Adam shook his head, rather bemused at just how rapidly a massive, town wide party had been setup to celebrate Spike's victory over Nightmare Ridley. Given the devastation of the town - only the Crystal Castle, Sweet Apple Acres, and Fluttershy's cottage were still standing, untouched by the battle - he had been certain that the ponies who lived there would be too dumbstruck to celebrate anything. He had actually voiced this to Rainbow Dash, which had led to a rather...enlightening discussion.
"Why would anyone be like that?" she asked easily. "It's Tuesday."
Adam blinked in response. "What does that have to do with anything?"
"Ponyville has something crazy like this that destroys some or all of the town every Tuesday," Rainbow explained readily. "Ponies here are used to it. Heck, Applejack's even managed to arrange a town raising over there as a party activity."
Adam shook his head as he wrapped his mind around that. He could see Applejack leading a large group of citizens in rebuilding the town in the midst of the party, leading them through it while singing what sounded like a square dance song called 'Raise This Town'. "If it happens that often, why are ponies still living here?" he finally demanded.
"Well, a lot of reasons," Rainbow answered thoughtfully. "Some are just too stubborn to leave. Some have lived here for generations. And some just don't feel at home anywhere else. I mean, this has led to a pretty close-knit community." She shrugged her shoulders. "Personally, I think the cost-of-living ratio might have something to do with it. With a farm on the edge of town and Ponyville being near all the trade routes, you can get just about anything you need cheap at the markets, and the frequent crises mean that houses are cheaper here than anywhere else in Equestria. It's actually cheaper to buy a house here for a month than to rent a hotel room. Plus, there's a company dedicated to just insuring Ponyville citizens against disasters like that."
"How could such a company recoup its losses?" Adam mused thoughtfully.
"By holding betting pools for the rest of Equestria over what's going to destroy Ponyville this week," Rainbow answered easily. "It's really profitable for the company and whoever happens to win any given week."
Adam once again shook his head in wonder. "And here I thought humans were the most adaptable species..."
Of course, Adam wasn't the only one having an interesting discussion as the town celebrated. Behind the Crystal Castle, Discord, Celestia, Luna, and Ember had gathered to discuss certain matters pertaining the event. Ember was clutching the Bloodstone Scepter nervously. It had promptly returned to her the moment Spike released it after it had amplified him for dealing with Ridley, but she still didn't like the fact that it was doing things it wasn't supposed to.
"Very well, Discord," Celestia spoke up. "Perhaps you could explain why you contributed so little to aid Samus and Spike in this last battle?"
"Pssh!" Discord countered, blowing a raspberry. "Just because you didn't see me do anything doesn't mean I didn't, Celestia. You should know me better than that. I did quite a bit as far as this battle...but even I have limits."
"What sort of limits?" Luna asked curiously. "I had thought that, aside from the Elements, the only thing that limited you was your own decisions."
Bells rang around them as Discord pulled a cord, dropping a paper mache duck on strings to in front of Luna, who looked very nonplussed. "Got it dead on, Luna!" Discord proclaimed. "That is exactly right. My own choices are the biggest limit I am forced to deal with, at least as far as my choices made with Chaos. It's why I'm rather careful about making any sweeping choices with my magic, since I hate being limited, even by myself." Noticing the confused glances directed his way, he sighed. Snapping his talons, the duck vanished, along with the confetti and noise it had brought with it. "Simply put, I can't go against a decision I've made with my Chaos, only alter or undo it. A short example: once I've flooded a field, I can't just drain the water away, but I can freeze it, evaporate it, or turn it into a giant snowcone...or I can undo the flood, leaving it as an event only in memories." He sighed as he lay back in the air. "That's what happened here. I was trapped by a chaos decision I'd made long ago, where undoing it was my only option, but would cause more damage than I was willing to do."
"I'm sure this is all rather interesting," Ember grumbled irritably, "but I was hoping one of you could tell me what was going on back there with the Bloodstone Scepter!"
"Actually, that's part of this," Discord pointed out. "Earlier, someone asked who could have designed dragons of this world such that they became a natural defense against Phazon." He smirked, laying back in the air. "Feel free to applaud."
Celestia's eyes widened. "You did that?" she gasped out even as Ember's jaw dropped.
"That's right," Discord confirmed. "Long ago, before any civilized life existed on this world and I was the only creature running about who could do more with my brain than eat, sleep, and fuck, a Phazon Leviathan landed on this world. Now, at first I was intrigued, since I'd never seen anything like it before...but then I saw what it was doing. Now, I'm all for chaos, but this wasn't chaos...just an unpleasant order where everything was either a Phazon creature or dead, and as entertaining as the Phazon creatures looked, this was just boring! So I decided to do something about it...but my first attempt ended up..." He shivered all over, his different parts flipping independently of each other. "Well, that's why I look like this now. No idea what I looked like before it anymore.
"Anyway, I decided to take a different approach," he continued, ignoring the sympathetic glances sent his way by Celestia and Luna. "I cast through space-time and found a template I could use to alter a native race - the dragons - to be able to keep Phazon contained, and even eradicate it. I created one to reshape the race through breeding and Phazon absorption. That one was the first Dragon Lord, whose Bloodstone even now sits at the top of the Scepter you hold so tightly Ember."
"What does that have to do with how it was reacting to Spike?" Ember demanded angrily.
Grinning, Discord leaned in close. "Where in space-time do you think I found such a template creature, hmm?" he asked, gesturing to where the dragon in question was stuffing his face with cake.
Ember's eyes widened, and she slumped backwards onto her rear as she stared towards Spike. "Then..."
"The reason the Bloodstone Scepter reacts so strongly to Spike...is because the Dragon Lord who made the Scepter from his own Bloodstone and Spike are reincarnations of each other, depending on which way you're looking," Discord explained. "Of course, this never would have been possible if Spike hadn't been sent through time to be raised by Samus and encounter Phazon. Don't you just love how convoluted time travel can get?"
"What does that have to do with you not fighting today?" Celestia asked, deciding to get back to the original subject before her headache over that particular revelation had her seeking a barrel of cider.
"Simple, Celestia," Discord explained readily. "After I made the first Dragon Lord, I realized if I did anymore, the outcome would be too obvious...so I left it at that. This meant that the creation of that Dragon Lord was now the only direct action I could take against Phazon or anything directly related to it...which is why I couldn't do anything when the Umbrum first showed up, since they derive from the Ing which were born of Phazon." He shrugged sadly. "Back then, not being bored was my biggest concern. This...is the first time that's come to bite me so viciously. I was left unable to act to protect Fluttershy or anyone else...and the only action I could take would have so drastically altered the timeline that they'd never have existed in the first place...which meant I never would have come to care about others and thus wouldn't have wanted to undo the choice-"
"Please stop now," Luna groaned, clutching at her head. "Even Starswirl's explanations of time travel were not so convoluted."
"So...you mentioned you did take action here?" Ember asked curiously. "What sort, if it drained you as much as you suggest."
Discord smirked. "Have you any idea how much chaos it takes to retroactively gather anyone that a Dark Magic reality warper might have used as a hostage against Spike into a castle that by its very nature prevents anyone from being removed by force, and do so from within said castle when it actively resists Chaos magic above a certain scale...and all without creating a causality paradox?"
"Gangway!" Celestia shouted out as she raced off and leapt into a large barrel of cider before starting to drink her way out.
Discord chuckled to himself as the other two went to deal with their own headaches(1). "Can't wait to see what comes of this party now..."
(1) Note that Celestia and Luna's headaches aren't because they can't wrap their heads around what Discord's talking about...it's because they can, and are actively conceptualizing it.
That makes sense.
Celestia make some room, I don't want to remember this conversation every happened.
Forgive this poor soul for I fai!ed to brain that last bit discord was talking about.
7538561 Don't worry, I got you covered. *Rolls up another Barrel of cider and opens it*
UPDATE! and already
Situations! it ALL comes down to situations.
I had kinda wondered about Spike being the first Dragonlord, not necessarily a reincarnation but whatever works
Also, LOVED the part of the insurance and the nation wide betting pool on "What is it that is going to destroy Ponyville THIS week?" Though I'd think they'd do better if it was planet wide and more hilarious.
So, to explain what Discord is saying as simply as possible. He basically managed to gather all the people that he thought Nightmare Ridely would use as a hostage in the Friendship Castle, which keeps people from being forcefully taken from it. However, he had to be careful because he was in a castle that resisted Chaos magic and could cause a parodox. *Takes a drink of cider* At least, I think that's how it works.
7538563 basically he used his magic to make everyone Nightmare Ridley would be able to use as a hostage... Because he's a right bastard like that. Want to be in the castle where he couldn't use them as a hostage all at once at the exact time. Basically making them useless as hostages because he wouldn't be able to get them even with God like reality warping powers.
And the second part is him basically saying he was using a metric ton of power to do so while it was happening but affecting them BEFORE it happened.
7538580 Yeah pretty much... You missed the Retroactive part though. Retroactive means to prevent something you know is gonna happen from happening... Which is why he's worried about a paradox.
7538564 *puts on a snorkel* Move over!
A Street Fighter Movie and a 'You Bet Your Life' reference? Good on ya
Discord's story was a good blend of interesting, tragic, and funny, in the case of Celestia, Luna, and Ember being unable to comprehend most of it. Well, Ember, understanding most of it, at least
Forgot to read the Author's Notes.
So... If I'm understanding it correctly, the one thing that Discord in the most recent events was make sure Nightmare Ridley didn't have a hostage to use against Spike? Am I reading that right?
And I bet Pinkie reaps the profits from the pool.
Fuck my life... My brain hurts...
I called it! I flippin' called it! Discord pulled a Doctor to save Equestria!
Poor Celestia. Sometimes, being smart doesn't make the headaches go away. Sometimes, it just makes them so much more painful.
7538648
Way I read it, Discord caused the events that more or less guaranteed that everyone Spike cares about to gather into the castle, one that not only protects against Dark Magic, but also resists Chaos Magic, meaning Discord has to pump out so much more to at least be above the threshold.
7538664
And now you know how she can afford all her party related activities.
pinkie.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/rsz/mlfw4756_small.jpg
You know...I'm really starting to wonder if I'm some kind of causality genius or something. Nothing relating to time travel is EVER confusing to me, to the point where it is difficult for me to understand why people struggle with it. Discord, during the battle, was expending energy constantly rewriting the events of the last few days to bring everyone Spike cares about into the castle before the battle started every time Ridley tried to pull out a hostage. These actions resulted in the narrative that we have been reading the entire time, and he did it as subtly as possible because acting overtly would have caused Big Problems.
Ridley pulls Adam to the fore to force Spike to cease his attack, so Discord reaches into the past and subtly nudges Adam towards Equestria where he will be protected in the castle. The result is the next hostage that would have been chosen being given the same kind of nudge in the past while making sure they don't arrive too soon AND grouping as many as possible together.
Yes, it would be a massive amount of energy in use... but it's fairly straightforward.
7538700 So wait... That means...
images.memes.com/character/tile/sudden-realization.jpg
And suddenly Discord letting Twilight Velvet and Night Light know that Spike was back makes so much more sense.
7538702 After Snails zen skills in Buckball nothing surprises me anymore.
As soon as Time Travel was mentioned I started muttering "A big ball of wibbly wobbly, timey wimey stuff!" over and over because Discord was involved. Now I'm off to join Celestia in drinking my headache away because I think I understood most of that explanation. Then to eat as much sweets as I can stuff in my mouth until I'm in a food coma and can't think.
7538719 of course now that you've explained it
Well, seems legit.
Ok everything Discord said just gave me a mind fuck, and now MY BRAIN HURTS! I hate time travel!
7538741 What? It seems simpler and straightforward?
That was my intention: enumerating explicitly that which had only been alluded to obliquely.
7538753 sure explain your easy to understand explanation of a confusing concept with big words brain now hurts...
ok i'm usually really good about following complicated stuff like time travel but what Discord just said broke my mind
7538721
...I had forgotten about that. Huh. And it was his most direct temporal nudge, too.
Chaos, it can neither hinder nor aid. It just is. i play too much AQW to NOT know how chaos functions.
So he basically kept hitting a reset button and guided whoever Riddly had in his claw's in the last time line in to the one place where he couldn't touch him. Makes sense.
7538763 Whats the Problem, seems simple to me, as well.
Simply Put, Discord, cast a spell that allowed him to retroactively influence those who could have been used as hostages against spike, manipulating their actions or situations, and causing them to arrive at the right place at the right time, to avoid being used against spike. Think of discord as pulling a Gman, except without the resources of an interdimentional shadow court, but the same capabilities. If Celestia and Luna have a headaich now, wait till someone explains the details and concepts behind warp gating and spacial folding devices, and how they work. unlike teleportation, those require a significant amount of education to understand.
See, every time he capitalizes Chaos I keep wanting to scream "HERESY!" and begin a violent purge of all life in the Emperor's Name. Then I realize that this is actually Discord and not Slaanesh coming to diddle my soulboner.
7539041 Well, the concept of space-folding is very easy to explain. A Wrinkle in Time does it on a level so basic that I grasped the concept in...fourth grade I think...I honestly can't remember if I read that book before or after White Fang.
Hell, it's been fifteen years since I left high school behind me.
7539133 As I said, the concept is simple, however getting into the how and why are the parts that will give them splitting migrains, not to mention the intricate details of what does and doesn't work.
7539041 well when I first read discord's "blah blah blah time travel blah blah blah paradox" i admitt got immediately lost... I did mostly get the whole Spike first Dragon Lord thing.... But then I read Voldine's excellent original explanation which made it click completely for which I snarked about... but then he just had to do this
requiring me to go googily multiple over the top jargony i'm smart words... well only one really but it was in the same vein as those stupid tongue twisters.... I shouldn't need to set there and read it slowly in my head translating the jargon at the same time... not easy... of course then I snarked about that as well... and yes I know that Voldine was snarking back at me...
7539159 Heh, enough snark to drown a shark. I love mental Gymnastics. lets me know there are people that are smarter than me, giving me all the reason to learn more.
I think all that discord speaks of is intelligent and makes perfect sense. no headaches. then again, im already slightly buzzed. either way, i like discord's explanations of his exploitations of preventative chaos. 'causality paradox' is now a phrase i really like.
I, uh, wow.
Huh. That's, huh. Headcanon accepted. Wait hang on, how are they still in business?
Pinkie I'll bet.
That being?
Discord, you Magnificent Bastard I read your BOOK!
I see...
My head hurts.
Wow.
Wait for me!
7539159 If I may make a suggestion, there are a number of games and books that can make time a much simpler concept.
For books I heartily recommend The Incarnations of Immortality. On a Pale Horse. Bearing an Hourglass. With a Tangled Skein. Wielding a Red Sword. Being a Green Mother. For Love of Evil. And Eternity.
For games: The Legacy of Kain series. Start with Blood Omen, then the two Soul Reaver games, then Defiance, and end with Blood Omen 2 if you're a masochist because Blood Omen 2 is terrible as well as being the only bad game out of the whole series.
This is why Discord doesn't speak sense, he gives everyone a headache because they actually understand it.
7539243 It makes perfect sense but you have to realise that to conceptually visualise every aspect of what Discord has done up to this point down to the most minute detail takes an extraordinary level of cognitive function which if accessed for any extended period of time, (let's say 10 seconds is extended for argument's sake) would potentially fry most mortals' minds. The only reason that Celestia and Luna's heads aren't imitating smokestacks right now is due to the fact that as quasi-deity beings they have a far higher level of cognitive function than say you or I.
Hope I explained this properly
7540509 I wasn't the only one following along!
Is Spike getting scolded right now for reviving Ridley?
I don't know what your talking about I understood and have no headache, then again I'm the kind of person who attempts to mathematically figure out How much Determination it takes perform a Reset in Undertale. a just how much Determination Frisk, Flowey, and the.... melty monsters(like Lemon Bread and Snowy) who I can't spell the name of have.
7540509 i have been actively imagining it. conceptualizing it. mentally elaborating on it. the idea of it is far more fascinating to me than what some others would think. it makes me smile, and giggle to myself. am i too far gone into insanity, or is the road to insanity only just beginning?
When Discord makes sense: Part 1.
how did i even understand this
7538576
Now I kinda want to see a story about a pony trying to game the system by betting heavily on the long odds of Ponyville not being destroyed this week, and then doing everything in their power to make themself win.
7542078 Insanity in certain areas of cognitive function is essential for the growth of humanity. Pioneers in the fields of Science and Engineering were all insane as they looked at the laws of the universe so differently than all of their colleagues and would have been classed as insane. Insanity is merely an alternative viewpoint on the workings of the world. If it progresses too far or in the wrong direction it can be detrimental but for the most part, in small doses, Insanity is good
Discord, you SHOULD know by now....
When you make things sound that complicated...
That. Is TWILIGHT'S job.