Discord's Patchwork Adventure

by Comicizzum

Placate

The day before the battle Twilight called a meeting. Discord’s confession to creating the monster currently destroying Equestia had spread through the night like wildfire, leaving a level of animosity so great the princess was sure if she didn’t say something, the army would fail to defeat Tirek. The whispered conversations, glowers, and blatant insults had to stop. Inviting Prince Rutherford, Thorax, Ember, Flash Sentry, Starswirl, Sunset Shimmer, and Gallus into the Leaders’ Tent just after lunch, she waited until they were settled before addressing the sore subject.

“I know feelings are still raw from Discord’s revelation,” she began, “but we cannot go to war while at odds with him.”

“Twilight, we can’t just overlook what he’s done,” Flash interjected.

“I’m not saying that we will,” she replied. “But treating him like a villain in our midst and demanding that I and my friends turn him back to stone is, frankly, the most asinine thing we could do right now. He knows our enemy better than anypony else. His actions have been nothing but helpful since Shadow and Tirek took over. We need him to defeat them and we won’t be able to restore all those who are suffering if we are not united. I requested each of you because you represent the various groups that make up our army and I need to know how each of them stand concerning Discord.”

The leaders glanced at each other before Starswirl said, “While I understand what is required for our success, my friends and I feel that some form of retribution must be taken for Discord’s passivity concerning the monster Shadow’s actions.”

“The Crystal Ponies share similar feelings,” Flash confessed. “While undeniable that he has been very helpful since Tirek’s takeover, the previous villains created by Shadow are not something we feel we can overlook. Evil cannot go unpunished. Discord may not be responsible for Shadow’s decisions but he is his creator and has allowed him to run rampant for centuries. He needs to be held accountable for that, at least.”

“Yaks do not have personal quarrel with goat snake,” said Prince Rutherford while stomping his hoof, “But yaks also believe goat snake should be responsible for evil shade pony.”

“Well, the dragons don't have any issues with Discord," Ember revealed. "We believe this is a pony affair."

"While it's true most of Discord's past animosity has been with our kind," Twilight acknowledged, “I still want to know our allies' thoughts. Thorax, how do the changelings feel?"

"First I want to say that Discord is my friend," he said, "And, while we changelings understand that he's hurt ponies in the past, we ourselves would be hypocrites to hold anything against him. Like the dragons we feel this is an issue ponies need to resolve."

Twilight nodded before turning to Gallus and Sunset.

The griffon shrugged his shoulders. "After talking it over with my friends, we don't really hold anything against him. We just want Equestria to go back to what it was so we can go back to school."

"That's fair," Twilight said with a small smile. "What about you and the girls Sunset?"

The golden girl sighed. "We're not happy; me more than the others. From the way Discord described him, part of me wonders if Shadow somehow influenced me to steal your crown due to what I later became. He might have been the one to change our Twilight into Midnight too. Regardless, I don't approve of the hurt he caused Luna and Celestia. And while Sonata, Adagio, and Aria are genuinely bad eggs, they didn't deserve being enslaved to him for centuries. Overall, some of us share the same feelings as the Pillars and Crystal Ponies while others believe Discord’s already suffered and done enough to make up for his end of mistakes."

Twilight nodded in understanding. "Thank you all for your honesty. Personally I feel this matter needs to be addressed and resolved by the princesses once this whole affair is over. Would a future trial, for now, satisfy those who are seeking justice?"

"If you make a public statement concerning the matter, I think so," said Flash while Sunset and Starswirl nodded.

"Then, for the sake of creating harmony, can we agree to a truce with Discord?"

Every creature shared a glance before nodding. Twilight inwardly sighed. A certain yellow pegasus would not be thrilled with this decision. Twilight really didn't want to be responsible for possibly jeopardizing her friends' future happiness together but this was the only way she could appease those thirsting for some kind of justice. She turned to Flash.

"Will you spread the word among the Crystal Ponies that I would like to address them this evening before dinner?"

"I can do that," he promised.

"Good. Sunset, Starswirl, Gallus, please make sure your groups are part of that gathering. I want all the Champions on the same page. As for our allies, any among you who feel ill will towards Discord are welcome to come and hear my decision."

The leaders all nodded before Twilight concluded the meeting, sending them away. Flash and Sunset stayed behind.

"Are you alright?" the former asked.

Twilight smiled wearily. "I don't like being at odds with anypony."

Sunset looked at her sympathetically. "Fluttershy still upset?"

Twilight nodded. "We tried talking to her before lunch but she stormed off when Applejack pointed out the possibility that Discord has been playing with us this whole time, her most of all."

Sunset winced. "I know Applejack is all about honesty but that really wasn't the best thing to say."

"I know," Twilight mourned. "I don't know how we're going to mend things now."

"She'll come around," Flash assured.

"I don't know," Sunset argued. "Internal fighting aside, we just decided the love of her life is going to be punished once this is over. I wouldn't want to talk to my friends if they were planning to return my fiancé to stone."

"That might not be what the other princesses and I decide, though," Twilight countered. "We could just assign him to a century of community service or something."

"Community service?” Flash scoffed while shaking his head. “I'm sorry but that isn't going to appease ponies' anger over this, Twilight.”

Twilight’s cheeks burned as she angrily stomped her hoof. "Then we'll think of something else! Right now I have more pressing matters to deal with! If I can't fix things between Fluttershy and the rest of us, there won't be a trial for Discord to go to because there won't be any princesses to give it!”

“What do you mean?”

"Without the full power of Amity's Rainbow, Shadow will win!” she said, exasperated. “Three sets of Champions won't be enough. It has to be all of us."

"If that's true, why would Discord wait until now to throw a wrench in the works?"

Twilight frowned. "I don't know, Flash. But I'll ask him."

"How do you know he'll tell the truth?"

Thinking of their conversation from last night, she looked at her coltfriend and said in all seriousness, "He will. Trust me."

Flash studied her a moment before nodding.

"Let us know what he says," Sunset pressed.

"I will."

Recognizing she needed some space, the two left the tent.

Now that there was a decision, Twilight felt it best to inform Discord and Fluttershy of the potential ax hanging over their future. She really didn’t want to be the bearer of bad news but she’d rather they heard it from her than through the grapevine. Taking a few deep breaths, the princess ventured into the camp in search of the bizarre tent Discord had set up for him and Fluttershy.

She found it near the edge of the woods, close to where the changelings had temporarily settled. It stood upside down, the two top points balancing on the ground without aid while the four points that should have been staked into the earth reached for the sky. The color of the fabric kept shifting to different sceneries from a tropical island to the desert wasteland near Klugetown.

Twilight felt an odd sense of amusement at the sight. Shaking her head, she raised her hoof and knocked on the front flap.

A familiar red and yellow eye popped into existence, startling the princess. It surveyed her unblinkingly.

"Um, Discord? Can I come in?"

The eye flashed away, replaced by a fabric version of the draconequus on the tent.

"That depends on who you're here to see," he said, folding his arms.

Twilight sighed. "Both of you, actually."

Discord studied her a moment more before vanishing and the flap opened a minute later. Twilight hopped inside, the entrance closing quickly behind her.

Due to chaos and utter nonsense, the interior held a similar appearance to Fluttershy’s house. Even the green sofa, currently occupied by the owners, stood in its usual place. Discord had added his own personal touches of chaos into the walls, ceiling and floor; they reflected the scenery the outer tent displayed. As she crossed the room, Twilight thought it entirely bizarre to be walking on what looked like the ocean but felt like solid ground. Stopping a few feet away, she nervously surveyed her friends.

Fluttershy wasn’t really looking at her. Discord’s tail was loosely wrapped around her, making it look like she was sitting in a scaly basket. The tail tuft was gently rubbing her right forehoof; a comforting gesture. Discord had one arm on the arm rest while the other was resting between Fluttershy’s wings.

“What can we do for you, Twilight?” he asked with slightly narrowed eyes.

The purple princess sighed. “Look, I’m really sorry. What Applejack said-”

“You’re not the one who needs to apologize, Twilight,” Fluttershy quietly interrupted.

“I know but I’m still sorry it happened. I can see why Applejack would draw to that conclusion” -Discord snorted- “but that doesn’t mean I share the same feelings. I can’t lie and say that everything is okay between us, Discord, but, given what we talked about last night, I’ve decided to trust you.”

“Gee, thanks,” he said with a roll of his eyes.

Twilight scowled. “You can’t blame me for being angry. You waited until the literal eve of battle to tell us about Shadow. You’ve known it was him this whole time!”

“Not true,” Discord interrupted. “I didn’t figure it out until after he turned me into a beast.”

“Um, why did he do that anyway?” Fluttershy asked.

Discord shrugged. “I'm sure he had a reason. Tirek might have had a hand in it too. In all honesty I’m not sure who has more control at the moment, Shadow or him.”

“Regardless,” Twilight interrupted, “you’ve known about him since then. That was weeks ago. Why not tell us? And why didn’t you clear the air between Celestia and Luna after you were reformed? And don’t tell me it’s because you don’t care because I know you do, Uncle.”

Fluttershy’s head whipped up in surprise. “You told her?”

“She needed to know the gravity of the situation,” Discord muttered before turning back to Twilight. “To answer your question, niece, I didn’t tell them because what would be the point? They already forgave each other. No need to reopen that can of worms.”

He pulled out a can and yanked back the lid, exposing a miniature angry Nightmare Moon before tossing the thing over his shoulder. It disappeared in a puff of blue smoke.

“Besides,” he continued, “I truly thought all traces of Shadow had been destroyed after you girls and the Pillars returned him to limbo.”

“So you figured there wasn’t a need to bring it up because he was supposedly no longer a threat,” Twilight concluded, scowling.

“What can I say, you girls are really good at cleaning up my messes,” he said with a shrug and a grin.

“But he’s still a threat!” Twilight snapped. “We restored you and Fluttershy weeks ago! Why didn’t you say anything then?”

“It’s complicated,” he muttered before folding his arms and sticking his nose in the air to add, “And I don’t feel like sharing.”

Twilight grit her teeth. “Discord, have you not heard what ponies are saying out there?”

“Why do you think I’ve taken refuge in here?” he shot back. “I was tired of my ears burning!”

“Are you not the least bit concerned? You’re the one who said we’ll fail without harmony but you’ve made it so harmony isn’t anywhere to be found! I met with the allies and some of the Champions. The ponies are demanding some form of punishment. They don’t trust you. You have to give me a reason why you didn’t tell us about Shadow until now. There are some who believe this is all an elaborate scheme to take over Equestria again.”

“Have they forgotten that I have a personal vendetta against Tirek?” Discord snapped, his eyes burning with rage. “Why would I work with that kleptomaniac again?"

"Some would argue you're using him because he hasn't absorbed anypony's magic since taking over."

“Do you share their suspicions?”

Twilight looked him squarely in the eye and declared, “No. I meant what I said before. I want to be your friend. I may be angry with the deceit but I’m not blind to all you’ve done since Tirek destroyed the Tree of Harmony. And only anger is blinding Applejack because anypony in their right mind can see that you truly do love Fluttershy and would never abuse her feelings for you.”

Discord sat back, his eyebrows raised in surprise. Twilight smiled sadly.

“I know our past is colored with mistrust and impatience but, while I’m still reeling over the revelation, we’re family so I’m willing to give you a chance. That being said, I’m also a Princess of Equestria and bound by laws to serve the ponies of this land. I can’t ignore the cries for justice but I also cannot solely pass judgment - nor will I. I’m here to tell you that in order to restore peace, I had to make a decision.”

An expressionless mask descended upon the draconequus while Fluttershy sat up in fear.

“And that would be?”

“There will be some form of trial after we’ve won and the princesses are restored,” Twilight answered.

“What kind of trial?” Fluttershy demanded, flaring her wings.

"One where a punishment will be decided for Discord's neglect towards Shadow."

"You can't hold him responsible for any of this!" Fluttershy cried, jumping down and facing Twilight with her head held high.

Before Twilight could defend her reasons, Discord interrupted.

"Shy, we talked about this."

"I won't see you turned back to stone!" she cried, whipping around to face him.

Hating her tears, Twilight tried to console her. "That's not going to happen."

Fluttershy snorted in a very unFluttershy-like manner. "You think I'm a fool, Twilight? I know what everypony is saying. I know what they're expecting!"

"I'm not going to let Discord be turned to stone!" Twilight nearly shouted, surprising the pegasus into silence. "Do you really think I would do that to you? You're my friends, Fluttershy. It wouldn't be ethical to separate you two like that. And I can already tell you Cadence won't allow it either. Whatever punishment is given to Discord, it has to be unanimous. I'm banking on some kind of community service."

"Why does he have to be punished at all?" Fluttershy sniffled.

"Because that's what's expected," Discord sighed. "Paint yourself a villain and that's all they'll ever see."

"But you're not!" she cried, wiping her eyes.

"While you and I know that, it doesn't mean a thing to that growing mob outside."

"There isn't going to be a mob," Twilight assured. "I'm going to appease everycreature for now with a promise that you'll be judged by the princesses when this is over."

"That's not entirely reassuring, Twilight," Fluttershy moped.

"It's the best I can do, given the circumstances." Hesitating for a moment, she closed the distance and wrapped a foreleg over Fluttershy's withers. "I promise I'll do everything I can to keep you two together."

Fluttershy sniffled before returning the hug. "Thank you, Twilight."

The princess stepped back, smiling. "You're welcome."

Discord suddenly swooped down and ruffled her mane. "Yes, we appreciate the support, bookhorse."

Twilight gently pushed him away, trying to look annoyed while failing miserably. She couldn't help returning Discord’s smile. Clearing the air between them had worked wonders and she was rather optimistic that before the day was done the rest of their friends would mend their damaged ties too.

"I'm going to try to talk some sense into the others." She looked at Fluttershy hesitantly. "You could come with me."

At first she thought she'd reject her proposal but Fluttershy surprised her by nodding in consent.

"I don't like being at odds with all of you," she explained.

Twilight smiled while Discord scratched his fiancee's ear and said, "That's my girl."

She turned to him and smiled. "I'll be back in a bit."

"If you need me just call," he said.

"I will."

The two shared a kiss before Fluttershy followed Twilight out of the tent.

A few minutes later they found the rest of their friends mingling with the Rainbooms. Discord’s snap from last night not only revealed Twilight’s true form but those of the girls as well. It was a great shock for the army to see humans for the first time but, once confirming who they were, the hesitant drama settled and everycreature was fine; leave it to Discord to cause some chaos. Cordy had also shed his draconequus look for his bizarre human form; unlike the girls who only showed their ears and tail when powered up, he displayed his horns, wings, and tail all the time. Waving merrily at the approaching mares, he alerted the others to their presence.

“Hello Violet Starling!” he cried cheerfully with a wave of his hand. “And Flutterbutter, always a pleasure.”

“Cordy,” Twilight acknowledged with mild annoyance; no matter how many times she’d corrected him, the infernal count refused to call her by her real name.

The air drew slightly awkward but Sunset did her best to keep things smooth. “Anything we can do for you two?”

“If it’s okay, my friends and I need to talk,” Twilight said, glancing at Fluttershy before reiterating for Cordy’s sake, “Alone.”

The girls all stood up and began making for the tent’s exit. Cordy stretched dramatically before simply floating up into the air and drifting after his Fluttershy. He gently ruffled Fluttershy’s mane as he passed. She sent him a grateful smile. The moment they were gone an awkward silence descended.

“Oh, this is ridiculous!” Rarity finally cried, breaking the quiet. Stomping her hoof, she boldly declared, “Fluttershy, I have no quarrel with Discord. While I don’t agree with what he’s done in the past, I fear it would be entirely inappropriate to hold him accountable for Shadow’s current actions.”

Fluttershy surprised them all by suddenly lashing out. “And what about his past? Is Discord responsible for that?” Rarity hesitated and Fluttershy huffed. “I knew it. None of you will ever forgive him.”

“I didn’t say that!” Rarity defended.

“But it’s how you feel,” Fluttershy concluded.

“Fer some of us,” Applejack admitted, stepping forward. “But I was wrong to say that he’s been using you. For that, Fluttershy, I’m sorry. I’ve never fully trusted Discord even after he was reformed. I’ve put up with him all these years and he’s dropped one too many bad apples in my opinion. That bein’ said, I do trust you. And… if you say he’s on our side and he’ll always treat ya good… I’ll be willing to offer temporary trust to see this here situation through.”

Fluttershy’s eyes shone with unshed tears. “He’s not the same as he was before, Applejack. I couldn’t love him if he was.”

The cowpony sighed. “Sugarcube, I just… I need time. Can you give me that?”

Fluttershy looked up. “You’ll give him a chance?”

“I’ll try,” she promised.

The other occupants finally breathed as the two friends made up with further apologies. Twilight smiled, silently thanking Applejack for setting aside her stubborn nature. The cowpony’s opinion of Discord was still very much on the rocks but there was a chance it could change. If Discord could prove to her that he really was as reformed as he claimed. She wasn’t the only one he had to convince.

“Are you really sure about him, Fluttershy?” asked Rainbow Dash. “Are you positive this isn’t going to end in another betrayal?”

“I’m sure, Rainbow,” she said with utter conviction.

Rainbow Dash bit her lip and scuffed her hoof. “Look, I know the guy has improved but he broke your heart once. I really don’t want to see that happen again.”

“None of us do,” said Applejack, remembering holding Fluttershy in a cage as she cried while Discord declared an end to their friendship.

Fluttershy confidently replied, “That’s never going to happen again, Dashie.”

“Are you sure?” she pressed.

Fluttershy nodded. “Discord almost lost my friendship because of it. He worked harder to regain my trust than ever before after Tirek’s defeat. I won’t go into details but please believe me when I say he will never betray me again.”

“I believe you, Fluttershy!” Pinkie Pie cried, zooming right over to give the pegasus a hug. “Can we stop fighting now?”

Fluttershy peeked over Pinkie’s withers. “Can we?” she asked the others.

“Like I said, darling, I have no quarrel with Discord,” Rarity assured with a smile. “I may not agree with his past but I think he’s a decent stallion by today’s standards -and the perfect one for you.”

“You already know where I stand,” said Applejack.

“And you know how I feel,” said Twilight with a smile.

Fluttershy returned it before looking at her oldest friend. “Rainbow?”

Rainbow Dash sighed. “I don’t like his history but I suppose he’s not all bad.” She nodded to herself before declaring, “We’re cool; unless he breaks your heart.”

Fluttershy wiped her eyes. “Thanks, girls.”

Pinkie Pie extended her forelegs and yanked everypony in for a big group hug. “I’m so glad we’re not fighting anymore!” she happily sobbed before leaping backward and shouting, “This calls for some make-up cupcakes!”

She yanked a fresh batch out of thin air and passed them around. Twilight happily accepted hers and sat back, watching her friends with a smile on her face. A warm feeling spread throughout the tent, a confirmation that harmony was beginning to mend.

“We’re going to be okay,” she quietly whispered, relief washing away the apprehension she’d been feeling since last night.

The ominous shadow of Midnight Sparkle finally began to retract and the princess focused on spending the rest of the afternoon in the company of her friends, relishing in the special camaraderie they shared.

---

The cave was dark, dank, and dreary. Its sole occupant, a giant pink dragon, was not particularly fond of his new home but it was his master’s wish to be here and he had to obey. Giant green eyes surveyed the gloom, looking heavenward and wishing the roof was open sky instead of solid rock.

Two weeks ago he’d been led away from his lovely patch of concrete in the palace courtyard to this miserable hole underground. The fiery white pony had brought him down here without any explanation except that it was their master’s will that he be relocated. Once a week the white pony would come to see him, to remind him to prepare for a great battle.

Spike liked the white pony but preferred the purple one. He wondered why she did not bring him the master’s orders anymore when it had been her job to do so before. He missed her. Besides the white pony, the only other he saw in the cave was a guard who dropped off a large pile of gems for him to eat each day.

Spike would never complain against his master, for he knew he was always right, but he had to admit that being down here away from all life was rather lonely. He wanted to be useful. Had the master placed him here because he wasn’t happy with his performance? No, that couldn’t be it. He’d done a great job terrifying every palace visitor while assigned to the courtyard. The white pony had said something about being ready to protect the master’s home from attackers. How could he do that underground? Maybe they were going to come through the tunnel?

This sudden thought caused the dragon to look at the tunnel entrance. To his shock, it was occupied by an unknown visitor.

The dragon immediately crouched and began to growl, bearing his large teeth and releasing smoke from his nostrils. His claws dug into the stone ground and his wings shifted as he prepared for an attack.

The pony that stood before him was larger than any he had ever seen. Tasting the air, he determined that it was female and held a magic more powerful than his master’s. Like the fiery pony, her coat was solid white. Her mane and tail flowed like a riverbed, the strands sparkling like a thousand diamonds caught in a constant stream of light. Her eyes troubled him for they held emotions that forced his caution to transform into curiosity. The pools of amethyst were swimming with unshed tears.

“Oh, my poor Spike, what has he done to you?” she said, her voice similar to the perfect chime of a bell.

Spike lowered his head closer, surveying her as he further explored her scent. It was the most delectable he’d ever come across; a combination of flowers and gemstones. But instead of having a desire to eat her, the dragon experienced an entirely different emotion. One he hadn’t felt since…since…

The image of another white pony came to mind, a unicorn with purple hair and sapphire eyes. Warmth spread through his chest and the last ounce of caution fell away. He closed the distance, his large head now a foot away from her muzzle. The pony stepped forward.

“Come back to me,” she whispered, placing a delicate kiss on the edge of his snout.

Warmth spread and Spike reared backward and roared in fear. The pony had inflected him with some kind of spell! The darkness swirling beneath his skin was screaming as light and love raced through every fiber of his being, abolishing every shadow like a purging poison. His mind opened and flooded with memories of a previous life, a life he’d forgotten the moment Tirek had attacked him. His body twisted and thrashed, his limbs shrinking down to the size he was meant to be. In mere moments, the rancor of Shadow was erased, restoring that which had previously been lost.

“Spike?”

The much smaller dragon opened his eyes and saw the concern of the most beautiful creature in existence being showered upon him. Feeling overwhelmed and slightly embarrassed for some odd reason, Spike quickly got to his feet and brushed the dust of the cave floor off his scales.

“Um, hi,” he said, not knowing what else to say.

The alicorn continued to observe him, her concern touching yet confusing. “Are you alright?” she asked.

“I think so,” he said, finally taking the time to survey his body. “What happened?”

“You were under the control of a monstrous creature,” she answered, “but I restored you to what you should be.”

“Then I should thank you,” he said, truly meaning it. “Um, I hope I’m not being rude but, who are you?”

The loving smile accompanying her response nearly knocked the little dragon off his feet. “My name is Amity. I am the Spirit of Order and Harmony.”

“Spirit of… so you’re like the opposite of Discord?”

She nodded before looking over her shoulder. “I would elaborate further but time is against us. We must leave this place. Will you come with me?”

While a stranger, something told Spike that he could trust her. In many ways she felt familiar, like a combination of all his friends. The kindness in her eyes even reminded him of Fluttershy.

“You’re not going to take me to another cave, are you?” he asked.

Amity laughed. “No.”

“Good,” he said, “because anything is better than this.”

Amity agreed before lighting her horn. A doorway appeared against the solid stone, the open entry displaying the familiar scene of the Everfree Forest bathed in the pale light of Celestia's dawn.

“Quickly,” Amity urged.

Spike suddenly heard the flutter of wings coming down the tunnel. Sharing a worried glance, the dragon flew through the doorway, bursting into the welcome morning air. Amity leapt through the portal behind him, quickly closing it. The image of the cave instantly vanished from sight.

“We must hurry,” she said, unfurling her magnificent wings.

Spike’s jaw dropped at the sheer beauty she displayed.

“Spike?”

The dragon shook his head to kickstart his brain before joining her in the air. If he’d been looking closer, he would have seen the pleased smile blooming on the alicorn’s face. The winter wind whistled as they cut through the sky, Amity leading the way towards what Spike quickly deduced as the path towards Fluttershy’s cottage. They rounded the bend and Spike gasped, halting in surprise at the vast destruction before his eyes.

The remains of Fluttershy’s home were scattered across the lawn, possessions burned and broken beyond repair. From the look of dirt and snow clinging to some of the items, it was clear the tragedy had occurred a while ago.

“What happened here?” he asked, his heart hurting at the sight.

“Unbridled rage,” Amity answered. “Don’t worry; Fluttershy is safe and the damage is nothing Discord can’t fix.”

Leading him through the broken door into the remains of the house, the large alicorn gracefully and respectfully walked with care so as not to disturb any item on the ground. Spike immediately noticed the missing roof and fragment of remaining walls. Like Amity, he carefully stepped over the broken pieces of Fluttershy’s green sofa, following the alicorn into the kitchen. Remarkably, there was one section that had somehow survived the devastation; the cupboard under the sink. Amity opened it and Spike gasped.

“Is that a portal?”

“To Discord’s dimension,” she confirmed. “Besides the castle in the Everfree Forest, it is currently the safest place to hide from Tirek.”

Spike looked from the portal to her. “Are my friends in there?”

“No.”

“Then why bring me here?”

“Because I need your help.”

“With what?”

Amity glanced at the rising sun before quickly turning back to him. “Your friends are going to attack Canterlot today but without you, they will fail. You must listen to me very carefully, Spike. The fate of Harmony rests on your shoulders. Can I count on you? Can they count on you?”

Overwhelmed, confused, but also determined, the little dragon puffed out his chest and nodded. “What do you need me to do?”

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

How many chapters long will this story be?

[taterforlife]

Spike? Amity appearing outside of a dream? What is Spike to Amity? What's his role here?
Aa a big Spike fan, though, I heartily approve.
Ah, so you went with AJ as the pony with the biggest reservations. Honestly, I've seen it go so many ways. I feel like Twilight is usually the #1 choice, understandably. Then I feel like it's a tie between Rainbow and AJ, then Rarity. Pinkie is usually the last, bless that little pink gum drop! I'm not sure how I feel about you picking AJ and what she said. Now, I don't have a quarrel with it, I'm just not sure what I would have had her say. Perhaps not suggest that he's still playing around to deceive everyone including his marefriend, but maybe more that he's still hiding secrets for laughs. Then again, as Twi said, her anger may have blinded her, making her say things that weren't true.
Either way, a great solid chapter! I am way too intrigued by the ending there and I'm so glad we got our boy Spike back! Show 'em what you got, Spike! 🔥

P.S. I will say, however, I think you handled the distrust issue with Discord beautifully. They're harmonious again, but Discord isn't getting away with just a slap on the wrist... Though honestly Shadow's actions shouldn't be blamed on him as much, and he did way worse things with his own self than things Shadow did outside of his control, but still. No just "all right, we forgive ya!" A believable compromise!

[Comicizzum]

11641891
Honestly, however many it takes to reach the end. I have the whole story mapped out though so no worries about not having a definite direction to go.

[Comicizzum]

11642041
Spike has a very important role to fill. I won't say more. As for Amity appearing outside a dream... that'll be explained later. What is Spike to Amity? You'll have to wait and see.

As for the pony with the most reservations, I believe it would have been Twilight if I hadn't been working on her character growth throughout this story. She's still angry but I feel like she's really trying to embrace her role as the Spirit of Friendship.
I went with AJ because she usually expresses her honest thoughts with emotion, be they positive or negative. She was speaking out of anger but also concern. She wants to do all she can to protect those she cares about and right now she sees Discord as a possible threat due to his relation with Shadow. I don't think she'll be at odds with him forever though. She just needs time to fully work through her thoughts and feelings.
Glad you're still enjoying the story!

[taterforlife]

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And I promise I really DO see why AJ was chosen and I think it's a solid choice. And I agree, with how you've focused on Twilight in the subplot that using her wouldn't have worked. Honestly, I love that you have focused in on Twilight and Discord. It honestly makes a lot of sense to me... Those two are going to be working together a lot, anyway. And Twicord is my brotp.

lad you're still enjoying the story!

PFFFT as if I ever stopped!!!!!

[GeekCat]

Oh, I like that not everyone is demanding Discord face consequences. They recognize that it's not really their history or their place to make a call, so they're letting those who have been affected make their choice.

Aww, he made the inside of the tent match her cottage, that's so sweet.

It's great to see that the Mane 6 have made up, even if not all of them completely like Discord at the moment.

And Spike is back! I was so excited to see Amity return, and to purge the darkness from him. I'm very excited to see exactly why Amity chose him, and how he's going to help in the final battle...but not having him as an enemy already makes their chances so much better!

Also, is Spike developing a bit of a crush on Amity?