Chapter 1
"... I could just snap my fingers, and she'd be fine. She'd go back to being young, strong and healthy. She could take care of those hideous little creatures that she won't let me improve, as she did before!"
Celestia sighed deeply into her hoof, dreading a well-recognized expression on a face she never thought would have it. Eager, desperate, manic, afraid. The hope that mortality could be cheated. And she knew that when she had said her piece, the expression would melt away to anger.
Here we go...
"Discord..." She started carefully, eyes far off in the distance, troubled, " Our powers cannot interfere with life and death. The natural order of things exceeds our magical influence, as it should. We are not the deciders of fate, nor the judges of life. The three of us must contend with this reality, as that is our fate. Just as Luna and I must raise and lower the sun and moon each day, so too must we watch these ponies' lives rise and fa-"
"Oh save it, Celestia!" Discord snapped, cutting her off irritably. "I'm no mortal pony born yesteryear; I know as well as you do that ponies must die so that others can be born, blah blah blah, natural order, beauty and sanctity of life, how lucky we are to see it moving, yada yada yada."
Celestia regarded him with a controlled annoyance at his interruption. "Then what did you come here for, Discord, if not comfort? You know as well as I do that there's nothing I can do to save Fluttershy."
Discord looked out through the window, conjuring up a table to lean slightly on, looking unphased. "Nothing, right... Nothing you can do at all." He glanced up at her. "Nothing; That's why Miss Twilight stuffypants will die some day, too."
Celestia's eyes flashed and she moved to speak, angry words on her lips, but Discord went on, cutting her off. "Oh, that's right! Twilight's going to be an alicorn, isn't she? Because she's sooo special. She gets a free ticket out of death because her teacher is a Goddess."
"We are not Goddesses, Discord. You've made quite sure Luna and I both remember that."
"But you can change pony destiny and cheat death like one, can't you? So if Fluttershy had, instead of saving and easing the pain of lives, read books and stuck her nose so far in your plot she could balance you on her head, then she wouldn't have to die? How very egotistical of you, Celestia. I'm afraid my faults may be rubbing off on you."
"Discord, enough!"
Discord stared at her imperiously, arms crossed.
The Regent of the sun stared down, her eyes in shadow, as she composed herself. Finally, she turned her head up to him, and he saw rage boiling under the surface of her quiet dignity. Hard to spot, but he'd known her for millenia. Hardly threatening to a being who could turn her into a wind-up toy at a moment's notice, but it was this moment only that she held power over him; turning a pony into an alicorn is a trick only an alicorn herself could have up her sleeve. Discord, as the God of Chaos, the dissolver of absolutes and hater of rules, could not touch the most powerful, most final of absolute rules. It burned him inside for centuries, sure, but never as it did now, in these circumstances.
Celestia finally spoke, her words coming out wrathfully, as they never did against a mortal pony. "How dare you. The state that Fluttershy, the element of kindness, has found herself in, is a tragic one. All of her friends, myself included, will mourn her passing when it comes. Which it will." She gave a firm pause, staring at him levelly, before she went on.
"Your insinuation that you are the only one of her friends to be affected by her death is an insult to us, as well as to Fluttershy." He turned away from her at that, but she continued on.
"To bring up Twilight's future in my presence, in my court, while discussing these things is inexcusable. How dare you speak of her while we discuss such a tragedy. And how dare you judge me for her ascension. Twilight is the only pony I've come across in the last five millenia who could advance, and she is the only pony who will. The number of good friends, loyal soldiers, incredible thinkers, and even lovers I have had to watch pass in that time is innumerable to me, even in all the journals I've kept in that time.
"The pain of loving short lived flowers is immense. You mocked me by mentioning "How lucky we are to see it." I am not blind, Discord. This is our burden, above all else. You have rejected my sister and I as companions in our timeless existence, and that is your choice. But the two of us had each other, as you remember, and as you see now. I lost my sister for a thousand years, to her madness and my own mistakes. So don't you dare talk to me about loss, as you've simply never had anything to lose."
By now, Discord was facing the doors leading out of the throne room, hands folded behind his back. His face could not be seen, for the long, dark shadow of the sun had passed over it. The wind blew against the stained glass, now all tinted orange with a slow dusk.
Celestia watched him grimly, reclaiming her seat at the throne.
"Goodbye, Celestia." He said stiffly. His usual sense of humor and mockery were gone, and in a snap of fingers, so was he.
---
Fluttershy lay in the hospital bed, staring weakly at the sunset in the window. Her wings were ruffled and feathers lay around the sheets where she tossed and turned in her sleep. Her eyes were clouded over and although they were fixed on the descending golden orb, she gave a weak smile at a sudden, familiar presence beside her.
"Discord, visiting hours ended two hours ago. You'll get in trouble..." She paused, taking a ragged breath, "... if the doctors see you."
The draconequus in question said nothing. His face was carefully moulded into a strange, emotionless stare.
Her breathing was heavy and raspy, as though every breath was the first one she'd had in ages. It slowed and relaxed as she slipped into sleep. Discord stood and disappeared.
---
Having teleported without much thought of where he was going ( Which was the case more often than not) he found himself on a familiar small bridge in front of a familiar tree cottage. He glanced up at it, a curious feeling boiling in his stomach. He remembered the glorious improvements he'd tried to implement on the boring little house, but which Fluttershy had not allowed him to keep.
You could do it now; She's not home! She won't mind.
The familiar voice of chaos egging him on stood out for a moment. He had relented to her demands time after time, because, as he remembered from the very beginning, " if I don't, I'll lose the one friend I ever had."
She's leaving you anyway. You held up your part of the deal but she's going away; She doesn't really care. She just wanted you under control.
His temper flared as he began pacing, muttering to himself.
"What pathetic irony. Even my very freedom was on the generous extension of Fluttershy's will. They all let me stay out, as long as Fluttershy's friendship could keep me in check- Me, God of Chaos! They wouldn't use their little gemstones on me and I could roam free, as long as a little yellow pony could keep me from raining boiling tea on their little heads!"
And he had refrained. He had been a good little Discord. He helped Princess Sunshine and her merry little rainbow kingdom from starving, going to war, or in some other way destroying itself in an entertaining battle of inevitability. The years had been long and boring. But he had complied, so that he could come visit Fluttershy and take tea with her, find out what made her laugh, and what made her scream in terror (trying to avoid the latter) and even joining her and her unworthy little pony friends (Except maybe that pink one, she'd had promise) on their stupid little adventures. He'd restrained himself. And now she was dying.
"What's the use of holding back now? Nothing's going to keep her here." He stood and began pacing angrily. "Twilight's years of hot for teacher pay off in eternal life, and Fluttershy dies a spinsters' death, with her home rotting away; It seems the animals of the forest have to find a new place to treat their broken little wings."
Twilight. Oh, how he loathed Twilight. A more law-abiding, boring, rule-keeping pony he could not imagine. He was doomed, apparently, to spending eternity with her, and three other boring, rule-keeping, law-abiding ponies. At least Luna had a rebellious bone in her. Twilight had nothing except an obedience so excessive, it led to the occasional insanity. The only thing he could think of that might pass the time was perhaps invading her mind, filling her with thoughts of Celestia's disapproval of her, her regret for Twilight's "alicornification." Maybe another Nightmare Moon; Really, Luna was so theatrical. He wished he could have been there himself to witness it, with a big bowl of chocolate popcorn. As he entertained these thoughts, an envelope appeared suddenly, in front of him. It had a royal seal.
He opened it, and a huge pair of glasses appeared in front of it, the text moving over them like a projector. It was a medical certificate;
NAME OF DECEASED: ...................Fluttershy
DATE OF DEATH AS STATED:..........4/22/5034
PLACE OF DEATH:.........................Canterlot Royal Hospital
There was no signature, no sender. No note of sympathy or regrets. Fluttershy had been his only friend, since the dawn of his time. Only she had made a small nest in the cavern of whatever constituted his heart. Her death was nothing but a sheet of paper and the destruction of something he had not even known existed in him until the day she said he was her friend. Only her. The ground fell away as he seemed to grow, and the clouds around Fluttershy's cottage darkened. The only one, and she was gone. Was it back to the way things were again? Where did he stand?
That question was only for him; and he found the answer in his pain. The birds fluttering around were startled when their beaks became huge, razor sharp syringes. The trees gnarled bark jutted out as sharp, electrified wire. The last straw broke and Discord was free at last, and more trapped than he had ever felt in his life.
If I do, I'll lose the only friend I've ever had. If I do, I'll lose my only friend.
Well, she's gone now, isn't she?
The clouds color began to resemble rotten leaves on a decaying forest floor. Discord's body grew, and his voice seemed to distort.
"The elements can keep me in check, can't they, Celestia? Your rules will save you, won't they, Twilight?"
She was always so smug about your imprisonment. Her voice glowing with a future of eternal life, of blessed existence, while Fluttershy ROTS.
"Oh my, I seem to have forgotten; You can't use the elements without Fluttershy, now, can you?" A grin, tainted more by bitterness than it had been in centuries, adorned his face.
Lightning struck the cottage and a flame caught on swiftly. From the fire, sheet metal rose and assembled into a frightening throne. Thorned vines grew in crisscrossing patterns, the thorns growing long and hard as steel.
"What's left to keep chaos down when harmony dies?" He cried out gleefully, a lost man stepping on ants. "And harmony always dies."
As he turned from the growing fire behind him, as the screams of ponies became audible from the town nearby, as the sun became a spiral in the sky and the moon rose and fell and rose and fell in a mad, quickening spiral, his eyes were uncharacteristically dark. His mouth did not smile; the streets ran hot with acid, and snow rained on the desert. "I'll show you chaos, Celestia. All the alicorns and elements in the world couldn't save you now."
And Tartarus broke loose.
Also LikedSimilarAuthor
- palelordhiphis · 2k words · 414 6 · 15k views
- Sith_Dreamer · 1.9k words · 40 3 · 1.9k views
- MoeYuseta · 9.8k words · 66 4 · 2.4k views
- MagicalMissnu · 4.2k words · 16 1 · 907 views
- Alexandrite Ward · 1.7k words · 114 5 · 5.9k views
- Greytercakes · 2.8k words · 58 2 · 2.2k views
- Stormblessed · 1k words · 78 8 · 2.7k views
Stats
Page generated in 0.101 seconds
Total duration
1,047 users online
2,206,002 hits today, 2,054,621 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Even discord hates twilight alicorn.
I too hate alicorn Twilight. Go wreck 'em, Discord.
It was a good story, but I can't help but feel that Discord wouldn't act out like that. It would be like dishonoring Fluttershy's memory, the way he just gave up on all the things she try to impress upon him.
1992485
I think he'll come to regret his actions and understand what you mentioned afterward, but Discord does have a temper; It's visible a few times in the show, along with an obvious immaturity. Losing the first and only friend he's ever had will come with feelings he's not used to dealing with and it seems like he'd deal with them through anger and irrationality, especially when faced with the general feeling of "unfairness" that comes with death. Twilight's situation here only emphasizes the matter. I think he'll eventually come around but, for awhile, Equestria is kinda fucked.
1992292>>1992469
You guys really don't want Twilight to be an alicorn, lol.
1992485
he is filled with grief
actions can be altered/influenced greatly by this, leaving no room for reason. especially since he is the embodiment of chaos...
Dislestia and Lunacord shipping?
1992635
Hahaha no, not quite; Celestia's just talking about how he rejected their friendship. At least, that's my intention; You can take it any way you want, of course.
1992645
Looks like a promising beginning.
1992256
I think he went beyond that.
I actually found people who hate alicorn Twilight? Unbelievable! I also hate alicorn Twilight, why is she the only one who ever gets to be an alicorn? Why not some other pony?
I can see this happening.
Imagine that you are an immortal being who has watched the world since time immorial and have the power to do whatever you wish......... except stop your one friend die alone in a hospital.
This is an easy to imagin senario and beautifully written, good work.
1993964
Well there is Blue Prints' Appleotheosis https://www.fimfiction.net/story/49906/the-assumption-of-applejack-or-appletheosis and its' sequel, I there is also a fanfic in whcih Rainbow Dash becomes one http://www.fimfiction.net/story/19341/alicorn. As for why Twilight becomes one, it is most likely due to her pre-existing connection to Celestia and the element of magic.
As for the fanfic itself, I did enjoy it, Discords' rehabilitation is very dependent on Fluttershy, and considering Discords' mentality this is a realistic possibiity, though I would imagine that Celestia would forsee such a thing and take steps to expand Discords' circle of friends. She was wise enough to recognise how to rehabilitate the terror of a Equestria after all, I doubt that she would not be able to see this coming. Of course, it could be easily the case that Fluttershys' patience and understanding is not easy to come by even in Equestria, thus the planet is pear shaped for a while.
Have a nice day
BlackWinter
........more........I SAID MORE!
AND
Strange thing, Celestia say one thing and do another?
I see a great potential here. Please continue. I think it will be interesting to see from elements viewpoint how they will try to stop him. Or from Discord's how he will be falling into madness and for example will start to see ghost of Fluttershy. Or something like that.
In any case, it's a great one-shot.
1994750
Yeah; After all, he's been alive for "eons," as he said. But it took THAT long for him to find one pony to be friends with? Plus, she's supposedly the highest standard of kindness there is; Element of Harmony and all that. So there may not have been another who could worm their way in to his, eh... Whatever it is his heart would be.
BUCK
1997000
iambrony.steeph.tp-radio.de/mlp/gif/22390__questionable_animated_discord_-period-mov_humping.gif
1996222
Celestia does say that she had to let many friends and great thinkers/accomplishers die because they lacked sufficient potential for a successful ascension and that Twilight is the first one to meet those requirements in the last 5000+ years... so while Celestia may be able to perform "alicornification", it isn't something she can do on a whim or just because someone asked nicely no matter how much she may have wanted to.
I'd say this is a fair way to put a lid on the alicorn jar.
1997455
Okay, then why she explain this to Discord so cruel? She know what Discord never have a friend. And she know how it's to lose a friends. But instead to help him to cope with his lose Celestia only insulting him.
1997611
Because Discord is in denial, which is quite common for people who are facing an imminent traumatic or otherwise unwanted event.
Discord knew Celestia's hooves were tied but still went to beg and vent anyhow. As the story's second paragraph says, Celestia knew things would turn out that way before she even started... she knows the looks, she's seen them more times than even her journals care to remember to paraphrase the 25th or so paragraph.
Inkarus and his editors/prereaders seem to have done an excellent job covering plot holes.
1997797
Well, i must admit what they have done an excellent job covering plot holes. I think i just try to find more excuses for Discord.
In any case, idea is great. Need more chapters!
1997797
Just a quick little gloating interruption; I have no editors/pre-readers. :3 I write all my stuff completely by myself. (Might be why there's mistakes, lol)
and thats Celestia for you. I say we send some Nth Metal bullets to Discord and have him do what should have been done a long time a go
as Discord said: I dont turn ponies to stone!
I was hoping there would be more to this seeing how the the story's only chapter is named "Chapter 1."
2004497
Sorry, that's just default.
1997033
That is exactly what I had going through my head at the end of this story :D
I feel bad for Discord. He never seemed evil to me. It just seemed that he had a cruel sense of humor. He lost the only thing keeping him grounded, and it makes me sad for him.
I wish that there were more of these kind of stories on FimFiction. Excellent work.
....Ouch. My heart.
Excellent story, my only suggestion in add just like line or something that's makes it clear Discord now has a personal vendetta on Celestia for Fluttershy's death and that's why he went absolutely berserk, you already have all the build up. I feel inspired to write a song about this fic.
2229309
It's not a personal vendetta, though. Discord is angry at the world. He feels betrayed, but by what, he can't really say; Because he knows Celestia can't really do anything about it. He just wanted someone to blame.
He's taking it out on the whole of Equestria, now.
2230327
But I mean he has the build up with the first part, and I think it makes more sense with his character IMO.
2231125
It's fine to have your interpretation, but it's a little presumptuous to tell the author what his story means.
2231359
I'm not telling you what your story means, I'm giving my criticism. Anyway, if Discord isn't going against Celestia than the first half is more disjoint from the second half.
2232077
That may be true; However, it was really meant to illustrate how Discord was exhausting every option, desparate; He was at wits end. Even Celestia mentioned that he knew there was nothing she could do. And he did. He didn't go to her expecting Fluttershy to be saved. He went because, well, he was desparate. But deep in him, he knew she could not and would not do anything about it. He's just angry at everyone. He's illustrated angry at Celestia, then Twilight, then Fluttershy herself. By the end, he just wants to, as the phrase goes, "See the world burn."
The Element of Kindness has changed bearers once, I strongly suspect it can do so again.
This story was actually kinda depressing.
Let me address a confusing problem before I address anything else.
Oh well, as I was saying, I'm gonna give you as good as a criticism as I can because you asked so kindly in the summary.
Discord's behavior when it comes to Fluttershy's condition is actually very in-character in my personal opinion. He obviously has a strong fondness of her, and I believe that he would indeed be angry and accusing. Death is most likely something Discord couldn't truly understand considering he's immortal, so of course he would think that turning Fluttershy into an alicorn would be a 'get-out-of-death-free' card.
I felt that Discord's silence and lack of emotion when he saw Fluttershy for the last time was a bit...unnerving and cold.
I mean, his first and only true friend was dying right before his eyes, and he didn't shed a single tear! 
It also really angered me when Discord reverted back to his chaotic ways almost immediately after finding out that Fluttershy finally died. How dare he throw away the benefits of their friendship like that!? 
However, even though I hate to admit it, I can see Discord's decision to go full Evil Chaos Apocalypse Mode on Equestria because of Fluttershy's death happening in canon - in a significantly less violent way of course.
Long story short, this story was actually a pretty good interpretation of the effects of Fluttrrshy's death, especially when it comes to Discord. It's kinda coincidental that I found a story that has the same basic idea as your story. However, that story is also pretty much the polar opposite of your story in terms of tone and Discord's actions and mentality. It's called Dearest Fluttershy by Terrasora. You should give it a read; it's really touching, especially the epilogue. Tell Terrasora that I recommended it to you.
Celestia... You idiot. Fluttershy was the one thing keeping Discord from going off the deep end. If you let her die, Equestria dies as well.
This story was very well-done. Good on you!