"The Traverser"

by TheTwins

The chaotic greeting

“The Traverser”

Chapter 7

Within the great valley, the wind rolled and the silent echo of life filled me as I breathed the fresh morning dew. Below me, a butterfly prepares itself for a long day of survival. Already it has had to go through so much in order to survive. The night brought an unknown number of threats and the day only brings with it the safe feeling of sunlight. But, a butterfly has a purpose and within time will have completed its work and become ensnared in a web or find itself the next meal for a bird. It’s completely natural for a creature to live its life and then cease to be.

I raise my hoof and look it over. In form, I am just a pony but if I were to be struck by lightning, cast into a volcano or any other horrendous situation were to fall upon me, I would not cease. My time stopped long ago, but I did not vanish. I did not rust away but instead, I became fossilized. “I am the spider, and my prey all creation……”

“Silver Watch……. Excuse me…...Silver Watch!”

Immediately I snap out of my thoughts and look at the direction of the voice. Before me stands yet another Alicorn. This particular pony was non-other than Princess Celestia. Her body elegantly poised and white as snow with a mane that was also ethereal but almost like that of a rainbow. Her armor was beautiful, similar to her soldiers, but made of gold and adorned with precious gems. Her chest plate was the sun and her essence exuded brilliance. I could see why ponies would follow her. “Oh, um yes sorry Celestia, I was in my thoughts….”

A soldier stepped up, appearing by his armor to be a commander of sorts. “Excuse me pony, but please address Princess Celestia properly. She is your Princess as well.”

The princess simply opens her wing to calm him. “It is quite alright Brimstone, he is certainly not being rude. In fact, you might want to watch yourself. Sir Silver Watch is Princess Lunas Newly selected knight. He outranks you.” She giggles as the soldier blushes and quickly salutes.

“How rude of me, please forgive me sir” Brimstone walks away quickly yelling at himself.

Celestia turns to me and becomes serious. “My sister places a lot of trust in you Silver Watch. She claims that you have the potential to beat Discord on your own. I would like to believe that this is true myself.”

I look at the princess and turn around to face the army behind me. “I wouldn’t say I am so special, but I can defeat him with my power. I’m sure she has told you already though, that I will only distract him while you prepare this weapon of yours. But this army seems excessive for one creature….”

Her face forms a frown like the one you might find on a pony who has lost faith in a cause. “This creature is The Lord of Chaos Discord. His magic is ancient and is only bound by his chaotic imagination. We must take every bit of caution in our final struggle to defeat him.”

The pristine pony simply looks forward into the distance. “They are our future and they have decided to carve it for themselves. It is our job to help them make it.”

I look at her and frown thinking of the bleak future that they might have. “Well, in that case, I will help you in any way I can.”

As we continue to talk, the sky begins to fill with clouds. Lightning strikes and it begins to rain……chocolate milk. “What in the world is going on!” I shout tasting this treat from the sky in shock.

Simon appears on my shoulder and begins to dance around drinking his fill. “The prophecy is real!!!, what a beautiful day at last!" He cries while I try and figure out this mystery. Celestia does not react the same way however and raises her wings and conjures a similar ethereal blade as Luna. This one, however, seems to be the sun itself in the form of a blade.

“Be on your guard ponies, Discord is here!” She activates her horn and scans the skies. The soldiers raise their swords and everything goes silent minus a miniature green pony and a world-destroying entity.

“He’s here? But where the heck is he?" I ask confused and holding Simons' mouth closed. I look around and scan the space. I begin to meditate and focus on the life around me. I sense the large energy of Celestia and Luna across the field and every single soldier, animal, and insect for miles. Nothing. “What…”

“Well. Well… it must be tea time because the princesses have come for cookies.” A voice echoes through the plain absent to my senses.

Celestia looks around and begins to yell back. “Discord! Show yourself and surrender. Your tyranny has gone on long enough. Return our lands to the way they were and come quietly. If you do, no harm will come to you.”

The white ponies’ eyes are very serious at this point, leading me to believe that she was being honest. I still cannot understand while I haven’t found this creature yet. Again, I meditate and sense the same things. Ants, animals, soldiers, Luna, Celestia, Simon, Simon and nothing else.

I take a moment and revisit my previous statement.

“Simon?” I ask wondering where my little green had gone too.

“Here…” says two voices that sound both like Simon. “Uh…. Silver we have an issue.”

I look at Simon on the ground and wonder why his voice also came from my shoulder. “What do you mean….” I turn my head to see yet another little green pony on my shoulder. “Oh my gosh, my worst fear is realized!” I jump back knocking the other Simon off my shoulder and right beside the original.

Simon stares at his second and pokes the new one. The other follows in turn and they continue to repeat this. “Silver Watch it's touching me!!!!” The green pony begins to scream and run being pursued by himself which then turns into several more. “Have you heard the one about the pony with no friends!" Yells the pack of Simons”

I stand there dazed and confused until Celestia walks forward calmly. “Discord, stop this game.” Her horn lights up and so does the gang of green ponies until they vanish in a puff of smoke all for the original.

“I think I just gave myself a heart attack…” The green pony begins to breathe heavily until he disappears too.

“Simon!” I yell and look at Celestia who shakes her head. I frown and look around. “Alright Discord, you have stolen the wrong secretary.”

In a bigger puff of smoke, a creature begins to form. This creature appears through the smoke and at first I cannot make head or tails of him. After waiting, the smoke revealed a scary throne floating in the air. Upon the throne sat a create distorted beyond words. His head seemed like that of a pony, but the rest of his long body seemed to be made up of many different creatures. Luna had told me that Discord was a Draconequus but this was a sight for my pony eyes.

“Hello, Celestia…” Said a much less happy voice. “I guess you don’t like parties anyway, but as you can see, your soldiers are quite in the spirit of things.”

We turn around and to our shock, the soldiers had all been seated at tables. These tables were made of wheels of cheese and they were eating the table itself.

“Ponies! Gather your wits, he has placed you under a spell.” Celestia and Luna yell trying to turn their comrades from their lunch. “Discord! Stop this!” Luna yells at the creature who is petting some kind of small animal.

I notice that that animal was no other than Simon. “Hey!” I yell, give back Simon now!"

“That’s an odd name for a pony, isn’t it? Although I didn’t know they made them this size…” He simply sticks his tongue out at me. “Simon says nope HAHA”

I sigh and crack my neck. “Fine, I’ll just come to collect him.”

Discord looks down and laughs at my statement. “Uhm… hate to break it to you but your no Pegasus…. But I could make you into a chicken if you want.” Simon growls at him and comments on his terrible pun. “Hey… down boy”

I tense my muscles and jump towards discord with all my might. In an instant, I am face to face with Discord whose Jaw has literally dropped. “I think you have something of mine”

I lash out at Discords face with my hoof but he gathers his wits just in time to teleport a few feet back and out of range. I fall back to the ground and land beside the princesses. Celestia just as shocked as Discord at what she had just witnessed.

“Sister, where did you find this pony?” Celestia asks looking at Luna who smiles and laughs.

“In the middle of the everfree, he is some kind of pony, isn’t he. But I think it will get better, or at least a little flashier soon.”

Discord looks at me and floats his jaw back to his face. “What was that! Where did this Stallion come from the circus?” He begins to enclose himself in a barrier of colorful balloons when Simon bites his hand. “Ouch!” Discord yells and lets Simon go who jumps through before the barrier closes.

“Simon says catch Simon!” The little green pony yells forming a ball in his decent to the ground.

I catch the miniature pony and place him on my shoulder. “Why don’t you go inside Peace Maker where he doesn’t get you, Simon. I'll get some revenge for you.” The little green pony nods and absorbs himself into the sword.

I look up at the floating balloon fortress and unsheathe Peace Maker. “Princesses, why don’t you prepare your weapon, I will deal with smiles here.” The princesses nod and begin to concentrate.

I breathe in and hold my breath, concentrating until I stop motion entirely. “Let’s see if your chaotic thoughts translate into some physical force tyrant.”

I quickly jump above the fortress as the mismatched creature gazes upon me smiling. Preparing my blade and beginning my decent I took in the situation. It was apparent from just seeing what was before me that the fortress itself was not very strong. The issue was what Discord had in store.

“Let’s see how full of it you are after I burst this charade of yours.” Reaching the fortress, I slice into the balloons only to come to the realization that this was, in fact, floating gelatin. “What the hay?”

The creature simply waves at me as I slip through the gelatinous balloons and fall back to the ground. I growl and shake my hoof. “fight me like a pony your insane creature!”

And of course, with that, the gelatin balloon fortress begins to fall towards me. I jump out of the way only for it to move with me. “Well, that figures…. Well I guess I should cube it up for you”

I focus my aura and slash upwards sending ethereal blades like Lunas at the fortress. Upon making contact, the balloon bursts and gelatin is sent everywhere. Discord himself long gone from the fortress.

“Well, what a magnificent display Silver Watch,” says the Chaotic being who is now standing beside me with an umbrella with no fabric so as to ruin the purpose of the device entirely. “You certainly know how to make some chaos of your own. What’s the harm in a little disorder eh”

I walk up to him and frown. “I could care less about disorder, I have seen more than my share of chaotic rain. I’m only here because I promised Luna I would defeat you.”

The disorderly being shrugs and sighs. “Well, when you do something so serious as promise little Luna I guess you have to obey” He forms a ball of green energy and points it at me. “Well what if she isn’t around anymore eh”

I open my eyes wider realizing the danger Luna was in. Discord turns towards the blue princess and releases the attack at a ferocious speed. “Luna!!!”

I cannot remember the last time I chose someone else over my own safety. It was my profession to perform best in any conditions, but I had no reason to do what I was about to. Yes, I do not particularly find a comrade being harmed as pleasant, but to risk harming my trained forms condition was simply not in my nature. Perhaps something was changing inside my soul.

While my body began to move on its own, I saw once more the flame-engulfed world I had seen in my dreams. “I can't let you go before I must…”