My Little Clony

by therealfeedback

Act V, Chapter VI

MY LITTLE CLONY

Chapter VI, Act V
Unveiling

“Can you get to the point of why you’re telling us all of this?” I asked. By now, I was starting to get upset at what felt like a needless explanation.

“I thought it was clear by now.” Discord sighed, snapping his fingers again and making the hammock disappear. “You’re trying to bring a little chaos back into this dull, dull world. Whether you call it chaos or not, I support that 100%. So, I gave you this little playground world once I was freed. Not only has all of your Game Master’s security been completely thrown for a loop, and her guards tossed about, but I’ve even done you the courtesy of leaving the important parts you need to see alone. There’s even a distraction; me! With me up and about running amuck, she’ll never have a chance to worry about you all. What’s more dangerous; a bunch of ponies trying to do something noble, or a spirit of chaos having a ball with the world? Ooh, that’s a good one…” He snapped his fingers, a small digital recorder appearing in his hand. “New idea #2,627: Turn the world into a ball. Make a lot of ‘have a ball’ jokes once you do it. Not right now, that’d just be overkill.”

“No kill like overkill.” Vinyl chimed in. There was a moment of silence before Discord spoke again.

“Kid, I like the way you think, too.” He snapped his fingers, the recorder disappearing and what remained of the castle started bouncing. “What a world!” He said with a laugh.

“I still don’t see why we should trust you.” Trixie said flatly.

“Because you should never look a gift horse in the mouth, darling.” Discord replied. The saying drew glares from most of the group. “Oh don’t look at me like that. You ponies call your cities things like Fillydelphia, Baltimare, and have the gall to use words like ‘everypony’ even when you have not-horses in your presence, and you’re going to act like I’m the racist one for using a saying every other race uses? And you wonder why griffons and dragons don’t like ponies…”

“Point is, when you get something this helpful, you don’t question it. You act on it. And if I were you, I’d act soon – not sure how much longer I can keep whatsherface occupied.” At that, he turned around. “Now if you’ll excuse me, there are six pretty little fillies that Celly’s sent after me that I have play with in some hedges or something.”

“Oh, and before I forget, what you’ll want to see is that way.” Discord pointed off to the right, then snapped his fingers, and in a puff of pink smoke, was gone.

“So now what?” Vinyl asked.

“Trixie doesn’t think we should trust this Discord.” Trixie replied.

“And what, waste this opportunity?” Doctor Whooves chimed in. “We just sit while there’s no focused effort on keeping us out of where we need to go?”

“Where the hell have you been?” Vinyl said, pointing at the doctor. “Seriously, it’s like you just disappeared into another dimension or something for six or seven months.”

“That’s a long story. And not an important one right now.”

“He’s right. About that, and that we shouldn’t waste this opportunity.” I added my own voice to the conversation. Discord, as unusual and hard to trust as he was, was right that we likely didn’t have long, and this was as good a chance as we would ever get. Even if he was planning to screw us in the end, it’s hard to think of a better opportunity than a world literally in complete chaos to get past security forces. “Like it or not, he’s given us an opportunity. This is too convenient to be real, but it’s also too direct. The Game Master likes more subtlety. We might as well trust him, and we don’t have much time based on what he said.”

“But—“ Trixie started.

“No buts.” I said, cutting her off. “We all signed on knowing this might be a one-way trip. I intend to live to see the outcome of our handiwork, but the fact is this might not go as intended. Even so, opportunities to actually do anything with what we know are rare, given our opponent. This is one. And a damn good one, too.”

“If you want to turn from this chance, I won’t hold it against you. I wouldn’t blame you; we’re in a scary, unknown place, and one false step means death. But I’m going to go after this opportunity. Alone, I don’t have much of a shot, and if I die, I’m not sure what’ll happen next. I’m pretty sure it won’t be very pleasant. But if we go together, we have a chance. A chance for freedom, for you, for me, for every single living thing in all of Equestria, for every single thing that will ever be alive, for every single soul that’s been restless for too long, because they were where we are and failed. We have a chance to free all of them. Your families, your friends, everyone’s fate is resting on us. But only if we’re willing to take a chance.”

“A single wound can fell a great beast, and we’ve been given a clear view of this one’s Achilles. Maybe it’ll trample us when we reach out to take it down, but it’ll trample us soon anyway. We have a chance to win a battle that seemed bleak at best. And worst case scenario, I’d rather go down fighting than just sit and hope. I’d rather die knowing I fought to free the world than have watched and shook my head in dismay. I’d rather know that when it was impossible for the Game Master to control me, I decided to fight back, instead of having to live knowing that with freedom given to me, I simply shrugged at an enemy too powerful to have been felled before. I’m ready to fight. I’m ready to free the world. I’m ready to win the fight, at all costs.”

“Who else is?” I hadn’t been expecting to give a speech. At most I was planning on giving a line or two. But every word felt natural, and every word came as if precisely timed.

“I am.” The Doctor stepped up alongside me. “If we don’t take the opportunity that presents itself, we’re basically giving up. I don’t like giving up.”

“I am too.” Derpy said. “I may not be the best pony, but…I want to do this for Dinky and Amethyst. I’m not going to…I don’t want the Game Master to make choices for her.”

“Hell, never thought ya’ had this in ya’, C.” Promontory stepped up as well. “I’ll fight with ya’, and if’n it comes to that, I’ll die with ya’.”

“I didn’t come along just to sit and hide. Lets take this bitch down.” Vinyl came forward, a hop in her step.

“Trixie doesn’t have much choice, does she?” Trixie nodded. “I’m here to do what I can. I’m not going to sit by and watch you all fight alone.” As she stepped forward, a sense of relief came over me. From the moment I had finished, I wasn’t sure who, if any of them would follow me. A general is nothing without his men, and that goes double when his men are also good friends. To have them at my back made me feel a hundred times greater than a moment ago.

“Then we have our direction.” I gestured to where Discord had indicated. “Lets get going, before we lose our chance.”

Author's Note:

Big shout-out for my test-reader buddy Dave, Aka Merc, for some very helpful advice on reworking this chapter!