An Unprecedented Advancement

by GravelordNito

Chapter 13 - Inter-dimensional Adventure

"Well... I was thinking we could go on a little adventure for our game..." Discord cocked an eyebrow at his tiny equine companions as he gauged their reactions. Sweetie Belle started bouncing up and down excitedly, her eyes twinkling globes of wondrous anticipation.

Twilight looked slightly concerned, yet more so confused. Her reply was slow and careful. "Um, an adventure...? What kind of adventure?"

Discord began to chuckle to himself for a moment as Rarity spoke up. "I do hope you're not planning on leading my darling little sister anywhere dangerous, Discord!"

"Oh, no, no, no. We'll be remaining right here! Well, sort of... Perhaps I should just demonstrate?" Discord readied his talons for a snap, looking towards Twilight for the go-ahead.

"First, I'll need to know what you have in mind exactly before I agree to this." Twilight pressed, still suspicious of Discord's 'games'.

Discord huffed in exasperation. "Fine. I had in mind that I create a dimension for us to have an adventure all to ourselves, without the risk of disturbance or real danger towards either of you or this little marshmallow!" Discord reached down and pulled on Sweetie Belle's cheek, who began to swat at his paw in retaliation.

"Hey! I'm not a marshmallow!"

"Yes, yes, of course you aren't," Discord wafted his paw at her in dismissal, stifling a chuckle as the filly did not notice her sudden change in physicality upon his wafting of chaos magic. She instead stood there with a defiant pout written across her face, while her head and legs stuck out of a plushy, cylindrical marshmallow body. "so, Twilight, Rarity, what do you think? I think I need not ask for the marsh- I mean, for Sweetie Belle's answer." Sweetie's grin returned in force upon hearing this, yet fell moments later as she noticed her new body.

"Wah! What's happened to my-?! Aaaaah!!!" Discord swiftly snapped his talons, returning the filly to her natural form, while choosing to ignore the scolding expressions of the two mares.

"Of course, I will let any of you return the moment you request it. A snap of my talons and you return here, or wherever else you might want to go."

Twilight put a hoof to her mouth for a moment in contemplation, before looking over at Rarity for a moment, who merely returned her uncertain gaze. "A-Alright, Discord. I suppose that could be fun. I'm in."

"As are we, darling." Rarity lay a hoof across that of her friend with a comforting smile.

Discord grinned mischievously and rubbed his paw and talon together with a throaty chuckle. "Okay, then... Off we go!" Discord finally snapped his talons, yet unlike the usual sound it produced, it instead boomed like a volcanic eruption, as they were sucked in on themselves and disappeared in a blinding flash of light.

Just as suddenly as it had begun, it was all over, as the group flashed into their newly-founded destination. Twilight lay flat on her stomach, panting, while Rarity stood bolt upright with shallow breaths and a quivering filly grasping her foreleg. Discord, meanwhile, looked unperturbed as he gazed over his newest creation with satisfaction. A whole new world for him to warp and bend as he pleased without the downside of upsetting any inhabitants, as he had created this world without any. Besides the four now present, of course.

After a moment, Discord realised the distress of his companions. "Oh, come on, ladies, it's just like any other teleportation." He resisted the urge to aid Twilight to her hooves. She would likely take offence to being babied as such.

"N-No, that was not like standard teleportation!" Twilight blanched breathlessly. "It didn't hurt, but it's certainly made me queasy..."

"Y-You don't say, Darling..." Rarity began to brush her little sister's mane. "Are you alright, Sweetie?"

Sweetie steadied her shaking and took a step away from her sister with a nod. After a moment, she suddenly realised how... Colourful this new world was. "Wooooaaaaah..."

"Well, let's be off, then, ladies. That ancient gemstone isn't going to visit itself!" Discord chided as he set off in a random direction, all too aware of the fashionista's impending reaction. Not that it matters which way we go, my little ponies... I generate this world however and whenever I see fit. I'll be rid of you two pesky, pasty ponies soon enough, so I can have some time alone with my dear Twilight...

"Gemstone? Did you say 'gemstone'?! It will be mine-!" Rarity caught herself promptly. "I-I mean, um... Yes, let us be off, then." Rarity then trotted off to catch up to Discord, her head held high. Sweetie galloped after her excitedly.

Twilight stayed behind for a moment, remaining unsure as she observed the new world she was in. Although she was unsurprised, it nonetheless remained disconcerting to the eye. The ground was uneven and rocky, yet throbbed with a light violet glow. Islands floated in the air above them, dripping green waterfalls against gravity up towards the heavens. Plants sprouted seemingly at random, bearing fruit of speckled complexions in all colours of the rainbow. It was unnatural, yet everything seemed naturally chaotic, with none of the various structures of landmass looking as though they were created by an intelligent being.

After a moment, Twilight realised the colour of the ground matched her coat almost identically, yet brushed it off as mere coincidence. She set off after the trio, but not before reminding herself to keep her guard up around Discord. "Wait up!"

Discord glanced over his shoulder at Twilight for a moment with a smile. He stopped in his tracks suddenly and pointed over to the left of the group. "There! You see that ominous looking temple? Perhaps our precious gemstone is in there..."

Twilight perked up, glancing nervously towards the structure. It looked like an ancient ponish temple, yet seemed warped and twisted, as though someone had stuck a fork in the top of it and attempted to scoop it up like spaghetti. "Why exactly do we want to visit this gemstone? What's so special about its role in our 'adventure'?"

Rarity sputtered upon hearing this. "Oh, pfftsk, Twilight, what does it matter? It's a gemstone! Of course we want to see it!"

"Well, sure, I suppose it may be quite pretty, but that doesn't mean we should have no contextual reasoning for wanting to see it."

Sweetie had recently grown quiet, looking towards the dark, gloomy temple anxiously. Discord noticed this, and uncharacteristically felt a pang of empathy for the tiny equine. What have you done to me, Twilight Sparkle...? Discord clutched at his chest, feeling his heart continue to beat and pulse as it had been doing recently for the first time in millennia. Perhaps having other ponies around too isn't so bad...

As Twilight and Rarity continued to bicker over the need to set the scene for their adventure, Discord snapped his talons behind his back, not taking his eyes away from the filly for even a moment. The temple brightened slightly, with the faintest of feminine, melodious humming encroaching from its depths.

Very quickly, Sweetie's expression brightened, and her gleeful smile returned once again as she closed her eyes and bathed in the beautiful tune. After a moment, she began to question the sudden change, and glanced up towards Discord, who caught her gaze for a fraction of a second before he tore his eyes from the filly and walked slowly over to the still bickering mares. Moments after Discord passed by Sweetie, he missed the filly's grin soften into a gentle smile as she briefly acknowledged his small act of kindness.

"Ladies, please. I do believe I can please both of you simultaneously." Rarity gasped and shivered with a grimace, running over to her little sister in an effort to cover her ears.

Twilight, Discord and Sweetie looked equally confused, as Rarity recognised her misinterpretation and righted herself, clearing her throat. "M-My apologies, Discord. Do go on."

"As I was saying... I believe I can settle this little dispute post-haste. The gemstone is indeed marvellously beautiful, yet we do also have reason to wish to visit it." Discord pulled on his beard, causing it to pop off of his chin as he stretched it out to look like a straw boat and teleported the group to be seated in it. The three stuck their tongues out with mock retching sounds. Discord rolled his eyes for a moment before continuing. "Yes, yes, haha, very funny. Anyway, long ago, there was once a young inhabitant of this land named Ishtahkenn," Discord snapped his talons again and suddenly their boat was sat floating in a blood-red river, "he left his home village in a small boat and set off down the River Sanguis in an effort to prove his independence to his family, as he was now in his early 20's. He knew not where he was going, and ignored the protests and cries of his parents as he rowed away from them. They reached out to him from the shore, but he pretended they did not exist at all."

With a snap, their makeshift boat began floating down the river. "His eyes glittered with determination, as he was sick of being sheltered his whole life, and was secretly doing this more for himself than anyone else, although he would never admit that to anyone. He wanted to explore the world, and would do so even if it killed him." Another snap rang out, and suddenly the group were teleported back to the temple, where they saw a ghostly apparition stood by its entrance of a distinctly equine form. The two mares and the filly were fascinated, their mouths hanging slightly open and their eyes wide as they looked towards the ghostly figure and waited for Discord to continue. The soft melody of the temple served as a backdrop for the rest of the story.

"After many days of survival in the wilderness, he arrived at this very temple, allured by its aged beauty and harmonious humming. He thought nothing of all he had to lose, or all he had left behind. All he could think about was reaching the source of that wonderful melody." The group watched as the apparition made its way into the temple and out of their view.

"Needless to say, he never returned." The trio gasped upon hearing this, suddenly looking very sad, yet somewhat frightened. "But, rumour has it he lived a happy life there, laying dormant and clutching a small gemstone until the end of his life, which had fed and preserved his body until his physical form perished. Yet, it allowed him to drift off into an endless dream filled with happiness, his soul to be contained within that precious gemstone until the end of time itself." The trio looked bittersweet, with Twilight even shedding a single tear as she held the faintest of smiles. Discord stopped to watch the tear roll down her cheek for a moment before continuing.

"He believed he had a change of heart and went home to his family, living in his small village forever, where everyone had miraculously become immortal. He knew not that he had in fact been imprisoned within that small gemstone upon touching it; but, as far as his interests are concerned, he may as well have in fact gone home to his family as he believed was the case." Discord kneeled down and finished his tale in a deep, yet hushed tone, his face mere inches from that of his audience.

"In the real world, his family had searched for him, but come up short. They mourned his loss and yet recovered, continuing the rest of their lives in peace." Sweetie Belle broke upon hearing this, clutching at her older sister's foreleg. Rarity comforted her sister, yet struggled to keep her own composure. "The temple was discovered millennia later by some of his family's descendants, equally drawn in by the eternal melody exuding from the gemstone within its depths. However, they came out unscathed, instead spreading the news and knowledge of the temple to the rest of this world. Rumour has it, upon getting close to the remains of Ishtahkenn, still clutching the tiny gemstone, the feminine melody is instead replaced with a deeper, smoother melody. We can only theorise as to what this means, but I like to believe it is the sound of Ishtahkenn's soul singing of its eternal happiness to those willing to hear it."

A long silence fell over the group as Discord's story hung over them, with nothing but the melody of the temple pulsing through the air. Twilight looked up at Discord with fresh eyes. She could not believe that such a beautiful story had come from someone so dastardly as Discord. Perhaps she was wrong about him... Maybe he'd truly had a change of heart. She made a mental note to thank Fluttershy for this later on. Discord suddenly bolted back upright and spoke cheerfully.

"So, how's about we go and take a look for ourselves, eh?"

"Yes, let's." Twilight smiled up at Discord, and his heart fluttered once again. Her smile seemed... Genuine. Heartfelt. Discord smiled back and Rarity squee'd at the display, being careful not to smudge her mascara as she wiped her eyes daintily. They had somewhat filled with tears following the story. Sweetie sniffled and looked up at her sister in confusion, which was mirrored on the faces of Twilight and Discord as they looked in Rarity's direction.

"Ahem... My apologies, darlings. Something in my throat. Let us be off! Your story has me so very excited to see this gemstone. It must be simply divine." Rarity was now content she would not need to interfere at all in the romantic affairs of these two. A wave of happiness washed over the mare as she skipped off ahead of the group towards the temple, genuinely glad her two friends seemed to be finding the happiness they deserved in each other.

Discord, Twilight and Sweetie glanced at each other in suspicion for a moment before shrugging and following Rarity's lead into the depths of the temple.

Author's Note:

Welp, after a really long wait, it's finally here! I hope this chapter was worth the wait.

Love,

Lord Nito <3

Comments

[PuzzleMaster98]

Great chapter!!! Glad this is being continued!!! Can't wait for more!!

[GravelordNito]

9916499
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it!

[PuzzleMaster98]

9916724
Well, its a good story!

[Lynnenana]

Smashed it again Nito!!
Totally enjoyed the latest chapter.
Don't make your fans wait too long for the next chapter <3

[GravelordNito]

9916796
Thanks!

[Momma mia]

Fantastic great story keep them coming !

[GravelordNito]

10211056
Thanks!

[iconicgg]

10211158
When do you think your going to up date this. I can't wait for more

[GravelordNito]

11780340
As soon as I'm able to finish the final draft. I'm currently writing 3 stories on here as well as trying to publish an actual novel. Plus, life's just really busy in general. But don't worry - it will come.

[iconicgg]

11793237
Thank you and I can't wait to see what you've been working on