Chapter 3 - The Power Of Emotion
Fluttershy's honey colored form froze right at the kitchen counter when she heard the distinct sound of blankets moving around. She pretended she couldn't see him, but the pegasus was able to catch a glimpse of the draconequus from the corner of a miffed blue eye.
"I told you not to try and get up..."
"You said that yesterday."
"It also applies for today." Sighing, the pegasus turned away from where she was stirring another batch of medicine and calmly trotted over.
She knew he was getting aggravated; he had been condemned to that little bed for almost two weeks now. Two weeks...it was hard to believe she had survived that long with him. It was a good thing she had such patience. "Now, I know you're very frustrated."
"Why can't I move yet?" Discord griped, attempting to move his leg and only earning a soft glare from Fluttershy in retribution. With a rather adorable and childish pout, he begrudgingly retracted his limb back under the blankets.
"Isn't physical work out essential to a healing process?"
The pegasus shook her head, nudging the annoyed spirit back onto his pillow. "Not when every bone in their body is broken......and they cry every time they try to get up," she pointed out knowingly, slightly amused by his reddening face. "Besides, you just want to get moving again so you can cause chaos once more."
"Duh."
"Well, I'm not having any of that, mister!" Discord blinked, both surprised and impressed by the pony's sudden brashness – not to mention her mother-scolding-glare. "No more chaos for you until you get better."
Snorting in laughter, the spirit sunk back against the bed, deeply amused. "You sound like you're my mother." He had to smirk at the pony's barely audible little mumble:
"Someone's gotta be..."
Fluttershy brewed the last of the medicine, licking the sticky and bitter liquid that dripped onto the counter. She screwed up her face, and then hastily bottled the disgusting gloop in several jars, shoving several of them into cupboards. "I need to leave for a little while to get some more supplies and bandages and such-"
He cut her off: "And you're leaving me here – alone? Unrestricted?" Playful venom shone in his eyes as he casually traced patterns on his pillow. "What if I try to ruin something?"
"You won't be alone; one of my friends are coming to stay," Fluttershy said, more reassuring herself than anyone. Oh, it would be worst case scenario to come home and find food turned into flowers, and flowers turned into lollipops. (Even though Pinkie Pie would just adore that.) Good thing Celestia still had his magic kept securely away from him.
"She'll also be reporting to me on your behavior..."
A dastardly smirk spread across the twisted face. "Oh, is that so? Well, I'll be sure to give her heck." The smirk only widened when he saw how much he was annoying the ever sweet and placid Fluttershy. "So, who's the little pony that will be my supervisor, hm?"
As if on cue, the distant stampede like sound could be heard, and Fluttershy sighed, watching as an enormous billowing cloud of dust rose up past her window. She could hear all her animals desperately scattering for safety – Angel included.
The door finally burst open, and there she was, cotton candy mane bouncing from an obvious run, apron hanging loosely around her bubble gum, pink neck. The annoying squeal split the air and broke the sound barrier:
"Who wants to make cookiiiies!"
Instantly, the chimera's head flopped down into the pillow as he muffled the barely concealable groan of dread. "Oh no..." He felt the pegasus lightly, and sympathetically pat him on the back of the head with a hoof.
"It will only be for a little while," Fluttershy chuckled awkwardly. "Maybe just an hour, and she will probably be too busy baking to really..."
"....Annoy me?" he decided to finish.
".....Yes." Still flashing the draconequus that wayward smile, Fluttershy grabbed a few bags in between her teeth and made her way to the end of the bed, meeting the ludicrous sight of Discord desperately clasping his paw and talon together, eyes pleading.
"Do not worry, I will be back soon." He blue eyes were stuck to those desperate red ones that seemed to be begging for mercy. "...Iiin the meantime, I don't want you to try and get up anymore. You aren't ready for it."
"Please," he growled, hostility leaking back into those beady, mismatched eyes. "Where do you get off ordering me around?" He blinked when the pegasus once again glared.
"Come on now, I've been taking care of you for almost two weeks," Fluttershy protested, hooves slightly clasped in front of her, a hopeful smile curling the tips of her lips. "Just this once, do something for me?"
She watched him merely snort bitterly and continue making patterns on his pillow. Sighing, the pony knew she had no other choice, so she firmly stomped down her hoof and stood in front of him. The stomp from the ever gentle Fluttershy was enough to at least direct some of the stubborn spirit's direction to her, so Fluttershy began blinking to exercise her eyes.
"What's wrong, dear?" he teased, "something in your eye?" That's when the pegaus finally lashed out with the stare; wide, hard blue orbs burning into his very soul like a vortex that one could easily be sucked into.
Discord just sort of stared back at the pegasus for a moment, and then gave a wry and triumphant smirk. "Nice try."
Fluttershy let out her breath, chest deflating disappointingly like a popped balloon. "Oh well, I thought it was at least worth a shot." Of course chaos himself wouldn't fear something as meager and pathetic as 'the stare'. "Be good for Pinkie Pie," she said, closing the door.
Discord made sure that the pegaus was out of sight and earshot, then promptly let his ears fall back and his eyes to go wide. He grimaced, rubbing his chilled shoulders with crossed arms; the stare still fresh in his mind and probably would be for ages. "Guh."
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The crisp pale morning gave off to a warmer afternoon, where the windows could be open to let in the fresh comforting air. As such, it exchanged parting greetings with the aroma of muffins and cookies as it floated out into the summer breeze.
Yes, the overwhelming scent of so many baked goods was positively nauseating. Discord shut his eyes tightly, trying to fight the uncontrollable urge to finally retch and let it all go. No doubt the smell of vomit would make himself dizzier. He wriggled himself out from under the blankets, body hot and drizzled with the uncomfortable feeling of sweat.
As the day had gone on, he had gotten progressively sicker, and his pain had escalated from mild to severe; his body consumed in blue fire agony. Discord tried to shake off the subtle change his body took as a frightening sense of sleep was threatening to take over him.
"Le'see," Pinkie Pie mumbled, absently raiding Fluttershy's pantry for anything that might be tasty in her baked goods. "Do ya think that some hot sauce might taste good in it? I mean – yeah, it's weird – but I like, love spicy foods! Do you?" She took the weak unconscious and misleading head nodding as a yes.
"Okey-dokey-lokey then! Hot sauce it is!" The party pony then began to dump the crimson, fiery liquid into the interesting concoction.
By now the pony's voice sounded like it was underwater to Discord.. Specks dotted his fading vision; his body sinking deeper and deeper into the bed, no longer able to fight the dark and vicious grip of unconsciousness.
Pinkie Pie gasped as she watched the draconequus's eyes close. Then, pouting, she stomped over to him and wagged a scolding hoof at his still body.
"Hey! No sleepy! Come on, I'm – like – trying to teach you to bake here!" She nudged him; he didn't move. "Fluttershy told me she didn't want ya sleeping yet! Come on, open those..weird eyes!"
But the draconequus stayed completely silent.
Pinkie Pie gave a loud huff of annoyance and rolled her eyes a bit. "Okay then, Dissy- (he probably would have murdered her for that)- I didn't wanna do this, buttt..." Shrugging, the pony stepped down hard on the shattered tail-
-and there was no response. It was then that it finally dawned on Pinkie Pie as the sickening realization crashed down on her in waves. He wasn't sleeping. The earth pony let out a blood curdling scream as she darted out of the cottage faster than any time increment could measure, all the while screaming Fluttershy's name as she ran.
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"How did this happen?" With trembling and tear stained hooves, the pegasus wrung the drenched cloth out into the bucket of ice water, having trouble seeing through her brimming tears "I-I was just here! He was just fine – he was-he was being..mean and everything!" Shakily, with her mouth, she gently placed the cloth on the motionless creature's forehead.
"I don't know," Pinkie Pie whimpered. Her usual sickly cheerfulness had dissipated like the sun behind clouds, happiness replaced with solid fear.
"I-I...I was just here!" Fluttershy practically wailed, fighting with all her might to keep from breaking down in front of her best friend. "This morning, I was here and he was okay!" Brokenly, she shook the dying spirit, inwardly pleading he would at least open his eyes – do something to ease the worst of her fears! ......But he didn't.
"Alright, what's goin' on here? Ah'm there stackin' apples in barrels and next thing ah know Pinkie is screamin' like a howler monkey and demandin' we all git to Fluttershy's cottage immediately!" Applejack's voice cut through the soft, whimpering cries and pants, directing all attention to the southern pony.
"Ah demand an explanation, ya hear?" Her eyes widened as they caught sight of the trembling little pegasus half buried into Pinkie Pie's leg. "What in tarnation? Fluttershy, what in the hay is goin' on?"
"Yeah, I'd like to know that--"
"I as well!" Two ponies both made their way into the cottage, looking concerned and disgruntled. One's usually curled purple mane was slightly ruffled, indicating she had not yet finished brushing her hair. (Which could be one of the main reasons why she looked incredibly annoyed.)
"Girls," Fluttershy was finally able to choke out, "it's Discord!"
Applejack took one good look at the spirit and even her heart skipped a beat. "What-what's wrong with 'im? Is he.......dead?"
"No, b-but I fear he-" she swallowed a sob "-he may be really close to it! We need to get Twilight; she may be the only pony that might h-have a clue of what to do." The pegasus's eyes darted about her friends in confusion as she read their disheartened looks. "What? What-what is it?"
Applejack cleared her throat. "Ah, Fluttershy, no one seen Twi in...about a week. Ah mean, she just kinda stays in the library – which is usually Twilight, but..ah think we know why she won't come out."
The remainder of Fluttershy's heart felt like it was stuck in her throat as she spoke. "B-but she might be the only one who can do something for him. Her magic, or-or she can contact the princess."
"Ah wouldn't hold yer breath on that, Sugar Cube," Applejack whispered.
A look of utter devastation crossed the pegasus pony's face and she looked ready to crumple to the ground and cry. For once though, Fluttershy didn't break down and cry, shake, or break into a substance as soft and vulnerable as butter. She acted; eyes smouldering with anger and determination as her wings fanned out.
"Well I am holding my breath on it!" And the pegasus bolted through the open window before any pony could utter a word of complete shock.
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Twilight Sparkle's library was not what Fluttershy remembered it to be. Granted, the pegasus rarely entered it; most of her friends prepared to arrange their gatherings somewhere other than such a 'bookish' – as Rarity would call it – place. Fluttershy never minded it since books were calm and quiet, just as she liked it, but today things were a bit...different.
Books were strewn everywhere (matter-a-fact, they looked as if they had been..tossed?), chairs had been overturned, looking like they had been kicked over, and the place was...dusty! In the midst of the carelessly tossed books was a worried and exhausted looking baby dragon struggling to keep up with the sudden escalation in cleaning. He glanced up at Fluttershy, then cast another look up to the stairs where Twilight was doubtlessly laying in bed.
"Oh, Fluttershy, I don't think..Twilight really wants any visitors right now," Spike began awkwardly, trying to gently usher Fluttershy out the door. She wasn't having it.
"Please, Spike, it is very important I see her immediately. A...a life depends on it!" The yellow pegasus didn't wait for a response as she darted up the stairway, amidst the purple dragon's protests.
"Twilight, Twilight, get up!"
The curled up, purple form barely raised her head. "Fluttershy? I-I know you girls are probably a bit mad at me... I haven't come to seen you in a while-"
"We will talk about that later," Fluttershy said dismissively, placing a firm and coaxing hoof on the un-brushed mane. "Right now I need you to come to my cottage immediately." Instantly, the pegasus noted the unicorn start to tremble.
"No...I can't. I-I can't see him, not after what I did. I just can't."
Fluttershy took a deep cleansing breath, deciding it best she try a different approach and ease Twilight into this. "Twilight, why are your books all over the floor? Your books are so important to you... Why would you just toss them?"
The mare pulled back a hoof, revealing an open book that she had obviously been reading all night to try and cope with her grief. "My books are important to me; those were my spell books. I...I can't look at them right now." The bed jumped a bit as Fluttershy stomped her hoof.
"Twilight, you are theEelement of Magic! You cannot just stop being who you are because of..because of one little mistake.." A little worried, the pegasus kept checking her best friend over to make sure she wasn't turning gray again.
"You are magic, and you can never stop doing magic, and you know that..."
No response.
"Please..." The weak barrier was once again cracking in a million places as the tears threatened to return in buckets. "I need your help so badly..you have no idea. Please at least come to my cottage, even if you..you do not do anything. I just..I need you."
"........."
".....Didn't you say you do not ever ever abandon friends?" It was more a rhetorical question since Fluttershy didn't even bother hoping for a response, and as such, didn't wait to see if Twilight even acknowledged the deep inquiry. She got ready to take to the skies once more, and the hoof fell on her shoulder. She turned.
Twilight raised her head, smiling in that light, uplifting way that Fluttershy and the ponies were sure they'd never see again. "What do you need?"
Positively beaming, the yellow pegasus wrapped her hooves firmly around her best friend and smiled. "First, I need Spike to deliver a letter to the princess. I think she might be the only one that can really help us; I'm sure she has enough magic. Please let her know that...that Discord has taken a turn for the worst and it is an absolute emergency!"
Twilight nodded firmly and called over the banister. "Spike, ya got that?" When she looked over the railing, she was shocked to see the scroll already disappear in a green sparkling cloud.
"Check!"
"Now, Twilight, gather up some of your spell books," Fluttershy advised, ignoring her best friend's cringe at the very thought of even laying one eye on those horrid books. "You may need them."
Twilight gazed down at one of the books with fear, as if it was the spirit of death itself. It used to be her favorite, and she used to read it every night as a filly; sometimes Celestia read it to her. Its edged were worn and wrinkled, and the picture on the cover was fading with the inked on words. Now, Twilight couldn't look at it – couldn't look at any of them without feeling her heart being thrust into further, dark turmoil.
None the less, with a trembling mouth, she picked it up, tossing it into her saddlebag.
Fluttershy had gathered a few herself, not bothering to look at what they were, mostly because she knew they were spell books and that was enough. Twilight Sparkle watched the pegasus sit there despondently, hooves twitching anxiously, biting her lip.
"How long does it take for the princess to respond to a letter?" Fluttershy demanded, voice rugged with fear.
"Not usually long if it's an emergency. Oh, but she...she might be in a Council meeting."
The remnants of Fluttershy's heart sunk deep into her stomach as she fell further into despair. The princess may have been their only hope; they wouldn't be able to do this on their own. "Then-then let's just go, and hope she responds soon."
The ponies galloped through the pile of discarded books, and towards the door. It was Fluttershy that skidded to a stop first – Twilight following suit as the blinding, white glow bathed over the both of them. The feathered, alabaster wings extending first, and then her pale, serene body came from the mist.
Princess Celestia lowered her head to them both. "Let's go."
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It didn't seem like the ponies had only left for about fifteen minutes; it looked more like the spirit had been left there in burning hot agony for days without care or respite. His eyes didn't open and his chest barely rose, but every so often his muscles made involuntary spasms as the sickness racked his body without rest.
"Comatose," Celestia muttered, earning cries of horror and shock from the group of anxious ponies (one still crying into Twilight). "Definitely c..comatose." Celestia breathed out as she stepped away from the draconequus. By now, he was so feverish he was radiating heat.
"Well...what do we do?" Fluttershy whimpered. "How do we wake him up?"
"How did this even happen, princess?" Twilight Sparkle whispered, visibly still keeping a few guilty feet from the bed. "Aren't all three of you supposed to be...immortal?"
The princess finally turned away from the bed (rather glad to have her attention averted from the grim sight), and calmly strode up to the group of ponies. It was hard to keep her composure when she really studied the looks on their faces. They seemed so lost and confused; it was Fluttershy and her student that broke her heart the most.
"We..are immortal, in a sense." She sat down with them, folding her wings in and speaking carefully. "We cannot die from illnesses, although we can contract them."
A spark of hope came to Fluttershy's eyes. "Then, Discord should be o-"
Celestia gently cut her off: "We can be physically hurt and killed by brute force though. And..." She took a breath, looking at the fibers of the carpet. "We can die if the illness results from our injuries, because it wouldn't be just a simple virus coursing through our bodies. Odds are that if we got sick from our injuries, it would be....."
"Princess," Twilight pressed desperately.
"...Blood poisoning."
Dead silence. Everyone in the group bit their lips and looked at each other, some stone faced, the rest with wet cheeks. No one wanted to look at the spirit now, since odds were high that his cuts had turned a raw, pulsing purple that probably stretched over his appendages. Not a pretty sight.
Fluttershy, by this point, was barely understandable as the words jumbled out with muddled sobs. "But you're the P-Princess Of The Sun! You have more magic than any pony in Equestria! Y-you...you should be able to cure him instantly!"
The princess had a pained look on her face. "I am not a goddess of the sick though; I am the Goddess Of The Sun. This isn't something that can be done with the snap of a hoof, dear. Healing magic is one of the most complicated magic in Equestria, mostly because of how potent it is. It is something that can rarely be done."
"I don't understand!" Twilight protested. "When I was with you a lot in Caterlot you-you sometimes healed some wilted flowers. I mean, it's a living thing."
"Uh, Twilight?" Rainbow Dash had a slightly deadpan look on her face. "I think, ya know, a flower is a bit easier to revive than a pony."
Celestia nodded in agreement. "Correct." She bent down to Twilight. "Do you also remember that day we strolled in the forest? You found a..a dead bunny near a bush." She cringed when she heard Fluttershy's breath hitch, knowing that that probably wasn't the best thing to have on the fragile pegasus's mind right now.
"I-I remember," Twilight Sparkle whispered. "But you said nothing could be done for it... Guess you can't resurrect things either?"
The princess grimly nodded. "This time it isn't the matter of the spell being too strong. Resurrection is something forbidden for the royalty of Equestria."
The mane six looked hopelessly confused, all exchanging looks.
"It's forbidden?" Twilight asked incredulously. "Why on earth – you're the princess! You should be able to do whatever you want!"
Celestia shook her head solemnly. "The royalty in Equestria represents harmony and the balance of life, and as such, it is what Luna and I are; we are the spirits of harmony and the balance of life. Discord is the spirit of chaos and the unbalance of life."
"With all due respect, your highness, we all know this," Applejack pointed out. "Why is it y'all are repeating it?"
"Because, Applejack, resurrection breaks every law of the natural cycle of life, so Luna and I can't use that magic..."
The southern pony's eyes narrowed. "Wait just a cotton-pickin' minute – are ya telling us.."
"Discord is the only one that can use resurrection magic." The celestial princess watched every pair of eyes bug out. "Because Discord represents the unbalance of life and can break any law of life, he is the only one that can bring back the dead. I never have seen him do it, nor have I seen him kill, but he possess both powers."
"So, waitaminute," Pinkie Pie held up a hoof; "You mean the only one that can bring back the dead and heal himself is, like, the one that can't even MOVE right now?? That is so not fair!"
"These rules suck," Rainbow Dash growled, earning a reprimanding, sharp nudge in the leg from Applejack and a hissed "Rainbow!"
"No, you're right," Celestia defended her. "They do entirely."
"But what do we do?" Fluttershy whimpered, and all heads turned to her, a little over shocked by what they witnessed. The pegasus was nothing more than a trembling and quietly weeping little ball of butter by this point. Every pony watched as she tenderly, almost motherly, smoothed a gentle hoof down Discord's ghastly face, occasionally nuzzling his limp lion paw now and then.
The princess and the ponies exchanged looks, conveying the words they didn't bother saying. Every face looked to the alicorn with desperation now, not able to stand seeing their friend in so much pain. Celestia felt positively helpless.
"Wh-what about the Elements?" Twilight asked meekly. "Can't the Elements do anything?" Her friends turned to her, hope alighting their eyes as shouts of "yeah, the Elements will help him!" and "It's the Elements Of Harmony - of course it'll save him!"
The room fell into an anguished silence when Celestia grimly shook her head once more.
"I'm sorry, my little ponies, but the using the Elements is perhaps the most..unintelligent idea by far."
"What?" Twilight cried. "Princess, you can't be serious! It's the most powerful magic known to Ponydom!"
Celestia sighed, the increasingly heart broken little faces cutting her to her very soul. "The Elements' soul purpose is to protect and do what is best for Equestria, and they will only do what they think is right. We never have had any control over what they'd do, we just had to put our faith in hoping they'd do what is right."
Fluttershy wiped her wet and glossy blue eyes. "Y-you mean you never meant to encase him in stone?"
"Honestly," Celestia confessed, "I was certain they'd kill him. I..I prayed to Equestria that wouldn't have to be the case – I prayed that he'd be reverted back to the way he used to be when he was like family to Luna and I – when we were children." She watched the pupils go wide, but didn't expand on that. It was another story entirely.
"I don't get it though!" Twilight exclaimed, shaking her head. "I mean, Nightmare Moon was never encased in stone."
The princess inwardly shuddered as she did so often when that evil rendition of her baby sister was mentioned. "Nightmare Moon was a dark, possessive influence that was spawned by Luna's inner turmoil. My little sister was always in there though – somewhere deep down, repentant for her sins, so that is why she could be saved."
"That makes sense, I-I guess." By now, Fluttershy had finally wobbled her way back to the group; there was nothing more she could do for the spirit anyways.
"B-but Discord...he..he isn't all bad! I've taken care of him for weeks and I- and I'd know that! And you.." She looked at the princess pleadingly. "You just said that Discord used to be..family to you, so you'd know that he isn't all bad either.."
Celestia sighed. "He has been mischievous and could be cruel from the very beginning, even when he was just a little pup; he was already learning about his power and what he could do with it. Discord was encased in stone because he cannot change.
His being emanated from the disharmony and unbalance that was once Equestria, and his soul purpose was to cause chaos and twist the balance of life on its back. He is capable of all emotion and can love whomever he wants, but there will always be that darkness in his heart that can't be removed even if he wished to remove it. Causing chaos is what he was born to do; it was where he was born from. The Elements knew that and knew he needed to be sealed away for the sake of Equestria."
A heavy look cast over the princess's face. "And why he may need to be sealed again."
In the dead silence of the tension filled room, a soft voice spoke:
"...Maybe that's what we have to do." Everyone looked at Fluttershy. "Maybe sealing him in stone is the only thing that will save him from...s-such a-" sob "-horrible death!"
It shattered the princess's heart, but she had to once again shake her head. "No, dear... that is also one of the worst things we can do. If we seal him in stone this way, he will either remain in this agony or he will die in the stone."
The heart wrenching sob split through the air as the little pegasus's voice and emotions quickly reached hysterics. "Then what do we do!! We are – we are all out of options and we are running out of time!" Applejack tried to wrap her hooves around her sobbing friend, but the distraught pony pushed her away.
".....We have only one option." The princess stood up. "The chances are slim that it will work, but it is our only shot at this point.
If two magics counteract with each other it may be strong enough to at least heal the blood poisoning and perhaps speed the process of his overall healing. If performed correctly, he will come from the coma and perhaps his life will no longer be in imminent danger."
"Please," Fluttershy whispered. "Try it – try anything."
The princess gazed down at the shaking and sniffling pegasus and her heart soared. Gently, she lowered her head and softly nuzzled the pony slightly. "You have a wonderful heart, little one. Even with everything he has done, you want him to be saved. You are truly a wonderful friend to your friends..and to him."
If Discord was awake and coherent, he'd doubtlessly cringe and go "Ugh, gag me!", not to mention be baffled by the "friend" comment. Though – honestly, every pony in that room would welcome it.
A silver, purple glow enveloped Celestia's horn, and – in a flash – a large leather spell book appeared; the pages flipping by her magic. Everyone noticed Twilight's eyes widen in horror when she read the title:
Alicorn's Power.
"The 'Alicorn's Power' is of the most advanced magic in Equestria, and it is called 'Alicorn's Power' for a reason. It is seldom that any pony but an alicorn can tame and use this magic. ...It is our only shot though." She turned to the group of bewildered ponies. "But I cannot do this on my own."
Instantly a small unicorn was in front of her, but not by her own accord.
"Hey!" Rarity exclaimed. "Dear Equestria, have you all lost your horseshoes?? I'm surprised I managed to lug his body all the way to the cottage – there is no way I can possibly use this...alicorn..magic...thing! Oh, but I could..knit him a lovely scarf to keep warm, if he..needs it," Rarity said pathetically.
"Thank you, Rarity," Celestia smiled, "but it isn't you I need right now." On cue, every pony stepped aside, revealing the crouched down and slightly balled up, lavender unicorn.
"Princess...I can't." Her mentor's hoof stepped down firmly in front of her, a slightly stern look on the princess's face.
"Twilight Sparkle, listen to yourself speak; You are doubting yourself, and that is not the student I've taught and raised all these years." She firmly nudged her snout under the little mare's chin, forcing her to look at her. "And you know it."
"But look at what I've done with that...that horrible spell book! I've almost killed him!" She collapsed against her teacher's leg, shaking with grief.
"And now you have a chance to make it up to him. You could save his life..."
The mare barely brought her tear stained face out from her mentor's fur and looked at the dusty book on the carpet. Only a mere week ago did that book almost end his life...Irony did work in weird ways. She looked up into Celestia's gentle and encouraging purple eyes.
"I know you can do it, my faithful student. ..I call you 'my faithful student' for a reason." She pressed her cheek against the quivering unicorn's. "Please... You are the only thing standing between his death; you're the only one that can determine whether he lives or dies."
"Yeesh," Pinkie Pie grimaced. "No pressure or anything..." This earned an annoyed jab from her friends and a "shhhh!"
The purple mare stared into her teacher's gentle and comforting face, and looked at Celestia's extended hoof of encouragement. Finally, determination set in her face, she took the hoof in a firm grip and followed her mentor to the bed side. The group had only been turned away from him for a few minutes, but again, it seemed so much longer.
"Have you been reading up on the healing spell?" Celestia asked the apprehensive unicorn, receiving a stiff nod in return.
"Just focus, Twilight. Focus and believe in yourself. Remember who you are: you are the Element Of Magic."
All Twilight could do was nod, and the spell commenced.
Discord's pale and disheveled body was bathed in a soft pink hue that flashed every few seconds – like a heart beat.
"This magic mimics the movement of a heartbeat; it will tell us if he is still alive or not." Celestia turned to the group. "Every pony, stand back."
She turned to her student and gripped her hoof for reassurance. "Are you ready, Twilight?" The unicorn shakily nodded once more.
A dark tone washed over the room; the only light being the golden orbs emanating from the two horns, and the dim glow surrounding Discord. A soft, melodious whistle sounded through the room, and a gentle breeze from the spell caressed through the mane of every pony.
"Focus," Celestia ordered loudly over the whistle. "No doubts now! Doubting yourself will cause an immediate failure."
Twilight Sparkle squinted her eyes shut as tight as she could, forcing herself to take deep cleansing breaths as the ribbon of power uncurled from inside her horn. Unlike last time, there was no unseen gravitational pull; it was subtle and calm, entwining with the princess's.
The dim light surrounding Discord began to fade, weakly pulsating.
"No!" Fluttershy cried, evidently being held back from the scene by her friends. "No, Discord, hang on..! Please hang on!"
Both Celestia and Twilight's eyes opened for a split second, their hearts constricting when they noted how weak the light was; like a mere candle with a dying flame, seconds to go before it completely goes out.
Discord, please... Celestia inwardly whispered. Please, this is for the sake of Twilight and Fluttershy; the rest of the ponies.....and..and me. You have more to live for then you realize and you have to fight! Fight with us! I know you still have that ever stubborn fighting will in you – fight!
Another pony was desperately screaming in her thoughts: Please, Discord... please, I just want to finally make it up to you! I want you to forgive me and even if you don't, I want you to at least live! Please..for Fluttershy...
She looked back to her friends.
For all of us...
The light around the spirit was but a mere dim prick of pink now, and it could barely be seen. The spell was failing...
...And he was fading...
Suddenly – before any pony could react – Fluttershy burst out of her friend's hold and bound across the room before any pony could stop her, and she gripped his limp paw tightly, pressing it close to her.
I remember my mother once telling me that a person will never die unless they know they have someone who is worth fighting for... Please, can't you see that I can bee that someone? That I want to be? I've wanted to ever since I first took you in, saw you laying there in pain in that cave... Oh please, don't give up yet.. You have someone. I know you don't think you need someone-!
.....But you do.
From the pegasus's tightly shut eyes and copious volume of tears, she could see the sudden brightly flashing light. Eyes wide with astonishment, she stared as the spirit's form as the light glowed brighter and brighter. It was positively blinding, but no pony cared.
All at once, the light had vanished in an instant, from both the draconequus and the unicorns, and the room was completely silent.
Then, a shift.
Breathing was held.
And an eye flutter.
Fluttershy's grip became tighter.
Finally, those confused and annoyed, ruby mismatched eyes opened, as he looked to see that every pony was surrounding his bed, all eyes on him.
".......What are you staring at?"
A chorus of happy and relieved cheers broke through the silence, further sparkling tears shed; ponies hopping, and some just collapsing in relief and exhaustion.
Hopelessly confused, Discord finally rolled his eyes in annoyance – and they fell on the little pegasus at his side. She stared back at him, motionless, her eyes barely even seeming to be seeing him.
"What's up with-" But the spirit was cut off, his entire body jumping in shock as the foreign little form launched herself at him, draping herself over his covered chest and sobbing inconsolably.
"......" He froze, utterly baffled.
Celestia swallowed hard as she approached him – and as if the draconequus couldn't be any more surprised today! – she had tears in her own eyes. "How are you feeling now?"
He licked his dry lips and tried to ignore the bawling pony cuddled into him. "Could be better, but...I could be worse." Indeed some of the pain had been taken away; his fever already fading.
Celestia pushed a very stiff little purple mare towards his bed side with a hoof. "And you have Twilight to thank for that."
Twilight's eyes were directed firmly to the floor, the tears rolling down her cheeks as she predicted what he might say. Laugh at Celestia's idiocy? Snarl at her? A sarcastic retort? Oh, did it really matter that she had saved his life? She still almost destroyed it.
And she certainly didn't respond what came from his mouth:
"..........Thanks." Her head shot up instantly; he now focused a sour 'but I still don't like you' look on his face. Still, it made it easier for the unicorn to breathe, and tonight, she'd finally be able to sleep.
Discord sat himself up on the bed and smirked devilishly at the princess. "Oh, Tia, darling, would you be a dear and please give me just the slightest smidgen of my magic back? I've been dying with boredom here." All ponies visibly cringed at the poor choice of words.
Celestia was glad her face was turned from him, because it had flushed a deep red. She wasn't sure what was more embarrassing: the fact he had once again reverted to calling her by her childhood name, or the fact he called her 'darling.'
Still, if anything, he deserved just a little treat, so she bent her horn quietly to fulfill that wish, and watched as he grinned as the small amount of power flowed through him once more.
The princess turned to the group of ponies still cheering excitedly, and smiled. "I think it's time we finally leave to let these two get some rest." Beaming, she filed out with the group, but not before gently nuzzling her student with pride.
"I'm so proud of you.."
The mare nudged affectionately against her teacher's cheek. "Thank you, Princess..." Both girls giggled when they heard Discord making a dramatic gagging noise from behind them, and they cast a glance back to the spirit and the sobbing pegasus once more before quietly shutting the door.
With the crowd gone, Discord immediately turned his attention to Fluttershy, who was still sobbing into him. Since the pegasus had leaped on him, he felt...odd. The cries and archaic embrace somehow managing to ever so slightly wriggle their way into his frigid heart.
He didn't speak to the pony, only absently raked a claw through the rosette mane, convincing himself he was only trying to get her to calm down so she'd shut up and he could sleep.
But that probably wasn't the reason.
Now after all these weeks, he could finally feel the power – all though little – surge through him. Oh, at last he could mess with this sickeningly cutesie wootsie house just a bit! He had plans for it since he was first brought to this cottage. Maybe some wallpaper with giant, frightening looking bugs, oh, and turn some of those plates into frisbees and pizza pies.
But – nah – as his first act of magic in two weeks, what did he choose to do? Simply summon a blanket and gently lay it over Fluttershy.
xxxxxxxx
(Long...chapter...is....long. I am so sorry for this. XD I know you probably won't even have the patience for this, but hopefully you do, cause it's the best one by far.
Discord fears the "Stare." Okay, that's even more amusing.
ANYWAYS, so yay, Twilight finally starts to make it up to him a bit..by saving his life. Whoop-whoop!
And I have to admit that the ending was solely inspired by this AMAZING fic that I read over and over again "Cemented" on FF and I even got permission from the writer to use one of her lovely lines at the end.
So, someone is warming up to Fluttershy a little bit. As Celestia predicted though, he can't change, so this fic may get interesting.
Also, there is no intended romance in this fic other than friendship; Discord and Fluttershy friendship, and - eh, I guess if you want to go far enough, that wayward trainwreck of a friendship of Pinkie and Discord could be considered a romance, but I wouldn't go there.
I personally love Dislestia though. 
So stay tuned for the next chapter which focuses mainly on Fluttershy and Discord)
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288659 THANKS, DEAR! Still getting the hang of this...
288761Oh I do believe this chapter is the only one where he's really labeled a chimera, and the previous ones. For the most part in the next one it's "spirit, draconequus, entity". but he is a chimera really, and I've seen it in a few fics~ A chimera: "Any mythical animal with parts taken from various animals."
Er, as for the parenthesis thing, could you elaborate? I'm afraid I don't understand. ^^;
I have a bad eye for grammar errors. Usually I get really good in grammar, but I always seen to have at least two or three in each chapter. I can never seem to pick them all out so if you could direct me to a few it would deeply appreciated~
And thank you so much! I was nervous of posting it on here, but I got enough people on DA and FF telling me to, and even some recommending me to EQD! Ha, however, this story has actually been on here since December. I was sad I got NO reviews or tracking and that's when I'm like "wait...submit button? What's that do? ..............Ohhhh..."
288767 Oh, u flatterer
288848
Haha no problem, you deserve the praise!
As for the parantheses thing, you said "... see the element of compassion doing such a thing. (Although he could see Rainbow Dash doing it.)"
What I meant is that it would be easier on the eyes if it were '... see the element of compassion doing such a thing (although he could see Rainbow Dash doing it).'
Then again, I might just be a picky grouch
As I said, there are VERY few grammatical errors (thinking back on it, they're better classified as syntax errors). Going back through and skimming the second and third parts however, here's what I found:
1) "dracraconequus" rather than draconequus
2) "matter-a-factly" rather than matter-of-factly
And
3) "theEelement"
There are probably other, more minor, errors, but these are the ones that stuck out the most.
Do you have a prereader? Normally, an extra pair of eyes can pick up errors since these eyes don't belong to the author.
If not, you could always ask someone to take a look at your writing before you submit, whether IRL or via the internet (hint hint).
Cheers,
teraoptic
soul purpose should be sole. Just caught that while reading :)
Edit: "will never die unless" is double negative, so it says that they will die if they do, and "bee" following that.
I like the length of this chapter, and yes, I absolutely love dislestia relationship dynamics, it reminds me of Alucard and Integra from Hellsing. Playful and taunting, but chilling to the core if you think about it too much.
Long chapters are best! I personally love 10k+ word chapters the most (not that this chapter was, I think, but I'm just mentioning how much I like long chapters).
Discord is best pony... Eeyup
"Twilight Sparkle, listen to yourself spea.; You are doubting yourself
Perhaps Celestia would like to elucidate on what it means to "spea." ;)
some error... ant many questions rise... like knowing the spell but not using it a bit earlier like... before he got sick??? and many more took me this far to realise that i read someting a like but than with a sirten '' Gread and Powerfull'' trixie... i swear if this ends with discort giving a magic show, i eat about anything thats not wise to not eat...>.>
FlutterCord Friendshipping, FTW!!! I am profoundly amused with this story. I was fearing for Discord along with everyone else and was relieved when he was healed. You are a good writer.
Chaos is chaotic. I wub dis fic so far. three chapters in 15 minutes, damn, I really do like it!!!
I like this story. I like it allot. It's refreshing to see a 'wanna be friends?' fic instead of another regurgitated, 'Lulz let's ship Rainbow Dash with Tom the Rock cuz she's a lezbo! Dur-Hur!' And before you ask, yeah, Rainbow's probably been shipped with everything from Applejack to Celestia to Blueblood and even to Tom the goddamn Rock.
P.S. What's that story where you used the ending of this chapter? Can I has link?
After doing a week of essay writing, reading this fic for the second time really makes my day.
"Twilight, you are theEelement of Magic! I'm sorry, I'm a grammer queen.
Why even Celestia needed help with healing spell, Twilight managed to cast her without help, and Celestia could just teleport to Canterlot, summon Luna to help and teleport back, I really notice Celestia/Luna and Discord underpowered when Twilight is overpowered in this story.
1529050: It's spelled 'Grammar', not Grammer!
Talk about kicking yourself in the ass!
DISLESTIA!~ WOOOOO
Yeah, the pacing still feels a bit off... not much time to see how Twilight had been negatively effected before she's out of it. Nor do we really get to know why he suddenly relapsed and came close to death.
Still, it is... interesting to see how Discord is changing, even slightly.
Yay discoshy!!!
Yay Fluttercord! :D
The story has been amazing so far. I really like it.
Boo happy twilight