Discord grinned down at the three fillies sitting around his table in the Throne Room of the Shivering Isles. "Well now, little ones, I do so hope you enjoy being my guests." Noticing their terrified expressions, he frowned. "Oh come now, there's no need for that. I'm not going to hurt any of you."
"T-then why'd ya bring us here?" Apple Bloom demanded worriedly, managing to position herself defensively between him and the other two.
"Would you believe me if I said 'cookies and scintillating conversation'?" he asked gently.
"I like cookies!" Sweetie Belle spoke up hopefully.
"But you shouldn't say that other thing to fillies!" Scootaloo snapped angrily.
Discord frowned. "I won't be getting it anyway, apparently."
"You bet you're not getting 'that' from any of us-"
"Scootaloo," Sweetie Belle interrupted. "'Scintillating' means brilliant or intellectually stimulating."
"...oh..." Scootaloo muttered, sinking in on herself.
"Well, she's still not wrong, then!" Apple Bloom teased.
"Why you!" Scootaloo snapped as she lunged for Apple Bloom, the pair soon tussling.
Sweetie Belle sighed theatrically. "Again?"
Discord chuckled as he watched. "I was right bringing you three here would be entertaining. It will certainly help pass the time until the others are finished with the Princesses, Twilight, and her friends."
Immediately, the foals turned shocked looks on Discord. "W-what have you done with Applejack?" Apple Bloom demanded fearfully.
"And Rarity?" Sweetie Belle squeaked out.
"And Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo snapped aggressively, though her wings buzzed nervously.
"Oh, I'm just playing a game with them," Discord replied readily. "Well, more a game with them and a few friends - and not-quite-friends - of mine. Though considering your friends' opponents are used to functioning on this level..." He rolled upside down as the entire Isles seemed to come apart as reality rewove itself around the fillies at a whim. "Well...do you think your friends might be at a bit of a disadvantage?"
All three fillies stared wide eyed as the Isles reassembled themselves around them. "...okay, that's pretty cool," Apple Bloom murmured softly.
"Can you do that again?" Scootaloo asked eagerly.
"Please don't..." Sweetie Belle murmured, a hoof held to her mouth as her cheeks bulged.
Discord quickly pushed a mug of Alka Seltzer that tasted like warm milk over to Sweetie Belle. "I'll hold off on that level of manipulation...just like my 'friends' are."
"Huh?" Apple Bloom and Scootaloo asked as Sweetie Belle chugged the medicine.
"There are a few rules for this game, since your friends are facing mine in the seat of their power," Discord explained. He held up one talon. "First, no killing. When dealing with mortals, you can't play with them a second time if you break them, so where's the fun in that?" He flicked up another talon. "Towards that end, the second rule is nothing too damaging to their psyche." He then flipped up a third finger. "And third, the game they play must be one the challengers - your friends - have a chance at winning, however small or difficult to find." He paused, tapping his chin. "You know, maybe I should have mentioned these rules before sending those ponies and that dragonling off. Especially since violating these rules in any way would cause their Realms to start draining power from them in an attempt to force a correction." He glanced at the fillies. "You think that's going to be a problem?"
Apple Bloom burst into a sudden fit of giggles. "You're pretty funny!"
"I know," Discord replied warmly, "but my mate tells me looks aren't everything!" He grinned as he watched all three fillies tumble over from laughter. Jokes on himself always played best. A shiver suddenly ran through his body. "Wait...why is there an imbalance...?" He turned towards the source of the imbalance...and frowned. "Dagon, what did you do this time?" he growled out angrily. Noticing the fillies looking nervous, he quickly smoothed his expression. "Nothing to worry about. Just...something seems to have happened that was...unexpected. I think the games are coming to an unexpected end."
"So do you think Rainbow Dash and the others are going to be here soon?" Scootaloo asked hopefully.
Discord grinned widely, deciding to reassure the nervous children. "Oh, I'm sure they will." He leaned in conspiratorially. "Don't tell the Daedra this, but I've stacked things against them in who went where. It's so much more fun that way." He relaxed as he saw the fillies giggling. Noticing an open portal, he smiled. "In fact, I think here comes one now."
Rainbow Dash slowly flapped out of the portal, an expression of despair and desperate hope on her face. "S...Scoot?" she called out, her voice barely audible.
Scootaloo turned at the sound. "Rainbow Dash!" she gasped happily, starting to run towards her idol.
Before she'd made it more than a few steps, Rainbow blurred forward and - much to Scootaloo's surprise - pulled the filly into a tight, nearly crushing embrace. "You're okay..." she gasped out, her voice raw as tears poured down her cheeks from her closed eyes. "You're okay..."
"R...Rainbow?" Scootaloo asked worriedly, torn between glee at being held so tightly by her idol who she looked up to like a big sister (even if she'd never actually brought that up before) and concern for what could have caused the normally tough as nails pegasus to look so...broken.
Rainbow, for her part, merely clung more tightly to Scootaloo, as though afraid she'd vanish if she let go.
Frowning, Discord floated over to Rainbow. "What did Dagon do, and how badly do I need to punish him for breaking my rules?" he demanded angrily.
"...it's taken care of..." Rainbow managed to say, barely able to get her voice to work.
Blinking, Discord looked closer at the Razor that had affixed itself to her side, seeing the rainbow coloration it had taken on...and the bond of power between it and the pegasus. "Oh, I see," Discord murmured softly. "...eh, I never really liked him, anyway," he concluded dryly. "Now, we just need to wait for the others-"
As he spoke, more portals opened, disgorging the others. Celestia stepped out looking completely relaxed with the Dawnbreaker clutched in her magical aura...though she immediately rushed to Luna's side as the Night Princess arrived. The Skull of Corruption was braced on her back, and she looked oddly at peace as she burrowed into Celestia's embrace. Twilight was giggling like a school filly as she clutched Hermaeus Mora's card catalogue, and Pinkie staggered oddly as she clutched Sanguine's Rose in her teeth. Apple Bloom immediately started peppering Applejack with questions about the golden katana on her back, and Sweetie Belle looked uncertain how to approach Rarity as she stepped out in a tribal garb. However, when Rarity and Spike caught sight of each other, they both looked away with a bright blush, Rarity fanning herself with one hoof...a reaction that made Sweetie Belle giggle wickedly.
Fluttershy was the last to arrive, clinging to Jyggorath's sword as she rode a wave of different kinds of cheese out of the portal. Through the portal, Jyggorath could be heard singing the names of all the different kinds of cheeses to a rather catchy tune. When she and Rarity caught sight of each other, Fluttershy frowned as Rarity coughed nervously. "I...I can explain, darling..."
"You aren't going to start a fashion line of that, are you?" Fluttershy asked coldly.
"Only with synthetic fur!" Rarity insisted defensively.
"...it was you or the leopard?" Fluttershy followed up.
"It was in mid-pounce to eat me," Rarity confirmed.
"...did you make all use you could of the body?" Fluttershy continued, her final question sad.
"Absolutely!" Rarity proclaimed firmly.
"Then that's alright, then," Fluttershy allowed. "I'd choose my friends over animals, if there was no other way to resolve things."
Rarity's posture relaxed. "Thank you, darling..."
"Well!" Discord spoke up, gathering everyone's attention. "It seems the game has reached the second stage. You each retrieved the artifact you were after...and now it's time to figure out where your Elements are. I hope you're prepared...because I'm not about to give you any clues." He leaned back with a wide grin. "And if you choose wrong...you lose."
To be fair, you're a bipedal chimera made of the parts of primarily carnivorous creatures, instinctual fear is to be expected.
Ouch.
This is like a 3 Stooges routine.
Oh, he's been dealt with. Permanently.
And speak of it and it shall happen!
Naturally.
More Tom Lehrer? You spoil me, Tatsurou.
I REALLY like this. This is why I unironically consider you one of the best authors on the site and one of the best authors whose work I have THOROUGHLY enjoyed.
A weighty choice is yours to make, the right selection or a big mistake...
Bit short, but alright, bring on the next part Discord, I'm ready!!!
Now I really want to know what happened to Rainbow.
NVM. Somehow I missed a chapter.
That reunion of Dash and Scoots was quite the emotional moment.
Discord's compassion shone through in wondering how badly he'd need to punish Dagon.
What he said after he found out about Dagon's fate... that was quite amusing.
Fluttershy though... her reaction was quite surprising. But at the same time it was something I should have expected.
So, level two? Let's see what it brings!
7968706
The chapter titled "Betrayal".
Well, from what I gather the true trial has just begun. But that could just be me guessing really, it's not my normal thing to ride out the yellow tide.
Too much cliffhanger!!!
I want to know what the other Princes have to say about Dagon's death
That was fun, may I have another? Looking forward to more.
Keep up the great work. Deus tecum.
WAIT A MINUTE!! does this technically mean that Rainbow Dash is a daedric prince/princess?
Discord, you son of a gun! Death wants to help you!
Since the canon versions never made it past the first part of Discord's game, I think we're stepping into brand new territory here! Bring on the good times!
7968922 To an extent. She'd have to mantle Mehrunes Dagon to actually become one, and nobody really wants that - machspeed evil, anyone?
What I want to know is what was in Sweetie's drink to make her spark and make whirring noises.
7968802
Given how some of them did like the respective ponies and Dagon failed to follow the rules. He got what was coming to him. ^^
7968922
No because Daedric princes can't die. When Sheogorath beat Jyggalag and when the Vestige beat Molag Bal, the latters were only temporarily weakened.
7968922 I'd say than there will be a hero becoming the next Dagon Somehow...
7968922 Yup.
She's going to be a good one.
Just like Twilight is.
Hey my chem teacher in highschool had us listen to the elements song to have us memorize the elements!
Ah yes...the hard part. They're gonna die
7969067 In this case, I think Dagon is really dead. Under normal circumstances ANY daedra, not just the Princes, simply has its essence/soul/whatever drawn back into its native realm in oblivion and eventually reforms, no matter what was done to them. The problem here is the Razor. Part of the reason even other daedra feared Dagon is that the Razor can CONSUME said essence, which is why any blow, no matter how minor, can kill. As the Razor ate Dagon's essence, and IS a "godly weapon" thus could match/overcome his innate level of power, I don't think there is anything left of Dagon to actually reform.
*sigh* I really hate those two, the others where fine with me but those two, I just hate.
7968802 probably the only Prince whos going to bitch about it is Molag Bal, but only because HE wanted to be the one to kill the Prince of Destrution. Those two really never got along, even more so than the other Princes...
So, Twilight is essentially a Daedric Prince now, as she reigns over Hermaeus Mora and his realm.
Rainbow Dash is essentially one too, because she killed Mehrunes Dagon.
Discord won. They can't do anything to him because he's the Daedric King.
7971724
Except that it's still part of Discord's game. And in the games, anything goes as long as it's within the rules.
Technically, Twilight and Rainbow are new Princes, meaning this is technically their crown challenge.
7971736
Butt they still have to follow the rules placed upon Daedric Princes as a whole.
7971745
Which have plenty of loopholes if Discord is willing to let them be used.
They now possess some of the most powerful artifacts from the Elder Scrolls series and they don't need the elements to feel their influence. I'm pretty sure they got this in the bag, Discord.
Rainbow Dash, Daedric Princess of Loyalty and Destruction.
Sweet
7977391 And, Oddly Enough, Fitting given her Accidents and Tricks
There will be no scintillating conversation here, not with this company.
They did all seem to pulling their punches a little, other than Hercine and Dagon at least.
On the other hand...
Dagon was a pretty unpleasant daedra anyway. No big loss as long as the imbalance doesn't destroy reality or something.
All according to pwnyverse tradition.
Fluttershy's reaction to Rarity's attire was very nicely done. She is well familiar with the law of the jungle, she feeds her carnivorous friends in the show, after all.
7968703
well, let's see here: we've got the Leader/founder (Apple Bloom - Moe), the straight man/mare (Sweetie Belle - Larry), and the...action-oriented individual (Scootaloo - Curly); ...yeah, sounds about right