Forgotten Bygones

by Catpaw616

Chapter 18: Déjà Vu

Five days had gone by since the three were locked up in the dungeon, thanks to Celestia and... Twilight. Due to Celestia being harsher, thanks to the spell, they rarely get any food or water. But whenever they did, all they gave for each of them was a carrot, and a teacup with water inside. It was basically laughable at this point.

"Some princess she is." Discord scoffed as he rolled his eyes. "'A sane one.' More like an insane one."

"I know! After what Starlight went through to get her back, she still chose Celestia over us!" Trixie exclaimed before crossing her arms. "I've been stabbed in the back once or twice in my life, but this is a new level of low."

Starlight just said nothing.

"So, how do we get out of this mess that we've put ourselves in?" Discord asked. "It's been five days, I think, yet it feels like an eternity." He then looked at the carrots in disgust. "I swear, I'll explode if I have to eat these carrots for the rest of my life."

"Well, too bad. It helps with your eyes." said a familiar voice. A familar, traitorous voice.

"You." Discord snarled. "You have some nerve coming here after that little stunt you pulled on us. I've actually enjoyed five days without seeing your face. You might as well be the Princess of Traitorous Backstabbing Losers."

"Funny title, and what are you gonna do? You're in a cage, for Celestia's sake. It's not like you can hurt me or anything." Twilight gloated.

Trixie now stepped up beside Discord. "I never thought I would hate you more than I did when you made a fool out of me when we first met, but you are doing a very good job at breaking a new record."

"Ha! As if I care." Twilight rolled her eyes. She peered beside the two and saw Starlight sulking at the corner. "Have you got anything to say?"

Starlight remained silent.

Twilight shrugged. "Huh. I guess not."

Trixie glared at her. "What did you expect? You broke her heart a million times already. What are you? A sadist?"

"Only to those who have wronged me." Twilight explained. "After all, why should I feel sorry for you after all the stunts and tricks you pulled on us?"

They remained silent.

Twilight continued. "After all, a leopard doesn't change their spots. All villains do is lie, steal, and will do anything in their power to get what they want. But in the end, they would never succeed."

"Hey, hold on a moment!" Trixie objected. "Wasn't Princess Luna a villain too? Wouldn't that make you a hypocrite of you think that all villains deserve to not be forgiven? What makes you think that Luna doesn't fit in that category."

"Luna didn't hurt me as much." Twilight defended calmly. "But you three have. For Discord, he turned Ponyville into a chaotic wreck, not to mention betrayed us to Tirek; you have used the alicorn amulet to ban me from my home, and forced my friends to do my bidding; and Starlight somehow took me and my friend's cutie marks away! It hurt!"

This time, Starlight finally got up and faced the princess. "I would do it again if it wasn't for this stupid ring." Starlight threatened.

"You're all bark but no bite." Twilight shook her head. "What a pity."

They just glared at her; meanwhile Starlight walked back into the same corner, clearly not wanting to face Twilight again.

"Well, I'll leave you to rot in here. Well, most of you anyway." Twilight said while looking at Discord. "As for you, Celestia decided to turn you to stone tomorrow night."

"Why?" he growled.

"Because I requested it." Twilight told him.

That was enough to make Discord angrier than ever. He leapt at the bars and slipped his lion paw through. Since Twilight was close to the bars, Discord slashed Twilight's cheek with his claws, leaving behind deep scratches.

Discord kept slashing outside the cave. "Just wait until I get my claws on you!" he threatened. "You're lucky this cage is here to save you."

"Discord!" Trixie, shocked by his actions, she kept pulling him back, but to no avail. Starlight didn't even attempt to help, although she was shocked as well, but not much.

Twilight winced as she put her hoof on her cheek. Her eyes narrowed when she saw blood on her hoof. She looked up at Discord with hatred, and her pupils turned red. "Actually, I'll make sure she does it tonight."

As soon as she said that, she winced again. But this time, it was not from the scratch. She kept rubbing her forehead with her hoof. It was as if she was fighting a headache.

Discord's anger died away, with confusion as the replacement. "Twilight are you ok?"

Twilight looked at Discord, while her eyes were red still, her gaze softened and... she looked sad? "I'm sorry..." she whispered.

"Huh?" Trixie tilted her head, confused as to what was happening. She also heard Starlight gasp in the background.

Twilight grunted as she rubbed her forehead once more. After she was done, her red color was gone, but she looked angry once more.

"This isn't over, Discord." she vowed. She quickly ran out of the dungeon, and slammed the dungeon doors. It was no mistake as to where she was going now.

"What... was that?" Discord rubbed his chin in confusion. "She was suddenly remorseful? That made no sense."

"She was trying to guilt trip you." Trixie rolled her eyes, although she was puzzled as well. "But I don't know why she said 'sorry'."

"Didn't you see?" They turned and saw Starlight looking out the bars.

"See what? A sudden personality change? We all saw that." Discord crossed his arms. Then he noticed that his paw had tiny tints of blood on them. "How unprofessional of me. I'm usually classier than this."

"You're right, a personality change!" Starlight beamed. "Did you notice that her tone and the way we looked at us completely changed after you slashed her cheek?"

Trixie and Discord looked confused.

"What about it?" They said at the same time.

Starlight was about to say something, but she stopped herself. She was in deep thought. She pranced inside the cell, clearly thinking.

She suddenly came to a realization. "She's torturing herself." she muttered.

"What?" Trixie strained her ears.

"If I am correct, Twilight had casted the spell onto herself again out of regret, and guilt." Starlight told them.

"What makes you say that?" Discord asked. "How do you know she didn't just fake it this whole time?"

"She wasn't. When she hit the rock, she was back to normal, and I know because she way she expresses her feelings towards us looks, and feels genuine. After all, the spell is supposed to make them hate us more, not less."

"So what made her do it then?" Discord asked again.

"Out of guilt." Starlight sighed before explaining. "Remember when we scolded her for casting the spell onto us? Well, when we left, she left with a guilt-stricken expression. This was when she was out of the spell. Now it just so happens that the next day she suddenly becomes extremely hostile and picks Celestia over us?"

The two looked at each other. It sounded like it made sense.

"And remember the last words she said to us before we left the throne room?" Starlight asked her two friends.

"How could I not?" Discord scoffed. "'You're not the only one punished.'"

"Do you think she meant that it was not only us that's getting punished, but she's punishing herself as well?"

"That sounds too crazy of a coincidence." Trixie now caught on. "And her eyes flashed red too!"

"It was only afterwards that she was almost back to normal... but the spell still had a hold of her." Discord sighed.

Starlight now started feeling regretful. "I should've known the real Twilight wouldn't betray us like that. What kind of friend am I?"

Trixie walked towards Starlight and comforted her. "There is no one to blame but the spell."

But it still didn't help her. "I know, but-"

The dungeon doors suddenly slammed open, and four guards marched onward.

"You're done for, Discord!" one guard yelled.

But Discord didn't look even scared. He turned his head to Trixie and Starlight. "Remember when I asked how we were going to get out?"

Trixie rubbed her neck. "I... think so?"

"Well, I've found the answer to my own question." Discord smiled.

"You do?" Starlight's face beamed.

"Of course I do." Discord then got onto all fours. "Just follow my lead."

As soon as the guards got closer, he gulped.

"This is our only chance."

Comments

[Stet709]

So... Twilight's essentially pulling a Luna by torturing herself.

[CharonX]

So the spell she accidentally cast made everyone forget that the three had redeemed themselves, and the only way to negate the effects is to for the three to hurt the ones affected? And because Twilight felt guilty she cast the spell on herself again, making herself forget again, in order to... I don't get it. All it does is make the situation worse for everyone involved, ESPECIALLY those she feels guilty about hurting. It just doesn't make any sense.

It's like saying "I'm feeling guilty and pain because I hurt my friends, so I'm torturing myself by hurting them even more."

[Catpaw616]

11440585
But worse: it affects the living world.

[Catpaw616]

11440588
Hm it will be explored further. After all it is all fresh news.

[Starlight Fan]

Welp, it’s official. Twilight’s stupider than Season 9 Discord. Never thought such a feat could be pulled but it was.

[Idiotboy24]

My god the situation keeps getting worse, I think I may die from all of the stuff that keeps piling on.

[Stet709]

11440589
*Waking world, but I get what you mean.
But wait, if she cast it again, was it only self-targeted this time or... oh no... are her friends affected again too?

[Starlight Fan]

11440635
Ooooooh for the sake of my already lit fuse. I hope not.

[GuardianDemonsWriter]

11440613
Agreed. If she is punishing herself, then why is she also punishing Starlight and Co? And...if they are forgetting that those three redeemed themselves...did they also forget that the changelings where redeemed?

[Catpaw616]

11440635
She altered it so it only affects herself

[Stet709]

11440782
Ah.
Also, I don't know if we're going to find out, but there still is the curiosity of Luna, who was affected, yet is a reformed villain. It's a bit of a double-edged sword really, as she isn't demonized like the other former villains, yet succumbed to the effects of the spell. Maybe a lingering effect of the Elements of Harmony (since she and Sunset were the only ones reformed via the Elements)? Or maybe a counterbalance since Zecora was granted immunity by the Everfree Forest?
Very curious indeed...

[Catpaw616]

11440833
We will get to her soon

[horses are fuckin weird]

11440613
...or her season 9 self.

[Starlight Fan]

11440782
Oh thank Discord.

[darius the brony]

11440782
"She altered it so it only affects herse" She couldn't wait until after they fixed the princesses to pull this? That is not coming off as sorry at all even, this is just literally unhelpful. Did she know that she would be hostile to her friends again?

[CharonX]

I guess I'll wait for the next chapter(s), maybe we'll get a reasonable explanation, even though I can't remotely think of a remotely plausible one right now.

Accidentally casting a spell? Yes, I can imagine her being that careless. Intentionally casting that spell again mainly to "punish" herself (even if modified), all the while making things WORSE - that would require Snips & Snails levels of intellect.