When an old enemy of Discord's returns from centuries of banishment, the spirit of chaos may have no choice but to turn to his newest "friends" for assistance in dealing with him.
It is well known throughout Equestria that Discord, the spirit of chaos, once ruled over the land with an iron claw, plunging the world into complete disharmony. There was, however, another creature who ruled over Equestria. His reign was legendary, and his word, absolute. Few dared to defy him, and those who did were never around long enough to regret such a decision.
Only one disorderly spirit ever betrayed the dark king and got away with it, but that spirit may not have been as successful as he once thought. Now, when an old enemy returns from centuries of banishment, Discord may have no choice but to turn to his new "friends" for assistance in dealing with him. However, with the Elements gone and their new enemy's power seemingly limitless, will Equestria's six protectors be enough to stop this vengeful demon?
An army of demons stood at attention, ready to move out whenever their master gave the order. The master in question sat on his throne, an obsidian chair made of spines and thorns, as he himself waited for the correct time to send his forces into battle. Behind the king and his legion, the backdrop was dark and foreboding, illuminated only by the occasional spout of magma that shot from the ground.
In front of the king stood a lone figure, completely out of place in the dark and dreary atmosphere that surrounded him. The king's army stood defensively between their master and this visitor. The front-most troops tensed as he spoke.
"I really do like what you've done with the place, Ocraten. It's got a nice warm beach feel to it, without being too sunny and welcoming."
Unlike the mismatched combination of animal parts that stood before him, the demon king was large and bulky. He had a body that looked to be made out of the same material as his throne, with spikes jutting out in various places, and red eyes that pierced through his armored face. His elbows rested on the armrests of the throne, and his claws wrapped around each other in front of his snout. The demon had thick legs with joints that bent backwards, and each of his feet ended in three large talons at the bottom.
"Enough with the petty conversation, Discord. What is your reason for requesting an audience with me?" Ocraten inquired, his voice nearing that of a whisper, yet still maintaining a tone that was both oppressive and threatening.
The draconequus rolled his eyes. "Oh pish posh. Do you have to be such a stick in the mud all the time?" Discord looked around. "Or rock in the lava, as the case may be."
Ocraten's red eyes narrowed. "As you can see..." he started, gesturing to his dark army. "...I'm preparing my forces to do battle with the Northern Dragons, who have decided to go against my will and make contact with the Pyro Mong. I don't have time for your nonsense, spirit."
Discord smiled. "Well it's funny you should mention that, Ocraten. You see, I just made a little arrangement that will ensure you have all the time in the world for all sorts of nonsense."
The king stood up. "Would you like to repeat that, vermin?"
Ignoring the demon's commands, Discord snapped his fingers. A light red throne with cotton candy clouds hovering over it appeared next to the thorn covered one that had already been there.
"That looks nice doesn't it?" he said, squinting. "Although I think your throne will need to be demolished to make room for mine. It's kind of an eye sore."
Ocraten reached behind his back with a clawed hand and drew a black sword that was just as spiky and deadly looking as he and his throne were.
"You must be quite eager to leave this plane of existence, if you choose to speak to me in such a disrespectful manner."
"Oh, well I certainly didn't mean to offend you..." Discord looked around and smirked. "Oh wait, yes I did."
The king of kings pointed his blade at the blasphemer and addressed his army. "Send this fool to the next world!"
At once, Ocraten's army charged at Discord, various weapons drawn and at the ready. However, before any of them could make contact with the spirit, the entire attack force disappeared into dust and blew away with the wind. It happened so quickly that if an observer had looked away for more than a few seconds, they would have missed it. The king looked both angry and confused.
"What trickery is this, spirit?" he hissed, bringing his sword up in a combat-ready pose.
"Oh it was nothing really..." Discord replied, a sly grin spreading across his face.
Ocraten didn't wait for him to finish. In blind rage, he charged at the draconequus himself, bringing his blade down on the disrespectful fool. Much like before though, the blade merely faded into nothingness when the king got close. He now stood without a weapon in front of a still smiling Discord.
"...I just made a little deal with some friends of mine from Tartarus. It's a simple little agreement. They get your soul, and I get to rule the world in your place. Isn't that just the funniest and most wonderful thing ever?"
The demon lord felt his power fading as hundreds of ethereal hands grabbed at him from the ground. They reached inside his body, and started taking the twisted soul that resided within.
"You traitorous rat! You'll never get away with this!"
Discord laughed as he walked up to the helpless tyrant. "I do believe I already have."
The draconequus bent down, so much so that his face almost pressed right up against Ocraten's, and looked quite smug as he did. The dark king struggled to keep his soul inside his own body, the hands becoming too numerous even for him.
"I just want you to know..." Ocraten said, grabbing Discord's throat but unable to squeeze him nearly as hard as he desired. "It may take one hundred years, one thousand years, or perhaps even longer to escape the pits of Tartarus, but when I do get out, I'm going to find you. Then I'm going to take my blade, and when its tip finds your throat, I want you to understand that I'm going to thoroughly enjoy plunging it downward and separating your head from your shoulders."
Discord smirked even more. "And I just want you to know, old friend, that I doubt you'll ever get the chance."
With a wave goodbye, Discord watched as the former king of demons slipped down into the pits of Tartarus, never to be seen again. His body, now an empty husk, fell to the ground with a loud thud. The draconequus snapped his fingers and the body sank into the earth, buried exactly six feet from the surface.
"Time to redecorate!" he declared with glee. "So many changes and so much time to do them. Let's get rid of all this magma and do something with chocolate instead..."
* * *
"And that's how I saved Equestria from the evil, and might I add boring, reign of the dark king, Ocraten!" Discord declared. None of the six ponies he was with cheered like he'd expected them to. "...Hello, is this thing on?" he asked, inspecting the muffin he'd been using as a microphone.
Fluttershy, who was busy fluffing Angel's tail, responded first. "I thought it was a wonderful story, Discord."
They were all gathered in Applejack's orchard for a picnic, and Fluttershy decided to invite her newest friend, the self-proclaimed master of chaos.
"Pfft, if it's even true." Rainbow Dash commented, assuming her usual position up in a tree branch. "Besides, he just replaced one maniacal ruler with another. That's even worse, if you ask me."
"Yeah." Twilight agreed. "Princess Celestia never mentioned a King Ocraten during any of my history lessons."
Discord looked offended. "That's because she and Luna weren't even around until after I'd gotten rid of him." he crossed his arms. "I swear, I get no respect around here."
"I only give respect to folks who deserve it." Applejack said, biting into an apple. She spat it out upon tasting it, and now found that it was completely rotten. The spirit of chaos laughed and bit into the perfectly ripe apple she had once been holding.
"I promise you all, I'm telling the complete and honest truth. In fact, it all happened right where Ponyville is currently sitting. I'd imagine Ocraten's body is still helping the flowers grow in front of town hall."
"So why did you go against this, Ocraten, character in the first place?" Rarity inquired, sipping on some tea.
"Finally, somepony besides Fluttershy who actually cares about my riveting tale!" Discord said happily, turning into the hat Rarity was wearing and flying off her head. He circled around and landed next to the unicorn, turning back into his normal form. "Well you see, Rarity, Ocraten does everything by the book."
"What book?" Twilight asked, slightly interested.
Discord rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers. A large black book fell from the sky and landed right in the middle of the picnic they were having. Twilight read the title aloud.
"Evildoing for Dummies: What to Do When You Finally Become a Malicious Tryant. By King Ocraten."
She flipped through the first few pages. "I've never read this book before."
"Of course you haven't." Discord laughed, snapping his fingers again. The book flew back up into the sky, disappearing from sight. "I own the only copy."
"Anyway, as I was saying..." he continued. "Ocraten is the most by-the-book demon you'll never meet. He was so boring, always maintaining order and running such a tight ship." Discord turned into a boat with a rope strangling it. "He should have known I would try to make a move for his throne. I guess he wasn't as perceptive as he was uninteresting."
"Did Ocraten like eating cake?" Pinkie asked randomly, diving head first into a chocolate cake herself.
"No, he preferred the souls of his enemies." the draconequus stated flatly.
Pinkie reemerged from the cake, a confused expression on her face. "Can you even eat those?"
Discord chuckled. "Well... not in the traditional way."
The sun began to set below the tree line, letting the ponies know that the day was coming to an end. They all started packing the gear that they'd brought with them.
"Aren't you afraid that this, Ocraten, guy is gonna come back and completely destroy you?" Rainbow Dash asked as she rolled up a blanket.
"Not in the slightest. I won't be seeing him again until the end of eternity. And from what I hear, that isn't coming for a long, long time." Discord smirked, helping Fluttershy pack her things by turning the picnic equipment to life. The umbrella, towel, and basket all grew legs and started walking back over to her cottage.
"Still, have you thought about what you might do if he ever did get out?" Twilight asked, levitating her own towel with magic.
The spirit simply laughed. "You ponies are just the most paranoid bunch. I don't need to think about such things because such things will never be an issue. No one escapes Tartarus, not even a demon king like Ocraten."
Discord continued to laugh in his giddy fashion, while a few miles away, a small but dark cloud formed over the center of Ponyville. It floated low in the sky, hovering right over the town square. Randomly, lightning started striking down to the ground in fixed intervals. For thirty seconds, eighteen bolts hit the same spot, then the cloud zoomed away as quickly as it had come.
The ponies who witnessed the affair simply shook it off as another typical day in Ponyville, and continued their daily errands, ignoring the scorched earth that still sizzled in the square. Meanwhile, exactly six feet beneath the packed dirt and rock, where nopony had ever disturbed the land, even during Ponyville's construction, and where nothing had moved for centuries upon centuries...
Applejack and Pinkie Pie walked side-by-side down one of Ponyville's many streets, heading for the market square. The farm pony pulled a cart full of fresh apples, while her bubbly pink companion bounced along, keeping pace.
"Thanks again for helpin' me out at the orchard today, Pinkie." Applejack said. "With Big Mac in Appleloosa for the next three days, I wasn't sure I'd be able to get all the apple buckin' done that I needed to."
"Hey, that's what friends are for." Pinkie replied, bouncing extra high. "Normally today is the day Rainbow Dash and I do our usual pranking fest, but she's busy trying to catch a rogue cloud. Anyway, I figure helping my friends is almost just as much fun as pranking them!"
Applejack gave her an odd glance. "Rainbow Dash is doin' what now?"
"Hunting down a rogue cloud, at least that's how she put it! I guess there's one flying around Ponyville and shooting lightning like BANG, BANG, BANG..."
BOOM
The two mares stopped dead in their tracks when a large clawed appendage shot up from the ground right in front of them. It was big, black, and all around unpleasant to look at compared to the bright and colorful town that surrounded it.
"Dang Mole Ponies! I told you all they'd invade, but nopony believed me. Looks like I was right all along, you foals!" They heard Geri shout from a nearby shop. The old pony hobbled back inside after giving his two cents.
Applejack's mouth dropped open, while Pinkies' simply opened enough for her to speak.
"Heya there, claw thing! I've never seen you in Ponyville before..."
BOOM
Another arm exploded through the ground, joining the first one. Before Pinkie could welcome the second arrival, both arms planted themselves firmly on the ground, and then exerted all their strength to lift whatever it was they were attached to.
Upon seeing these events unfold, most of Ponyville's closest residents had either hidden themselves or run for their lives, leaving the two former Element bearers to stand against whatever horror now rose up from the ground. Slowly it emerged from its ancient crypt, bones and joints snapping due to over a millennium of stasis. It wasn't long before a head emerged between the two arms, followed by a torso.
Applejack took several steps back, soon followed by Pinkie Pie, who seemed far less inclined to welcome the creature now that it was fully revealing itself. It leaned forward, allowing its legs to exit the large hole that was now in the middle of the street. Flames spewed forth from the opening, licking at the demonic creature, as if it were a portal to Tartarus itself. When the beast had fully left its confines, the opening closed on its own, leaving no evidence that it had ever been there.
Now both Applejack and Pinkie Pie found themselves standing before a hulking mass of what could have easily been charred flesh. It stood incredibly tall, easily a head above a fully grown minotaur. Spikes protruded from its shoulders and it seemed to be covered in some type of organic armor. Its face was hidden behind this material, and nothing could be seen but its red eyes.
Pinkie, naturally, was the first to gather herself and address the creature. "Hi there, I'm Pinkie Pie! Welcome to Ponyville, friend!"
The creature lifted its snout and started sniffing the air, as if it were acquiring a scent, then it looked down at the pink earth pony. It walked up to her, its talons digging into the earth with each step, until it was mere inches away. Pinkie had to look straight up at the beast, while Applejack chose to step back another foot.
"Pinkie, get behind me." she advised.
"What's your name?" Pinkie inquired, ignoring her friend.
"My name is not important, earth pony. I wish to speak to your ruler. Bring me to him." the creature demanded. His voice sent shivers through Applejack's spine, and she again tried to plead with her friend.
"Pinkie, for the love of Celestia, get behind me!"
Pinkie turned to Applejack, a stern look on her face. "Now Applejack, I'm surprised at you! We all learned that we should never judge somepony based on how scary they look, like thirty-two episodes ago."
She gestured to the demon who was casting a large shadow over both of them. "This guy deserves just as much kindness as anypony else. He's clearly new in town, so it's my job to welcome him and offer my assistance like any friend should."
Pinkie looked back up at the creature. Its fists were now clenched. "How does that sound? Would you like to be friends?" she asked, a smile on her face as wide as a mile.
The beast remained motionless, the only sound coming from its loud breathing. After a moment of contemplation, it spoke. "Very well, earth pony. I will accept this offer of companionship on the condition that you assist me in locating the one I seek."
Pinkie walked victoriously over to Applejack, putting a hoof on her shoulder. "You see, Applejack? Just let good ol' Pinkie Pie negotiate with strangers. I've got this all taken care of."
"Pinkie, I really don't think we should..."
"Don't worry Mr. Big Scary Monster Guy, we'll help you find who you're looking for!" Pinkie declared, ignoring Applejack once again.
"Good." He replied. Looking around, he noticed the large castle overlooking the large city on top of the large mountain.
"I assume that is where I will find him?" the demon asked, pointing at it.
Pinkie followed his razor-sharp finger. "What, Canterlot? You're looking for Princess Celestia?"
"Princess?" the demon scoffed. "Don't tell me that disgusting cur switched genders over the years."
"Wait, who exactly are you looking for?" Pinkie inquired.
"Back in my time, he called himself Discord."
Pinkie gasped. "You're friends with Discord!? I didn't know he had any other friends!"
The demon stared at the pink mare, then to the orange one. "Yes, we knew each other long ago. I wish to reconnect with my... friend."
The ice in his tone when he said the word "friend" went right over Pinkie's head. She put a hoof to her chin.
"Hmm, well I don't think he's in Ponyville anymore, but Twilight knows this really neat spell that can totally summon him here!"
Applejack walked forward. "Now hold up, sugarcube. We don't even know if she can perform that spell now that the Elements are gone."
"Well it's worth a shot if it means reuniting Discord with his long lost friend!"
"Yes, I've missed him dearly." the demon added, a hint of malice in his words.
Applejack hesitated. None of this sat well with her. The thing that loomed over them seemed vaguely familiar, like she somehow knew who he was, but nothing came to mind when she thought about it. In any case, Pinkie had a point. Too many creatures in Equestria were victims of prejudice based on how they looked. She herself had been guilty of it, and she couldn't stand it.
"Alrighty then, I suppose we can take him to Twilight." Applejack conceded.
"Grrrrreat!" Pinkie beamed, bouncing past both Applejack and the creature. "Follow me, you two."
With that, the three were off down the street. Pinkie led the trio with the dark king following close behind her. Applejack brought up the rear, keeping her distance from the visitor. While they walked, the demon continued his questioning.
"You've made reference to this, Celestia, several times now. Who is she?"
"She's the ruler 'round these parts." Applejack replied. "Highest power in all of Equestria. Raises and lowers the sun every day."
"Hmm... I would think that the draconequus still ruled here." he mused.
"Oh, Discord hasn't ruled for over a thousand years. Celestia and Luna kicked his flank right off the throne using the Elements of Harmony, then we kicked it again when he tried to retake control just a little while ago!" Pinkie explained.
The demon stopped walking. "What is Celestia? Is she a High Peradic Dragon, or a Shoderian Wraith?"
Pinkie had to think about it. "Nope, I'm not exactly sure what any of those things are, but Princess Celestia is an alicorn."
He sighed at this. How could a meddlesome spirit have usurped his thrown, only to get ousted by a couple of ponies right after? It was the greatest of insults, and that just meant Discord would suffer all the more. He wouldn't be able to deceive his way out of this one.
"We're here!" Pinkie announced as they arrived at the Golden Oaks Library. It seemed to have been carved right into a tree. There were several windows and a balcony overlooking the street, with a beehive hanging from a branch, buzzing with activity.
Quaint.
Pinkie zipped over to the front entrance. "I'll go grab Twilight. Just wait out here since you probably wouldn't be able to fit through the door."
The pony disappeared into the library, leaving Applejack outside with the demon king. To say it was awkward would have won the award for grossest understatement of the year. After about thirty seconds of waiting, the farm pony decided to break the silence.
"So uh, how did ya meet Discord?"
He glanced over at her. The question caught him a tad off-guard, but merely grunted in response. Applejack tried again.
"So uh, are you some kinda... uh... what exactly are ya?" she inquired.
"My kind goes by many names, none of which I myself am familiar with." the demon answered. That statement was only half true, he knew, but this wasn't "Q&A with the ancient tyrant" time. He was here for one reason, and one reason alone. There would be no distractions now. Discord was going to pay dearly.
Before Applejack could question the demon further, Pinkie Pie returned, bringing with her another pony.
"You ponies have become quite numerous since I was here last." the creature muttered.
"Mr. Monster Guy, this is Twilight. She's a princess!"
Twilight stood and examined the fallen king with great interest. Even with his imposing looks, she remained unafraid. She couldn't tell if he was looking back at her or not, since his pupils were non-existent. The princess had studied all kinds of creatures from all over the world. This beast didn't look like anything she'd ever seen, either in person or books.
"So, are you a spirit, like Discord?" she asked once she finished studying him.
"No." he said simply.
"Are you a demon?"
"Yes."
"And you're friends with Discord?"
"Sure."
Her eyes narrowed, and she studied him further.
While she did, he took an opportunity to look her over as well. "You don't look like royalty to me. Are all alicorns princesses?"
"Well, out of the four alicorns in Equestria, all of them are princesses, but I suppose being an alicorn doesn't inherently make you a princess, anymore than being a princess requires you to be an alicorn." Twilight replied.
"But didn't you have to turn into an alicorn to be crowned princess, Twi?" Applejack pointed out.
"Hmm, yeah I guess I just contradicted myself there." she admitted.
"I was told you knew of a spell that could summon the draconequus here for me." the demon said, getting back to the matter at hand.
"Well yes, I do. Although I've never tried it without the Elements of Harmony before."
The king stood up to his full height. "I would consider it a personal favor if you tried."
Twilight stepped away from him, a concerned look on her face. "Sure, I mean... I don't see why not."
Like Applejack, she too found something oddly familiar about the creature, but didn't know what it was. Seeing no harm in it, Twilight charged up her horn and performed the spell. A bright rainbow slithered out of the lit tip of her horn and traveled in a circle, finding its way back and causing a large flash.
The spirit of chaos was now in front of her. His eyes were closed as he lounged on a sofa. "Hmm? Who's there?" he said, opening an eye and finding Twilight standing next to him.
"Twilight, Twilight, this is the second time you've abused that spell of yours. Princess Celestia isn't going to like it when she hears about this." he said, wagging his finger back and forth at her.
"Someone's here to see you." she said, giving him an annoyed look.
Discord sat up. "Oh? And who might that b-Ack!"
He stopped mid-sentence when a claw wrapped itself around his neck and squeezed. The claw pulled him up until he was face to face with the demon king.
"Hello, Discord. I believe you and I have some unfinished business." he hissed.
"O-O-Ocraten?" Discord managed to wheeze out.
"Ocraten!?" the three ponies repeated in unison as his familiarity suddenly dawned on them. Meanwhile the dark king had reached behind his back and pulled out a large blade.
"If memory serves..." he said, holding the blade up to Discord's throat. "...we left off right about here."
Much like her other friends, save Fluttershy, she could put up with his witty antics and annoying personality. However, Twilight always knew that deep down, no matter how reformed the draconequus claimed to be, he was still the spirit of chaos and that meant that he would inherently have the desire; the insatiable lust to cause havoc and turn Equestria into his own personal theme park of mischief and treachery.
It was this reason, and quite possibly this reason alone, that caused her to loath the creature. Twilight had never really discussed the topic much with her friends, though Discord was the butt of quite a few jokes here and there. She wasn't sure if they disliked him as much as she did. Surely Rainbow Dash and Applejack would have been the sole proprietors of the "we really don't like Discord" association, as they probably were the most hostile towards him when he was around, and came up with the particularly vulgar jokes when he wasn't.
At the end of the day though, Twilight knew that all of her friends could get along with the creature well enough, and put up with his sense of humor with gruff repose.
She, however, was a different story. As far as the princess was concerned, Discord had been the greatest threat Equestria had ever known. He was a force that could not easily be stopped, more dangerous than Sombra, Chrysalis, or even Nightmare Moon. His powers seemed limitless and his deceptive attitude made him the perfect villain, in that no other baddie had such a desire for evil ingrained in their brains. He caused chaos for its own sake, and that made him all the more threatening.
That's why Twilight couldn't stand the draconequus. He was the country's biggest enemy, yet he was able to float around on a cotton candy cloud as if he were an ordinary citizen... if ordinary citizens could conjure up candy clouds, that is. This caused the princess' blood to boil, and ensured that Discord would always have a special place on her "immediately turn to stone" list.
All of that went right out the window, though, as soon as Twilight saw the look on Discord's face when Ocraten wrapped his large claws around the spirit's neck. The fear that he felt seemed to radiate like the heat from Celestia's sun. As soon as Twilight looked into his eyes, she immediately felt the same panic and dismay that he did, and it truly terrified her more than anything else in the world.
Discord never showed fear. Even as he was being turned into stone for a second time, the surprise and panic in his face wasn't nearly as prominent as it was right now. Twilight continued to stare in horror as Ocraten confronted Discord.
"It's been a long time, you pathetic whelp. How have you been?"
Discord tried to answer, but the demon's grip was far too tight. It was a struggle for him simply to inhale enough oxygen to maintain consciousness. Cuz, you know, immortal spirits totally need that stuff.
What came out of his mouth was nothing more than sputtering and wheezing.
"That's nice." the demon answered. "I've been real busy being dead, you know, after you MURDERED ME!"
With that, Ocraten ran one of his razor-like claws across Discord's face, leaving a nasty scratch, then threw the spirit clear across the street. Discord smashed into a nearby house, sending glass and wooden splinters every which way. The pony couple who had been hiding in the humble abode now jumped out of their destroyed home and took off down the street.
With a deep chuckle, Ocraten walked over to the crash site as Discord tried to recover, coughing out bits of debris and sucking in lungfuls of air. It wasn't long before the demon king was upon him once more.
"You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this moment, snake." he grabbed the spirit again, holding him up much like he'd done before. Massive blade still in hand, Ocraten let Discord examine himself via the sword's reflective surface. "Look at you. Look at how frightened you are. Without your powers you are nothing but a helpless swine waiting to be slaughtered. "
Discord looked at his frightened expression in the mirror, but something the demon had said caused a grin to once again find it's way onto his mismatched face.
"I hate to disappoint you, old friend, but my powers are still quite usable." and with that, the draconequus snapped his claws... but nothing happened.
Discord's smile faded as he snapped his claws a few more times. Then he tried every other method he knew of to activate his mischievous powers. Much to his surprise and dismay, however, no success came from his attempts.
Ocraten watched the spectacle with great amusement, bellowing laughter leaving his maw as fire did so as well. "Did you honestly believe I would come back seeking revenge, and not have a way of suppressing your powers?"
The spirit thought a moment. "Well... yes. I mean no offense, Ocraten, but you were never the sharpest tool in the metaphorical shed."
Surely if his powers had been usable, Discord would have dropped a shed on top of the assaulting demon right then, but presently he could do nothing but take his abuse. Ocraten slammed the spirit into the ground.
"No offense taken." he spat. "Now if my memory serves me, I believe my promise to you went something like this."
With that last word he slammed one of his massive feet down on Discord's body. "Now. What did I say I would do? I believe it had something to do with decapitation!"
He brought his sword's tip right up against the spirit's neck, just above the fur line. Scared out of his mind, the draconequus struggled to get free, while simultaneously pleading with the fallen king.
"Come on, Ocraten. I-it was j-just a harmless little j-joke. I-I mean spending all that time in the pits of Tartarus couldn't have been that bad, right?"
Ocraten began emanating flames from his body as he looked up and roared to the heavens. "How dare you try to plead innocence to me! You have no idea the torture I was subjected to while banished to that damnation! I had to go through every single day at a snail's pace, enduring a new kind of punishment each time the red sun rose over the fiery lake!"
His sword pressed deeper into Discord's neck, it's tip ready to break skin. "My torment was without end, and the only thing that allowed me to retain my sanity was the desire for you to experience it ten fold!"
Discord would have gulped if his fear of being punctured by the demon's blade wasn't present.
Ocraten continued. "I've made a deal with my tormentors that will ensure you suffer far worse than I did." he leaned in closer to the chaotic spirit. "And the best part is that I will be the one subjecting you to this torture. Once I finish cutting you to ribbons, I will return to the underworld and meet your soul. Then you and I will have all the time in the world to catch up."
With another chuckle, Ocraten grabbed his mighty weapon with both hands and raised it high into the air. As Discord watched his doom approach, his life on earth flashed before his eyes. Sadly, and to the spirit's immense disappointment, most of it was just him being a stone decoration to be examined by some bored noblemare at a Canterlot garden party. Not wanting to see the satisfied expression on Ocraten's face as he finished the draconequus off, Discord closed his eyes tightly, and awaited the end.
However, a confused grunt from the demon king caused his eyes to open once more. He now saw that Ocraten was enveloped by a purple aura, preventing him from finishing his execution.
"What is the meaning of..." the demon was immediately thrown into the same house that Discord had already demolished. The spirit looked over and saw Twilight panting heavily. His confusion mounted when she galloped over to him. She seemed to be yelling something in his ear, but for some odd reason, he couldn't hear anything. The fact that he was a single second from being killed had a profound effect on the spirit's mind.
Discord rubbed his head with a paw, then started making out what the princess was screaming.
"RUN!"
The spirit's eyes widened as he realized what had happened. Without anther word, he hopped off his back and bolted down the street, making a sharp left turn and disappearing from sight.
Twilight watched as Discord fled, then turned her attention back to the destroyed house. The second floor collapsed in with a loud crash, followed by a cloud of dust rising out of the rubble.
Through the cloud, the princess could see two red eyes staring at her with a rage she never thought could exist. Ocraten slowly stepped out of the building just as the remainder of the structure succumbed to the heavy damage and fell to pieces. He looked down the street, in the same direction Discord had fled. Then he turned his attention back to the pony who'd just prevented him from exacting his revenge.
Twilight met the demon's gaze, which was so full of hatred that she involuntarily took a few steps back from the beast. Applejack and Pinkie Pie hadn't moved a muscle during the conflict, and Twilight's actions didn't aid them in getting over their nerves. The princess lowered her head, getting ready to defend herself against the king. She had no idea how powerful he was, but she wasn't confident she could best the creature in open combat. At the very least, she would hold him off long enough for her friends to get run to safety, which she prayed they would be smart enough to do once he attacked.
To her surprise, however, Ocraten did not raise his sword against her. Instead, he sheathed the weapon behind his back.
"Pony... If you value your life and the lives of your subjects, I would suggest not interfering with me again." His words were like spears, penetrating Twilight with more force than any physical attack could. The demon exhaled steam from his nostrils, then started walking in the direction Discord had gone. In his wake, he left a completely leveled house and three utterly perplexed ponies.
"Rainbow Dash, if you cannot maintain the patience needed to complete this task, then I'd rather you simply leave it alone. I can find another pegasus to assist me if you're truly in that much of a hurry."
Rarity rubbed her temples as she attempted to calm herself. All she'd asked her friend to do was hang up a few decorations for the sale she was having at her boutique. It wasn't like she was asking Rainbow to give her shop a complete redesign, yet still the pony managed to mess it up.
Rainbow Dash finished adjusting a sign that she'd spent the last ten minutes trying to straighten, constantly shifting it at the request of an unsatisfied Rarity.
"Pfft, patience has nothin' to do with it. There isn't a pegasus pony in all of Equestria who can hang up decorations the exact way you want them! So I guess the only way you're getting this done is if you grow wings and do it yourself." Dash replied.
"Of course," she grinned. "We all know what happened the last time you had wings."
Rarity's face turned red, both out of embarrassment and anger, as she looked down at the ground. "Why do ponies have to keep bringing that up?"
"Anyways, I'd be able to do this a lot faster if that stupid cloud wasn't still on the loose." she grimaced, looking at the floating bane of her existence as it hovered over a nearby tree. "It's like that thing has a mind of its own!"
Rarity squinted her eyes, examining the dark puffball. "It looks like a normal cloud to me."
"Yeah you say that now, but every time I get near that thing it dissipates, only to reappear somewhere else in town. I've gotten like eight complaints from ponies saying it zapped their butts or something like that."
"Well why don't you just ask Twilight for some assistance? I'm sure she could use her magic to get rid of that annoyance." Rarity suggested, pulling more decorations out of a bag and studying them. "Which of these would look better on the second floor balcony?"
Before Rainbow Dash could make a sarcastic response, a panting Discord came skidding around the corner of a nearby street. Not even bothering to address the two ponies, he continued on past the boutique and out of sight. Rarity stared at the direction Discord had gone.
"I wonder what that was all about."
Rainbow Dash shrugged. "Meh, who cares? Discord's always up to some nonsense."
"Indeed." Rarity nodded, going back to her decorating. She lifted a ribbon up with her magic and tied it around one of the columns that lined her shop. Rainbow Dash observed this, and then something clicked in her head.
"Hey, why do you even need my help putting up these decorations when you can just lift them up with your magic?"
"Well aside from the fact that I didn't really feel like putting all these up by myself, I figured it would give you something to do." she answered, tying another ribbon.
"What? There's like a thousand things I could be doing right now, all of which are more important than this!" Rainbow Dash argued.
Rarity snickered and rolled her eyes. "Oh? Name one-"
"Napping." she quickly said, already prepared for the question.
"Okay miss smarty pants. That was one, what about the other nine hundred and ninety-nine?"
A crack of thunder caused both ponies to jump. Rainbow glared at the nearby cloud as it started to rain on Carrot Top's carrot top. The cyan pegasus raced over to the cloud, which promptly dissipated well before she could get close.
She growled, returning to the boutique in defeat. "Okay, reason number two; discovering the mystery of that darn cloud!"
"Oh please. Don't tell me you still haven't figured it out." Rarity laughed.
"Huh?" Rainbow replied, confused.
"Well I think it's quite obvious that everypony's favorite draconequus is responsible for that mischievous happening."
Rainbow's eyes narrowed. "I'm gonna kick that no good snake so hard in the flank... or I guess somewhere in his tail area... er... well he's gonna be sorry, that's for sure!"
Wasting no time, the pegasus took off into the air with a whoosh. She left nothing but a dust cloud and a ticked off unicorn in her wake.
"Hey! You can't just leave in the middle of this, Ms. Loyalty!" Rarity screamed in vain. Ms. Loyalty was already well out of earshot.
The only other creature that remained was the brooding figure that had just arrived, casting an eerie shadow over the perturbed pony. Rarity turned to see what was blocking her light.
After getting a good look at the obstruction, the unicorn promptly sucked in a lungful of air, and screamed.
* * *
What had happened? What had he just witnessed? What had he just experienced? By Celestia, had he almost died!? Ocraten was back in Equestria! How had that happened? He had made clear guidelines with The Keepers. They had promised him an eternity. An eternity! The Keepers held their word in the highest regard. Such loyalty was something completely alien to him, but he had relied on it when they made the deal. Ocraten would be locked away in the deepest pit of Tartarus for eternity. He kept going over the agreement in his head, seeing if there was perhaps something he'd missed, but the terms were clear.
Discord passed the last remaining houses of Ponyville as he made his way out of the town. He would occasionally try his powers, hoping whatever foul magic that suppressed them would fade.
No such luck.
Without his powers, the spirit didn't stand much of a chance against one of the most powerful demon kings in existence. Even with his powers, all he could have done was run and hide. That's what he was doing right now, of course, but it would have been a heckuva lot easier with teleportation. The old fashioned way was kind of a drag.
As his mind wandered onto the subject of running, a burning in his chest alerted him that his lungs wouldn't take much more of it. Hesitantly, he slowed to a brisk walk, catching his breath and looking behind him.
Ponyville seemed as peaceful as ever, a strange sight considering the evil that now walked its streets. In his mind's eye, Discord could easily see flames sprouting up and an army of dark creatures leveling the town. Ocraten wouldn't let it stay standing for long, especially since Twilight had taken direct action against him. That was a big no no.
A pang of guilt stuck him at that moment. The draconequus still couldn't believe Twilight had saved his life. He knew she wasn't a fan of him. Discord had ruined her day on more than one occasion, passive aggressively tormenting her and her friends, sans Fluttershy. The fact that she forcefully stayed Ocraten's blade had truly taken the spirit aback.
Oh please, you idiot. She didn't do it because she considers you a friend. She did it because it was the "right" thing to do. If she'd known what Ocraten was capable of, she would have gladly watched as that big black oaf spilled your blood all over the street.
Discord's brow furrowed. His inner voice was probably right. Twilight would do anything if she thought it would please her dear Princess Celestia. After all, it was only on Celetia's request that they let him out of his stone imprisonment and attempted to reform him in the first place, and the only reason she requested it was so she could use his powers for her own personal gains.
No, the only pony he could really call his friend was Fluttershy. She was the only one who genuinely cared about him, even when he wasn't the kindest to her. That's where he would go; to the only pony who cared.
The draconequus hung a left and entered the woods. It was only a short distance to the yellow pegasus' cottage, and she'd be able to help him out. Discord picked up the pace, though. Ocraten would no doubt be looking for him, and without his powers, time was not on his side.
* * *
The cloud reappeared in another part of the town, like it had done many times that day. The cyan pegasus had been chasing it around for quite some time, and t had to admire her tenacity.
Ponies... they always freaked out when they couldn't micromanage every little thing.
What? A single cloud couldn't float around without everypony throwing a fit? It seemed like the Everfree Forest was the only place a cloud could enjoy the freedom of raining, thundering, and lightning, free of persecution.
Though it did have some fun times in Canterlot. That city was a riot when something didn't go according to plan. Those ponies in the skintight suits and funny goggles freaked out like nopony's business when they failed to catch it. They had to call on one of the bigger ponies to handle the disruption, the darker one with the moon on its butt and a bad attitude. It had found evading that pony to be quite entertaining. This smaller town offered entertainment as well, but not to that degree.
The cloud now floated over three of Equestria's more important ponies, the ones that had seemed to take it upon themselves to save Equestria every now and then. It wondered if they would be able to step up to the plate once more. With the kind of stuff that was coming, they would need to be on their A-game if they hoped to keep their kingdom intact.
If the cloud had a mouth, it would be grinning, but it instead opted to thunder a bit, which would sound like laughter to anypony close enough to hear it. However, it was high enough in the sky where no other conscious thing was within earshot. Suddenly though, it felt compelled to go lower, closer to the three ponies. It figured they must have been saying something important, otherwise it wouldn't have had such a strong urge to eavesdrop.
Stealthily, the cluster of water vapor and sinister thoughts got closer to the trio of heroes as they continued their conversation. Soon the voices became clear enough for it to understand. It quickly started to ingest the information, absorbing it into its being and savoring what it heard.
"And just what in the hay were ya thinkin', Twi!?"
Applejack and Pinkie Pie stared on as Twilight stood in silence, looking at what remained of the destroyed buildings in the street. She was breathing heavily, the confrontation with Ocraten still fresh in her mind.
How close had she been to death in that moment?
She probably didn't want to know the answer. She had little doubt that if the demon really wanted to kill her, he could have done so right then and there without exerting much effort. She felt his power, even though he'd hardly shown any magic, she could still feel his inner abilities, like a river of water sloshing over the side of a dam, ready to breach it. Twilight wondered how stable that dam really was.
"Twilight, what were ya thinkin' attacking that... thing like that?" Applejack asked. It was clear she had gotten a fair grasp of how powerful he really was as well.
Twilight exhaled slowly. This hadn't been the first time she'd stared death in the face. As a princess, it was an occupational hazard, and she knew there would be instances when she'd have to put her own safety at risk to protect her friends. Discord was no exception.
She turned to her friend. "Applejack, I know you felt his power as much as I did. I know that you saw what he was doing, and what he was planning on doing to Discord. I also know that you know what would have happened if I'd stood there and done nothing."
Applejack bowed her head, ashamed. "I-I realize that, but... the last thing ya do when a rabid animal's huntin' is hold its tail down. The way that thing was lookin' at you, I don't think I've ever felt so afraid and helpless in my life."
Twilight looked at her friend, guilt welling up inside. She could easily forget how difficult it must have been for her friends to accept her role as one of Equestria's protectors. It always seemed like they valued her life far more than she valued it herself. Even so, there wasn't time for her to have a heart-to-heart with Applejack. Ocraten was loose in Ponyville and Discord was in danger. They could discuss personal matters when that issue was resolved.
"I'm sorry, Applejack. I know it was dangerous but it was the only thing I could think to do." she turned so that she was addressing both Applejack and Pinkie Pie. "However, that's neither here nor there. We have to stop Ocraten from harming Discord, or anypony else for that matter. To do that, we're gong to need to work together."
Applejack snapped out of her depressed state, and a look of determination replaced her solemn expression. "Right." she said, drying her eyes. Pinkie Pie bounced up next to her, giving her a reassuring hug. "So how do we handle this demon feller?"
Twilight thought about it. "We'll need the help of Princess' Celestia and Luna. They would best know how to deal with Ocraten, and the fastest way to contact them would be through Spike, who should still be at the library."
Applejack nodded. "But we should keep an eye on Ocraten 'till they get here..."
"Oh!" Pinkie squealed. "I can do that! Ocraten and I are best friends, after all. We go way back!"
"But ya just met him thirty minutes ago." Applejack deadpanned.
Pinkie wiped a tear from her eye. "Those were some good times... uh... minus the whole 'trying to kill Discord' part."
Twilight rubbed her head. She didn't like the idea of Pinkie going near the demon but, at present, he seemed to only be concerned with Discord. "Alright. Pinkie Pie will keep track of Ocraten while I go find Spike. Applejack, you go find the others and let them know what's happened. We'll meet at the library to discuss next steps."
Her two friends nodded, happy to have a plan of action. Just above them, a mischievous cloud quickly floated away, content with the information it had gathered.
* * *
It was no secret that Rarity was one of the most beautiful mares in Ponyville. One glance from her dazzling eyes could send any stallion spinning. Her voice matched her beauty, and she could sing with the best voices in Ponyville. Her scream, however, was one feature that made even the most interested colt shuffle away in agony. Many of the town's citizens often compared the shriek to Pinkie Pie having a shouting match with a banshee. Her scream was the sort to send everypony in the area running away, instead of running to help.
Ocraten looked down at the shrieking damsel with interest that was quickly diminishing. After the pony finished her song that only the foulest beasts in Tartarus could find enjoyable, she started panting heavily.
"Are you finished?" he hissed.
Rarity looked up at him, finally catching her breath. "Yes, darling. Sorry about that. One tends to react in such a way when they are faced with a giant monster. It's become a bad habit that living in this town seems to have brought on."
Ocraten and Rarity continued to stare until the mare had had enough of the awkward silence. "Was there something I could help you with?"
"Discord. I want to know which way he went." the demon responded.
"Discord? Well now, that's an odd request. I don't think I've ever had somepony ask about him." she looked at the demon again. "Although on the other hoof, I suppose I've never been approached by a creature such as yourself before, either-"
"The draconequus! Which way did he go?" Ocraten snapped.
Rarity's eyes narrowed. "Listen here, you impatient scoundrel. I don't appreciate being interrupted, and just because you are in a hurry to find Discord, doesn't give you the right to be so rude to a pony you just met. No introduction, or even a hello? I am not the kind of pony to simply sit here and..."
Ocraten extended his index claw out, running it down in the air and, as if he were unzipping a jacket, a dark line appeared where his claw ran down, almost like he was slicing the air open. Rarity continued on with her rant, not noticing the creature stick both claws into the line and widen the opening.
The unicorn glanced at Ocraten, and she saw what was within the opening. From where Ocraten was standing, he couldn't see what she was being exposed to, but he could hear the nightmarish things that were just on the other side of the portal he'd opened. Rarity began stuttering as her eyes were glued to the hole. Screeching, crying, and all manner of putrid sounds could be heard. Ocraten closed the portal when tentacle-like appendages began snaking out.
Satisfied that he'd gotten her full attention, Ocraten asked for Discord's location a second time. Rarity pointed a shaky hoof in the direction he had gone. "I b-believe he left town..." she managed to say. Putting a hoof up to her nose, she realized it had started bleeding.
"Thank you for your assistance." he said, passing the pony and continuing in his pursuit, never going faster than a brutish walk.
"D-don't m-mention it." she stammered, taking out a box of tissues and heading off for the library.
* * *
As soon as Ocraten reached the outskirts of Ponyville, he sniffed the air for Discord's scent once again. He'd lost it in town due to the many other scents that were present, like the bakery and the boutique. Such smells threw his nose off, which was why he'd needed to ask for assistance in the first place. Now that he was free of the ambient odors, he could rely on his sense of smell once again.
After a few sniffs, he picked up on the spirit's scent, and started walking in that direction. Ocraten made note of how Discord seemed to have made a quick left turn upon leaving Ponyville, likely in some feeble attempt to evade him. No serpentine maneuver would save the spirit, though. With his powers gone, Discord would be forced to go into hiding, but there was nowhere in the world he could do so indefinitely.
As he walked Ocraten thought about the world he had returned to. The demon found it odd that Discord had fallen out of power. Discord was an obnoxious being, but he wasn't stupid. It was unlikely that he was tricked out of his throne, so how had the ponies managed to best him? It was something that Ocraten would probably need to worry about sooner or later. If there was a force in the ponies' possession that allowed them to stop Discord by brute force, then it could pose a threat to him if the spirit managed to get his hands on it.
That scenario was very unlikely, however. This was likely going to end with Ocraten finding him backed into a corner, and then eviscerating the traitor and watching his soul float all the way down to Tartarus.
Before the demon could continue to fantasize about his revenge, a small cloud descended from the sky and stopped right in front of him, hovering a foot away from his face. Ocraten couldn't utter a word before a female voice spoke from the cloud. Her voice was warm and cheerful, and it made him cringe.
"You have a collect call from Tartarus. The service fee is three souls. Do you accept?"
Irritated, the demon groaned before accepting. The cloud suddenly became much darker, and the female voice was replaced by a much raspier male one.
"Ah, Ocraten. Good to see your body fared well after being buried all these eons." the voice said.
"My body is beyond time's influence." the demon replied.
"Of course. I'm well aware of your powers, Ocraten, as well as their limitations." the voice responded, almost threateningly. "Anyway, I hope Discord isn't proving to be more trouble than you anticipated."
Ocraten laughed. "Quite the opposite, actually. He has no power here, no armies and no friends. I've taken away his abilities, as requested. He is helpless and running scared. It will be satisfying to kill him, alone and afraid."
"No friends, you say?" the voice questioned. "That's odd, because from what I hear, he has several friends who are attempting to assist him as we speak."
"The ponies?" Ocraten laughed even harder. "They are of little concern. If they attempt to interfere, I will deal with them. If they are smart, I will not need to."
"Discord is no longer in power because he underestimated the ponies. I hope you are not making his mistakes."
"The draconequus was always a fool who underestimated his opponents. He is weak, even with his abilities. Whatever they did to defeat him, it will not work on me. I will have his head before this is over."
Now the voice laughed. "I don't doubt you, Ocraten. Just make sure you remember the other reason you're there. Do not let your obsession with Discord ruin this game. It would be very unfortunate if that occurred."
"I'm no fool." the demon grunted.
"Of course not." the voice replied. Lightning flashed from within the cloud. "Do you like lightning, Ocraten?"
The demon didn't respond, not sure what to make of the question, so the voice continued. "I'm quite fond of the phenomenon, myself. It's such a tame display power, yet it's power in its rawest form. Lightning is what true power is, because it is not being directed by some sentient force. Lightning does not strike with purpose, it doesn't care if it harmlessly hits the ground or strikes an innocent traveler. It makes no alliances, and harbors no grudges. It will kill only when the roll of the dice says to do so, but when it does, it shows no mercy. When I see lightning, I see a bit of myself. Interesting, is it not?"
"Why are you telling me this?" Ocraten growled.
"Because, my dear friend. When you play in a storm, you must accept the fact that you may get struck down. This is not a game for the faint of heart, and I hope you realize the full extent of the deal you struck, and what it means for both you and this world."
"All I care about is finding Discord. Nothing else has any relevance to me. The game will be played as requested, as long as I get my revenge, in the end."
There was a silence between them for a moment before the voice spoke again. "I do hope that turns out to be true. In any case, we will find out soon enough. Until next time, Ocraten. Take care of yourself, and I look forward to playing the game with you."
The cloud dissipated in front of Ocraten, who stood there for a moment, thinking about the conversation he'd just had. Then, shaking his head, the demon began walking again, following his nose, which suddenly reeked of blood.
Deep below the planet's surface, in a cavern far past the point where the last shred of light seeps into the dirt and withers away, the beast knelt down beneath the overwhelming weight of the presence before him. Unable to look up at this force, it simply stared intently at the ground, the only thing it had known for a millennium.
The presence, amused at the beast's reluctance to face it, snickered as the chains binding the pitiful creature were slackened. The presence got lower, it's face coming closer.
"How much blood are you willing to give?" it whispered into the beast's ear, chilling the air that was so regularly sweltering.
The beast looked up, but just barely. Still oppressed by the presence, it lifted one of its scarred claws shakily, pointing at its own heart.
"As much as this organ is able to pump." it answered, loathing itself for playing along, yet determined to see it through.
The presence smiled at this, sending the air around them to absolute zero. The chains finally broke under the immense strain. The beast chanced to glance up even further, just catching the pleasure in its new master's face.
"A good start, but I'm afraid that just won't be enough..."
* * *
Ocraten continued his trek through the forest, Discord's scent still strong in the air around him. At first, the beast had found his cowardice amusing, it had been quite some time since his presence struck such fear into others, but now he cursed the spirit's lack of courage. His fantasy of revenge hadn't included a long game of hide and seek.
The forest was dense, and it hadn't taken Ocraten long to realize Discord had doubled back and headed out toward its edge. He was probably back in the town by now, desperately looking for anyone to assist him in his plight. The demon smiled at the thought of the usurper groveling at the hooves of mere ponies.
He exhaled slowly, remembering how long he had been subjected to the various tortures Tartarus had to offer. He had endured every pain imaginable, of both body and soul. A few more hours of chasing the one responsible was a small price to pay. He knew that no matter what Discord did or who helped him, the end result would be the same.
The demon's smile faltered when he detected another presence. Halting his stride, Ocraten turned to a nearby bush. The vegetation that surrounded him was quiet, something he wouldn't have minded were it not for the presence itself. Typically, when other creatures would flee a nearby area, it was because there was a predator around. Anyone else would have assumed Ocraten to be that predator, but up to that point, animals seemed to be fine with his presence.
However, the aura he now felt didn't come off as threatening. It was something far worse, something the demon had felt before, but not for quite some time. Something he'd hoped he would never sense again. One of the few things that had kept him going through the thousands of years of torture was the fact that he was away from the pest that he now sensed sitting in the bush.
"You know, there is one smell that I will never be able to expel from my nostrils." he growled, approaching the bush angrily. "A smell that not even Tartaraus' sulfur and brimstone could mask."
The bush started to quiver.
"And that smell is of rodent!"
He drove one of his large, brutish feet down on the shrub, crushing it with all his might. Breathing heavily, more out of annoyance than of exertion, Ocraten lifted his foot to reveal crushed branches and leaves beneath it. Unfortunately, the source of his frustration was not among the debris.
The demon looked around the forest once more, still sensing the insufferable presence that had plagued him for most of his years on the throne.
"Where are you!?" he roared, punching the forest floor in frustration.
Not a minute later, he could hear the sound of giggling from up in the trees, branches and leaves concealing its source.
"Jeez, you haven't changed a bit, have you?" a creature commented as it slowly made its way down from a tree, hanging from one of the branches and then elegantly dropping to the ground. "I figured all that time in the 'Palace of Pain' would have humbled you or something, but you're still as hostile and angry as ever."
Ocraten gave a low growl in response. The creature standing before him was a bit larger than a pony, but still puny compared to himself. It was insect like, with dark grey chitin and piercing red eyes. Its wings, tattered and worn, did not look like they could achieve flight, and its legs looked just as frail. The creature's mouth, containing fairly sizable fangs, was now twisted into a grin.
"Fladnor." The demon king spat the name out like it was the product of a Manticore's hind-quarters. "I was hoping you'd gotten devoured by some hungry animal during my absence, or at least banished by Discord."
The bug scoffed. "You didn't really think I would go away that easily, did you? I'm afraid it takes a bit more than that to get rid of me, and Discord just didn't have the stuff."
Suddenly, with a look of genuine disappointment, he spoke again, "Although, it was getting incredibly boring around here lately. I swear, these ponies don't know how to have a good time. I was kind of hoping that dimwit draconequus could maintain his power long enough to do something fun and fresh with this world, but then he goes and gets his own butt overthrown by the most uninteresting species in the universe."
Flad sunk his head down in sorrow, before springing back up in joy. "But now you're back! And that means things are about to get a whole lot more interesting." he smiled ear to ear. "This is the first time in ages I've been legitimately excited about the crap going on in this world."
"I am not here to be your source of entertainment!" Ocraten snapped. "In fact, how did you even manage to locate me so quickly? My body is still warming from centuries of cold, still death, and here you come as if you've been waiting here this whole time for me to return!"
Flad giggled again. "I was sent here by a mutual acquaintance." He casually inspected a wing. "Was relaxing on the beach just south of Manehatten when that creepy cloud flew along with a message telling me to expect an old friend in Ponyville." he smiled. "Of course, I rushed over here as soon as I could, but I guess I'm a little late. Judging by the small bit of destruction in town, I'd say you already introduced yourself to the locals?"
The king waved a claw. "Why would he send you?"
The bug smirked. "Gee, I don't know. I doubt it's because I'm the oldest living thing on this mud ball, and I seriously don't think it's to give you a briefing of what's been going on while you were busy getting your limbs chopped off and your ass jabbed with a heated rod. And of course, it couldn't be the fact that you know next to nothing of the current political situation, or the leaders who currently hold power here." he said rather sarcastically.
Ocraten clenched a fist. "What makes you think I care to know that information? I already know where Discord is. I don't care about the pathetic squabbles of the current pony leaders, or their insignificant rule."
"Really?" Flad looked surprised. "You aren't typically one to get narrow-minded, old buddy. Don't you want to know this crap for after you finish turning Discord into a glob of ketchup? I would think reclaiming your throne would be the next thing on your to-do list."
"I care not for the throne. My only desire is to grind Discord's bones into dust. Everything else is superfluous."
"Pfft, we'll see how long that mindset lasts." Flad said, waving him off. "Judging by the recent deal you struck, I doubt you'll simply sink back into the ground after you have your way with Dissy. Anyway, the big man wanted me to give you the low-down on Equestrian stuff, so that's what I'm gonna do."
Ocraten sighed, crossing his arms. "If you must."
"Don't worry." Flad reassured him. "This won't take long, and Discord isn't going anywhere."
The insect began his tale of what had transpired since Ocraten's fall, which wasn't much of a story.
"...Then the purple one became a princess too, so now there are four of them. But yeah, that's basically how its been for a while. These ponies sit around and do nothing all day, then some twerp comes along trying to stir things up, but nothing really changes. The other nations around the world have sat just as idle. Pretty much every faction is stagnant and, more importantly, boring!" the bug finished.
The king of kings pondered what was said. "What of the Pyro Mong? You didn't mention their fate in your report."
Fladnor blinked several times. "Did I forget about my own species?" Then he shrugged. "Oopsy, well they're not around anymore. Got turned into something else, and call themselves 'Changelings' now."
"They evolved that quickly?" Ocraten inquired, to which the bug simply nodded.
"Eyup, though the word 'evolved' may be a tad generous." he replied. "A while back, the Pyro Mong leader made a deal with some Badland witches to become more powerful, and of course, the witches put their own little spin on the agreement. Now the creatures, that were once proud Mong, use weak tactics like deception and trickery to defeat opposition. When once they danced over the corpses of enemies, they now feed off of their love, forever the slaves of others." A look of shear anger and disgust befell the insect, before his demeanor quickly reverted back to the carefree attitude with which Ocraten was more accustomed. "Luckily, I wasn't rolling with them at the time, so I was spared that less-than-desirable fate."
Ocraten grunted in understanding. "So why did our mutual acquaintance desire for me to know all this?"
Flad yawned. "I don't know. Something about 'knowing thy enemy' or some crap. I wasn't really paying attention. While he was talking to me on the beach, some pony got caught in a riptide, and then these other ponies were trying to help him, but a hungry Kraken was approaching the group, so I was understandably enterta- I mean, distracted."
"You were always easily amused. And my only enemy is Discord." Ocraten reminded him.
Flad just shrugged at this. "Whatever you say, buddy. I'm just passing along the info. Do what you want. You are the 'Demon King of Destruction', after all. "
"Among other titles." Ocraten said, actually managing to smile a bit.
That smile, however, was short lived, as a familiar pink pony popped up over the demon's shoulder. "Hi-ya Occey!"
Flad yelped in surprise as he fell backward, startled by the pony's sudden appearance. "Where the flip did she come from!?"
Ocraten scowled. "The pink one..."
Pinkie Pie looked between her demon friend and the creature she had yet to be introduced to.
"Hi, I'm Pinkie Pie! What's your name?" she asked excitedly.
Flad stared for a moment. Ignoring Pinkie, he looked at Ocraten. "Friend of yours?"
Before the beast could answer, Pinkie spoke first. "Yessir! Ocraten and I are best friends!"
Ocraten glared at Pinkie "We are not-"
Flad burst out laughing. "Oh, that's rich! Sorry sweetheart, but Ocraten is my best friend."
Now the demon's hate-filled gaze fell upon the insect. "No-"
"That's funny." Pinkie's eyes narrowed. "He never mentioned you to me."
The bug stopped laughing, his face becoming serious. "Well, you know what's funnier? He never mentioned you to me either. And I've known him way longer!"
Pinkie hugged Ocraten's face. "That doesn't matter. Friendship isn't about how long somepony's known somepony else. It's about the bond they share during that time."
"That sounds like you got it straight off a cheesy birthday card." Flad retorted.
"No! I made it up myself." Pinkie defended before putting a hoof to her chin. "But do you think I could make a birthday card business?"
Flad trotted up to Ocraten and wrapped a leg around one of the demon's massive feet. "Ocraten is my best friend, and there's nothing you can do or say to change that!"
Pinkie jumped down to the ground, getting right up in Flad's face. "Oh yeah?"
The bug met her gaze. "Yeah!"
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah!"
"Oh yeah?"
"Yea-"
Ocraten grabbed Flad by the neck, smoke billowing out of the demon's snout. His eyes were bright red. "Why are you encouraging her?" he hissed.
Flad's face turned from angry to confused. "Wait, what am I doing?"
"Don't change the subject, Occey." the pink mare ordered. "We're going to get this whole 'best friend' dilemma cleared up before your party!"
Flad turned back to Pinkie, still caught in Ocraten's grip. "What party?"
Pinkie smiled. "The 'Welcome to Ponyville' party I'm throwing for Ocraten, silly!" With a sly grin, she added. "Only his real friends know about it."
The bug's face turned red, frustration clearly visible in his features. "Why you little- Oof!"
Ocraten dropped the bug on his butt before turning and continuing in the direction he'd been heading. Flad and Pinkie resumed their argument as the sound of the demon's footsteps slowly faded away in the distance.
* * *
Hollow Shades was not a place frequently visited by many ponies. It didn't attract a lot of visitors like Winsome Falls, nor was it filled to the brim with deadly predators like the Everfree or Flame Geyser Swamp. It was, for lack of a better term, plain and uninteresting. This fact alone made it the perfect location for a group of like-minded individuals to live in secrecy, protected from curious eyes. Deep in the large forest was a structure; a temple of stone carved with the perfection that only unicorn magic and earth pony masonry could achieve. It looked to be much older than it actually was, its architects using ancient blueprints not only as inspiration, but as complete guides to its construction.
In one of the many chambers, deep within the expansive temple, a hooded individual sat at a desk that was covered in a thick layer of dust. Sitting on the desk was nothing more than a single candle, it's flame steadily emitting a soft glow, barely lighting the fairly large room. The pony continued to read from an ancient tome, going over every word written in painful detail.
Suddenly, the door behind him was thrown open, another pony running into the room. The sudden disturbance snuffed out the flame, darkening the room, which was now only illuminated by the lantern light coming from the open doorway. The pony who had run in stopped several feet short of the still seated figure.
"Sir... I bring news from the oracle." he almost shouted, trying to catch his breath.
The figure turned his shrouded head slightly, but did not respond.
"The Dark King has returned!" the pony continued, barely containing the excitement in his voice. "The time has finally come. He has finally sent His blessing!"
Maintaining silence, the figure nodded, waving a hoof at his compatriot.
At this, the other pony said nothing else, and left the room immediately, leaving the door open.
The hooded pony stood up, closing the book in front of him with a veil of grey magic. As the glow from the pony's horn slowly faded, so too did the grin that was now on his face.
