. “That should be enough.”

“And…” Cadance hesitated. “A-and if he does find out?”

Celestia’s eyes remained closed, her wings binding to her sides. “Still the persistent one, aren’t you?”

“Nervous habit,” Cadance replied with a blushing grin.

White light burst before the throne just as Luna reached her corner. Celestia and Cadance lowered their arms from their eyes and saw a tired Discord standing on the red carpet.

“Ladies,” he greeted.

With a hoarse groan and an echoing thud, Luna promptly fainted.

“D-D-Discord,” Celestia couldn’t help but stammer. “W-what are you doing here?”

“Well,” Discord began with that unnerving pause, “it seems I’ve acquired some help for my search. To my understanding, there will be search-parties organized, on my behalf, to find my lost book. No doubt you’ve already been notified?”

His voice seemed lighter than it was a week before, Celestia noted.

“In fact,” Discord continued with a tired smile, “I’d wager that the little letter in your lap is from that sweet, darling student of yours.”

A cold pike shot into Celestia’s chest, and she unconsciously levitated the letter to her back.

“Actually, it’s—”

“That’s exactly it, Discord!” came Cadance’s all-too cheerful answer. “Just an unimportant notification! Nothing to worry yourself with!”

Discord raised a brow at the pink mare. Celestia offered her a frightened glare.

“Oh, how delightful!” the spirit cheered. “This could expedite my search by leaps and bounds! Oh, I simply must read it now.”

Discord started marching forward, and Celestia hung Cadance at the gallows with her eyes. With shallow breaths, the pink alicorn darted in Discord’s path.

“W-wait! You don’t want to read it ‘now’ now!” Cadance insisted with a pearly-white grin. “Because, uh… th-the search party needs to organize. Yes!”

“Oh?” Discord smiled again and walked past Cadance. “Perfect! Then I’ll help them organize when I know who they are.”

“You can’t!” She jumped in his path again.

He frowned.

She gulped.

“Cadance—Precious Jewel—this search-party will help me reclaim what is rightfully mine, and secure a long-awaited union with this,” Discord lifted a balled fist to Cadance’s nose, “and the thief’s face.” He paused and Cadance began to sweat. “Hint, hint...”

With a tiny whimper, Cadance didn’t fight Discord’s gentle shove as he walked past her again. Celestia frowned and shivered at the drop of perspiration running down her back.

“Now, as strange as it seems, I’m very tired and in no mood for games,” Discord said. “I’ll just read the letter and be on my way.”

Celestia’s wings steadily unfurled. “I… I can’t allow that, Discord,” she said.

Discord stopped at the throne stairway, his head titled with a deepened frown. That frown slowly—slowly—lifted into an unreadable stare, his head straightening.

He held out his lion paw. “Give me the letter, Celestia.”

“No.”

He snapped his fingers, and the rolled paper appeared between his furry digits. With a sharp gasp, Celestia’s horn beamed bright, and a searing ray of heat shot at the letter. A yellow bubble broke that ray into harmless light.

With his frown returned, Discord unfolded the parchment at a tortuously slow pace, and Celestia shot to her hooves.

“Discord, don’t.”

He paced around the throne room and began reading.

Author's Note:

Are you guys ready for the fourth and final chapter? You think you can handle it? I don't think you can... But we'll find out next week, won't we?

---Edits made 9/26/2014