Twilight's Canterlot: RotE Episode 6

by Dream Volt

Fight my for freinds

"You know these are kinda hokey, but really good."

Moonfire had apparently been reading the Princess' letters while I was upstairs. I don't think hokey is remotely the right term for anything Celestia has ever written, but she was in her own way a far odder a pony than Pinkie. Generally in a far more violent manner, yet also always more logical. She then trotted over to me.

"So you look ten kinds of better."

I nodded. "I know what to do. Come on, Pinkie is still in the front room correct?"

"She's hoof-cuffed to the railing on your stairs, she's not going anywhere."

I cringed. "Oh. I didn't know that. I guess Fluttershy decided to take things even further at some point. Or maybe Pinkie did it to herself."

Moonfire laughed. "Oh man, so many dirty jokes I don't know what to pick."

I sighed. "None of them would be preferred."

"Really?" She smiled. "I seem to remember you writing…"

"That's not the same thing."

I blushed furiously and nearly galloped over to the stairs leading down. With my magic and an unlock spell I quickly had her out of the cuffs and on the floor in front of me. I decided to leave the muzzle on. Her mouth was still moving, suggesting she might still be talking. The memory spell was complicated, but it was fast enough to cast, and didn't really require much in the way of power. I then blinked.

"She resisted it."

"You mean because she's been nega zapped?"

I shook my head. "No, it's something else. If all their resistances have increased in the same way I won't be able to cast it on any of them."

"Either you alter the spell somehow so it does work, or go analog."

"Uh, I'm not sure that makes sense here. I'm also fairly certain I'm the only one of my friends that might even know that word."

"Oh, yea. I keep forgetting computers are still a rare thing here. Anyway, you just read a book right? So you just have to remind the rest some other way."

"You mean you want me to lecture them?" I smiled. "I can do that. I'm good at that."

"Though with this one I think we can take a shortcut. I assume you didn't exaggerate when describing her, right?"

"Well yes, but I don't understand."

"Hey Pinkie, do you remember that time Twilight did that thing with the stuff and then you all laughed in the end."

Pinkie finally stopped trying to move her mouth and nodded.

"Then that one time that mare came to town. Oh, and the time you and your friends went to the place and talked to the stallion. Plus you remember that one mare in the hat, right? Oh, and that time with the thing in that odd place."

Pinkie looked a bit brighter, and nodded vigourously.

"Then there was the…thing, that… happened. And stuff went on. You laughed that one time. You also…"

Suddenly Pinkie's hair went all poofy and Pinkie shrunk down to the size of a foal. She also started talking so fast I could barely catch a word. I think I heard stuff, place, and girl a great deal however.

"…and then we all had cake. I remember everything, how could I forget all the good times like that and focus on the bad. That was like super silly of me."

"You speak Pinkie?"

"I didn't know what the buck I was saying. I just figured she is the sort to never let sense get in the way so I didn't have to actually know a thing about her."

"Ah hah. There you are."

We all turned to see Discord glaring at us. He then put his head right in Moonfire's face. She rolled her eyes.

"You're a freak with bad manners, not impressed."

"We'll see about that."

Then he stared into her eyes for a good long while. They seemed to be spinning. Nothing happened. Moonfire smiled. He pulled back, then grabbed her. A moment later he dropped her as if he had been burnt. She stood up and smiled even brighter.

"You are the least chaotic individual I have ever met. You have some potential but it's wrapped a veritable shield of pure order."

"You can't mess with my mind, and you can't kill me either."

Discord rolled his eyes. "Oh please. There is almost nothing less chaotic than death. Decomposition is a little interesting long term, but the only thing worse is being turned to stone. It's far more interesting watching living ponies squirm."

"So what? What are you going to do? You can't get rid of me and can't stop me from doing my best to help Twilight, and clearly I am of at least some small help."

"Yes, even just one sane pony to bounce ideas off of can be quite the help. Even if you certainly aren't that special." Then Discord smiled. "In fact, you really aren't, are you."

"Oh comeuppance, why do I so rarely see you coming?"

Then with a snap of his fingers Moonfire was a small grey bunny with a red cotton tail and little tuft of red fur on her head. She glared at Discord. He pointed and laughed.

"Oh yes, Ms high and mighty pony reduced to a bunny. Priceless. You're just a pathetic little rabbit, what can you do now?"

Moonfire smiled.

"Ooo, I think she has a plan." Said Pinkie

"I think so too."

If it wasn't for Angel I would have been completely surprised by the vicious attack on Discord's leg she launched. Still, Moonfire's aggression clearly was not exaggerated in her writing, but if anything undersold. On the other hoof maybe she was just really mad about being turned into a rabbit. Discord flailed about trying to shake her off, but nothing seemed to work. She only fell off when Discord happened to smack her against a bookcase, most likely by accident. At least his flying seemed far too random to be a conscious choice. With another snap she was in a very sturdy looking metal cage.

"Well now you're just being far more trouble than I expected. This is all rather annoying, so lets end this once and for all. I had planned to let you keep your horn, but you know what, I think you'll just be an annoyance if I don't take it."

"Wow, you made chocolate rain, but you're just a big meany, aren't you."

Then he just pulled off my horn like it was attached with cheap tape. I just stood there in shock a moment. Before I could recover he stuck it on his own forehead, and with a snap of his fingers a mirror appeared.

"Oh this was a great idea. It looks far better on me than it ever did you. Toodles."

Then with a wave and a snap he was gone. The mirror floating in the air fell to the ground and shattered. I barely mannaged to get out of the way of the broken glass flying through the air. Pinkie giggled. All the glass was embeded either in her mane or her new clothes. I'm pretty sure Pinkie was capable of moving out of the way, but just didn't. I really wanted to ask, but there were countless reasons not to, and with considerable effort I didn't. I immediately started pacing.

"Oh, this is bad. Bad bad bad. Even if I get my friends back, which without magic will be much, much harder I still don't have my horn."

There was a loud clang from Moonfire's cage.

"Ooo, she looks mad."

I turned stopped and looked down to see a bunny glaring at me. Again if not for Angel I would have been completely shocked a bunny could look so angry. I walked over to the cage, but there was no way to open it as far as I could tell. I looked down to see her still glaring. I sighed.

"Sorry, but there aren't any seams and without magic…"

Then the cage jumped forward when she slamed against it and popped me in the snout. I was about to say how mean that was, but then she shook her head.

"Wait, do you mean it's not about the cage?"

She nodded, then tapped one paw on her head.

"OOO, you want to be petted?" asked Pinkie

She shook her head then tried to re-angle her paw and repeated the gesture.

"Wait, are you trying to point at your head?"

She nodded vigorously.

I sighed. "Oh, let me guess. Think things though logically and don't panic. That's what you always say to me right?"

She waved her paw in a circle.

"Oh, and try not to jump to conclusions." I blushed. "I suppose that is a problem of mine. I think maybe I read an animal translation spell somewhere. I couldn't master it before but maybe…"

She shook her head.

"But clearly I need your help. I mean…"

She rolled her eyes, then shook her head.

"Come on Twilight, don't doubt yourself because all those silly willy things I said. No, you gotta believe in yourself. You can do this."

Moonfire nodded. I then did a double take. Pinkie looked completely normal again. I had only looked away for a moment. How could she possibly have gotten out of those clothes, not to mention the piercings. All the glass was gone too, even the pieces on the floor. It still wasn't the time to focus on that sort of thing, and honestly most likely never would be. I turned back to Moonfire.

"But what about the magic"

Moonfire then face hooved, or face pawed I guess.

"I'm not thinking clearly and missing the obvious, aren't I."

Again she nodded, then pointed at Pinkie.

"Huh, why are you pointing at me?"

"I don't understand. Is Pinkie somehow the answer?"

Moonfire nodded.

"I am. I'm pretty sure that can't be right. I mean I do have a twitch for Pinkie Pie is the solution to our problem you know."

Moonfire and I both just stared for a few moments. Then suddenly I had it. I then face hooved. I certainly shouldn't have missed that. Well missed two things actually, but I doubt either of us needed me to repeat what I just said about a memory spell not working. I guess she's right about magic being my first solution to every problem too. Moonfire really is an amazing mind.

"All ponies are magic and some things are immutable. Horn or not my cutie mark remains, and to some degree I'm still a unicorn. I can at the very least use the elements and just because I've failed miserably every time before now I might be able to use my hooves to cast something."

Moonfire nodded smiling.

"Okay, then no time to waste. Discord's rein of terror has to end."

"Are you okay being trapped it that itty bitty little cage. I mean rabbits are pretty itty bitty, but that cage is itty bitty even if you're…"

Mooonfire nodded vigorously until Pinkie finally stopped.

"Okie doki loki."

"We'll try to get you out as soon as we can. Come on Pinkie, lets go."

I then ran out the front door. I wondered if some of discord's magic was still lingering inside me, and for that matter how exactly it effected the mind in the first place. But it was all clear to me now. He wouldn’t win. There would be no more distractions. I will get my friends back and we will defeat him.

Comments

[BenRG]

Think, Twilight! The whole point of the six episodes to date was to prove to you that magic has little or nothing to do with the traditional unicorn concepts of it. You don't need a horn. Rainbow and Fluttershy make magic with their wings, Pinkie and Applejack with their hooves! Magic is something that is inside, guided by your will, feelings and knowledge. Discord couldn't take that away from you without rewriting a very large part of your biology and synapses. Whilst he is capable of doing something like that, I don't think he's willing - his cruelty simply doesn't allow him to rob his victims of their will and identity.