The Fugitive Draconequus

by Ironskull

A Promise Fullfilled

We find ourselves in pitch darkness that I know to be the inside of the cave chamber, previous home to a certain magical node. And soon to be again, if I have anything to say about it. I snap once more and fill the room with ambient light.

Twilight looks down at my feet and squeaks in surprise.

"Why do you suddenly have a jackalope with you?" she asks in confusion. "Are you holding a bowl of carrots?"

"Yep. I didn't make them either, otherwise he wouldn't be able to see them, but don't worry, I paid for them. I knew we would need some way of verifying whether the spell is broken, so that's why I brought this fine fellow with us. The carrots are to keep him occupied in the meantime. You have to be the one to do it though." I hold the bowl of carrots out to her.

"I suppose so," she agrees. She picks a carrot out and holds it out to the jackalope, who immediately forgets about his confusion and swipes it greedily.

"So, how are we supposed to do this?" asks Twilight. "Do you need my help?"

"Possibly. I think I can do the first part of it myself. After that, we'll have to see what we are dealing with."

I walk to the spot where the magic node used to reside and raise my claw and paw up in the air, charged with power. And then I grasp at the air where the node should be and claw my way at the folds between dimensions, specifically looking for the one where the node almost certainly ran off to.

I think I found it! I pry at it with my mighty power!

A hole in space opens up where I'm prying at and starts emitting blinding blue light.

"AHA!" I cry in triumph. "I FOUND YOU, YOU STUPID NODE! YOU'RE COMING BACK WHERE YOU BELONG, NOW GET IN HERE!"

The rift opens wider and I hold my paw up in front of me and flex it, focusing on the node. And then I pull my paw back toward myself, beckoning the node along with it.

And, just like that, the node is back inside this dimension.

I release it from my magical grasp and allow the rift to collapse. The node starts to stir and whirl as it did before after the rift closes. In fact, it appears to be perfectly back to its old self again. I turn to Twlight and summon a pogo stick.

"I did it!" I cry in happiness, leaping onto the pogo stick. "I did it, I did it!" I keep repeating this line and jumping around.

"There's still a problem though, Discord," says Twilight, and I vanish my pogo stick and look at her from mid-air.

She points at the Jackalope. He is looking at the node in fascination, but even as I fly up into his face, he obviously still has no idea that I'm here.

I let out a huff. "Of course. Here, let me try something."

I snap my claws at the node, but I have a sinking feeling that this isn't going to work. I never even figured out what exactly the problem was, after all.

I jump back in front of the jackalope and get no reaction.

"Well, we tried," I say, theatrically turning around and lowering myself to the ground before walking toward the exit slumped over in mock disappointment. "I guess we better go home."

"Discord, come back here," says Twilight sarcastically. I teleport myself back to her. "If you just give me a moment, I might be able to figure out how to fix this."

"Perfect! So how are you going to do it?"

"I don't know yet!"

I don't say anything back at her and she cautiously approaches the node, but stops a short distance away.

She lights up her horn, and then recoils and stops it.

"By Celestia, that's a lot of magic!"

"Celestia doesn't have anything to do with it, I'm pretty sure," I respond.

She does this again, but doesn't recoil this time, and keeps it up for about a minute. When she stops, she turns to me.

"Anything?" I ask hopefully.

"Not as such, no," she answers slowly. "I don't suppose that now that you have your powers back, you can use your enhanced magic sense to figure out 'what is broken', so to say?"

"Doesn't do any good," I answer in disappointment. "Something is definitely off, but I sure can't tell you what it actually is, I still feel like me to me."

"Well, whatever is wrong, I am almost positive that the problem isn't in the node, it's something about you. There must be some sort of magical effect clinging to you somehow."

"And does this conjecture actually help us any?" I ask skeptically.

"There must be some way that we can diagnose the source of the problem," Twilight muses. "Some different manner of viewing the problem in such a way that it is easier to understand it."

"Like what?"

"You did say that you can vaguely feel the problem, even though you can't actually pinpoint it, right?" asks Twilight. I nod. "Good. That's something. We should focus on that."

"But I can't figure anything else about it!" I cry in frustration.

"There's no way that you can describe it to me?" asks Twilight hopefully.

"No, not really."

"Here, let me try something. Hold still."

Twilight lights up her horn and engulfs me in a spell.

"You're not trying to read my mind, are you?" I ask.

"Of course not. But now I know what sort of magic to look for, now that I have seen the node itself. I'm just looking for any signs of- wait. I think I found it!"

"What, already?" I ask in surprise.

Twilight doesn't answer. Instead, she just scrunches up her face.

"Twilight?"

No response.

I use my magic to summon a certain boulder behind Twilight, which drops to the ground with a thud. This is enough to get her to snap out of it.

"Ground control to Major Tom, do you read me?" I say sarcastically.

"Sorry, Discord, its just that this magic is so strange. I think I understand what the problem is though. You touched the node when its magic was fluctuating wildly, and the magic it cast on you is something similar to an illusion spell because it is altering the way that everyone around you perceives you and everything that you do, and even the way that everyone remembers you, and instead of seeing and hearing the real you, they seeing the results of what the randomly pulsing node did to you, and the sensory input that everypony is receiving is incomprehensible, and, basically broken. And so their minds are subconsciously ignoring this supposedly bad input and ignoring it. You are capable of forcing their minds to confront the bad input by getting into their faces, but it still doesn't make any sense to them and they just panic."

"But that doesn't answer the other puzzle, does it?" I say. "What makes you different so that you are the sole exception? I mean, even Celestia was affected."

"I have a theory. I need to check something. Give me just a minute."

Twilight suddenly lets loose a flash of magic.

She's gone.

"Couldn't you have explained what you are doing before you went?" I cry out.

"Oh hush up, you did the exact same thing when you disappeared to try to save the Priness all by yourself."

I turn around and find a copy of myself standing against the cave wall with his arms crossed.

"Where have you been?" I ask.

"I'm Discord, remember? I just kind of turn up when it's convenient."

"Yes, but you're dodging the question, where have you been?"

"If you must know, I've been tidying up our place. The place is spotless at the moment."

"Yeek!" I mutter in disgust.

Twilight then teleports back into the room and he looks at her in surprise. He snaps and disappears again before Twilight can turn and see him.

I realize that Twilight is wearing on her head something that I thought I would be able to avoid seeing for at least a little bit longer.

"Why are you wearing the element of magic?" I ask in deadpan. "If you think that blasting me with that thing is going to solve anything, you've got another thing coming."

"I'm not going to use it on you. It's because of this thing that I can see you," Twilight answers back. "In hindsight, it's actually pretty obvious. I have a connection to it that nopony else does, and that is why nopony else, not even the Princesses, can see you."

"But what about all of your friends?" I ask in confusion. "They have connections to their elements too, and they can't see me!"

"But this is a strictly magical problem, and the other elements can't do what this one is doing. Basically, it somehow seems to know how to unscramble the problem and make it make sense to me through the connection that I have with it. I don't even have to actually be in the same place as it for it to work, apparently."

"How convenient."

"But the important thing here is, even though I don't know how it knew how to decode what the node did to you, I am almost positive that I can modify the spell to make it so that instead of simply letting me interact with you despite the problem, I can use the decryption pattern that it came up with to actually remove the problem altogether."

I feel my eyes fly wide open in shock.

"Wait, you can? Well, what are you waiting for, do it!"

"I just wanted to warn you though, that this is just an experimental spell that I came up with just now," says Twilight nervously.

"I know that, it's not like you've had any chances to practice! Look, if you accidently turn me into a puddle of goo or something, I'll just turn myself back."

"I don't think a puddle of goo is likely," says Twilight. "More like, I'm afraid that I might accidently make you imperceptible to myself as well. And if I lose you... I don't know what I'll do."

"Oh."

Hmm, that never occurred to me.

"Well, I think I know. You might not remember me, but you won't be able to forget the fact that something is missing that you had before, and you would also notice that you keep on getting weird little presents from somewhere, and sometimes problems will just go away for no reason. And, also, now that you've explained to me the problem, I could probably fix it myself, eventually. It may take me a while, but I would."

"That's rather sad," says Twilight, "but also rather sweet too. But it won't come to that. I'm sure of it!"

"Of course not."

Twilight lights her horn once again and steps up to me and looks up to meet my eyes.

"Just in case it turns out that I did make a mistake though..." she says. "I love you."

The room lights up with magic, and stays lit up. I feel a strange sensation as the magic makes its change.

And then the magic ceases, and I am left standing in front of Twilight exactly I was before. She opens her eyes and looks at me.

I can see the relief in her eyes.

"You were actually hoping that you would forget about me, weren't you!" I accuse playfully, swooping down and picking her off the ground.

"That way," I continue, speaking to the startled pony now laying in my arms, "You wouldn't have to listen to me get even! Because I love you too, you peculiar, pretty, purple pony!"

"I'm not pretty," Twilight insists. "Besides, you're a creature that is a mismatch of all sorts of different animals. I'm not sure that I should trust your judgment about who is pretty in the first place!"

"Fine, don't believe me then. I was just saying that to make you like me more anyway."

Twilight suddenly starts laughing, and I join in. But suddenly I stop as I realize that something is moving below us.

Mister Jackalope is jumping in place below me, trying to get my attention.

To his surprise, I catch him with my tail such that he can stand on it and lift him up to where Twilight can see.

"Hello to you too, my friend," I say. "Tell me, have you and the others been stirring up trouble for me while I was away?"

The critter looks slightly away from me and puts on a fiendish grin.

"Excellent!"

---

With a snap Twilight and I find ourselves inside her library once again. Luna and Twilight's friends are all waiting on us, and the instant I popped out of nowhere, they just stare in horror. The looks on their faces right now are priceless!

"What's he doing here?" demands Rainbow Dash, who takes off the ground and flies up in front of my face.

"Rainbow Dash!" cries Luna in a commanding voice. "Withdraw yourself from his space! I assure you that hitting him will do nopony any good."

Rainbow reluctantly backs down and flies to Twilight's side.

"What is your purpose in coming here, Discord?" asks Luna with bitterness. "Have you come to revel in our wretchedness?"

"Don't be such a defeatist, Lulu," I answer back. "And besides, I never got a kick out of the misery of others. I admit that sometimes others are made miserable as a side effect of me just having fun, but I would never, as you say, 'revel in your wretchedness'. Your solar counterpart can be a downright nuisance, but she doesn't deserve what has happened to her. I'm here to help you rescue your sister," I finish, crossing my arms and looking at her expectantly. All of Twilight's friends are staring at me open mouthed.

Luna meanwhile looks me up and down with sudden morbid fascination. "You were Twilight's friend, afflicted with a condition that made you invisible to others!"

"Are you only just now figuring that out?" I ask in surprise.

"What trickery are you attempting this time?" she asks in confusion. "What do you have to gain from this? If you want my sister gone, you have only to walk away!"

"I know that, but I am here, aren't I?" I point out in exasperation. "Look, you and Celestia did a much better job of the whole governing thing than I ever cared to, and when I think about it, and it wasn't even you two who decided to petrify me anyway, it was those accursed elements of harmony. The same ones that are all in this room right now. I only reluctantly agree to a plan which involves them, by the way. And, if nothing else, if I didn't do whatever I can to get her teacher back to normal, Twi here would never forgive me. Also, You can't really afford to turn me away."

"That may not be the best way of phrasing it, Discord," says Twilight nervously.

"Irrespective of a lack of tact," Luna says, "Discord does have a point. I am no match for my sister, but unless he has lost his edge, Discord... is. We are much more likely to succeed with his assistance. Twilight vouches for him, and that is enough for me at this time. And, should this mission end in success due to your assistance, Discord, I will ensure that your slate is wiped clean. We know that it is selfish, but we are willing to go to extremes to ensure our sister's safe return."

"Hold it," says Applejack in alarm. "Are y'all tellin' me that Discord is suddenly a good guy now?"

"Well, that is the job Celestia gave us, right?" says Pinkie Pie. "I mean, for some reason, only Twilight could even talk to him, so she obviously completed the mission all by herself! Am I right?"

"Sort of..." I mutter in annoyance. "But I promise you that whatever ideas you have about how it probably went did not happen. We're friends now, but we did it my way!" I finish with a bit of magical amplification in my voice.

"Sounds good to me!" answers Pinkie, unaffected by my meager attempt at intimidation.

"Well, that's all fine and dandy!" cries Rarity sarcastically. I turn to look at her, as she clearly isn't happy. "But you still owe me an apology! Do you have any idea how awful you made me feel after your little visit to my shop?"

"Yes, I do. Listen, I am sorry alright?"

"You're sorry?" she asks in surprise.

"Yes! Don't make me spell it out for you, we're sort of in a hurry here."

"I... I accept your apology, Discord."

"Wait, you do? Just like that?"

"I think you'll find that most ponies are very forgiving if you just ask," says Twilight. "Well, and if we think that you're actually sincere, of course."

"But how can you be so sure that he is sincere?" asks Rainbow Dash. "This could all be a part of his plan to take over Equestria! First he makes us trust him, then he stabs us in the back."

"Rainbow, if I was trying to wrest control of Equestria from your princesses, don't you think I would just leave Celestia where she is? Get it through your titanium cranium," I say, tapping her on the head twice and causing a couple of metallic clangs, much to her astonishment. "I'm trying to help you!

"And besides," I continue. "You asked me to keep Twilight safe last week, and I did."

Rainbow's eyes grow wide in realization. "Wait, you were the weird ghost who made all of those freaky- uh, actually," she says in an attempt to suddenly sound casual, "never mind. You know what, we're good."

"Just like that?" asks Applejack. "A moment ago you were ready to fight, and suddenly you're just okay with this?"

"Yeah, that's right," says Rainbow in slight irritation. "So you can stop asking me questions and let's just go stop that siren already!"

Hmm, somepony is embarrassed about something.

I look toward Fluttershy.

"Nothing to say from the quiet one?" I ask. "No 'thank you', no 'you're a monster', not anything?"

"No thank you."

Well, that's oddly disappointing. In fact, I feel strangely uneasy. Mark my words, I will make that pony laugh one day. Without making her do it with magic, of course.

"Lovely!" I cry out. I hold my paw up. "Shall we be on our way?"

"Nay!" cries Luna, and I lower my paw in annoyance.

"We cannot simply teleport into their vicinity!" she continues. "Just because you would endure the journey with no ill effect doesn't mean that the rest of us will not be discombobulated by the process! We require a safe place where we can regain our bearings!"

"Alright," I answer, seeing her point. "I can do that."

"Your priority must be to keep my sister distracted so that the elements may undo the magic upon her," Luna continues. "I shall do everything in my power to keep the siren busy. Once the spell on Celestia is broken, Discord should have no problem in doing with the siren as he pleases. My old teacher believed that banishment from this world was a fine way to deal with sirens, and I am of the opinion that such a punishment is far from unreasonable."

"You mean put her in another world where she is still free to move around and she's also not stuck in a place where she is alone for a thousand years?" I ask. "That's... pretty good, actually. I can do that too!"

"And one more thing," Luna continues, and I roll my eyes. "According to what Twilight relayed to us about your own attempted rescue, this place which we are going to has many ponies who are all under the control of the siren. We must not hurt them in any way, including through inadvertent collateral damage."

I open my mouth to say something sarcastic in response to that, but then think better of it. "Okay, I get it," I answer after a moment, and then huff. "I get that my methods may be a little extravagant, but you don't have to explain this to me, you know. I said I wasn't going to hurt anypony and I meant it."

"We simply wished to ensure that it did not slip your mind," Luna says.

"Wait, when did she tell you this?" I ask in confusion.

"She came to us seeking the element of magic a short while ago, and her friends attempted to draw out more information from her. It is one of the few things she told us before disappearing again. Now, we believe everything is in order, and everypony understands what must be done. Let us be on our way. We had intended to teleport everypony ourself, but we were not originally aware that we have the lord of chaos with us. Discord, now you may teleport us into position."

I grin back at her and hold up my paw once again. "Let's do this!"

*SNAP*

Comments

[Ironskull]

Strangely, it makes me happy that Discord is so happy, and I wrote this thing. It's remarkable how some characters seem to develop a mind of their own and even I get surprised by what they do occasionally.

[PuzzleMaster98]

You better make the fights epic!!

[Ironskull]

8919944
If by epic you mean Discord going all out with strange and goofy powers and jokes, then you shouldn't be disappointed. But you did say 'fights' and there is one thing I should mention. The story is told almost exclusively from Discord's point of view, and not Luna's. So the details of what happens with her are kind of limited. I guess I could make a bonus chapter retelling the scene from her perspective, but I don't consider myself to be particularly good at portraying her character, unlike Discord (you can find several comments throughout this story telling me that I write him well). Also, the scene from her perspective would almost certainly be almost devoid of any humor, which doesn't quite fit the tone of the story. It depends on whether people really want to see it that badly and whether I can find the inspiration to write it well.

[PuzzleMaster98]

8919995
Sorry. I do like this ship though. Twicord is good.

Good luck!!!

[Kirtai]

I heard that when you get a good story you just have to run after your characters and write down what they do. Kinda.

twice and causing a causing a couple of metallic clangs

Doubled words

[Adamastos]

It was nice ta read this again after so long. Good job getting some many chapters out so quick.

[Vaguely Demented]

I am living for the reaction when they realize the relationship he has with Twilight.

[Kage no Brony]

"Hello, Lento. You've made a surprisingly huge mistake, missy. See, Celestia and I have our... disagreements, and I can't exactly get even with her when she's not herself, so!

I'm going to have to rend apart everything you've built."

-Discord, being a badass.

[Slayerseba]

"Ground control to Major Tom, do you read me?" I say sarcastically.

Space Oddity is an awesome intro to the Valerian movie.

Ps. My way was also great in Sing.

[caloricmango]

8921504
I think it’s a double joke cause the rock is also named Tom

[BlazeBlue42]

"Sort of..." I mutter in annoyance. "But I promise you that whatever ideas you have about how it probably went did not happen. We're friends now, but we did it my way !" I finish with a bit of magical amplification in my voice.

Anyone else go myyyyyyyyy waaaaaaaaaay!

[Emperor]

And yep, as soon as Discord could be perceived by everypony else, Luna had a whole 'What have I done?' moment

But no seriously, right about now would be an easy time for Discord to take over Equestria. That he isn't proves something, and it's good that Luna's able to get that through her skull.

And Twi finally confesses. And Discord confesses back . That'll make Twilight's ascension later a little bit awkward, maybe.

[Pharaoh]

"Nay!" cries Luna, and I lower my paw in annoyance.

Haha pony go nay