Chapter Fourteen
A flash of light heralded the arrival of Princess Luna to the Canterlot Royal Garden. She emerged from the hole in the ether she had sliced open and cantered to the side, allowing a half-dozen ponies to stumble out. “Behold, Sister! I bring more refugees from Canterlot Castle!” The Princess of the Night jabbed a hoof in her sister's direction. “You shall be safe by my Sister's side!”
Celestia barely spared Luna a glance as the latest batch of refugees from Discord's chaos made their way to stand under hr protective shield. “Thank you Luna,” she said, letting the ghost of a smile cross her muzzle. She looked up at the sky, as the sun whizzed on by. “I think I'll wait until Twilight, Megan and the others arrive before trying to get control of the sun back. It's futile and draining at this point.”
Luna glanced up at the sky as it flashed from day to night and back again. “Indeed, Celestia. Until Discord is hopefully defeated–“
“You mean 'when', Luna.”
There was a pause before Luna smiled. “Of course, dear Sister. When Discord is defeated we'll be able to regain control of the sun and moon.” Her eyes narrowed as she spotted a small parliament of owls. They were all lined up along a table somehow balanced on the tree branch, dressed up in robes and hooting and hollering at each other while one at the head of the table banged a gavel curled in its feathers. “Hopefully sooner rather than later.”
A thick pink cloud seeped from cracks at the base of the bushy structure Discord had made. It flowed about, coalescing and twisting itself up into the long, serpentine form of Discord himself. He snapped his claws a few times, waiting until Luna and Celestia turned to face him. “It seems your protege and her little band of busy-bodies have managed to foul up my plans,” he said, any trace of mirth gone from his voice. “I don't know how much time I have, but I'm going to make the most of it!”
Celestia's head whipped around. “Flee, my little ponies!” she shouted, flapping her wings about and tossing her head around. “Gallop and fly as far as you can away from here!” She looked to Spanish Steel, Blueblood, and Fancy Pants. “No arguments from you, either! Get out of here!”
The three stallions all exchanged a look. Spanish Steel drew himself up, saluted and flew off. Blueblood hesitated for a moment before standing up on his hind legs, hugging Celestia and galloping off. Finally, Fancy Pants cantered back slightly, curtsied to the Princess and followed on Blueblood's hooves.
Luna transformed into a mist and flowed back, reforming next to Celestia. Magic crackled up and down the length of her horn. “We shall fight together and delay him as long as possible, Sister! All we–”
Discord stared at Luna. He snapped his claws and both Luna's and Celestia's horns vanished. Their wings quickly followed, disappearing in flashes of light. “I'm not going to play any games,” he said, voice low. “I have no time.” An alarm clock with crooked hands snapped into existence on his left. He turned and looked it over. “Yes, yes.” The draqonequus slithered through the air over to Celestia and Luna...
Six ponies and one human appeared as Twilight Sparkle teleported the group out of the structure. Twilight's head shot around. “Oh, good! We're outside and I didn't accidentally transport us into the reality of two-dimensional beings!”
Rainbow Dash slowly blinked. “Excuse me, the what?”
Megan waved her off with one hand and jabbed a finger at Discord, Celestia and Luna with the other. “Never mind that! The bastard's over there!”
Discord's head twisted around in a corkscrew spiral, his neck and body spinning about so he fully faced the group. He bared his lone fang. “Oh, go ahead and try it! You'll hit Celestia and Luna, too!”
Twilight stared at him for a few seconds, a single strand of her mane popping up. “You... do realize that's not how the magic works, right?”
Rainbow Dash hopped up and floated down next to Twilight. “Less talking and more magic blasts!” she shouted, thrusting a hoof into the air. “Battle formation!”
Pinkie's ear's flopped up and down. “Wait, we have a 'battle formation'? When was this decided?” She pulled a notepad from inside her mane and started flipping through it. “I don't remember that at the last meeting we had!” She suddenly floated up and over to Rainbow Dash's side opposite Twilight. “Okay, we can table that for the next meeting.”
Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy and Megan all gathered around or behind Twilight. The gems in their necklaces all lit up, firing a beam of magic at the diadem in Twilight's crown. Megan's own eyes turned white as wings made of pure magic sprung from her back and a unicorn horn sprouted from her forehead. She raised her right hand and fired a beam of magic at the back of Twilight's head, enveloping it in her own magic.
The area surrounding the seven became bathed in a bright light as the Rainbow of Light formed and shot into the sky. It flowed down, enveloping Discord before the agent of chaos could do anything.
Celestia and Luna's wings and horns faded back into existence. The sun and moon slowed down in the sky. The two alicorns spread their wings and flew into the sky, their horns lighting up as the sisters seized control of their celestial bodies. Luna lowered her head, and the moon dipped below the horizon. Celestia, meanwhile, flew up into the air, turning into a silhouette as she steadied the sun's course once more.
Luna snorted as Celestia flew back down to her side. “Showoff,” she said, winking.
A wave of magic flowed out from the point of impact, sweeping across Equestria and beyond with an almost physical force. It undid all of Discord's magic, restoring the people and things his magic had tainted to what they once were.
Bobby swung his club as another fish/human hybrid charged at him. “Okay, Captain...” He squinted at the collar barely visible beneath the fish's pectoral fins. “Wait, are you a captain or–”
“Sergeant, a little help?” AK Yearling cried out, as she and Caballeron were surrounded by half-dozen power tool/bird hybrids. AK flapped her wings, causing the hybrids to disperse for a few moments. “Shoo, shoo! Go off and... and build a hut or something!”
Bobby turned to them, but stopped dead in his tracks as a wave of light swept through the Everfree's foliage. It passed by the hybrids, separating them into their constituent parts. The birds flew off, while the power tools merely dropped to the ground.
The wave passed by Bobby, leaving him with a tingling sensation but little else. He looked himself over. “What was that?”
“Sergeant Field, is that you? What happened?”
Bobby spun about. “Oh, Captain Pierce!” His expression fell as he scratched his forehead. “I'm... I'm not sure, sir.” He turned his head. “Colonel? You're up!”
Mike Richards dodged and weaved as more power tools flew at him. Even with magically-enhanced armor on that was lighter than cloth, the midday sun beating down on him and all the activity had started to leave him drained. Discord's constant attacks did him no favor in that regard. “O-okay,” he panted out, his upper body heaving. “This must've been what Megan was feeling like back when she fought Tirac for the last time.”
Discord steepled his mismatched claws together. “Getting tired, Mike? I guess your mortal form can't keep up with even a small sliver of my nigh-omnipotence.” Fire danced in his yellow eyes. “I've had a lot of fun with you, Mike, but honestly, I'm growing bored. And when I grow bored, I move onto other things.” He held up his claws and several construction vehicles revved their engines. “I can't affect you directly, but I don't think that magic armor's gonna stop you from becoming a smear on the ground!”
A pair of bulldozers and a dump truck turned and started towards Mike, the bulldozers breaking off and circling wide around him while the dump truck barreled right at him. Mike warbled a bit and shouted as he scrambled away from the dump truck, only for the bulldozers to approach from behind. Mike's eyes narrowed as he waited for the bulldozers to close in before running through the gap between them.
A cement mixer appeared in front of Mike, blocking his path forward. He bit back several colorful invectives as he backpedaled and spun around–only to find the dump truck in front of him. A shadow slid over Mike. He glanced up as a backhoe floated over where he stood. Mike's head shot back and forth as he looked for a way out before rushing towards the dump truck, jumping up and grabbing the lip of the bed. He scrambled into and over it right before the backhoe slammed down into the ground where he was standing a few moments ago.
Discord sneered. “Run, rat. Make it...” He trailed off as a bright light from behind caught his attention. He turned his head around several times, finally stopping just as a bright, rainbow-colored beam of light shot from the Rainbow Bridge's entrance. Discord's jaw dropped down to the ground. “Oh, poop,” he said, right before the beam hit him and enveloped his entire mismatched body. The shard of the Draconequus let out a small whimper even as he vanished, obliterated by the magic.
The beam spread out, widening and washing over the entire area. Mike flinched slightly as the light swept over him, but relaxed as all he felt was a mild tingling. He looked around as the construction vehicles' engines all died down. “I think I'll just stick with building things and leave the hero stuff to Megan.”
The wave of magic eventually dissipated, its energies expended as it undid Discord's magic. It faded away, leaving everyone and everything where it was.
Twilight Sparkle looked herself over. Her horn glowed slightly as she scanned herself and her friends. “Okay, looks like we're all here and all right.” Her expression brightened as Celestia and Luna flew over and touched down. “Princesses!”
Celestia bowed her head and nuzzled Twilight Sparkle. “I am so proud of you. All of you!” She looked up at Megan And stepped up to her. “Oh, Megan. Are you all right?”
Luna cantered around to Megan's other side. Nervousness seemed to waft off of her. “Has Discord harmed you in any way?”
Megan looked around at the bearers of the Elements, then back to Celestia and Luna. She reached out and patted Celestia's muzzle, then Luna's. “He tried, but I had some good friends helping me out of this jam.”
Pinkie Pie stared straight ahead, eyes wide. “Umm, Twilight? We summoned the Rainbow of Light, right?”
Twilight looked to the party pony. She glanced up at the tiara around her forehead. “Right.”
“And it undid everything Discord did and returned Equestria to what passes for normal around these parts, right?”
Everyone slowly turned and stared at Pinkie Pie. “We think so,” Twilight Sparkle slowly said.
Applejack nickered. “Consarnit, Pinkie! Just spit out what you're trying to tell us!”
Pinkie jabbed a foreleg at the spot where Discord had floated right before being struck by the Rainbow of Light. “Why is Discord not doing his best pigeon rest stop impression?”
Hearts fell as Discord slowly floated back up. He brushed his fur off and looked himself over. “It didn't work?” He tossed his head back and cackled. “I'm still here!” He looked around before focusing on the ponies and Megan. “You may have cleaned my mess up, but you didn't stop me! Now no more games, no more fooling around. I'm going to end all of you and reign over first Equus, then Earth, then everywhere.” He raised his right arm and brought the claws of his lion's paw together.
Rainbow Dash gasped. “Oh, horse apples! Twilight, get everyone back together so we can zap him again!”
Twilight Sparkle's head shot around, even as several strands of her mane broke free and shot up. “Wait, we can do that? Princess, is there any sort of recharge time?”
Celestia nickered and let out several inarticulate chokes. “I-I don't know! We've never had to use them like this before!”
Luna's entire body sagged. “I am afraid, dear sister, it is too late.”
Discord waved his lion's paw around for a moment before snapping his talons together. He smirked, waved it about and waited... as nothing happened. The smile fell from Discord's face as he looked his claws over. “Where's the magic?” he shook his paw. “Hold on, wait a minute! This doesn't happen to me. I know I'm old, but performance issues shouldn't be setting in yet!” he snapped his claws several more times, growing more and more frustrated each time as nothing happened. “What is going on?”
Megan stared at him. “I think the Rainbow of Light... it must've stripped him of his magic, maybe? Or at least the chaotic part of it. I mean he's still floating, at least.”
Celestia walked forward. “I'm going in.” She held up a hoof, even as everyone there started talking and protesting. “I have to make sure what's going on!”
Megan shook her head. “Me doing that is what got us into this mess in the first place!”
Celestia glanced from her to Discord. “I don't think he's trying to deceive us. At least not this time. There's an air about him that usually isn't there.” She trotted up to the draconequus and cantered around him. “What's your game this time?”
Discord whirled about as Celestia circled him. He tried turning his neck like a corkscrew, but groaned as muscles beneath his fur and skin bulged out. “What is this sensation? It's horrible!” He rubbed his neck as he straightened his neck out. “Is this... is this pain?”
Farther away, Rainbow Dash snickered. “Serves you right for being a pain in our necks for so much.”
Celestia paid her little mind as her horn lit up. A wide beam of magic shot from her horn and swept up and down Discord's body. “Your chaotic magic, it's gone!”
Discord's eyes widened. “It's gone? But that's impossible!” He jabbed a claw at Celestia. “You're lying. I'm still floating, after all.
Celestia cantered around him, the beam of magic sweeping over his entire form. “There's just enough magic left inside of you to maintain your actual body, but beyond that?” She shook her head. “The rest is gone.”
Discord swallowed. “W-well, that's interesting!” He started floating away from Celestia, paws up. “I guess if I don't have any chaotic magic, there's no harm in letting me go?” He punched the air. “Let bygones be bygones and–”
Celestia's horn flared. She captured Discord in her telekinesis and floated him back in front of her. Fire danced in the princess' eyes as she stared down the draconequus. “No, Discord. There shall be no letting you go free, no simple dismissal of the crimes you've committed.” Her horn flashed a a pair of shackles flashed onto Discord's limbs. Celestia then tilted her head back and shouted, “GUARDS!”
A pair of unicorns clad in the armor of the Royal Guard galloped towards the pair. Celestia turned to them and bowed her head. “Guards, escort Discord to the palace dungeons. He is to be placed under heavy guard and kept as far away from Queen Celestia as possible.” She smiled slightly. “I have standards, after all.”
The guardsponies straightened to attention before turning to Discord. Their own horns lit up even as Celestia let go of Discord. The pair's magic worked in concert as they floated Discord away.
Discord twisted around, but the unicorns' telekinesis held him firm. “No, no! You can't do this to me!” He strained against their magic, but the unicorns trotted off with him in tow. “Celestia, please!”
Celestia watched as Discord was taken off into Canterlot Castle. She waited for him to disappear before turning to Luna as she walked up to her side. “It took all of my restraint not to flash-fry him where he floated," she confessed, her ethereal mane drooping slightly.
Luna nodded to her sister. She reached out with a wing and pulled her in close for a hug. “And yet you did not. We both know Discord in your position would have inflicted the most unimaginable of cruelties on you before continuing his reign of terror.”
Celestia looked around as Megan and the others walked up to her and Luna. “I thank you, and I thank all of you for your actions, here. You managed to stop Discord a lot quicker and better than how he was handled when he first showed up.”
Rainbow Dash drew herself up and spread her wings out. “That's because of how awesome I am!” she shouted. Rainbow Dash pulled her wings in as several of her friends glared daggers at her. “And... so because of how awesome we all are!” She lowered her head. “Although I'm the most awesome.”
Fluttershy chuckled. “Ofcourse you are.” Her head snapped up. “Oh, Princesses! What about the rest of Equestria? What if someone got hurt really bad by what Discord's magic did to them?” Her ears folded against her skull. “O-or to the environment and that hurt them?”
Megan gasped. “Oh, no. Danielle's in Ponyville–”
“And so is Spike!” Twilight Sparkle blurted out.
“And Mike's probably worried sick about me!”
Celestia and Luna exchanged a look. “Twilight, Megan, we'll get you to Ponyville and Megan, you across the Rainbow Bridge as quickly as you need to be,” Celestia began. “After that, Luna, we've got a long few days ahead of us fixing what Discord broke.”
Luna nodded to her sister. “Indeed. I think the first thing we need to do is brew up some coffee?”
Celestia snorted. “Several pots, I'd imagine.”
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This was a bit disappointing compared to Tirek and even Queen Celestia. I guess that is because in canon Twilight and friends defeat Discord on their own.
I feel like this was a wasted opportunity for the Constructicons to make a brief cameo.
Well I hope not! For one thing, Harmony is a balance between Chaos and Order! And we already took care of "Order Unrestrained" last story. This story was "Chaos Unrestrained"! We don't want to mix our metaphors right at the finish line, after all.
I think...you've lost your passion for all this. I do like the idea of defanging as an alternative to stone imprisonment, but the way this was overall handled was...underwhelming by comparison to the care you put into some of your other stories. I think you just want to be done with this story so you never have to touch the Fim fandom again. But, at least now we can explore how megan is handling omnicorn power now.
And besides, balance of chaos and order is important. Too much order is stagnation and tyranny. Too much chaos is a lack of purpose and stability. Both are important. I think I prefer the fics that talk about Discord as "inherent in the system" where the contrast between night and dark has discord as a side effect in the meta narrative of these godlike beings. I know bringing in G1 complicates things with the roots of majesty and tirec starting them on a bad foot, but I feel like Celestia and Luna being made by the heart could give them a new chance to make it better. I dunno.
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I think the biggest problem is that in Canon Discord was this really big scary big bad that could warp reality and more dangerous that the previous Big Bad. Here despite being an evil asshole, he got upstaged by his Mitror Universe Version before he showed up and faces both the mane six and Goddess Ommicron Megan so... I never felt that the protagonists were in any real danger.
Well that sucks for Discord. He went overboard and paid the price.
As milquetoast, as this chapter was, it is nice seeing a decisive and assertive Celestia.
Honestly, this chapter pretty much makes me yearn for Discord to have an eventual reformation, just like in the show.
Well that wasn't expected.