Daughter of Discord: Of Love and Darkness

by kahnac

The Final Deal

He sat up and realized he had fallen asleep on one of his clouds. He looked down and saw Zany cuddled up beside him. He smiled at the infant's innocent face and petted his pink mane.

That pink mane...

It was just like Fluttershy's.

Zany's eyes then opened, revealing his spiral eyes. If they were purple, they would be just like Screwball's.

Discord recalled the memories from his dream.

"Those were the days," he muttered.

Since he had fallen in love with her, Fluttershy had always brought joy to his miserable existence. The birth of Screwball had doubled that joy. They were a family. They loved each other, comforted each other when troubled. Sure, they had had their ups and downs, but they would always work it out in the end.

Why could it not be that way again?

He knew the answer. Fluttershy had broken his heart.

Since their marriage, there had scarcely been a day without Fluttershy. Even when she was not there, she would never be gone for long. Now that he thought about it, this was the longest they had been apart. There had been another time when they had parted under dark circumstances. During her captivity, he had nearly forced her into marriage and in his anger had physically harmed her. Then he released her and did not see her again for three days.

This was different. This time, she was not coming back. Why would she? After all, it was clear by the way she had kissed that stallion that she did not love him as she had before. It had destroyed him.

No one had told him that love did not always last forever.

Then there was Screwball: his daughter, his flesh and blood, his chaotic protégé. She was no different from her mother.

She had left him too, obviously not caring how he felt about it. She and her mother were probably in the home of that stallion, rejoicing at how they had broken the Lord of Chaos.

Discord shook his head. No, he was not broken! He was more powerful than any pony in Equestria!

"Look at the world I've created!"

He did so and thought it would prove that he was not weak, but as soon as he laid eyes on the chaotic town, his heart sank. It was all so beautiful, but who was there to appreciate it?

He glanced down at Zany who was smiling up at him with an open mouth. He at least had him.

"But you're a foal," he whispered. "You'll appreciate anything."

He put his paw to his heart. It was beating slower than usual and he could hear a string snap.

He had told his family time and time again that love was the most powerful form of chaos there was. How ironic it was that the very thing he lived for would ultimately destroy him.

"There he is!"

His ears perked up at the sound of Princess Twilight's voice. He looked down at the ground. The six bearers of the Elements of Harmony were directly below him, but the only pony he really saw was Fluttershy. While the others were glaring up at him angrily, her eyes were sad and pleading as he locked gaze with her.

Despite everything that had occurred the last two days, despite the tension between them, he still thought her the most beautiful thing in the world.

"Are you listening to me?"

Discord had been so focused on his wife that he had not heard Twilight's words.

"I said: your twenty-four hours are up!"

He scratched his head. "Twenty-four hours?"

"Yeah! And I see you're still causing chaos!"

Still confused, he picked up Zany and flew down to them. "Did I miss something?"

"Yes!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "Your sanity!"

"We will give you one more chance, Discord," Twilight said. "Unless you stop this madness now, we'll have no choice but to use our Elements."

Discord's eyes widened in fear and then tuned to Fluttershy. "You...you're letting them...do this?"

The pegasus hung her head shamefully. "I thought you had changed, but I was wrong."

He could not believe it. True, she had betrayed him, but he never would have thought she would be so cold as to turn him to stone! He shivered at the memory of his stone prison. He would be frozen forever. He would be alone in the cold. He would hear the world around him and not be a part of it. Fluttershy knew all this. Which is why he had to ask:

"Why, Fluttershy? Why?! What have I done to drive you away?! Was I a bad husband? Did I offend you? Was it because I yelled at Screwball? Because I apologized for that!"

"Hey," Applejack said, glancing around. "Where is Screwball?"

Discord bit his lip. "She...she...she's making cream cheese in Fillydelphia."

He could not tell them that Screwball had abandoned him. If he did, they would know that she hated him and would not care if he were turned to stone. But the fact that she was not with her mother worried him.

"Please, Discord," Fluttershy pleaded, stepping forth. "It doesn't have to be this way. We can go home, be a family, like we should. Be the stallion I fell in love with, the stallion I married, the stallion with whom I raised my children."

Her beautiful teal eyes were now stained with tears. "Discord, please..."

He wanted to do what she asked, to take her in his arms, but the memory of seeing her with that other stallion still burned in his mind.

"If you love me so much," he snapped, "why did you betray me?!"

"I didn't!" Fluttershy insisted. "It was..."

"If you love me so much, why do you still take their side?"

"Discord, please listen..."

"You would turn me to stone? Your husband?" He held up Zany. "The father of this child!"

Suddenly, the baby vanished from his hands and then reappeared on Fluttershy's back. Discord's hands fell to his sides.

"Et tu, Zany?" he choked.

His wife, his daughter and now his son. Whatever was left of his shattered heart was destroyed in that moment. He fell to his knees in defeat.

What was there left to live for?

The six mares tilted their heads in confusion.

"Well," Discord uttered, lifting his eyes slightly. "What are you waiting for? Do it."

"Discord..." Fluttershy started to say.

"I said DO IT!"

She gasped, but then hung her head. Twilight turned to her sympathetically, though it was clear she was equally shocked.

"I'm sorry, Fluttershy," she whispered.

The six mares had used the Elements of Harmony multiple times, but this time, neither of them were willing to do it. Zany grinned evilly as Twilight's horn began to glow. Discord looked up at Fluttershy who had tears streaming down her cheeks.

He would not take his eyes off her, not even to blink. Despite the fact that she was crying, he wanted her beautiful face to be the last thing he would see.

"Fluttershy, I love you," he said under his breath.

He gripped his hands, preparing for what was to come.

"WAIT!"

Twilight stopped her spell and looked up. Everyone did the same. Screwball zoomed overhead and landed between her father and the ponies.

"You can't do this!"

"Screwball, sweetie," Twilight said gently. "Stand back."

"No! This is all a big mistake!"

"Honey, please..." Discord urged, not wanting his daughter to share his fate.

"Daddy! It wasn't Mom you saw kissing that stallion! It was a changeling! They both were!"

The draconequus' jaw dropped. "What?"

"Yes!" Fluttershy shouted. "It's true! I would never betray you, Discord!"

"But...but...why were you going to turn me to stone? Didn't you want me out of the way so you could run off with that stallion?"

"It wasn't going to be forever! We were just going to put you in a time-out! I didn't want to, but after the way you acted yesterday, talked about ruling Equestria, I...I felt I had no choice!"

"What are you talking about? I didn't say anything to you about ruling Equestria!"

"That was Chrysalis!" Screwball declared.

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "How do you know?"

The filly pointed at Zany. "Care to tell them, baby brother? Or should I say....your majesty?"

The ponies gasped and turned to the baby. Its eyes were blazing with green fire. Fluttershy shrieked and dropped him as he started to grow. Everyone backed away as it took the form of Chrysalis. She growled at Screwball.

"You really are a thorn in my side, you know that?"

"It is her!" Applejack cried.

Discord grabbed Fluttershy and Screwball and pulled them closer, his teeth bared at the Changeling Queen.

"What have you done with my boy?!" he demanded.

"Doesn't matter!" Chrysalis bellowed. "What you should really worry about is yourselves, as I put Plan B into action!"

She whistled and everyone looked up as a swarm of changelings filled the sky.

Discord laughed. "You think a few bugs will stop me?"

He snapped his fingers, teleporting himself and the ponies.

"Ha!" Discord said when they reappeared. "I sure showed her, didn't...?"

He gasped and saw that Chrysalis was still in front of him. They had only travelled a few inches. The queen threw her head back in a laugh.

"You foal!" she taunted. "While I was disguised as your son, I fed off your love! Whatever power you had left was wasted on chocolate rain!"

"No!" the draconequus cried, looking down at his paw and claw. "It's not possible!"

"Big mistake, Chrysalis!" Twilight exclaimed, powering her horn. "You're going back to the Changeling Forest where you belong!"

Just as the magic was about to transfer to her crown, Twilight's horn vanished.

"W-what?" she gasped. "H-how? W-why...WHY DOES THIS ALWAYS HAPPEN TO ME?!"

"Perhaps it's your own hubris that proves to be your downfall, princess." Came a male voice. Suddenly, a torrent of red fire erupted from the ground, and with it, Tirek emerged laughing like the maniacal demon that he was. His massive appearance, which towered over Chrysalis herself, intimidated everypony present. He was amused by this, yet even moreso when Discord recognized him. "Tirek!"

"Were you expecting someone else?" Tirek said gleefully.

"Wait a minute." Princess Twilight said. "Tirek? As in the magic stealing Tirek from Equestria's past? But....that's impossible: you should have been locked away in Tartarus when the Princesses-" She suddenly held a shocked expression, and turned to a certain Draconequus. "Discord? You said you dealt with Tirek all those years ago."

Discord looked nervous as he tried to explain himself, chuckling nervously. "Well, you see....the thing is.....I, uh....."

"You lied to us?" Rainbow Dash accused.

"I wouldn't say I lied, I just.....dealt with the situation in the way I thought was best, and never told anypony."

"That's still lyin', sugarcube." Applejack said with disappointment.

"Yes, Discord truly is a talented liar, isn't he?" Tirek inquired. "And yet, he is also surprisingly easy to manipulate. When we first met, and he told me he was capturing me for his PONY friends, I attempted to appeal to his ego and get him on my side." Tirek huffed. "It didn't work: his love for Fluttershy was too great for him to return to his old ways. So I appealed to his newfound sympathy and we made a deal."

"What sort of deal?" Rarity asked.

"In exchange for my freedom - and a chance at redemption - I would not openly seek out ponies, or other magical creatures to steal their magic. Discord believed my spiel about being open to reformation. All he had to do was say that he had banished me back to Tartarus, and let me go free. And for these past years, I have kept my end of our bargain. I never once sought out any manner of creature to steal their magic. After establishing my own kingdom, I let others seek ME out. Forging bargains here and there, and claiming the magic that becomes rightfully mine when those fools fail to uphold their end of our bargains." Tirek crossed his arms. "Ungrateful, the lot of them. And after I provided them their hearts desire," He then grinned, "including a certain changeling prince."

"Mothball!" Screwball cried out. "Where is he? Have you done something to him?"

"That's for me to know, and you to find out, little halfling." Tirek said with a chuckle. "This is all the Queen's game now: i'm merely here to offer support to my new comrade."

"Indeed." Chrysalis said with a grin. "I have absorbed Discord's power......just as Tirek has absorbed his daughters. Now that you cannot use magic, nothing can stop me now!"

Pinkie narrowed her eyes. "You're not a very nice lady!"

"Really? I hadn't noticed."

They were now surrounded by changelings, in the air and on the ground. Chrysalis circled her victims.

"I've been waiting to get revenge on the lot of you for years!" she gloated. "It's a pity that Princess Cadence and Shining Armor aren't here to join the party, but I'll see to them later. I've watched you all in your perfect little lives and well...they were just too perfect! So I spiced things up a little."

Twilight faced the queen. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, haven't you guessed?"

She gasped and spun around at the sound of her own voice and saw a duplicate of herself.

"It was I who told your boyfriend all those years ago that he was nothing but a peasant."

The alicorn stiffened. "What?"

Chrysalis turned back into herself. "That was all I did, of course. It was you who refused to talk things over with him. Shame, really. He had bought a ring for you, too."

Twilight clutched her heart. All that time, she had thought the reason Flash had left her was because he did not see how a relationship between a princess and a guard would work out. With all that talk of formalities, it had seemed the most reasonable, though it had not made sense since that had been the situation with her brother and foalsitter.

Now that she knew the real reason, she felt a weight of guilt on her shoulders.

"Flash," she uttered.

Chrysalis smirked and loomed over the white unicorn. "Your love life, Miss Rarity, was not so hard to ruin."

Rarity gasped as the queen transformed into Fleur-de-lils.

"I didn't even have to kiss him to make you angry," she said in her new voice. "But of course, I had to do it when you decided to go back to him. Oh, how he resisted me. He would not stop telling me how much he cared about you! If only you had listened to him."

The unicorn mimicked Twilight's gesture, tears forming in her eyes.

After turning into the queen, the changeling turned to Applejack.

"I was going to take Rarity's form and rekindle your Spikey-Wikey's old flame, but I had to keep your friendship with the unicorn stable if you were going to turn Discord to stone."

"That was all you?" Twilight asked in disbelief.

"Indeed."

"I don't get it," Screwball said. "I mean I get why you're mad at them, because they helped defeat you and all, but why pick on my dad?"

The Changeling Queen darted her eyes at the filly. "So he'll know what it's like to have a broken heart!"

Without warning, she shot a beam at Discord, sending him flying back into a floating cottage. Berry Punch stuck her head out the window to see what was going on. Once she did, she slammed the shutters.

"Dad!" Screwball cried.

"Do what you like with the others!" Chrysalis shouted. "But the Draconequus is mine!"

Thus began the battle for Ponyville, with our heroes facing against the Changeling Horde while their queen went after Discord. The changelings deployed the same tricks they did in Canterlot on the Wedding Day: shapeshifting into the Mane Six's loved ones in order to confuse them with mind games. Even so, with the ponies struggling to hold back the Changelings, the only one who remained on the sidelines was Tirek. He was merely standing in place, watching as the chaos unfolded around him.

"All goes according to plan." He said aloud to himself. He then produced an orb of magic out of the palm of his hand. "Now let's hope those three bugs bring the princesses in time."

---

Mantis, Acari, and Bombus continued running towards canterlot as fast as their legs could carry them. The object of their sprint soon appeared to them past the hill. "There it is!" Exclaimed Mantis. "Now we must reach the palace, and get to the Princesses! They must know about this plot!"

"But won't the guards just arrest us on the spot?" Bombus asked.

"It's a chance we have to take!" Mantis said.

Soon enough, the changeling trio were racing through the streets of Canterlot, earning screams of terror and causing pausing to emerge among the masses. But they wouldn't let that stop them. They were determined to reach the palace as soon as possible. Once they reached the courtyard, a platoon of guards drew their spears and aimed them at the changelings. "Wait!" Mantis said. "We come in peace - and with a dire warning for the Princesses!"

This caught the ponies off-guard, and soon enough, the three changelings were being escorted to the Throne Room. There, both Princess Celestia and her sister were standing in preparation of these unexpected arrivals. "Never in my wildest dreams did I ever expect to see Changelings in their natural state without the intent to attack." Celestia said. "Who are you three?"

"I am General Mantis. These are my comrades, Acari and Bombus." All three of them bowed to the princesses, which came as quite a shock, to say the least. "And the reason we are in our true forms is because we have no choice but to be: our magic was taken from us, and thus we are stuck in these forms."

"And how have you come to lose your magic?" Inquired Princess Luna.

"You see, that's the problem we came to warn you about." Acari said. "Our queen has formed an alliance with Lord Tirek, and is undoubtedly trying to take Ponyville as we speak."

This shocked both the princesses, who had believed that Tirek was locked away in Tartarus. If he was somehow back, and in league with Chrysalis, then things were more serious than either could have imagined. Yet one thing confused the two as Celestia asked, "If what you say is true, then why are you telling us this? As servants of the queen, are you not also part of this alliance as well?"

"No way!" Bombus spoke. "That Tirek guy's a psycho, and our queen made a mistake teaming up with him! If you ask me, she's off her nutter, and-"

"Bombus!" Mantis shouted, silencing his subordinate. "Despite his lack of tact, Bombus is correct. Queen Chrysalis has lost her way, and joined with the very being who not only stole our ancestral home.....but who has been using her own son as a tool for their shared agenda. "

"Her son?" Luna asked. "I recall Princess Twilight mentioning something about Screwball defending a changeling by the name of Mothball, but we did not know the full details. Is this son of Chrysalis the same Mothball?"

"Yes, you highness. My purpose was to protect the prince no matter the cost. After these past four days, that mission has become all the more critical. Chrysalis doesn't even seem to care about using Prince Mothball as an expendable pawn, but I do. I would risk my life, and my heart to defend him."

The princesses were moved by Mantis' dedication, and concern, and were now more eager to listen to what this changeling had to say. "Perhaps you should start at the beginning, and tell us how you came to be involved with Tirek." Celestia said.

And so, Mantis decided to regale the sisters with the story of Mothball's deal with TIrek.....unaware of two pairs of guards smiling as their left and right eyes glowed while observing the whole affair.

---

Tirek watched all of this with interest until he looked around himself once more. "They might be at it for a while longer. For now, I think I shall multitask in observation until the moment is right." He smiled. "Then revenge is mine."

The families of the mane six soon began to appear, and aid the girls in their battle against the changelings. Red Shoes had even performed an astonishing magic trick with a rabbit named Harvey who turned into a giant monster after being pulled out of a hat. All the while, Discord continued to play guerilla warfare with the empowered Chrysalis, who only seemed to grow more unhinged as the fight went on.

"Come on out, you coward!" she bellowed.

"Honestly, Chrissie!" called Discord's voice. "You used to love hide-and-seek! What happened to you?"

She growled. "You happened to me!"

Her ears perked up as she heard a twig snap behind her. She turned around just as Discord landed on her back. The two began wrestling each other, rolling in the dirt, taking turns pinning the other down.

"What did you mean by that?" Discord demanded.

The queen shouted and switched places with him so she was on top. "I was perfectly fine until you came into my life!"

"Oh, how tragic!" He rolled her onto her back. "I'll send you an apology card!"

He cried out as she kicked him in the stomach, forcing him off of her. The queen stood and looked grudgingly down at him.

"You've heard that changelings don't have hearts. Didn't you ever wonder why that was?"

Discord was caught by surprise at this question. He scratched his head, trying to think of a witty comeback.

"Evolution?"

She groaned. "Even after all these years, you're still ignorant! Changelings weren't always heartless. I still had my heart when we met. You do remember those days, don't you?"

He scowled. "You mean when you tricked me, made me your pawn in your scheme to conquer Equestria?!"

"Oh, Equestria was never part of the plan. When you took over, I simply saw an opportunity and took advantage of it."

"But...you said..."

"I lied! The real reason I sent you to Equestria was so you could feel the pain I had felt! I knew those ponies would never accept you, just as you never accepted me!"

"What are you talking about?!" Discord asked again. "You're not making sense!" He paused. "Wow. Never knew how annoying that could be."

"Now," the queen said ominously, "I can have my revenge!"

"For what?!"

"For rejecting me!"

Discord could not remember a time where he had been more shocked. He blinked multiple times before he was able to speak.

"Wait. You...me...you had a...crush...on me?" He paused. "I don't know whether I should be flattered or disgusted."

Chrysalis cried out angrily and charged up her horn. Discord quickly scattered out of the way and hid behind a rock.

"You rejected me!" she shouted again.

"In my defense," Discord called desperately, "I had no way knowing!"

He rushed to a garbage can as Chrysalis shattered the rock into millions of pieces.

"When I realized you had no love in your heart for anything," she growled, "I sent you to Equestria so you would know what rejection felt like!"

Discord moved behind a crate as the queen destroyed his hiding place.

"I thought you and I were alike," she continued. "Two outcasts in a world of rejection. I thought you would understand."

She blasted the crate, revealing the draconequus huddled in a ball. He hurried inside a mailbox.

"But I couldn't stop thinking about you," Chrysalis admitted, her voice cracking. "I had to take the pain away. So, using a spell I had discovered in a book of dark magic, I removed my heart from my chest!"

Discord gagged. "That's a bit dramatic, don't you think?"

He teleported out of the mailbox when he heard her horn charge up. He watched as she made it explode into paper. Discord searched frantically for another place to hide.

"The spell did more than I thought," Chrysalis said, smirking at how helpless he looked. "When I became Queen and started having children, I discovered that my new race of changelings lacked of hearts as well! Unfortunately, it meant we had to fill that empty space in our chests with love from others. Oh, but it was all worth it! From feeding off the love of others, we gain power! And power is stronger than any emotion you can ever inflict upon me! And with you out of the way, Equestria will be ours!"

"Now, now, Chrissie!" Discord said, holding up his hands as he backed away. "Let's not get hasty! It wouldn't have worked out. I mean didn't you eat your last three husbands?"

Chrysalis growled and was about to cast another spell when something hit her on the back of the head. She looked down and saw it was an apple.

"Who threw that?!" she demanded, spinning around.

Lined up behind a wooden table was a purple dragon, two adolescent fillies, a colt with a bandaged head and a muscular red stallion. They were all wearing pots on their heads and were each holding an apple, except for the younger filly.

"Good shot, little cuz!" Apple Blossom exclaimed.

Cinnamon Roll cracked her hooves. "It's all in the ankle!"

"Now let's really teach her a lesson! The Apple Family way! Right, Pa?"

"Eeyup," Big Macintosh nodded.

"Ready?" Cinnamon Stick exclaimed. "Aim!"

The Apples raised their ammo.

"Fire!"

They threw the apples at the queen, who was too stunned to dodge them. Cinnamon Roll tossed some toward Spike. He set them on fire and batted them with his tail. Chrysalis shrieked as they burned her.

"Why, you meddling..."

She prepared her horn, ready to vaporize the lot when she heard Discord fall to the ground. She turned back to him and saw that he was running away.

"I'll deal with you later!" she shouted at the family.

Discord looked up to see the queen flying after him. He flapped his wings, hoping he would pick up speed, but she landed on him with a thud.

"Now, I can..."

She trailed off as she saw the battle's progress. Most of her army had fallen at the hand of...a giant rabbit.

"No!" she cried. "We will not lose! Especially not to a bunny!"

She fired at the rabbit's back. It roared as the magic enveloped him. There was a flash of light and in the giant's place was a tiny, fluffy, white bunny. It hopped away in fear.

"Harvey!" Red Shoes exclaimed.

"Oh my gosh!" Screwball uttered. "She's gained more power than I thought!"

Flutershy squeaked when she saw her husband lying beneath the queen's hooves.

"No more interruptions!" Chrysalis declared, her horn glowing green. "Say your prayers, Dissy dear!"

Discord tried to struggle out of her grasp, but he was too weak.

"Discord!" Fluttershy cried.

She flew out of her hiding place. Screwball reached for her tail, but missed.

"Mom, don't!"

A beam shot from the queen's horn and a painful scream was heard. Every pony, even the changelings, went silent and turned to the sound. Screwball's eyes were wild, Discord's mouth fell open, the others stared at the horrific scene.

Even Chrysalis watched in shock as the yellow pegasus fell limply to the ground.

Tirek, however, was grinning maniacally at the sight.

"No!"

Discord shoved Chrysalis off him and was instantly at Fluttershy's side. He took her limp body in his arms.

She felt so lifeless.

"No, no, no, no, no!" he uttered, desperately stroking her mane. "Fluttershy, speak to me! Please!"

He held his paw over her chest and closed his eyes. No matter how hard he concentrated, nothing happened.

"Come on!" he grunted. "Work, you stupid magic! Save her! Come on!"

After a while, he sighed in defeat. It was no use. He did not have enough power to heal her. His ears perked up when he heard a soft moan.

"Discord?"

He glanced down at her. Her eyes were open, but weary. Discord smiled and gently lifted her head.

"Yes, Fluttershy! I'm here!"

"I feel so..." she said in a dry voice, "so..."

His happiness faded. "No, Fluttershy! Please! Don't leave me! We'll find some pony to heal you! You'll make it! I can keep trying!"

He moved his paw to her chest, but she stopped him with her hoof.

"No," she whispered.

Tears formed in the draconequus' eyes. "Don't die, Fluttershy! I love you! I need you! We're supposed to be together forever! I...I can't live without you!"

She smiled up at him. "You'll have to." Discord held her tighter as she coughed. "Take care of the children. They...need you."

He took her hoof in his paw. "Don't talk like that! You'll live, Fluttershy! You must live! My life has no purpose without you! I...I forgot that for a moment. But never again, Fluttershy! I promise you! I will never doubt you again! Just please! Live!"

He sniffed. "Forgive me."

Fluttershy looked at him solemnly and slowly reached her hoof to his face. "I forgive you." She winced in pain. "Just know that...you are the only stallion I've ever loved."

Discord could no longer hold back the tears as he ran his fingers through her mane. "I'm no stallion."

She struggled as she rose and kissed him softly on the lips.

"You are...to me."

He felt her hoof slipping from his face and Discord watched as Fluttershy closed her eyes and collapsed in his arms. For the second time that day, his heart shattered into millions of pieces.

"No," he uttered. "No! NO!"

Discord shook her, but she did not respond. Finally, he buried his face in her fur and sobbed.

His wife, his sweet, loving wife, the thing he adored more than chaos, was gone.

The others looked at the heartbreaking scene. Applejack removed her hat as Spike put his arm around her. Pinkie cried into Red Shoes' shoulder while the triplets embraced each other. Rainbow Dash held Prism as she sobbed while Rarity and Twilight hugged sadly. The others shared embraces and wiped away their tears. Screwball was the saddest of the bunch as she threw her hooves around Dinky's neck.

"Now you know."

Every pony looked up as Chrysalis spoke.

"Now you know how it feels...to have your heart ripped out of your chest!"

Discord lifted his head and turned it towards the Changeling Queen. His tear-stained eyes were burning with hatred and fury.

"You," he whispered.

He put down Fluttershy's body and rose to his full height. He then erupted into flames.

"YOU! YOU KILLED HER! YOU KILLED THE ONLY MARE I EVER LOVED!"

Chrysalis shrugged. "Too bad."

He growled as the flames grew stronger. "Stealing my power is one thing, but THIS!" He held out his claw and created a ball of fire. "YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS, YOU MONSTER!"

Discord let out a cry as he threw the fireball at her. Chrysalis dodged out of the way, letting it hit a group of changelings. The fire in Discord's eyes frightened the queen, though she did not show it. She bolted into the air and he followed her.

Queen Chrysalis

Do You Know How It Feels To Be Pining?
For Someone Who Won't Love You Back
Did You Once Think Of How I Felt,
When You Spoke Of Princesses' Pink Hair?
And Love Had Forever Turned My Heart Black

Do You Know What It's Like To Be Heartless?
To Never Have Reason To Cry
To Never Take Joy In The Pleasures Surrounding You
If You Have Then,
It's Time For You To Die

Discord

I Know What It's Like To Lose Someone,
I Didn't Need To Learn That Again

You Say You Blame Me For Your Actions

Queen Chrysalis

Never Felt Pain Or Loss

Discord

But I Wasn't The One Who Took Your Heart

Queen Chrysalis

The Bridge You Made Me Cross

Discord

Though I Know Love Can Make Creatures Do Crazy Things,
I'm Not Responsible

I'm Tearing You Apart (For Tearing You Apart)

Queen Chrysalis

We Were Two Outcasts Without A Friend,
I Thought You Would Understand
I Loved You But You Tossed Me Away,
Now Everything That I Have Known Has Changed
Hearts Are Made For Breaking

Discord

You Took My Love Away

Queen Chrysalis

It's Best To Have None At All

Discord

Now You're Going To Pay

Queen Chrysalis

Love Just Keeps On Aching

Discord

Enough Of This Power Play

Queen Chrysalis

So Why Even Have It At All

Discord

You Think That You Know Love

Queen Chrysalis

Magic Comes With A Price

Discord

Well Guess What There's More To Tell

Queen Chrysalis

This Is The Price I'm Taking

Queen Chrysalis & Discord

I'm Bidding You Farewell

"It doesn't have to be this way Discord, I can give her back to you!" Chrysalis transforms into Fluttershy, which catches Discord off-guard.

"Fluttershy?"

We Can Start Our Lives Anew,
Forever Just Me And You
For, All Eternity, My Love

Discord

Though You May Look Like Her, You Will Never Be Her

I Know What's It Like To Be

Discord & Queen Chrysalis (singing at the same time)

Truly In Love And Have All Of That Taken,
You Will Never Know The Feeling (Hearts Are Made For Breaking)
So I Will Now End Your Misery (So I Will Break Yours)

Suddenly, both combatants were struck by red lightning bolts that sent them careening to the ground. The blast made him lose consciousness, causing him to fall. Every pony gasped in fright. Pinkie and the Tri-Pies rushed into their house and came back with a mattress.

"To the left!" Pinkie commanded.

"My left or yours?" Blueberry asked.

"Right!"

"So we go right?" Cherry inquired.

"No, left!"

"Which way is left?!" Raspberry exclaimed.

Lightning Dash smacked herself in the forehead. "Oh, give us that!"

She and Thunder swooped down and grabbed the mattress. They positioned themselves under the falling draconequus and flew straight up. Every pony sighed in relief as he landed on the feathered bed.

The twins lowered him to the ground. Screwball raced to his side and shook him while Twilight checked his pulse.

"He's still alive," she confirmed.

"But not for long," Tirek said, landing in front of them with a thud. "If at first you don't succeed..."

"Why did you blast me, as well, you fool?!" Chrysalis roared in fury. "Just what do you think you're doing?!"

Tirek grinned again. "Playing my hand." Just as the changelings all rushed to their queen's aid, Tirek snapped his fingers, and the Tiracian monsters appeared. Every creature gasped at the sight of these hulking beasts, who came up to Chrysalis' horn length in size. They roared loudly, and summoned swords into their hands to commence battle with the smaller insects. And unlike the ponies, the Tiracians proved to literally be much tougher opponents than imagined. Equal in number, but not in strength, the Tiracians were making short work of the bug ponies without killing them. Chrysalis was shocked by this, but even moreso when she found herself in Tirek's magical grip. "What are you doing?! We're supposed to be partners!"

"Partners? Bah! I could never ally myself with a weaker species of parasite." Tirek explained. "Though I admire your leech craft, it is still nothing compared to me. Still, you have proven useful by acquiring Discord's magic for me. Now I don't have to dirty my own hands in retrieving it."

"No! This is my power now!"

"It was your power, Chrysalis." Tirek corrected. "Now let me show you what someone truly capable of wielding it can do." He then opened his mouth, and drained every last drop of magic from her body through her horn. When he was done, he tossed her aside and left her there as he admired his newfound power. "So this is what it is to be all-powerful." he laughed, and then raised his hand to the sky. The cotton candy clouds were soon replaced with fiery red clouds, and turned the land into a twisted visage of Tirek's demented design. Tree's were on fire, houses were withered, and the ground itself was merely ash and rock. The once prosperous land was dead.

"Behold what the power of Hatred can accomplish!"

The ponies were all horrified by this display of power. It was worse than when Discord was spreading his brand of chaos around. This was nothing but desolation. And the warring Changelings, and Tiracians weren't making the situation any easier. In fact, after his laughter fit ended he finally took notice of the group. "Ah, yes. I almost forgot about you." Suddenly, he snapped his fingers, and Twilight's horn reappeared while Discord was healed. "My horn!" she exclaimed, then turned to Tirek. "But....why?"

"Oh, you'll find out soon enough, princess." Tirek said. "However, there is one other player in this game that has yet to make his appearance. Here, let's bring him in!" With another snap, Mothball suddenly appeared before everypony, with Zany on his back. "Whoa. Finally, we're back in-" Mothball started, but then noticed the changes done to the town. "Hold on....this doesn't look like ponyville to me."

"I know: shocking, isn't it?" Tirek said as his hands charged with electricity.

"Mothball, look out!" Screwball cried out.

The prince turned to see TIrek preparing an attack, and thinking fast, threw Zany to the first pony he could see. "Princess Twilight, catch!" She caught the foal in her magical aura, and watched with the others as Mothball was struck by red lightning fired from TIrek's hands. The changeling prince screamed in anguish as his body was wracked with pain. Tirek laughing as he tortured Mothball, to Screwball's horror. "Mothball, no!" She screamed, before running over to him just as the centaur ceased his attack, and left Mothball sprawled on the ground. She held his hoof as he convulsed with shock and pain. "No! Mothball, please be okay! I can't lose you, too!" She then put a hoof to his chest, and willed that he be healed. She didn't care that Tirek had stolen her magic, she was still willing to try.

Then, to everyponies surprise, a white glow began enveloping the pair. It lasted for a few moments, before dissipating. When it was gone, Screwball was in a surprised state while Mothball was healed. His eyes fluttered open as he saw Screwball above him. "Screwy?" He gently said. "What's happening?"

"A dealbreaker, that's what!" Tirek said, before grabbing Screwball by the neck, and yanking her away from Mothball. "Screwy!" He shouted, giving the centaur an angry glare. "Let her go!"

"Not a chance, boy!" Tirek said. "We had an agreement: Screwball was supposed to protect you from harm. She may get her magic back, but she forfeits her freedom to me as a result."

"That's not what you said, you lying bullhead!" Screwball shouted.

Tirek merely smiled, and produced the contract she refused to read through. "It was all in the contract. Now, you're livin' it, toots." But she was unwilling to let this slide, and teleported out of his grasp, and behind the centaur. Before any of the others could do anything, with the exception of Discord and Twilight, Tirek snapped his fingers and produced Plundervines that ensnared everyone. He then snapped again, and summoned his minions, Orpheus and Sisyphus. "You can't get away, little halfling: you're mine, now!" Tirek said, as the smiling Qirin shapeshifted into winged serpents, and coiled around her. Furthermore, they began to electrocute her to keep her stunned and in place. As the battle raged around them, Screwball was brought before Tirek, who clicked his tongue and said, "Poor little pony. Don't be frightened. It's not you i'm after: you're merely the bait. I have much bigger fish to-"

"TIREK, STOP!" Came the royal canterlot voices of The Royal Sisters, who began blasting the TIracians with their full magical might. Their blasts sent the demons careening, and made them weary of the two alicorns. Tirek raised his hand, and willed his minions to cease fighting. The changelings stopped fighting as well, as they saw the Princesses descend. None of them wanted to cross the pair, especially when they were together like this. "Princess Celestia! Princess Luna!" Twilight said as she embraced the two alicorns. The others began to feel hope well up inside as they believed the Princesses would handle this. Mantis, Bombus, and Acari were teleported to the area, and went to check on their queen.

"I'm fine!" Chrysalis snarled in anger. "But how could you traitors bring them here? Now my chance for revenge is ruined!"

"Your highness, your revenge was never going to come: not with Tirek around. Just let the princesses handle him, and we'll protect you as we've protected your son." This gave Chrysalis pause. She hadn't seen these three in four days, and she believed Tirek when he said they were helping Mothball get together with Screwball. She had thought them traitors, but seeing how they were still defending her now, she began to doubt her own feelings. Even what she felt about her son.

"Why Princesses," Tirek chuckled, "how are you? It's been such a long time. Hm, I see you've put on a little weight, Celestia. What a shame: you used to be such a lovely creature."

"Let the child go!" Luna commanded, as all three alicorns ignited their horns.

Tirek wasn't intimidated in the slightest. In fact, he was looking livid as he cusped Screwball's face. "Try and kill me, if you dare! But i'll take this precious little minnow with me! She's mine, now: we made a deal!" He then produced the contract again for the Princesses to see. However, the three of them together thought that they could destroy the contract, and then challenge Tirek. Imagine their horror when their combined magic proved useless against the mystical parchment. And Tirek laughed in triumph as he observed the display. "You see? The contract's legal, binding, and completely unbreakable - even for the likes of you."

"What do you want.....with my daughter?" Discord asked as he finally woke up, and stood beside the princesses.

"Oh, nothing." Tirek answered menacingly. "It's you I want: all of you. I want to see you suffer as I suffered all these centuries." He then began circling the four figures with a sly smile on his face. "Of course, I always was a centaur with an eye for a bargain. The daughter of the great Discord, and The Element of Kindness is a very precious commodity." As he said this, the contract began turning into a tornado of golden magic that encircled Screwball, and began changing her into a polyp. "But!" Tirek exclaimed as he raised up his cape when the four creatures went to aid the halfling. "I might be willing to make an exchange.....for someone even better." His grin grew wider. "Or some creatures."

When noone was looking, Mothball turned into a fruitfly, and slipped through his bonds. He then changed back as he took to the air. He watched as the four figures made their decisions, with some conditions. "If we do so, you will agree no harm will come to any of the ponies or changelings-" Celestia began, only for Tirek to rudely interrupt her. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, I won't harm a single hair on any of their little noggins. Now, do we have a deal?"

Discord and the princesses all looked to one another, all sharing the same thought. And though Screwball shook her head in refusal, they all nodded in agreement. "Ha! It's done, then!"With a snap of his fingers, TIrek replaced Screwball's signature with that of the four figures. The glowing vortex reverted Screwball to her original form, and then rushed to her father, aunt, and royal sisters. It split in four, and enveloped them while Tirek laughed in triumphant glee. When it was over, Tirek was gorging on the magic of the alicorns, as well as what little Discord had in him, leaving them empty shells as they became polyps. Everyone's hearts sank as they saw the most powerful rulers in Equestria fall from grace in such an abhorrent manner. But even worse was what this had meant for all of them.

Tirek had won.

Author's Note:

So......i'm finally back after several years. But as I explained before, I had other obligations that needed tending to. This story simply ended up in the back of my head, and I lost the inspiration to continue it for a long time. That really sucks.

However, today inspiration hit me like a lightning bolt, and the will to write also came to me. So now i'm finally able to present you all with this latest chapter. I hope all of you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Yes, some of the dialogue is from the original story because much of this chapter happens the same way it did in the original and audio drama. Which is also why I had to include the battle song's lyrics. What I enjoyed most was writing TIrek's parts in this chapter. Here he really shines as the villainous manipulator he really is. And he screws everyone over royally.

Now the question remains: how will our heroes get out of this one?

The original story is owned by @DisneyFanatic2364

Comments

[OP Omni God-Emperor Doom]

Nice~.

[kahnac]

11627596
I hoped you would like it.:)