VI - Twilight Sparkle
+ + +
…
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A very small filly. A very tall Princess.
A very dark night. A very bright flash.
A very short friendship.
But one so, so worth it…
+ + +
Immediately.
+ + +
“No, no, no, no, no!” Twilight screamed, racing around the tower one more time, looking in every closet, under every bed, searching for any sign of the yellow pegasus they were pursuing.
“She can’t be gone! Not her, too! It can’t be just me! I can’t be the last pony left!”
“Twilight…” Celestia murmured.
“Where could she have gone?! Why did she go?! She said she was going to stay! She said she was going to stay!”
“Twilight,” Celestia said, more forcefully.
“Fluttershy! Fluttershy!”
“Twilight!” Celestia said, raising her voice just a bit. Twilight froze, and then snapped around to look at Celestia.
“Y-Yes, Princess?”
“Stop, Twilight. Fluttershy is gone.”
“I… I know, Princess. I know.”
+ + +
One week later.
+ + +
Twilight awoke to a knock on her door and a letter under it. She climbed blearily out of her bed and stumbled across the room, picking the letter up in her mouth upon reaching the door.
Sometimes it was just too early for magic.
She broke the seal on the scroll and put it on the desk in the room. It was a small, rectangular room; it was the room she had been staying in for the past week. Celestia hadn’t wanted her to go back to Ponyville all by herself, and Twilight hadn’t wanted to leave. This suite was far from the old one, but even though she had left the place itself, she hadn’t left her misery behind.
Twilight read the letter. It was short, but she would hardly call it sweet.
Dear Twilight,
I’m afraid I must leave Canterlot. A situation has arisen with the zebras, and my presence is needed. Princess Luna received notice last night, and I learned of the problem when I raised the sun this morning. I regret my inability to say goodbye, but I hope you will be okay even during my absence. If you feel you need someone to talk to, perhaps you would consult my sister? I am sure she could be helpful.
Princess Celestia.
Twilight was at a loss. The Princess had… left? Left her?
Of course not, a voice in her head echoed sternly. She has to deal with whatever is going on with the zebras. She can’t stay here in Canterlot just to comfort you, not when there’s a problem somewhere else. You aren’t more important than all the other ponies in Equestria. But it was a quiet voice, and Twilight was so lost that she didn’t listen. All she took from the paper in front of her was that her last support was leaving her. Was that she had driven Princess Celestia away…
Twilight looked over to Spike, sleeping in a basket at the foot of the bed. Of course there was Spike. But he was still young, and he was taking the loss of her friends—their friends—just as hard as she was. He had his own burden to bear, and she couldn’t go to him for solace. No, that was Princess Celestia, and now she was gone.
+ + +
A pony lay in a bed, sleeping.
A pony lay in a grave, cold.
A pony lay in a forest, weeping.
A pony lay in a room, controlled.
A pony lay in an alley, enraged.
And a pony walked through a palace, forlorn.
+ + +
The next day…
+ + +
Twilight sat in the palace library, reading. It was all she had done since she had gotten the letter notifying her of Celestia’s absence. She wasn’t sure what Spike was up to. Sometimes he brought her a book. Sometimes she didn’t see him for hours.
+ + +
In a garden, a statue cracked
As the straw that broke the camel’s back
Tumbled down from out of the blue
And even though it was seen by few
In a garden, cracks broken anew.
+ + +
The next day…
+ + +
Twilight had learned some things from her reading. Nothing of real importance. The history of Griffon politics in relation to Equestria, abridged. How to make a good rose sandwich. A story about an old god… Nothing of real importance. Some of it she wasn’t learning at all, some of it she already knew.
+ + +
Something from long, long ago
Something only a story
Something only a ghost
Something broke free
One fateful night
Something evil
Something…
…of a fright.
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The next day…or was it?
+ + +
Twilight woke up to the sun shining through one window, and the moon shining through another.
Needless to say, she was confused.
“Wha… What’s…” she sputtered, glancing at the astral bodies that never, ever shared the sky. “But that’s impossible! Spike! What is going on?”
However, when she looked down to the bed her number one assistant had been sleeping so soundly in, she found no one. That was when Twilight finally ousted from her bed, and began running to the throne room.
She arrived not long after, only to find the place deserted. The same had been true for all the halls of the palace—as far as she could tell, she was the only pony in the palace. She shivered at the thought. Where did everypony go? The palace staff numbered in the thousands! It wasn’t like they could all… Just… Disappear…
Twilight’s thought processes slowed as she began to perceive a cackling echoing throughout the halls of the massive room she was presently standing in.
“Who’s there? Where is everypony?” She cried. She got no response; the cackling grew louder. Twilight continued to yell into the empty air, hoping desperately for a response.
Soon enough, she got one.
“Oh hel-lo,” a voice said, interrupting the cackling that had grown disturbingly loud, and sounding quite like it in fact. “Who do we have here?”
“My- My name is Twilight Sparkle,” Twilight Sparkle responded.
“Oh, well, I already knew that. It was really more of a rhetorical question. To set the mood, you see? Ah, but never mind. I know who you are, but I doubt you know who I am,” the voice said.
“No… I don’t think I do. For that matter, where are you? Are you invisible?” Twilight wondered.
“Something like that, it’s none of your concern. Now, as to my identity—I am Discord! Lord-“
“-Of chaos!” Twilight interrupted.
“So you have heard of me…” Discord drawled.
“I wouldn’t have, if you had asked me just a few days ago. I read about you during a study session I was having the other day to-“ Twilight cut herself off.
“Yes?” Discord said.
“N-nothing,” Twilight said, drawing back.
“Oh, but not nothing. No, I think something indeed. Yes… A little pony, missing her friends, perhaps?” Discord said, malice suddenly evident in his voice.
“How do you know about my friends?” Twilight said, suddenly angry.
“Just because I was locked in a statue for the past few thousand years doesn’t mean I was blind… And one doesn’t tend to forget the ponies who let him out of prison, especially if those ponies are also the Elements of Harmony.” Suddenly, a form began to fade in in front of Twilight. It was a strange-looking being, a mismatched cobbled-together sort of thing. All its body parts seemed to come from different animals. Twilight remembered the description of Discord she had read—not to mention the name for what he was.
“A draconequus,” she murmured.
“The draconequus,” Discord replied snarkily. “I made this form myself; don’t demean me by attempting to attach it to a species.”
“Err- sorry? I think…” Twilight said.
“You should be. Now. Since all the strife between you and your little friends broke me free of my prison, I suppose I should be thanking you!” Discord suddenly popped in front of her, shaking her hoof vigorously. Twilight shook free and took a few more steps back.
“No? Ah, well. Would you like to see what I’ve done with my newfound freedom?” Discord snapped his tail. The next thing Twilight new, the two of them were floating above Canterlot.
Twilight screamed, surprised. Discord just chuckled. Twilight regained her composure, breathing deeply. She figured Discord must be supporting them somehow—he seemed to have some sort of magical powers, and the story she had read called him the God of Chaos, which had to count for something. She looked around. And screamed again.
The mountain Canterlot rested on and against seemed to now be made out of…candy? In fact, the entire palace was also apparently made of candy. Not to mention the sun and the moon both being in the sky at the same time. And the pink clouds in the sky. And… She peered down. She saw ponies in Canterlot, but they looked rather odd. She couldn’t recognize any normal colors—instead, they all seemed to be sort of grey.
“What did you do to them, Discord?” Twilight said.
“Oh, just… Mixed things up a bit. Took away that harmony you ponies find so precious. I don’t see why, chaos is so much better!”
“Uh-huh. Could you put us down, please?” Discord did as she asked. However, he did so by stopping his support of either of them, and allowing them to plummet towards the cold stone far below. Twilight was screaming again.
Around fifty feet off the ground, they were both suddenly wearing parachutes that opened and slowed them with what could only be magical speed. Twilight sighed in relief.
“Oh come on, Twilight!” Discord said. “Do you really think I would be so cruel?” Twilight just gave him a look. She had definitively decided that she should do her best to get rid of Discord as soon as possible, though she had no idea how she would do so. She figured her best bet would be to contact the Princesses, since the Elements would be…
Suddenly, she was crying again.
“What did you do with the Princesses? And what about Spike?” Twilight said, her voice harsh.
“Me? Nothing! All I did was put up a little bubble around Equestria… What Celestia doesn’t know can’t hurt her…” Discord replied, his voice sing-song. “As to your dragon friend… I believe he is doing his best knight impression down in the armory.”
“What about Luna?”
“Luna… I may have stuck her in a box,” Discord said, giggling. “I’m sure she’ll be fine, if she ever finds her way out.”
Twilight didn’t have time to contemplate this apparent failure of logic, (and of course doing so would’ve been futile; Discord wasn’t the God of Chaos for nothing) as the ground was rushing up to meet her. She landed soft enough. Discord, on the other hand, simply popped out of his parachute and reappeared next to her.
“Now, Twilight, that our little tour is over, I’m afraid I have Chaos to attend to!” Discord vanished again, not reappearing.
+ + +
Twilight had made her way back to the castle library, determined to find a way to lock Discord back up. She thought she remembered reading something about a counter-spell in the story about him; she resolved to find the book. However, that task proved easier said than done by a wide margin. Upon arriving in the library, she found the floor had become an ocean, and the books were now sitting on sand castles instead of bookcases. She conjured a boat, and began to row out amongst the shelves.
Despite the delays caused by the floor/ocean, she had managed to find the book without all too much ado. She located the entry on Discord. She located the spell, and even what seemed to be general casting instructions. What she did not locate, however, was what the spell did. It was titled “The Failsafe Spell,” and all that was said about effects was that it could be used against Discord’s Chaos magic. Twilight decided it would have to do. She turned her boat around and began the journey back to the door.
+ + +
Twilight Sparkle was exhausted. She had been searching Canterlot for Discord all day…night, whatever, and to no avail. After about the third hour she had begun to think he was hiding from her deliberately. He was, in fact. She had considered doing a test-cast of the Failsafe Spell, to make sure it would actually be of use, but at she hadn’t wanted to cast it in fear of it using too much magic. Now, ready to drop to the ground and pass out from running around all day, she wasn’t sure she had enough energy to lift a pebble, let alone cast advanced magic.
She had seen many ponies throughout her trek, but like Discord had foreshadowed, they were acting quite strange, and she had felt it wise to not interfere. She had almost thought she’d seen a flash of yellow and pink, or a streak of white and purple, but she knew it was probably her imagination—not to mention that any…others…would’ve probably been greyed out like all the other ponies.
Twilight finally decided to give up. Even if she found Discord, which seemed unlikely, she doubted she would’ve been able to put up much of a fight.
+ + +
She woke up on the hard ground, aching. She had passed out on the ground after all, figuring there wasn’t much to worry about from Discord, or anypony. She felt a bit better, though sleeping on the stone hadn’t done her many favors. At least she ought to be able to cast the Failsafe Spell.
+ + +
Finders keepers
Losers weepers
Hiding creature
Lone seeker
Break cover
For another?
They don’t call me Chaos for nothing…
+ + +
“You know what, Twilight?” Discord said.
Twilight started. She had continued the search for Discord, having woken up.
“Discord?”
“Who else?” Said the draconequus, appearing behind her. She spun around at the popping noise. “I’ve had a change of heart. I’m going to stop hiding from you—though it was so entertaining watching you tire yourself out like that looking for me. And on top of that, I’ll even give you a friend!”
“What do you-“ Twilight began, but was cut off the sudden appearance of…
Fluttershy.
Twilight instinctively reared back from the yellow pegasus, who had appeared behind Discord. She was her normal colors; apparently Discord had decided not to curse her.
“Fluttershy?” Twilight whispered.
“Oh! Twilight!” Fluttershy said, in a normal voice. “What a coincidence. What are you doing in Canterlot?”
“Wh-what?” Twilight sputtered.
“Oh, so sorry,” Discord crooned. “I forgot to mention—this Fluttershy is an illusion. I doubt you’d want the real one anyway; after all, she didn’t exactly leave on…good terms.” He grinned. “But maybe you’d like to see what she’s up to?”
“N-“ Twilight tried to exclaim, but Discord had already snapped his fingers. A vision of Fluttershy appeared before her. She was in the palace gardens, stalking through a row of…cages? Twilight stared in shock. Fluttershy had apparently decided to lock up all the animals in the garden! And worst of all… Aside from some scrapes and patches of mud, her mane and coat were as vibrant as ever.
“Oh, Fluttershy,” Twilight murmured, feeling her eyes prick with tears for her lost friend.
“What an adorable scene!” Discord exclaimed. “Maybe you’d like to see some of your other friends?”
“No!” Twilight cut in before Discord worked his magic this time. “No more distractions. I’ve found you, now I have something I need to do.”
“Ah, yes, the Failsafe Spell,” Discord said, smirking. “I must admit, it has been quite effective against me in the past.”
“Quiet! Can’t you see I’m trying to concentrate?”
“Oh! Yes, of course. I’m not going to be the one to interfere with my own downfall.”
However, as Twilight readied herself, she began to hear whispers in her ears. They sounded like Discord… But they also sounded like her friends. Pinkie Pie, weeping with rage. Applejack, asking her why she hadn’t paid more attention. Rarity, wondering how she could be such an utterly poor friend. Rainbow Dash, telling her that she should’ve grabbed Rarity with her telekinesis. Fluttershy, screaming at her, demanding Twilight tell her how she could’ve let Rarity go so easily, and how she could’ve been so uncaring.
Twilight began to sweat. She was still channeling magic. In the sky above them, a storm began to form, the clouds almost black. Her horn began to glow brightly, like when she had vanquished the Ursa Minor. Discord pulled out sunglasses and stuck them on his face, just watching her.
The voices continued, growing harsher.
“Stop it! Stop it!” Twilight cried, her own voice thick with the strain of the spell and the mental attack she was being bombarded with. Discord merely shrugged, pantomiming that he was saying nothing.
A faint light began to shine from Twilight’s eyes.
The voices of her friends were all around her now. She was hearing them with her ears at this point—the vicious comments, the shouts of how none of them should have ever become somepony as worthless as Twilight Sparkle’s friend, the agony. Twilight was weeping.
All of a sudden, something snapped.
“I WILL FIX THIS!” Twilight screamed. Her eyes poured white light and she was hovering a few inches above the ground. Discord was laughing madly. The sky cracked open, and rain began to come down in torrents, lightning flashing violently, and thunder cracking as if the mountain was splitting—
+ + +
Twilight Sparkle woke up.
She glanced blearily around her bedroom, shuttering.
It had all been a dream. She thought of her five best friends.
Applejack hadn’t hurt herself Applebucking, she just became overworked.
Rainbow Dash won the Best Young Flier’s Competition, completing her Sonic Rainboom and saving both Rarity and the Wonderbolts.
Pinkie Pie had snapped right back into being her cheerful self once she realized her friends were just trying to give her a surprise.
Rarity, despite getting sucked into Canterlot culture, had come back to her friends when she had been forced to make the choice.
Fluttershy had been rather unpleasant during her stint with Iron Will’s teaching, but she had toned herself down and come out of the experience a stronger mare.
And yet…
+ + +
Far above the town of Ponyville, and indeed, all of Equestria, a storm still raged. Quite close, and yet in some ways the farthest away anything can ever be from anything else.
Little did Twilight know, the rain had not stopped. And the flood was just beginning.
+ + +
The End.
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And here we are! Finally, the last chapter. And it only took me seven months!
Not to mention the last time I did this I actually thought I would finish this chapter quickly...
Meh. Here you are! I hope you enjoy.
Longest chapter I've written for ponyfic so far!
That's all I've got!
Hope you enjoyed the ride!*
Journcy Out.
(P.S.-*In case you couldn't tell, I'm planning on writing a sequel to this story. The idea came to me after...Rarity's chapter, I think? Getting to write the sequel to this was actually one of my main motivating factors for finishing this nonsense. The sequel will be better-planned (read: planned at all), better written (I hope!) and, if I'm really good, actually updated more than once a month! And don't worry yourselves about checking for it (if you care), I'll update this story with an Epilogue or something when I'm ready to begin. Which I hope is soon. And not Journcy-time (which is rather similar to Valve-time) soon, like, real-people soon. *looks up* Ooh, that awkward moment when the P.S. is longer than the actual post. This is Journcy, signing off for real this time!)
Did you just pull a "It was all a dream" on us? That is low bro.
How i wish twilight gets killed by like spike or something. It was all just a dream... Llool
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Did I?
Was it?
Hmm...
>:D
So Twilight just hid away in the deep recesses of her mind, crushed by her own guilt?
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Mmmaybe.
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Read that in Big Mac's voice.
SEQUEL PLEASE!
I need moar sadness!
Wow...I can't even begin to describe how I feel right now.
On one side I'm so sad seeing Twilight becoming so alone she snaps...
...on another side I'm laughing about Dischord, even though he is evil...
...and on even another side I'm wondering what happened there in the end. I'm also interested in the sequel because of it.
This story has been reviewed by The Equestrian Critics Society
Story Title: Collision Course
Author: journcy
Reviewed by: Charelzzz
Collision Course is an alternate universe story that has a brisk pace but is firmly in the sad category of FIMfic. The story explores canon episodes through a Butterfly Effect lens, where an error in judgement by one of the main characters leads to tragic and eventually catastrophic consequences for all the rest as well as for Equestria itself. It is quite well written and safe for ponies of all ages.
Score:8.0/10
Full Review
So... was it all a dream or is that something that is explored in the sequel? I'm not sure what you're making official here.
It was an interesting story, even if some of the characters were OOC.