After Tirek's defeat at the hooves of Twilight Sparkle, Shining Armor is bothered by the fact that it has fallen to his sister to save his wife once again. What lengths will he go to keep Cadance safe the next time a massive threat appears?
After Tirek's defeat at the hooves of Twilight Sparkle, Shining Armor is bothered by the fact that it has fallen to his sister to save his wife once again. Deciding that enough is enough he goes on a journey to obtain the Alicorn Amulet, in hopes that with it's power, he can brave the next threat and defend his wife. The problem is, he isn't the only one with designs for the amulet.....
(Not really dark, but there will be fighting, and death. So there's that.)
This will actually be a sequel to Waiting For The End to Come, so it's going to wait while I finish the other story.
Shining Armor sat at his desk, propping his head up on one hoof. Dim shadows played along the walls of his study as the fireplace burned low as the wood crackled. He looked down at the blank parchment with tired, bloodshot eyes; bags drooping from many dreamless nights. Shining Armor lazily rubbed the side of his face as the gears of his mind slowly churned, working through the haze of sleeplessness trying to find the right words to say. For several minutes, Shining sat there, drifting in and out as every blink turned into a few seconds sleep. Finally he shook his head, desperately throwing off the vestiges of drowsiness that clung to him. Lighting up his horn, he grasped the quill in his magic and began to scrawl along the page.
“Dear Princess Celestia,
I write this letter solemnly and carefully. I am not as crafty a wordsmith as my sister nor am I as articulate in expressing my thoughts as her so I will be frank and to the point. After being bested once again by forces that rally against us, I feel that I am currently inadequate and unworthy to continue my command of the Royal Guard. With this letter I am informing you that I am taking a leave of absence and recommend Bright Shield to act in my stead while I am away. He is a fine commander and should be more than capable of handling things in my absence.
I know this is abrupt and demanding, but I do not feel I have it in me to continue on and remain an effective leader of the ponies under my command. Tirek’s attack has left some thoughts and concerns I need to resolve for myself. This has been the second time during my command that I have been bested and unable to defend this castle or my wife. Twice now, I have failed my duties as her husband.”
Shining Armor stopped; his horn dimmed as his magic halted the movement of the quill tip across the parchments scratchy surface. He looked up at Cadance sleeping through the doorway of his study, the soft moonlight dancing across her features. Her sides slowly rose and fell as the sounds of her soft breathing filled the quiet room. He sighed and a subtle pain wracked his heart, as much as her presence gave him comfort and some measure of peace. He couldn’t recall a single thing that he ever did to deserve somepony like her. Their wedding was by far the happiest day of his life. Well, at least the parts after the changling invasion. It still bothered him how he couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment when Chrysalis took Cadance’s place. He was told that was a side effect of changling magic on his memories and how they could insert themselves in ponies lives. He snorted bitterly and slammed his head on the desk. It was also Twily that ended up rescuing Cadance that time too. His sister was living up to his namesake better than he was.
“Shining?” Cadance called out groggily, rubbing one of her eyes while sitting up in bed, “Is that you? What’s wrong?”
Shining Armor lifted his head from the desk, some of the wet ink from the letter staining the fur on his face, “Yeah it’s me honey, sorry to wake you. Go back to sleep, I’ll rejoin you in a little while.”
“Okay. Is everything alright though?” she asked as she laid back down.
“Uh...yeah...everything’s good. Just some reports I forgot to look over,” he comforted her.
“That’s all. Shining, leave them for tomorrow. It can surely wait ‘til then. Come back to bed,” the princess begged tiredly and rubbed his pillow with her hoof before quickly falling back to sleep.
His ears splayed back against his head. He hated lying to her. No, everything was not okay.
“Every night since then Princess, I wake up panicked and afraid that I’ll be powerless to protect Cadance. This fear cripples me as I realize that I am not adequate enough to protect those I love most. As of now, I need leave and go deal with my failings. I do not know when I’ll return, but I hope that when I do, I’ll be better prepared and capable than I am now. -Shining Armor”
Setting aside the quill, he rolled and sealed the letter before placing it in a slot of his packed saddlebags. A soft snore came from the bedroom as he watched Cadance continue to sleep peacefully. He took a small piece of paper out as he levitated the quill once more.
“My dearest Cadance,
Please know that I love you. I always have and I always will. I know that when you read this, it may not seem like it, but please have faith in me. I need to leave and sort out some things that have been troubling me. I hope that my travels will bring me back to you as soon as possible, but I need to do this for myself. I need to do this so that I can be a better husband to you in the future. You are my everything and I can’t live without you. You are most precious to me and while I’m away my thoughts and heart will be with you. Please forgive me for telling you this way. I love you Candance. Never doubt that.
Forever yours,
-Shining”
Shining stood up slowly, and slung his saddlebag over his bag, taking extra care to make as little noise as possible, especially as he crept over to the bed. Cadance was splayed all over the bed sound asleep, and snoring softly. A slim smile formed on his face at that as slight tears built up in his eyes. What he was about to do was going to hurt her and tear her heart apart, but he needed to keep her safe. He set his note down on the bedside table. Hopefully after all this was done, he’d be able to protect her.
Leaning down, he tenderly kissed his mare on the forehead and as he nuzzled her neck whispered ever so softly, “I love you. More than you’ll ever know.”
The moonlight shined brightly down upon Canterlot as a hooded figure walked slowly through the streets. The figure stopped in an alley alongside a burning barrel, often frequented by the few bums that lived along the outskirts and sprinkled some sort of powder over the dying flames. As the powder touched the flames, the barrel burst with green flames, pulsing brightly against the walls and the hooded figure dropped a scroll into the flames, watching as the scroll magically burned away, green smoke rushing towards the castle, carrying the message to a sleeping white alicorn. Certain that the scroll had been sent, the figure brought a second letter with a six pointed star on the cracked seal out of its saddlebags and began to read.
“Twily says her friend Zecora took possession of the Alicorn Amulet for safekeeping,” the figure muttered. A grim smile formed on Shining Armor’s face as he stepped out of the alley. He’d be damned if he wasn’t able to protect Cadance next time.
Shining Armor pulled the cloak a bit tighter around him as he cautiously walked through the Everfree Forest. The forest carried a strange, persistent damp chill that seeped deep into his bones, making them ache. There was always something off about this place. Celestia told him once that the forest wasn’t always like this. That once it flourished beautifully and was a place that could rival the royal gardens. However it was during Nightmare Moon’s brief reign, she twisted the once inviting forest to her whims. Despite all the years and Celestia’s best efforts, her magic still held claim to the land, corrupting it, along with all the life within.
Suddenly, his left ear twitched as the sharp sound of a stick snapping behind him, pulling him out of his thoughts. He stopped dead in his tracks and turned his head slightly towards the noise, peering out of the corner of his eyes. Series of offensive and shield spells came flooding to his mind as he studied the area, expecting something to come rushing out of the undergrowth but every bush was still and undisturbed. His ears splayed back against his head as the deadening silence continued.
Shining Armor felt the fur on his back bristle at the notion of being stalked. Sticks don’t commit suicide and snap themselves and smart predators stop moving when they know they have spooked their prey. He snorted derisively.
‘Two can play that game,’ he thought. With his horn obscured beneath the hood of his cloak, he cast a light, near invisible personal shield that shimmered softly over his fur. It wouldn’t do much but protect him from a single strike, but it was discreet enough that it wouldn’t give away that he knew something was up. Satisfied in his preparation, he continued walking.
He peered between the trees ahead, unsure of what might be waiting for him as the already small path narrowed down into something he thought a goat wouldn’t even find suitable to follow.
"This is a perfect spot for an ambush," he whispered, eyes darting around.
A familiar voice whispered loudly in his ear, “Oh please, if I was going to pounce on you I’d have done it long ago!”
Shining Armor jumped and reared around only to face Discord, who was sitting there on a small stool staring at him while drinking a cup of tea, or rather drinking the cup and leaving behind the tea literally floating there in the shape of the cup.
“Discord!” Shining Armor shouted, eyes narrowing and horn glowing.
“Oh, Shiny, I’m hurt!” Discord moaned playfully and threw an arm over Shining’s neck, pulling him into a side embrace. “Here you are the brother of one of my bestest friends and this is how you greet me?”
Shining shook himself out of the hug and took an aggressive stance against Discord, “Have you forgotten how you served us to Tirek on a silver platter, Discord?” His horn light up menacingly, “Because I sure haven’t.”
“Come now,” Discord licked a foretalon and thumb and extinguished Shining’s horn like he would a candle, “Sure it wasn’t one of my proudest moments, but I’m reformed now! Remember?” Discord flashed a toothed grin as an innocent halo popped over his head.
“I heard that once before and then YOU helped SEND MY WIFE to TARTARUS!” Shining punctuated each shout with a stern hoof into Discord’s chest. “WE WERE COUNTING ON YOU! I WAS COUNTING ON YOU!” Shining breathed heavily, trying to fight back the tears of so much pent up rage, stress, and anger from bursting forth.
Discord just sat there and said nothing, letting Shining continue to unleash on him. Shining took deep breaths trying to recollecting himself before continuing softly, while he pawed gently at the ground, “I don’t know if you’ve been alone your whole life, or ever been in love. I honestly don’t know you even understand what it means to have somepony so special, and so dear to you, taken away from you. To be put in danger. And all while you’re forced to sit there and watch, helpless to save them.” Shining’s head shot up from staring at his hoof and looked straight at Discord; Shining’s eyes glinted coldly.
“The pain of having my magic drained was nothing - NOTHING - compared to the feeling of having Cadence taken from me. The feeling…..it’s,” Shining’s face contorted, “it’s indescribable.” Shining’s stare fixated the immortal and powerful god of Chaos in place as he listened intently. “Discord, what you did to me-” Shining said, his voice almost a growl as his body shook with rage “-the position you put me in, you stole from me Discord! You stole away what felt like my very heart and soul!” Discord watched as a cold sneer crept along Shining’s face. “So if you think that ‘becoming friends-’” Shining spat the last two words with venomous sarcasm, “-with my sister will ever be enough to right the wrongs between us-” he gestured his hoof between them violently. Shining looked like he wanted to finish saying something, but couldn’t as he just shook his head and looked away from Discord in disgust. Moments of silence passed between them as not a sound could be heard. It was as if the entire forest had stopped to listen to the exchange between these two.
Finally Discord coughed and began to shift his weight from one leg to the other, unsure of what to say, or do for that matter, as his ear splayed back against his head. Sure, Fluttershy had chastised him before, and he certainly felt sorry and made amends with her, but this? This was different.
Discord pushed aside these thoughts and slowly approached the stallion in front of him. “Look, Shining-” Discord swallowed nervously, “-I’m still fairly new to this whole friendship thing. I haven’t had friends, true friends, in millennia and as old as I am…..” Discord moved to sit down in front of Shining Armor, forcing the stallion to look him in the eyes. “I’m still very much a foal with much to learn.”
Shining raised an eyebrow as he listened. He was taken aback a little at the sudden depth and sincerity Discord displayed, having never seen or heard the draconequus to anything more than crack jokes or otherwise be a pain.
Discord continued, “I realize now just how deeply I hurt you. I damaged your trust more than I could have ever anticipated and I may never earn it back…” Discord looked Shining in the eyes, “I truly am sorry.”
Shining looked away conflicted. Half of him wanted to believe that perhaps Twilight and her friends were good influences and that maybe, just maybe, Discord wasn’t all bad. However, memories of seeing his wife sent to Tartarus, drained and defenceless tore at his heart and tied knots in his gut. He narrowed his eyes and looked at Discord coldly. No matter how heartfelt an apology he received, he couldn’t bring himself to forgive the draconequus.
Discord nodded and looked at the ground, “I understand.”
“Discord.” Shining Armor said firmly.
Discord picked his head back up.
“What are you even doing out here?” he asked, looking at Discord leerily.
“Oh, here?” Discord gestured to the forest, “Well simply, this is the most chaotic place in Equestria, well aside from the chaos realm or course, and as safe a place as any for me to have my…..fun without hurting anypony!” He said, rebounding back into his usual self. “Well that and Zecora ran into a spot of trouble with some dark magic a couple days back and I’ve been helping her recover as best I can,” he added waving his hoof in a manner-of-fact fashion as if his revelation was the most mundane thing ever.
Shining felt a knot build in his stomach, “What do you mean Zecora ran into a spot of trouble with dark magic?”
“I’m not entirely sure,” he said suddenly pulling a pocket watch out of nowhere and lazily spinning it on it’s chain. Shining Armor wasn’t entirely sure, but he could’ve sworn that he saw it running backwards. “She said some sort of black cloud attacked her and got her pretty good on the flank.”
“Black cloud?” Shining said as his brows furrowed. Suddenly his eyes shot open “You mean the Nightmare!? The Nightmare is back!?” Shining said getting progressively louder and more worried.
“The Nightmare?” Discord asked confused.
Shining looked at him incredulously, “Discord, I know you were trapped in stone, but you can’t expect me to believe you don’t know about Nightmare Moon…”
“Oh, you’re talking about the thing that little Lulu was bonded to!” Discord laughed.
Shining Armor looked off to the side and mouthed the word “Lulu” to himself.
‘Tia and Lulu, huh?’ he thought to himself and shrugged, turning his attention back to Discord.
“Ahem, no!” Discord coughed as he gathered himself, “This is something else. The Nightmare’s magic, oh, how can I explain this….” Discord stroked his goatee a little and then snapped his fingers. “It tastes different. The Nightmare’s magic is more like a nice dark red wine that was started to turn. This, this is more like cider that had been sitting out in the sun too long.”
Shining wasn’t entirely sure he followed the comparison and the confusion showed on his face.
Discord just waved it off. “Anyway, point is, you don’t have to worry about Nightmare Moon returning anytime soon.”
This did little to comfort the Royal Captain. “So what you’re saying is there a new threat that we know little-to-nothing about, except that it takes the form of a black cloud and can hurt ponies?”
“Well, when you put it that way, it sounds a bit worse.”
Shining just rolled his eyes and snorted.
“Now say,” Discord drew up close to Shining Armor’s face and began to peer at him suspiciously, “What are you doing out here?”
Shining’s breath caught a little before he answered back in an even tone, “I’m headed to Zecora’s. Just wanted to check up on something she handled for my sister a while back.”
Discord’s eyes narrowed. He was the king of half-truths and could smell one immediately, “Oh, that’s just great of you to come visit her, but why now? I’d imagine you’d be deep in the forelegs of your lover after all that’s happened recently.” Shining’s eyes burned with hatred as his head snapped up to face Discord. ‘Okay, bad comment,’ Discord thought.
“Well, I’d love to be, but lately I find myself waking up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, afraid that I can’t protect my wife. So, if you must know, I’m hoping she has something that’ll make be a bit more powerful.”
“Hmmm.” Discord could tell this wasn’t the entire truth. Far from it. He paused for a minute just scratching his chin and staring at Shining, internally debating whether to press the stallion for more information. Finally Discord waved his claw away dismissively. “Well, a bit of advice on power from an immortal god with plenty of it. Be careful.” A strangely haunted look overcame Discord, “Such strength rarely comes without a hefty price to pay. The path to power is often leads to the you to the road of ruin.”
Shining just stared at him resolutely. “Thank you, but whatever that price may be, I don’t care. Nothing can come close to the cost of losing Cadence once again because I can’t defend her.”
“Hmmm, well, if that’s the case-,” Discord snapped his fingers and Shining disappeared, having teleported him away.
Discord watched as the last few sparks from the teleportation spell floated to the ground and fizzed out in midair. Finally alone, he sat down on a fallen log. Replaying the conversation he just had with Shining Armor over in his mind. The one comment about him having never known love particularly irked him.
‘Come on! Is that how ponies see me? Incapable of love or being loved!?’ He materialized a cracked mirror in front of his face.
‘Well, okay, I might have a face only a mother could love but still-’
He continued to stare his many and broken reflections, and they back at him. Some looked just as he did; others laughed; some cried; others simply lashed out at him in blind anger. But he was looking for one face in particular. One from his past. That one reflection both scared him and saddened him at the same time. It showed him everything he once was and reminded him of how much he’d lost.
‘Ah-ha. There you are!’
He had barely spotted it in one of the smallest slivers, hiding. Forcing the mirror to repair itself, he focused on that tiny reflection, watching as the cracks began to merge together and melt away. The surface of the mirror rippled and settled. Its surface smooth and clear. Before him was the image of a young foal staring out at him with sad, pleading eyes. The foal knew the things Discord had done. The cruel jokes that often hurt their targets. The vicious half-truths that would pit brother against brother, or as once before, Sister against Sister. The foal knew his every sin. Discord stared back at the reflection of his younger self.
“I guess we didn’t exactly turn out the way he had hoped we would, huh?” He asked the foal.
‘It’s not too late to change.’
Discord’s ears splayed back against his head. The foal’s mouth hadn’t moved, but he’d heard the words clear as day. He lowered the mirror as the glass shattered once more. Discord let it dematerialize back to wherever his pocket dimension was and laid back on the log. He snapped his fingers and turned it into a soft bed and a projector screen popped into existence in front of him.
Sighing, Discord blinked and his eyes turned into projectors.
**********
On the screen, three foals played on a grassy hilltop. The sun shined down on them gently, making it not so hot, but just warm enough. Laughter filled the air as they ran around trying to catch each other or chase down the butterflies that happened to fly nearby.
“’Tia! Discor’!” the smallest one with a powder blue mane called out, “Imma gonna catch yew! One! Tew! Tree!”
The other two, just a few year older giggled as they ran away looking to hide from the younger one as she counted. They spotted a tree and quickly clambered up it, taking refuge in the foliage.
“So,” Tia panted heavily, “Think she will find us?” She looked conspiratorially at her partner.
Young Discord shook his head, “Nah,” and smiled.
A few months ago, he’d been wandering around when these two had found him. Initially they had been a little leery of the other but soon enough they had become fast friends and went everywhere together.
The two sat in the tree giggling softly as Luna tried to hunt them down, calling out their names. After a few minutes of fruitless searching though, she became worried and afraid that they’d left her.
“Tia! *sniffle* Discor’! *sniffle* W-w-where are yew?” she sat down under one of the tree boughs and cried softly.
Celestia turned to Discord in the tree and whispered, “Do you think we should give up now?”
“Mmmm, maybe,” Discord shrugged before starting to clamber down as quietly as he could as Celestia followed him. He landed on the ground softly and motioned for Celestia to keep quiet too as he snuck up on the crying Luna on the outside of the large trunk.
He sat down beside her softly and draped a foreleg over her small trembling frame, “So what’s got you in tears Lulu?”
Hearing his voice and feeling the weight of his foreleg on her shoulder, her head shot up, waterworks ceasing almost immediately, “Discor’!” Immediately she grabbed his middle tightly, refusing to let him go, “I thought you ‘ad aban-dawned me.”
“Never,” Discord said as he looked down at her and smiled.
At the point Celestia came over and sat down next to the pair, draping one of her small wings over her sister, “Nor would I, Lulu. We’ll always be here.”
Luna mollified at this point, happy that she hadn’t lost her sister and best friend began to smile. She looked up at Discord and tilted her head curiously, studying him. Noticing that the smaller filly was staring at him strangely, he looked down at her, “What is it Lulu?”
“Why are your eyes funny?”
Celestia giggled softly into her hoof trying to keep from laughing harder but was miserably failing. Discord narrowed his eyes at her before speaking to Luna softly, “My eyes aren’t funny.” He then booped her on the nose with his hoof, “Maybe you’re eyes are funny!”
Luna stood up defensively, squaring herself on him, “Nuh-uh, you’re eyes are funny!” Then stuck her tongue out at him.
Discord stood up acting like he was going to come after her. Seeing this Luna squealed and ran away, taking Celestia with her; both of them laughing.
He began to chase them.
**********
The memory went fuzzy as a few teardrops began to leak from Discord’s eyes. Using his lion paw, he dabbed them away, clearing up the picture. A new memory began flashing across the screen.
**********
Now the three of them looked to be in their teenage years. Both of the sisters had their unmistakable cutie marks by now and Celestia’s mane was starting to transform from the light pink of her youth to the ethereal multi-hued one everypony knew. They were all sitting on the embankment of a crystal clear lake staring up at the stars.
Discord whistled appreciatively, “Luna! I know you said you had a masterpiece planned but, I’m not sure that quite describes what you have done here.”
Luna blushed embarrassed but also felt a bit proud of herself too, “Well, it’s not complete yet, but I’m glad you like it.”
“Truly Luna,” Celestia chimed in, “It is magnificent.”
And so the three saw under the stars, Luna engrossed in her work sitting on a flat rock in the water; ever so carefully positioning each star in the sky while Celestia and Discord sat of to the side behind her, on the shore. Discord tore his eyes away from the sky and looked at the smooth surface of the lake, reflecting the night sky almost perfectly as the small ripples made it look as if the entire sky was shimmering beautifully. His gaze shifted from the water to the shoreline; he noticed a few flowers nearby starting to bloom and glow a soft blue in the moonlight. Looking over at Celestia, who was still enthralled by the night sky and her sister’s work, Discord grew a small smile as he got an idea. Turning away, he dimly lit his horn as he picked one of the flowers and levitated it over. Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, he turned back to Celestia, heart pounding in his ears and fighting to maintain control of his magic as a nervous excitement threatened to take over. Ever so gently, he slid the stem behind Celestia’s ear and into her mane.
Celestia laughed softly as something tickled her ear. She looked over to see Discord’s horn lightly lit and the last vestiges of his magic dissipating from her ear and he some smiled softly at her. She tilted her head as she wondered what he had done.
“What did you do?” she asked gently, unsure if this was another one of his pranks or something else. The soft look in his eyes told her that this was likely on the “something else” end of the spectrum.
He chuckled and gestured to the still water, “Why don’t you see for yourself?”
Her curiosity catching hold of her, she leaned forward and stared into the water. There above her left ear was a softly shining moon lily.
She turned back to Discord smiling ear to ear, “It’s beautiful!”
Discord gently grabbed the underside of her chin pulling their faces close together. Each could feel the other’s hot breath on their face. “Not as beautiful as you,” he whispered.
Before she could reply, he kissed her. First it was a soft and gentle affair, but as she reached up and placed her hooves behind his neck and brought them closer, it became more heated and passionate. Her mane began to wave more fiercely and their hearts raced. They breathed greedily, trying to take in as much of the other as they possibly could before they finally broke away, panting.
Celestia whispered hotly, “That line was pretty lame you know.”
Discord softly kissed her on the lips again, breaking away before it became as passionate as before, leaving her disappointed and a little teased. “Hey, it worked didn’t it?”
They both laughed as they sidled up next to each other, leaning on the other heavily; Celestia draping on of her wings over his shoulders and he holding one of her hooves. They sat there contentedly on the bank watching the stars.
Hours passed before Luna noticed how quiet things were. She took a quick peek over her shoulder, only to see Celestia and Discord cuddled up next to each other, both still smiling like the lovestruck idiots they were, even in their sleep. She snorted softly and grinned.
“About time,” she whispered to herself. She hummed a soft lullaby to herself as she continued her work on the stars.
The memory shifted again. The three of them were walking at the base of some mountains that he was fairly certain he leveled at some point because, hey, what’s the point of being the god of chaos if you can’t level a mountain range or two?
“So where are we going today?” Luna asked the two ponies in front of her walking side by side.
Discord looked back at Luna, who by now was well into her own right as a mare. Her mane waved and billowed, speckled with the stars that shone in her domain. “Well, ‘Tia here says there’s a cave somewhere over here that we haven’t charted yet,” he lifted a series of maps out of one of Celestia’s saddlebags with his magic and spread them out in the air. The maps documented their travels as they explored around the valley they had lived in their whole lives. Their goal was to at some point map out everything in the valley and beyond it, but for today, they were exploring a cave.
“So I suppose that’s why you had me bring along all this rope?” Luna gestured to the several coils hanging off her.
“That’s exactly it!” Discord said excitedly. He loved this kind of stuff and as so long as Celestia and Luna were with him, he felt invincible. The thrill of facing the unknown and unexplored just made him contagiously ecstatic as both Celestia and Luna found their spirits lifted by his unbridled enthusiasm.
“So, Celestia? How’d you even find this place anyway?” Discord asked.
“Well,” she started slyly, “I actually spotted in a while ago, and I know how much you like exploring.”
Luna noticed how Celestia gave Discord a dirty little look and caressed Discord’s flank her with tail and watched as Discord blushed at the intimate contact. Luna rolled her eyes and cleared her throat.
Celestia quickly knocked it off and continued with her explanation, “and well, I know your birthday is in a few days and wanted to share part of your gift a few days early.”
“Part of it?” Discord asked raising an eyebrow.
A mischievous grin grew on Celestia’s face as she eyed her coltfriend hungrily.
“Oh, OH!” Discord exclaimed as he caught on.
Luna again just rolled her eyes as she tried to focus on anything but their antics. As much as she was happy for them, it didn’t help matters that she didn’t exactly have somepony special to create and share their own such moments with.
After a few more minutes of walking, they finally stood in front of the month of the cave.
“Well,” Celestia started, “It certainly looks much less inviting up close.”
The gaping mouth of the cave was pitch black and a less than pleasant odor blew out from its depths. The whole place just reeked of foulness.
“I think we should turn back and call it a day,” Luna stated, “This place doesn’t feel right.”
“Now wait a minute!” Discord said loudly as he walked backwards towards the cave's mouth, “It’s just a cave! Seriously though, what’s the worst that could happen?”
**********
“NO!” Discord snapped out of the memory with a primal yell and lashed at a large and ancient oak. His talons cut deeply into the hardened bark and wood, but his magic continued on, slicing through the tree. It groaned as it toppled over. His rage and pain not fully spent, he roared again and began to pound on the freshly fallen tree; each time leaving a deep impact that fractured and splintered the wood.
Eventually, his hits began to coincide with his sobs as he wept.As far as he was concerned, that was the day he wished he died. On the other paw, it was his birth. Or at least the birth of who he was today.
**********
Discord stepped back into the cave. As his rear hoof crossed the threshold, a tendril of magic shot of from the depths of the cave grabbed him around the middle.
His eyes went wide and he felt it begin to pull him back. He heard Celestia and Luna gasp in surprise. He shot his eyes to Celestia, making eye contact.
“I’m so sorry. I-” has all he was able to say before the tendril yanked him sharply into its depths.
“DISCORD!” Celestia screamed out, reaching out for him with her hooves. In his last glimpse of her, he saw her flare her wings and horn blazing as she prepared to jump in after him.
“’TIA! NO!” Luna cried out, tackling her sister, pinning her to the ground.
“Luna! Get off me! I have to help him!” she bucked against her sister before crying out one last time, “DISCORD!”
“He’s gone ‘Tia. I’m so sorry.” She held Celestia tightly, not letting her off the ground, “I’m so sorry.”
“Why Luna? Why?” Celestia stared at her sister, the fire of the sun burning in her eyes, “WHY DIDN’T YOU LET ME SAVE HIM!”
“I’m so sorry ‘Tia. I couldn’t stand to lose you too,” she began to explain, “We don’t know what we’d be facing or if we could save Discord to begin with.” Tears fell down Luna’s cheeks as began to hug her sister. “I couldn’t risk losing you both. You’re all I have now.”
The fire died in Celestia’s eyes as she began to embrace her sister back.
“I’m so sorry,” Luna sniffled.
Celestia couldn’t say anything and just sat there and wept.
He didn’t know what awaiting him at the end but he hoped that whatever it was killed him quickly. At least then he’d be as dead as he suddenly felt inside. He didn’t even get a chance to tell her how he felt as she watched him getting whisked away into the darkness.
‘It isn’t fair.’
He began to cry. Whether it was because he knew he was going to die, or due to love lost, or simply because something got in his eyes; he didn’t know. Quite frankly, he didn’t care.
The pitch blackness of the cave started to give way to a little light as the tendril continued to pull him along on his descent.
‘This is it…..I suppose it was good while it lasted.’
The cave grew in brightness as a glowing nucleus of energy came into view. He gasped as strange geometric patterns and strange nonsensical shapes flew across its gigantic surface. The tendril continued to drag him towards it. He struggled and fought as he approached the strange mass of energy to no avail. Finally, it engulfed him. It burned. It burned and stung every part of him and seared him to his very sole as he screamed in agony. His skin began to boil; his bones crack and fracture; even his internal organ began to squirm and shift as his body changed. He wanted to pass out from shock but the very energy that was tearing him apart was also keeping him very alive and very awake. His back snapped with a loud crack; pain shot through his system as his mind burned. Unable to pass out, he then did the only thing he could do. He screamed.
**********
Discord remembered his transformation bitterly. Eventually he absorbed the chaotic power of the nucleus, but when he finally emerged from that cave, the world had changed as much as he had. He had been driven crazy by the constant pain, torture and loneliness, the world due to the sheer passage of time. He hadn’t been free a week when he finally found Celestia and Luna again. By this point they had begun to rule over the three tribes.
Discord snorted, as a slight smile played upon his lips. It took even less time for the two of them to seal him in stone due to his new twisted nature. Well, that and apparently forcing a pony to eat meat was apparently a huge taboo amongst other things. Perhaps playing with your long lost marefriend’s subjects wasn’t the best way to reintroduce yourself. His imprisonment had been long, it hadn’t been completely unkind. Despite his new self, Celestia would still make an effort to come down and talk to him at times. Often times it was a largely one way conversation, as there’s very little you can do when petrified, but he appreciated the effort.
He sighed as he looked around him and at the devastation he had leveled against the tree.
‘You’ve still got too much of a monster in you. You can’t go back,’ he thought to himself, ‘but maybe someday.’
“Shining,” Discord whispered, “I understand you better than you can possibly imagine.”
A roar grabbed his attention as a large manticore came prowling into the clearing Discord had created.
Discord looked it over with bored eyes, “Really!? I’m trying to have a moment here.” he said and snapped his fingers. A zipper appeared suddenly and zipped the manticore mouth size. It eyes bugged out and it began stumbling and freaking out as it tried to open it mouth. It began to head deeper into the forest before Discord’s own eyes grew wide as realization dawned on him. Fluttershy occasionally strolled through these woods looking for injured animals and he didn’t even want to begin to imagine the discussion she’d have with him if she found the manticore in that state.
Discord sighed as he stood up. ‘I wonder if it’s too late to try and patch things up with Celestia. “Hey, sorry for all the takeovers and threats and endless pranks, but you know I love you right?”’
He shook his head, ‘Okay, that’ll need some work. And maybe a bouquet of moon lilies to help smooth things over.’
Satisfied, he began into the forest. “Here kitty, kitty, kitty! Discord needs to take his zipper back! Here kitty, kitty, kitty!”