Sometimes a Lie is Harder to Take
"What are you saying, Princess Cadence?" Twilight asked, staring doubtfully at her former caretaker.
Cadence repeated herself in a more expository tone. "Like I said before, it's just a phrase you shouldn't take to heart, but a lot of friendships don't last forever." The pair hiked up the small paved hill, approaching the castle gates guarded by a pair of cinnamon and marble colored stallions.
Cadence exchanged a brief glance with each of them, their eyes briefly flashing a swampy green before stepping aside. The princess continued, "Tastes change, opinions clash, or sometimes they just drift apart, never seeing each other again." The mares made a detour off of the main path and trotted around the castle, into the sculptor garden. "You should never develop the fear of being alone, Twilight Sparkle." Luna's moon cast an eerie glow over the garden, forming dozens of looming shadows originating from the dozens of statues. "For there will always be friends you could relate too." The duo halted, gazing up at a towering statue; one of a strange creature made from various animals and a fanged mouth releasing a silent scream. "Even in the grimiest of places....."
Twilight shuddered at the sight of her demonic foe; the same one who almost plunged Equestria into eternal chaos and nearly destroyed her friends. "Wh-What're we doing here, Cadence?" She asked nervously, slowly turning her head though her eyes remained briefly locked on the draconequus.
The drab pink alicorn let out a heavy-hearted sigh before looking away from the filly. "Twilight.....I-" She choked on her words, taking a gasping breath. "There's something I want to share with you, but you have to promise me you won't tell anypony."
The lilac pony stepped beside her old foalsitter, tenderly rubbing her head against the elder's side. "I promise."
"No, you really can't tell anypony, not a soul. If you do, then it's off with my head." The princess sounded as if she was on the brink of tears.
Twilight's heart ached to see her compassionate mentor seem so afflicted, making her wonder why anything she's done would warrant an execution. "Cadence, I swear not a single living soul will know."
The older mare sniffled, opening her glazed eyes. "Alright Twilight, if I can really trust you...." She steadily inhaled, attempting to maintain her composure. "I'm not what you think I am. In truth, I'm....I'm a Changeling; always have been."
The scholar cocked her head to the side, puzzled. "A Changeling? What's that?"
Cadence pleasantly sighed, turning to face the confused pony. "You don't know what a Changeling is? Come on, Twi! I thought you'd know, considering how many books you've read." She playfully rubbed a hoof in Twilight's mane, causing it to become disheveled and ruffled.
The knowledgeable unicorn giggled lightly, gently pushing away the boisterous princess. "No, no. I haven't heard of a Changeling before. What are they?"
Cadence's face fell, rearing her head and looking up at the solidified God of Chaos. "They're a dying breed, I'm afraid. We're shapeshifters living on the far edge of Equestria, in the Forbidden Zone. Our main source of food is, well, another being's love."
Twilight mulled over the the alicorn's words for a brief moment before, recoiling in horror. "You-You're just using my brother as a food source! How could you!?"
The princess let out a series of urgent hushes, "No! Please! Let me explain!" She pleaded in a loud whisper. "We only feed off of those who we truly, undoubtedly care for. And your brother, oh Celestia, he's probably the kindest, most generous stallion I've ever met." She sighed in bliss, placing a hoof over her heart.
The lavender unicorn's smile was wide, beaming. In her entire life of studies, she has never came across a sentient with such cunning abilities and yet they're so kind and endearing. Her expression turned to worry when a new thought burrowed itself into her mind. "Why wouldn't Princess Celestia allow Changelings in Equestria?"
Cadence's face darkened, staring at the glistening statue giving off a white lunar glow. "A lot of ponies have secrets, Twilight. The Princess is no exception. She just doesn't like creatures who are a little...." She locked eyes with the voided marble pair of the draconequus. "....different."
"That doesn't sound like Princess Celestia." Twilight said, galloping to the other side of the engaged mare.
"Well, maybe I made the wrong choice of words." Cadence said, smiling faintly. "The Princess annexed Changelings into the Forbidden Zone for fear of potential spies."
Twilight frowned, "That doesn't seem fair."
"It's not." The princess muttered, gazing up at the white orb hung in the midnight sky. "So few of us are even residing in Equestria, due to several complications. We'd have to come up with a fake name, a backstory, all lies, just to get some food." Cadence squeezed her eyes shut, trying her best to hold back tears. "Only the most cunning and deceiving of us make it through. And even then, we'd still have to find a suitable partner that nourishes us both mentally and physically. And I, unfortunately, obtained the scumbag title of the hive's finest. Then again, who would expect anything less from the Queen of the Changelings?"
Twilight gasped, her eyes brightening in delight, "You're the Queen!?"
The doppelganger nodded, chuckling softly at the pony's eager naivety. "Yes, I am. I set out thirty two years ago, clawing my way to the top and becoming a princess. Of course, none of the princes or princesses are related to Celestia or Luna by blood, it's just more of a title ordeal. But I'm hoping that one day, I could let my kind back into Equestria."
Twilight felt guilt and confusion. She couldn't possibly believe her old foalsitter is not actually a pony, and that Celestia could do something so cruel to such innocent creatures. "Cadence? What'll happen if the Changelings are brought back?"
Cadence, on the other hand, completely changed the subject. "Twilight, I want you to do exactly as I say, this will help you understand what I'm talking about." The unicorn let out a perplexed 'Okay.' The princess placed a hoof on the mare's back. "Okay, now just stand still." She lifted her hoof off of the unicorn's back and placed it on the draconequus' foot. The alicorn then lowered her head with gently shut eyes and crossed her horn with Twilight's.
"Cadence? Where are we?" Twilight looked around, noticing that she and the elder were pale, shallow, almost ghost-like versions of themselves. There, they stood in the Canterlot Grand Hall. At the far end of the hall was Celestia and the other six Elements talking, looking rather angry.
What they were saying was distorted, muffled, as if an invisible wall obstructed the two groups. Beside her, the alicorn had an expression of great seriousness. "We're in the spirit's memories." Twilight knew the 'spirit' she was referring to was Discord. Just as she made the connection, she realized that this was the event where Discord was set free from his stone imprisonment a mere eight months ago.
As if he was on cue, Discord's voice spoke up in an ghastly, echoing demeanor. "But you wouldn't know that, would you? Because I don't turn ponies into stone!"
Silence.
Twilight shook her head. "Princess, I don't understand." The memory started to fade into black, causing the duo to seemingly be standing in a foreboding darkness.
"Listen carefully, and watch." She motioned to the memory starting to form from a murky, shimmering speck into a full scene, like a play.
The Spirit of Chaos repeated himself, "Because -I- don't turn ponies into stone!"
The unicorn stuttered, feeling the dreaded feeling of realization starting to stab it's way into her heart. "I-I....I don't-"
Before her, the memory began to play out. A frightened midnight-blue mare backed up in the corner of a cottage, beside a smoldered fireplace. Tightly pressed against her chest was an orange flag lined with three horizontal diamonds. The mare's bright orange eyes widened with fear, her breathing became rapid.
"P-Please! Have mercy!" She cried, her lengthy aquamarine hair draped like curtains around her face.
An alabaster hoof encased in a golden slipper stomped on the ground. "Would you order your forces to stand down?" She asked.
The pony's expression darkened. Using her flag for support, she stood on her hind legs and huffed her chest out with pride. The crimson cape clung around her shoulders lied on the floor. "I'll never succumb to a tyrant like you! The resistance will prevail, and your days of ruling with an iron hoof are over!"
Celestia hung her head, "Then you leave me no choice, my subject." The princess' horn illuminated a golden aura as six colored gems levitated around her. In a single flash, the cottage rumbled from the force of the magic blast.
The pony was no longer there.
Discord's voice echoed in Twilight's head once more. "Because I don't turn ponies-"
There was just a statue, holding a flag with dignity and pride.
"-into stone!"
"Victory." Celestia whispered to herself with a satisfied smile.
And with that, Twilight's eyes sprang open, her brain not even processing the fact that she's back in the real world. The pony's body, sprawled on the ground, convulsed and twitched, her breath shook with every exhale, sweat poured down her forehead. At a complete loss of words, Twilight's words became broken, incomprehensible phrases. "Wh-....why....Celes..."
She scrambled to her hooves as Cadence spectated with a worried look, though inside she couldn't stop smiling.
Like a broken record, Discord's haunting words played through Twilight's mind over and over again as she gaped at the dozens of statues in elegant placements.
There was that one of the three ponies standing on eachother,
"-I- don't turn-"
The mare and colt holding a scroll,
"-Did you miss me, Celestia?"
a mare lying down, as if she was surrendering,
"You wouldn't know that, would you?"
a couple initiated in a frozen embrace,
"-I- don't turn ponies into stone!"
The unavoidable fact hit Twilight worse than a freight train: These ponies were once flesh and blood. Once. And that's all thanks to Princess Celestia.
Tears began to well up in the young pony's eyes. She struggled to her feet, looking up at Cadence while incoherently sputtering, "Ca-Cadence! This can't be true! It just can't!"
Sweat poured down her face, mixing with tears. "I-I need to go-"
Twilight turned tail and made a dash for the castle's back doors, into the grand hall. Cadence's mellow expression finally broke into a psychotic crack. She knew her 'friend' won't confront Celestia immediately. At least, not without a morale-crushing encounter with her friends. The Princess continued grinning, pleased with how nicely her plan was coming together. That is until an eerie voice echoed in her mind. An eerily distinct one at that.
"Ya know, next time you decide to worm into my thoughts, you could at least give a warning, or a hint."
The alicorn looked up at the statue to see that it's placement hasn't changed, it's face still expelling a silent scream.
"Besides, you forgot to wipe your feet when you left." He added with a mischievous giggle.
"What are you talking about?" Cadence snapped, then feeling ridiculous about talking to an inanimate statue.
"I give and take, darling. You accessed my thoughts, now I can access your's. And Sparkle's."
Cadence looked around, making sure no one was around. "Stay out of this!" She hissed, "This is my job. And I refuse to let months of planning fly out the window because you decided to coax the little brat into blowing my cover!"
"Hey! Hey! Relax, sweetheart! Trust me, I'd love to see the downfall of Equestria as much as you do. And I like the execution! Feeding horrible lies about her 'loving and caring' mentor? Brilliant! And please, these 'unfortunate victims' are just as atrocious as I am. The dear should've at least picked up on that."
The Changeling Queen was growing impatient. "Enough rambling. What do you want?"
"Let's see. Uh, I'm trapped in stone. That's one. I have a score to settle with the Elements. That's two. And, ugh, I have a lifelong grudge towards our dear, loving Princesses."
"Get to the point."
"I want out, you twit! Get Twilight to hate her friends. No, despise them! I like what you're doing with the lies, very good. Very inspiring. But you need to take a step further."
"How? And why would I help you?" The doppelganger asked, intrigued by the spirit's proposal.
"I was getting to that." Discord retorted, sounding annoyed. "More lies! The most horrible acts of ponykind you can think of! It's like you told the dear before: Everypony has secrets! Help me with this, and I'll help overthrow the Princesses. And trust me when I say, your armies are utterly powerless against the Princess. Trust me. I've seen pissed Celestia. You'll need help taking her down."
Cadence thought for a moment, weighing in the pros and cons. Finally, she replied in a dark tone, "Alright Discord. You've got yourself a deal. But believe me when I say that you don't want to get on my bad side. You may be a god like the Princesses, but you're just as vulnerable as them too. And not as powerful." To prove a point, her horn fired a blast of vibrant green energy at a stone statue of a royal guard, obliterating it to smithereens.
"Noted." The draconequus replied casually.
A/N: Whoever understands the chapter title gets a cookie. On a side note, I apologize for updating this at a snail's pace. But I have so much shit on my plate! Just, please, be patient. Shit'll get real in the next chapter.
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Woah! nicely done, I can't wait to see more!
Im very eager to see betrayal!!!!
Incredible. Continue my good sir.
ooooh this just gets better and better
HUZZAH FOR UPDATES!
[img] http://images.wikia.com/theamazingworldofgumball/images/1/12/Huzzah.jpg [/img]
I really like this. I like how Chyrallis is slowly feeding lies to Twilight, rather than immediately shoot her with a ray or something and making her evil. THAT would be stupid. But this is different; this shows how Twilight is seeing a different side of her world, even if it is lies, and believes finds them to be a disgusting truth. And with her friends believing she beat up her brother and are about to confront her, that could be the blow up button that takes a huge pile of crap that Twilight's already dealt with and destroy her entirely. Then all the Changeling Queen has to do is pick up the remaining pieces and create an evil version of the Element of Magic. ...That's pretty epic.
Twilight could be a great, horrible villain; great as in power, and horrible as in Equestria would be screwed. And with all these villains coming into play...boy, this won't be easy AT ALL!
I also really like how you write the villains, for some reason, especially Discord. So I can say the characterization is good. Felt like I should say this, because I don't know what else to write. Finally favoriting; hoping you get time soon to write more, but no doubt you are busy, so I understand. Still looking forward to Twilight's descent into the dark side. I hope they give her cookies; they didn't do that when I did.
iambrony.jsmart.web.id/mlp/gif/hatersdiscord.gif
Well done BTW
media.moddb.com/images/groups/1/6/5666/How_Discords_Mind_Works.gif
MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR!!!!!!!
This will be so much fun!
furry.1d4.us/_images/81db0cd4d24cb5989f1ea263a88daa9d/30724%20-%20absurd_res-alpha_channel-annoyed-armor-blue_eyes-changeling-cutie_mark-discord_(mlp)-draconequus-equine-eyes_closed-friendship_is_magic-green_eyes-happy-hi_res-holes-horn-horse-hug-my_little_pony-nightmare_moon_(mlp)-plain_background-pony-queen_chrysalis_(mlp)-sparkles-transparent_background-winged_unicorn-wings-zutheskunk.png
Holy shit! Twilight getting corrupted into a Dark Element coupled with Queen Chrysalis's army, an army of rogue ponies and Discord would completely rape Equestria.
It looks like the Changeling's specialities are psy-ops.
I get the title but my mind is on an epic fight scene between the Changeling army vs my oc because of No More Heroes great soundtrack- oops of topic anyways great works man keep it up
NICE....feel the hatred Twilight Sparkle, let it fester into your very soul.
Please do keep up the good work upon such a great storyline like this one as it seems to be a very interesting team-up deal between villains.
One I can expect to see Discord double cross in the midst of the story.
Well...this is an unexpected direction...
Hee hee, the title is a reference to Return of Harmony Part 1.
I watch that episode way too often. Along with Part 2, because it has exploding chocolate milk.
But shouldn't it be Sometimes a Lie is Easier to take?
1282748 The reason why it's harder instead of easier is because the vision Chrysalis showed Twilight was a lie, and it clearly broke her.
SUCH DESCRIPTIVE AND VIVID WRITING!! IT INSPIRES ME
1299276 U trolling?
1303362 No, I actually meant that. I was trying to compliment your work!
"sometimes a lie, is easier to take!" Return of harmony:Part 1
1274337
No, they would tentacle rape equestria up the ass with overl large rusty screws and power drills *laughs sadistically at the thought*
1275829 Holy crap, Darth Link is reading my story.
I hope I don't disappoint.
Seriously, I've been following this story for over a month now and I'm really excited to find out what happens next! Ever since the awesomeness that was 'A Canterlot Wedding,' I've been looking for good fanfics that touched upon the little thing that's been bugging me about it: The bare minimal resolution of Twilight Sparkle being cruelly abandoned by her friends. It wasn't all that satisfying so I turned to the fans to see what possibilities could come from the finale! At first, I was just looking for fics where the others make amends for not listening to Twilight. This, on the other hand is quite a welcome alternative! It's interesting to see the events of the finale taken in a darker direction.
I look forward to Twilight's eventual descent into darkness!
Please hurry up
My feels can't wait much longer...
...
...
...
That is... if it's ok with you
Why is it that the most promising of fictions and the most imaginative of concepts seem to be damned to die due to lack of time to write them?
Either way, I greatly enjoyed that brief look down an interesting story.
Liking this story very much, always an interest to me seeing a main character go rogue, especially when they are as kind as Twilight. Also, since i see her up there in the cover picture, can we expect Nightmare Moon to come in in some shape or form? And if the opening segment in chapter 1 was anything to go by, i can't wait to see the sweet terror on everyone's faces when they realize that not only are there elements gonna be useless and that they brought this on themselves, but if they had just remembered all the lessons they learned over all the time they spent together, they could have avoided all this, and now it's gonna come back and bite them hard. Good work Obelisk, kudos to you.
Please continue this!
I like the development so far.
1627985 DON'T YOU DARE!
I'm continuing this fic, but I've been so busy with other things I've not had the time to work on this.
Oh, I'm liking where this is going. The part with Shining Armor was shocking enough, and that entire sequence with Discord's memories was chilling. Completely blew it out of the water!
And Discord has experience breaking minds. He will be an excellent partner for Chrysalis.
Yes, yes i like that! I love Psycho-Twilight... i hope you'll go on writing soon!
1303362img.humorsharing.com/media/images/1207/i_hilarious_moar_pictures_002_50159188a89ac.jpg please
bing.com/images/search?q=let+the+hate+flow+through+you&FORM=HDRSC2#view=detail&id=A710CEA82784F65B20D34972B92D1510EB4516D9&selectedIndex=44
all of them have permission to die.
yes even you fluttershy,
MOAR
The oart with twi and BBBFF... I couldent stop crying and laghing... DAT SLAP!
iambrony.jsmart.web.id/mlp/gif/mlfw1126_my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic-brony-im-with-twilight-on-this-one.gif
This is looking like all hell is about to break loose.
Awesome Story
Please continue it
MOAR!
NEEDS MOAR MOAR!
MORE.
So let me get this straight... Twilight has just learned that, AS SHE SUSPECTED, Cadence IS NOT A PONY and is a SHAPE-SHIFTER THAT CAN FEED ON LOVE (which should instantly arouse suspicion that Shing IS being min-controlled and ALL HER SUSPICIONS ARE TRUE)... yeah, this is not Twilight. The REAL Twilight would realize what's going on at once and play along until she could find the real Cadence.
And she instantly buys into every single poorly contrived lie... including the one where the 5x larger-than-life ponies (seriously, look at those statues, for god's sake!) standing in proud positions were cowering before the Princess before she turned them to stone... forgetting that ONLY THE ELEMENTS DID THAT TO DISCORD... and including LISTENING TO A SHAPE SHIFTER who is supposedly using the 'memories' of a LYING GOD OF CHAOS... who, once more is a raging psychopath which then begs the question of how they beat him the FIRST TIME... no one who writes these sorts of grimdark Discord rage fics EVER considers the backstory! Fundamentally changing a core character CHANGES EVERYTHING IN THE DAMNED WORLD HISTORY INVOLVING THAT CHARACTER!!!
CAUSE... AND... EFFECT!!! I cannot repeat that enough!
I have seen this nonsense in so many fanfics it instantly incites seething rage, as it's so shallow I can punch a billion holes in it with barely a flex of my cerebral synapses.
2849280 Shit, relax, dude. These are all of my earlier stories. I will say that I am not proud of the things I have written, and I would delete them. However, for history's sake, I leave them up. But seriously, do yourself a favor and smoke a peace pipe.
2849419 I AM THE CHAMPION OF CHRISTMAS!!!
And attention to narrative flow too.
2849419: Are you ever gonna finish this story?
3072929 Yes.
And maybe the moon is made of cream cheese.
Key word being "maybe."
Your mind has been blown.
3073876 do you plan on updating soon?
3135866
No. No he doesn't. He hasn't updated in 11 months; why would he start now? It's a dead fic and he's Weekend-At-Bernie's-ing us.
3136855 HEY! HEY!
HEY!
I'd be updating all of my stories faster if GDocs wasn't being a grade-a doucheface.
What's the problem with taking a break?
, I'd say what's already up is enough to feed my eternal hunger for great stories for now
, but it would be great
if you updated when you can, this fic is awsome, so that'd be cool. I mean if you want
has not been updated since 2012
.... DEAD STORY FOLKS 
! let us have a moment of silence... 
3969135 That's life for ya.
wow, i side with twilight on this one.
hereby, by the decree of hate,
everypony but twilight and her queen has permission to roll over and die, yes even flutteryshy.