A maiden knight falls for a monster, and is plunged through a world known only in fairy tales to us today. All because of a betrayal, a misunderstanding and a dangerous love.
The current cover art was done by Alyssa Hartwick , who offered to draw one for this story.
A story of knights and a serpentine chimeric beast who has turned it's back to ponykind. That is, until he meets a strange kind of knight. She's different from the rest, and bears no evil intent towards him.
Fluttershy, a knight and friend of Rainbow Dash in the medieval ages where Dragons didn't migrate quite so often, and nopony knew of the ways and mannerisms of the other magical creatures that inhabited their world.
a knight falls for a monster, and is plunged through a world known only in fairy tales to us today. All because of a betrayal, a misunderstanding and a dangerous love.
Two or three thousand years ago, and some odd months, ponies were a far cry from being the caring and accepting folk they are to date. On this particular day, something extraordinary took place in a little town all those years ago, that would change the sorrow and bitterness poisoning everypony’s hearts.
No, not Ponyville, that isn't for many thousands of years later.... No, this was a town that is now shrouded in myth and legend. It was a completely different time, before ponies would even consider compromising on anything, much less territories.
It was by chance or a great lack of luck, as there is no such thing as bad luck, a strange creature emerged along the boundaries of this long forgotten town, just as the sun was rising. It was no more than a foal, if one could call it that.
The poor thing had been chased out from the cover of the forests it had found refuge within at it's earliest memory. This may have been impossible, were this an ordinary foal, just as it looked different from anything you or I might consider equine, it also had uncanny abilities which I will get to in a moment, but it also had a long memory.
A very long memory. One could scarcely tell if it was truly an infant, or not unalike to an alicorn, simply refusing to fully mature until much later, or simply had an older mind and greater intelligence than that of our kin.
The little tike had been chased out from its hiding place among the trees. He turned frantically to hide himself from the world on the near outskirts of it, but the animals that scared him off would not relent. They refused to welcome the chimera back into their midst. The woodland creatures weren't concerned for his welfare, they just wanted him gone. His nature and sharp teeth frightened the wisest of them. The owls, the deer, and a handful of others gathered for the first time to address the problem and potential threat on their future and they of their descendants and they found one thing in common: the lot of them would agree upon any means of removing the predator from their homes. It didn't take long for them to agree on a plan for doing just that. They didn't even wait for the sunrise to wake him.
They came flocks and herds, and they prodded and poked until he awoke, shaken from his peaceful sleep, as peaceful as one could find sleep when they are alone in the world, though he hadn't yet realized just how different he was from the rest of the world around him, he'd seen little copies of the proud beasts that crossed his path. Why did he have none? he would often think.
Being a foal, he never thought much of it, and even if he had, he had no one to ask these questions of. I'm not even sure if anypony would answer him out of fear, or disgust at his crude form.
Mayhaps that was how the myths and rumors began to surface. Though there is no telling when the discovery of first sighting of the creature was spread around by way of drunk loosened tongues, about as credible as a compass beside a magnetic field. Both were as confused in the description of the creature as the other, so no need was payed to these sightings of there were many before this incident. Only that the occurrences no longer seemed to the ponies of the time isolated events, but they tried to rationalize links or connections behind them when there were none.
There was one was in the crowd who felt for the young chimera. He was no older than a toddler and they were throwing stones at him!
She was afraid to speak out against the assembled mob of farmers, Blacksmiths and shop keepers, so she stayed silent. If anyone bothered to look her in the eyes they would notice how her pity and kind heart shone through and that it was all directed toward the very creature they were harassing.
Perhaps I should mention that the pony in question was both midwife and healer to the village. Unmarried, and foal-less she used to watch the small hooves run and play around the village. Sometimes she would make stone marbles for them to use in their games.
She loved to see their smiles and though she was happy with her life, there would always be that part of her heart would twinge when she saw a filly or colt at his mother's skirts and that she had none.
With no one to care for she began to feel empty and her life a little less content as each day gradually passed by.
So when she saw the young, abandoned chimera, her motherly instincts kicked in. Right after she went home to pack, and then await nightfall. She would sneak out past the night watchers that defended the town from the unknown creatures of the forest beyond the little town.
She knew it was foolhardy, she’d seen and tended to many cases of claw marks or the imprints of teeth in the hides of her fellow neighbors, but as she thought back to the young colt, her determination grew. She would help it, and do her best to at least make up for her silence. She should have stopped the crowd, tried to reason with them. Anything would have been better than standing there. She had been afraid though, afraid of being exiled or worse and being the only Zebra didn't help. Shr had no freinds in the villaige, though there were a few friendly faces, nopony invited her in unless they suffered an illness and needed her help, or came to hard unless they needed a cute to some ailment or other. Her name has been firgotten as many would change her name in the telling of the tale, or dismiss it and her role over all. Believing that she deserves every but if kindness shown to anypony, and for the sake of the story, her name will be Zyla.
Zyla grabbed a travelling pack and filled it with salves, bandages and anything else she might need. She remembered the largest of the stones were about the size of a shoe, and how one of them very narrowly skimming his leg.
Under the cover of nightfall came the aid of a chimera child. The mare was met with no incident not did she encounter any animal of beasts, but a wide, glowing eyed owl that way perched on a branch until it saw her coming, when it opted to fly out, off down her path. She would not be the hunted tonight she thought.
In the light of a waxing moon, the savage told if the crescent suggested that more was to come then just the aid of a Chimera child.
She kept on the alert her ears turning this way and that as to pick up on any sound, a rock perhaps, skipping across the stones or any other tell tale sign that all was not at rest.
She heard nothing, but a night owl.
Zyla gave it very little pause in her flight across the cobblestone ground. She did not truly fly, for she had not the wings, but her heart soared defiant and dangerous all the same, making up for her lack in the appendage ten fold.
She reached the trees with hardly a trouble, she was stopped by no guards, and if she had been spotted most would have assumed she sought out her medicinal plants. She had always been an odd one, no matter if her methods made no sense. She had always been looked at strangely being the only Zebra in town, and an odd one at that, more pony than her stripes kin, though her earth magic was just as strong. Unlike our Zebra friend Zecora in the other hoof, she did not speak in rhyme.
She came to a fork in the road and scared now, and lost she almost turned back, but I'm she went as a sound could be heard. Barely distinguishable at this point if her path one could hear a foals whimpering. That is what spurred her on, reminding her her purpose.
“Little one… Chimera child?” Zyla called out to it sweetly. “Little Chimera.” She tried again, but still no answer, and the whimpering had ceased. She bit her lip, and hoped she had not scared him off.
What would she do then? What would become of him, though he should be well enough if he could walk about without making a fuss over an injury unless the poor dear had a strong resolve and was as stubborn or determined as she was.
“Chimera chi-” She stopped, hearing a hiss come from behind the wide birth of an oak trunk, however, she was not afraid. Zyla knew the hiss came from the colt she sought. “You can stop trying yo make yourself appear more terrifying than you are. Now, are you hungry, little one?”
A loud grumbling noise could be heard from the other side of the tree she had stopped at. She did not laugh, however, she smiled sadly and took out the promised food. She had only grabbed some bread and cheese with her, but it sounded like he would be needing more to assuage his hunger. No, there was nothing funny about that sound. “Little one, you can come out. I won't hurt you.” It was dark, but Zyla had become adept to seeing in this light going from house to house to help her neighbours as she went about finding her way in the dark light. She was upset by what she saw when the Chimera came out of hiding. The small of the cheese was faint at most, but it was enough for him to risk abandoning his hiring place.
Zyla didn't move back, but stayed absolutely still where she was. Any movement from her would scare him off, she knew. Chimeras were dangerous as they were, but this one was more pony than it's kind, much like her. It spoke volumes in his eyes.
What scared her though, was not the mismatched limbs, she had seen those earlier in the mob. What she noticed were the scratches and bruises that littered his hide. He took a step closer to test if she would try and stop him or inflict futher harm. When she did not move he slowly and warily made his way over to the food she held out. He came no closer than a hoof from her, staring at the contents in her hoof. She thought this might happen, so she brought out a small handkerchief and set the food out on it and setting it down, Zyla trotted an additional food away.
With a wary look to her, the Chimera leapt on the chance to finally eat something. He had a lot of trouble finding much of anything, he got sickoff the poison berries had tried to eat, and do never ate more of the things, poisin or no, he wouldn't risk it. He didn't have the teeth for other things and it had never crossed his mind that he could eat other creatures. It wouldn't have been in his nature even if it had occured to him to try it.
Zyla watched as he scarffed down all that was in the little bit of cloth with a smile. It wasn't much but it would do. The little chimera then turned to the Zebra its head tilted in curiousity. No one had ever tried to help him before. He couldn't remember a time anyone had.
He gradullay made his way to her, closer now than before. Now it was Zyla who was wary, true she didn't think he would harm her but surely the gift if food didn't inspire his trust like that? She reached out her hoof and tapped his forehead. It was always the first thing she did with all her patients, but he didn't seem to mind it anymore than they did. Rather he thought it was funny, and he broke out in a silly, childish grin rather than laugh aloud at this pony’s action. He tried to tap hers too, but it was too high to reach, he frowned, slightly disheartened by this, but he got over it and set there, staring at the strange creature before him. She looked different from the rest as he did here with the forest aninals, he took a bit of comfort in that. Tired now, and cold, he chose to trust this strange anomaly of his meeting her, and curled himself around her hooves. Zyla picked the little thing up and thought of what to name him. Not much came to mind, however, so she assumed she would figure it out sooner or later. Meanwhile the creature dozed peacefully in her arms. He smiled for the first time in a long time for absolutely no reason at all. He was safe and warm for the longest time he had ever been.
An owl hooted in the distance, going unoticed by all.
It lasted for three days. The kind Zebra went about her business during the day, and at night fall she would come to the little one she left in the safety of the forest. She wished she could just hold the child in her arms and protect him herself within the walls of her hut. She knew better than this of course, besides the Chimera kind she knew about liked to roam free and even as young as a few months old could fend mostly for themselves. So she would visit him, donning her cloak now that the months has grown colder, offering to take him home, only for him to refuse each time. The cold didn't seem to faze him so she left him each time the day broke. It took a toll on her heart with each refusal. She tended to his injuries, read to him, and fed him. It was all she could do to show her affection aside from the occasional hoof bye guys and the kids she'd place upon his forehead while he slept after a story she would weave. He always liked the improvised ones over the organized and leather bound ones.
She smiled as she left on the third night, but it was one full of sadness. She would not be returning the next night and she had not told him. She wouldn't be coming the one after that either... not any other for as long as she lived.... She wrongly risked coming to see her little Chimera this night, knowing she could lead the guards right to him. The suspicion of her had grown in the village, and she was afraid somepony would begin to spy and eavesdrop on her and find out about.. She realized she'd never really named him and wondered if he had a name already. She shook her head, no, she had to forget about her little one. Down that train of thought lay yet another selfish decision, that would only make it more difficult to do what was best for him. She hoped one day he could forgive her, or that he had a short memory. It was a hopeless wish, she's seen the intelligence behind those red and yellow eyes. She saw something akin to what one might find in the eyes of somepony three times his age.
No, her little Chimera would remember and forgiveness would be a long time coming and she would never live to see the day come.
Ah, yes the Wonderbolts institute of Knights, It was every pegasus’s dream - every pegasus because this squadron was most specifically aimed at recruiting only the strongest and bravest fliers. It was one of the most prestigious training centers a knight could aspire to.
Two fillies in particular dreamed of joining these ranks. Well, one of them dreamed of creating change so that everypony could live in peace at last. The other lived for the traditional order of things and longed to be a part of something greater, she knows she can be great if they would only give her a chance to prove her worth. The latter was Rainbow Dash who often lead the two into trouble and mischief her friend would try to dissuade her from.
The former, and the cautious friend of the aforementioned Rainbow Maned one was Fluttershy. Quiet and timid as her name suggested, the pegasus was always true to a kinder nature than the competitive ferocity that so often consumed Rainbow.
Fluttershy had always been an odd one, she always brought home a lost or sick animal home with her to show her Uncle. Her parents had sadly passed away years before, but she knew she had been loved, and though she missed them dearly, having an understanding Uncle was enough to numb the pain except in the worst of times. Whenever she brought an injured animal home he never scolded her, and perhaps that was what encouraged her to stand by her beliefs. He never thought her daft or silly. Her Uncle Major Arch was patient with her and at times spoiled her, though with Fluttershy it was rather difficult, as long as she had her animal friends around her she couldn’t ask for anything more. It was no surprise then when she got her cutie mark, three butterflies representing her kindness and gentleness towards animals and ponies alike. He had been a good stallion, though in the past he had been an even better commander. He had learned a lot about compassion and commodore during the war.
He always had many stories to tell about his service in the army as well. Celestia’s army to be exact. This also bore a great significance in how Fluttershy lived her life as well as Rainbow Dash. Whilst they sat by the blazing hearth fire, Major Arch would bring his stories to life, literally, using his unicorn horn to animate the elements he weaved into his story. He left out many of the bits though, all the gore and tragedy, and made for them a world of whimsy.
Dragons were defeated by the teamwork of different races of ponies, while pegasi flew in great bands alongside the ranks of unicorn and Earth pony alike to defend their land and to keep the monsters at bay
There were also many villains. Sombra, the ever living shadow, Chrysalis, the greedy heart and her changelings, and many others. The most interesting perhaps, to both fillies were his tales of a majestic and wise being, who became cruel spirit of all things disharmony and chaos. Discord, the embodiment of chaos.
It was a strange sort of fascination, that if a presumably extinct, if not mythological monster, that according to legends couldn't care less about you.
Fluttershy would be frightened at the mention of his appearance, she'd never been very brave or find of chimeras. They all had a tendency to be unpredictable in their own right from what she knew of them and experienced first hand, muzzle to beak with a cockatrice as a young pegasus of seven flight years.
It was certainly not a welcomed memory, but it was a lesson learned and it earned her more respect with her friend Dash. If and when it came to the region and strange animals, Shy must always be needed. She made sure everyone in the village knew of it too on the rare occasions they left the many acres that were Arch’s property.
Despite this familiarity with the dangers of such creatures, her Uncle made this Discord out to be a pony and she couldn't help but feel sympathetic towards the mistreated character. Perhaps he was just misunderstood? Surely there was nothing evil about him, he just struck out at the ones who hurt him like most animals do when they feel scared or threatened.She thought sadly. His was a tragic, if somewhat vague history. Her Uncle never ventured far into his tales with added details that could help her make sense of Discord’s personality, other than to say that the chimera had been shunned by the world, and she never asked. This left Fluttershy to imagine how awful that must have made him feel, and how isolated. Besides, the story was just that, a story, wasn’t it? If only his deeds following up his mistreatment hadn’t been so horrible. He changed the rules of reality to benefit himself, drove ponies mad and overthrew all law and order, ruling everything with constant change and the consequences that come with it. She took this strange Chimera’s tale as a cautionary one. It couldn’t be a true story, where the other fabrications her Uncle told her were really form parts of history and his own experiences, this one even sounded like tall tale, though, she wasn’t sure she understood the moral if there was one. Her Uncle Arch never told her stories that didn’t bear some significance or truth to them. Still years later, she had yet to find one for his tellings of the Spirit of Disharmony. Fluttershy was certain of one thing though, nopony could hold so much power and such grudges and hatred to last throughout eons as Arch assured her was true. Yet, what reason did he have to lie about, or was the story more than he let on and that was the true reason he never went into much depth, or maybe it was because it was true, but he knew little of the situation. She new her Uncle hated telling tall tales and changing facts like the historians would. That was his claim whenever Fluttershy asked why he didn’t use the many books he had in his archives to teach them history, not that she didn’t enjoy his displays of magic and weaving tales into a living story as an alternative, but nopony else did it so why did he?
He only replied that it was his special talent and it would be a waste otherwise. Another tell perhaps, was her uncle’s inability to use scientific genesis to name animals and it showed in Draconequus she thought. From what she gathered from Arch’s descriptions she couldn’t do much better though.
While Shy went on to believe in the world’s happy endings and a tie that held all ponies close together in peace and harmony, and worlds where breezies truly existed, Rainbow thought differently.
Many ponies can hear the same song or read the same book, and they’ll always come out with a different sense of it. This could be observed throughout the foal-hood of the two opposing personalities that were Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. While the more timid of the two believed in breezies, the other longed for action and adventure, feats of strength and prowess. In other words, it was just as easy to placate her as it was to cause her disinterest. Arch’s special talent just so happened to allow his creation of a goldmine of stories for both fillies. His cutiemark, a rolled up treaty and a half blank open paged book, representing his his ability to bring ponies together and his destiny as some have speculated, as a war veteran in the last years of the solar war. The book represented his belief that the past was not what made the pony one was in the present, whether they be mare or stallion.
He pulled her aside that day a while after Rainbow had left to rejoin her own family that was waiting at the front gates to take her home and told her something she wouldn't be able to make much sense of until much later. “Shy,” He told her, his face grave, “I need you to promise me that you’ll always stay true to you.” He shook his head at her when she made to speak, and was rewarded by a curious expression on her part, however she waited for him to continue.
Certain she would hold back any questions until after he had finished speaking this time, he carried on, telling her that although she had found her Cutiemark, that did not mean she had found her destiny, despite everything she had heard about finding one’s mark. He told her that the true mark of one’s destiny was not found on the outside of a pony’s being, rather it laid within, and that one day, she would know what he spoke of. It wasn’t something you could see, so much as feel, and if she remembered anything, she must remember that. He told her to do with the information what she would. Mock it, he said, ignore it, laugh or shrug it off as nonsense, so long as she didn’t forget it. She gave her Uncle her word, that she would never forget, and with a nod, he lead her back to the solar room where he had been teaching her the stories behind the constellations found in the night's glorious skies at just the right time and season.
He was always teaching Fluttershy all manner of things that most ponies wouldn’t even have heard of. He taught her dead languages, how to map the stars and how to treat wounds and broken limbs, and at her insistence he had picked up a few methods for the latter to be used on animals as well as ponies that he would then teach her. Fluttershy always knew he was a scholar ad a knowledgeable pony, but she never dreamed that there could be so many lessons and things to learn! A few times she had grown frustrated, why did he insist on teaching her things she would never be able to use! She felt bad afterwards, when she thought this way and a little ashamed, and so she never brought it to his attention. Besides, she would think, I’m all he had and I do find everything he has to share with me interesting. I only wish I could spend more time with Rainbow or my animals. She remembered when he sued to spoil her, she was not much older than she was then, she never wanted anything so much as her freedom now, her freedom to choose if she deemed something worth learning about or not. She knew a little of her standing as a lady and the descendant of a long line of Knights, but she really just wanted to see things change more than have her muzzle stuck in the pages of a foreign language textbook (there were limits to arch’s magic of course, letters and characters being one of them) and the other ebbing tides of knowledgeable that showed no sign of changing anytime soon. She sighed as Her Uncle now read aloud the coordinates of their position according to the aligned stars at any given point, and she answered his questions when it was her turn to show that she had been listening.
At least she still had another story to look forward to tonight, Arch had promised his niece at last that he would tell her a princess story. He had asked her why, and she felt bad about giving him some half baked excuse. She kept the real reason, that she needed a distraction from her now weekly thoughts of a certain fabricated chimera to herself. It was something she couldn’t quite explain to herself yet, and she thought there might be more information on him in some of her Uncle’s old books. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever find the right one, or if she’d ever take the time to search for it, but she was certain that if Discord wasn’t some made up character, then her Uncle was hiding something from her. He deserved his secrets, but she needed to know. It was the first time Fluttershy thought of the saying about the curious cat. There was nothing that would suggest that she’d come to a similar end though, and just like this character was, that quote too was a fabrication of a creative mind.
Discord plunged his head into the icy pool of water to both wake him up and clear his head. Water droplets dribbled from his beard as he resurfaced. Nothing made sense anymore. Not that anything “normal” ever did to him, but this twisted sense of humor that replaced the more common of it, the more understandable or even the unpredictable sense of the word…. It was just short of annoying. His dreams were more the exploration of questions he was hard pressed to answer. To his misfortune the questions went unresolved now as they had been before now.
A century spent in seclusion and still nothing had changed. Discord was still alone, still exiled and still, much to his aggravation, puzzled.
He’d spent a long time sleeping,fifty years or so from what he could gather, and now it had been more years to top off the already staggering total of moon phases. He had spent too much time in a state of lethargy, it was difficult to wake up, but he managed. From what he could tell ponies still kept a good distance from his forest despite seeing little of him. That was good news if there was any such thing.
He was still tired, but he needed to stay awake or time would pass him by and somepony would find him curled up like that. They would probably assume him dead, but some idiot would come back with a speaker and make sure of it. Slow heart rate or no, Village folk he’d observed years ago didn’t take risks and neither did he for awhile.
Discord knew it would only be a short time before the neighboring peoples would explore these territories of his and disturb what he had built here. It was time to scare them off again.
He stretched out and yawned as he looked at his surroundings. He was proud to see his magic had held up and the trees hadn’t come an inch closer to the little enclosure than they had been before his long nap.
Was it normal pony behavior for a mother to leave her child? He tried to shake the unbidden thought out from his mind, but alas, it was already branching out. It was too late to stop the blasted thing from consuming his thoughts.
He'd observed one house for an entire week, and not once did the parent, either one of them, abandon or neglect their children for a second. much like he had been in his appearance, he was alone in that as well. He had gotten over the fact long ago, or so he told himself, but something had brought these thoughts back to life and they proceeded to plague him to no end. He had tried to, traveling to either side of the end of the world just left him tired, and feeling foolish. Did he really believe running form the source of all his problems would make them disappear? That was the intelligence of a pony, not him.
Discord wasn't sure he knew what he was doing anymore either. The reasoning behind this was also left unresolved in the aftermath of the twilight dream he had been having. He'd waged his little war with the two ruling alicorns and he had - in the end- lost. Perhaps he was a sore loser, or maybe he just had nothing better to do than scare ponies off as he traveled unexplored territories and the towns he observed. Did he prefer to annoy them? Or was it his intention to ensure they never had a moment to rest from his lingering presence and looming threat, not unalike to the way they and all the creatures of the Everfree regarded him as a youngling. It wasn’t that they could end him or the fear that they’d take some hoard of dragon's gold he didn’t have. There was no logical explanation for his attachment to these specific woodland areas, so did he simply want to keep their tyrannical ways out of his “home”? Couldn’t he just move and travel somewhere they’d never find him and nopony would dare search for the draconequus? A few times he might've helped the ponies’ society, but he’d always be spotted before he could make a difference and he'd be reminded why he hated those ponies and all other Equines in the first place. To think he was even distant kin to them drove him mad.
They're nothing but a nuisance.
The feeling had been mutual he knew, though honestly, where was the harm in having a little fun? All they ever did was work until they died, aside from that he only ever saw them arguing amongst themselves and crushing any kindness misguided individuals had the decency to show. Sometimes it was by force, he was the monster though time and time again he had stopped these acts before they went farther than chasing the poor souls down.
He had them to blame for his loneliness, for they showed even less niceties with him when they saw his silhouette crossing the boundary between the forest and the towns. “Yet they still persist to invade my territory they had gladly given up to me before hand!” he growled. As more and more of his memories began to flood back through his state of a clouded mind, his dislike of ponykind was renewed. Discord glowered down at his reflection on the pond's surface. He slapped at it, but the water would just ripple until the haunting image behind the pain and suffering of ponykind, the face of all that destruction and chaos returned. He got tired of looking in a mirror. The draconequus didn't hate how he looked, he was a rare specimen and unlike the form of a pony entirely asymmetrical. He wasn't ashamed either, again, he loved himself. He just hated the times he would see or wonder what all those ponies feared. What inspired so much fear at a glance?
His horns were mismatched, one being that of a stag, the other was.. He wasn’t really sure. He hadn’t seen any animal around yet that had a similar appendage atop their head. and unlike that of a unicorn’s they emitted no magical current , he could try perhaps, but why would he? He didn’t need to use as much concentration and brain power as them, so there was no need to use that nor could it ever prove as an advantage.His eyes were a deep red, what were the whites of other animals or ponies eyes, were instead a yellow as if they too wished to differentiate themselves from the normalcy of anatomy as well, they were different sizes. His head was that of either a pony or a donkey, it really depended on who you asked. He had heard different opinions on that subject alone when tales or supposed sightings of him reached his ears.
He also had his fang that protruded out from the side of his mouth no matter what he tried, that seemed to frighten ponies the most besides his magic and his unique eyes. Sure he had the look of a predator, mayhaps a funny looking one, but he couldn't bring himself to eat anything containing… perish the thought, meat! He had an interesting enough diet without that disgusting alternative. It was barbaric!
It was foul, somewhat literally where the matter concerned pegasi. He snorted, bird brains the lot of them whether it's in their blood, genes, ancestry or not. They were all the same and of no real concern to him. If only he could convince himself of this, then maybe the rejection he felt each time he entered a village unseen would stop hurting. He didn't’ ask too much, but he knew it was too high a cost for him to ever pay in order to receive. A foolish wish that would never come to fruition, which only brought him back to his initial question; Just what was he hoping to achieve? It wasn’t as if things were headed in a direction he’d prefer over the way things were before, when he was still a foal and he could pretend that nothing was the matter. Before his dreams of joining the world beyond were dashed to mere fragments of what they were before.
Fluttershy's foalhood felt like it had left too quickly. Much stayed with her from those years however, such as her naivete of the world outside the walls of her home. Fluttershy often felt nostalgic for those days, but she was grateful to see her awkward lankiness had been grown out of. Just like her mother had according to Arch. At least she knew what had happened to her parents, she could have been left with no memory at all. Major Arch would never do that to her though. Her Uncle always had her best interests at heart, and knew she would only continue to wonder if she never learned about the accident, she shook off the thought, now wasn’t the time to dwell on it, though it seemed to her there never was a good time. She stared at the reflection in the mirror and gave a small smile, but it was a little forced. She wasn’t very pretty, but at least no one would tease her for her appearance anymore. That had happened more and more often as she went out into the village, until she stopped altogether. Rainbow Dash would visit every now and then, but there would be times her schemes meant she needed to be out in the village, or Fluttershy was moping, giving no sign of brightening up. She didn't visit as much when Fluttershy got like that because she could tell there was something on her mind, an she wouldn't tell her. She made light of it, but Dash knew better, there just wasn't much she could do for her except be there when she needed her.
Fluttershy on the flip side of the coin was lost in her thoughts more of the time. She didn't like shutting Rainbow more and more out of her life, she never wanted that. She was only trying to keep her concerns to herself, and if nothing changed then she probably would have told her. She couldn't stand the thought of criticism coming from Rainbow. So whenever she was asked what was troubling her she'd only reply that it was nothing and over time, she stopped asking. She would still have tea parties with her animal friends, and though she still had fun accompanying her cyan friend, there were the dreams she kept having and the now arising rumors that a creature of myth was now stalking the town. She had a nagging suspicion that these were one and the same chimera she had wondered about as a filly. It wasn't just the bullies that stopped her from going out very far from her Uncle's lands, but the descriptions of a beast that roamed the forest surrounding her home.
Fluttershy’s growing reluctance to take trips down to the village did not go unnoticed by her uncle. To an extent it had been just as well to her Uncle Major Arch, it meant he could enjoy more time with his favourite niece- his only niece- that was growing up too fast. He knew it was selfish though, but he had no way to amend the bullying that transpired unless he was there with her. That was no solution though, Fluttershy would only feel guilty to draw him out of his office or she would be made fun of worse for having him hovering about her. Instead he did what he was known for, telling stories. He would weave great epics by using his magic like he always did to animate them. As she grew older the images became more and more detailed, he would even ask her to remember the wings on each individual and their names. It was a challenge at first, but over time that too had improved to near perfection. He still left out all the usual details of war and battle, but he no longer outright glorified the battles either, he began to give her fatalities and injuries recorded from these events. “History is to be learned form, not to be in awe of, though… there’s nothing wrong with that in itself. A pony must recognize the sorrow of it too.” He had told her. Unfortunately, as she grew older he realized something was clouding her happiness. Something was clearly on her mind.
She wasn’t alone in this though, perhaps she had sensed what was to come all too soon. Arch wasn’t sure if he could stop it. For the third time in his life, he was deathly afraid, and this time it wasn’t for himself and there wasn’t a cure, but that wouldn’t stop him from trying to find one at the risk of his own health.
Major Arch would often look down at the lands he owned and sigh, his eyes had a far off look to them and he no longer told her stories unless they were exact accounts of the historical events he wanted her to memorize. He would choke up when she asked him about his own experiences in the past. She couldn't’ make heads or tails of the situation. Why would her Uncle become so withdrawn as of late? From his employees, his storytelling that he loved most… his own niece? It felt as though he was slowly turning his back on her. She began it felt alone in the halls that laughter once rang clear through. Now she only heard his pen scratch away at important documents. He threw himself into his work, becoming weaker and weaker, and she just didn’t understand what was happening. Why would he suddenly stop caring for his own health? Did nothing matter to him anymore that he would neglect his health and the only family he had left? He was all she had left too and it felt so much like abandonment how he was treating her.
It astonished her how much her Uncle Arch had changed. She missed his laugh. She missed his stories and his advice. She wasn’t a child anymore true… but she still needed him, and he wasn’t there it seemed.
So she woke up that day determined to leave the house for a day. She would have to figure out what was going on with him tomorrow. He asked her to leave him alone and let him work. He had cancelled any and all her lessons that day, so she was free. That was what she thought, until he stopped her at the door.
He swiftly reached the entrance hall, and somehow managed to do so without her picking up on it. “What do you think you’re doing?” He demanded, his eyes narrowed in accusation.
“Oh.. um. I was going to go for a walk. I-is that it alright?” She had been certain before that he would not mind, but she was no longer so sure she should have left without asking him. “I wasn’t aware I was doing anything wro-”
“Well-” he began to say, before her words sunk in. “I suppose you’re right… I never said you couldn't leave.” Fluttershy gave a sigh and began to open the door once again.
“That’s why I’m telling you now, you are to stay indoors today. I’m working on something important right now and I want you at arm’s length so I won't have to worry.” It was Fluttershy’s turn to look incredulous. “Uncle? What’s wrong?”
“Absolutely nothing, my little niece. What makes you think something is the matter?”
Fluttershy found it hard to take his answer at face value when her wouldn’t look her in the eye. Her Uncle had always been able to keep his face devoid of emotion when he wanted to, so why did he keep his fear so evident? “Uncle Archie… are you in some kind of danger?”
“What? Oh Fluttershy… What would make you think that?” He no longer looked wary, but concerned for her. It was like getting her Uncle back even if it were for a fraction of a second. He trotted over to close the distance between them and wrapped her in a hug. It was comforting, and as good a feeling as she remembered. This time however, it didn’t feel secure. In all of Arch’s long life… he actually looked his age. He looked almost frail, and he held her close for a minute before it began to feel uncomfortable. Fluttershy cleared her throat. She loved her Uncle Major Arch, but he was acting so out of character that she worried more so now than before hoof.
“Uncle Archie, I’ve noticed that you’ve been acting.. Out of sorts… lately. Are you having trouble with taxes? Are we going bankrupt?” She thought about it for a moment, and then it all seemed to click, the frailty, the panic and fear. There was only one thing he could possibly be afraid of. It would also explain why he acted worried for her as well. It had to be something greater than himself, and what could it be other than…. “Or.... are you sick?!” Fluttershy was in near hysteria at this point, it had never taken much to faze her, but this was different. She wasn’t afraid for herself, and this was something nopony could help her with, not really. There was only so much knowledge allowed to most ponies. If Major Arch was sick-
She had hit a nerve in Major Arch. He knew she was smart, she usually hated asking questions, so he must have had her worried for far longer than she’d let on. He berated himself for letting fluttershy worry. She was his responsibility and he’d hardly shown her much kindness at the time. Perhaps… no, he wouldn’t tell her now, he would wait to tell her. There was so much he was keeping from her. If only she knew what was held in the balance, what he had prepared her for…. What his cutie mark truly meant for him. He knew since she became his charge. She was a frail, adorable little thing. He knew at once what she was meant to do, though he wished he could stop what he saw. He tried now as she became a beautiful young mare, it would be son that fate took a hand in raising her. He was afraid of so much more than his own health true, but with the future he saw swiftly coming to take her away from him… who could blame him? She was like a daughter to him, and he would give anything to make sure nothing happened to her while she was under his care.
He knew then like he knew when he first laid eyes on the little foal, that he had to set her on the right path,giving it his all to free her from the inevitable was useless. Besides, she needed him to be her Uncle, not just her protector. He sighed. He was just going to have to live with and accept that. He wasn’t sure he could, but he still had one ace up his sleeve; the book.
Fluttershy, back within the old library sighed discontentedly. Her head laid upon the cool surface of a first edition of The History of Equestria, as told by the clever scholar.
Something was terribly, terribly wrong, or it soon would be. Arch thought she hadn't noticed. She hated him thinking that she was that naive. She may be gullible, but she wasn’t blind. She knew there was so much more he refused to tell her, his fluctuating health proved it! He always took care of himself, much like his tendency to be a little transparent when he was concerned or distracted, and although she never pressed him for what she wanted, he had become stricter as she grew older. She never said anything against him until today. He insisted that she needed to take her lessons more seriously when she yawned, or sneezed. He wasn’t trying to be mean, but to Fluttershy it was unsettling. It made her worry about what was coming that would shake him up so. The incident at the door had only proven her suspicions to be on target. There really was something to be concerned about, perhaps it wasn’t so close that she needed to look over her shoulder or lock herself indoors like her Uncle seemed keen on, but something nonetheless. She looked out the window off to the side without lifting her head. The stars were out now, and as she saw one scale across the sky, her eyes widened. She had never seen a shooting star. She trotted over to the window sill and looked out, stretching her neck as she watched it take its journey from the inky blackness and away from the other stars. I wish that I could be strong… or- or brave… if it isn’t too much to ask… could I maybe, just maybe make my Uncle proud? Fluttershy silently asked.
If only she knew what was troubling her Uncle Arch, then she’d know what to ask for, but just spotting the phenomenon was enough. It had to be a good omen. She watched and waited for it to fall… it descended and then as it reached the peak of the trees, it stopped short. Surely… that wasn’t the same star?[i/] she thought, shaking her head and blinking to make sure nothing was in her eyes. It was still there, but she only shrugged the occurrence off. However, it was the very same light and as Fluttershy turned her head away from the celestial body, it began to glow brighter. It was a sign, the first to be exact, and she had missed it. She began to believe that all stars either stayed in place, fell or simply vanished into oblivion. She would never know what the comet meant, and she would go out into the world without the simple lesson, that all ponies have their own paths and that nopony truly vanishes from memory, because the stars know and they remember.
Major Arch was a patient pony. A part of that patience came from being in control of situations, but times like these, when he was wanting options and a fork in the road he could stop at. Instead, all he had was an hourglass, and definitely wasn't a half full one. Time was running out on both him, and the niece he was keeping in the dark.
It wouldn’t be long until Major Arch would have to tell Fluttershy what was happening around them. There was no getting past her sometimes, she was more observant than she showed. He had forgotten that himself as of late.
His niece, considering whose daughter she was, wanted to go out and see her animal friends again. Honestly, Arch had the speculation and the light heartedness to joke about her mother being a forest nymph, while her father’s domain was of pure cloud. Polar opposites that showed in their daughter from a young age. Though, her mother was stronger, more determined... he hoped to see that in her, but he may not get the chance. Thinking about it now he should have let her go, he’d overreacted . Afraid that at any moment danger would climb up the precipice and rob the happiness he tried so hard to shield Fluttershy with, Arch was isolating her from what made her strongest and happiest. Funny that you could only do so much to make somepony content without risking their safety, and to deny them that is to keep misfortunes from reaching them. Whether it be broken limbs, fevers, even sorrow and still it all finds those you hold dear. She never saw when her animal friends died, or lost anything that could be replace, built she always noticed it, sensed it somehow that something wasn't the same. Was ignorance really bliss then when fate dealt her a crushing blow of reality? Surely he knew better than that?
Eventually he would have to learn to stop trying, there was only so much time left, and his only answer was throwing himself into his paperwork. Arch clenched his teeth and knocked the papers of his desk. There were no answers, no real options, and nopony to trust with this kind of information. They would either take him for a loon, or think he was suffering from lead poisoning from the old top hat he used to wear, so to put it lightly. In either case they would undoubtedly, and without fail, blab and not to just any one pony, but the whole town. What would Fluttershy think? She was already worried about him, and perhaps, some part of her knew what was in store in the very near future. He saw her staring into the great expanse of nothing at times as she was drawn into her thoughts by some unnamable fear or insecurity. What else could be eating at her, but the - No, she couldn't know, not even her parents knew until they were well older than she was now. "But they weren’t prepared for the fate that fell upon them and their bloodline throughout the countless centuries since this world fell into peril and strife and Discord.” Arch spoke aloud without thought to it. He wanted to believe that Fluttershy was safe for another few years at least, but he knew there would be no such hope when time was of the essence. Before him stood two paths, keep her uninformed, or train her in the only way he knew how. He had chosen the latter, and would continue to do so no matter what it meant. Of course than meant disregarding his own health, but it would be short lived once the time came. Her parents only knew of their destinies because of him, just as it had been for longer than anypony could trace back to their heritage. He never married though, and so the ties between the two families would die with him. She would be the last. She had to be the one to end this cycle, the beast was awakening and soon it would rear it’s ugly head and break apart the world of logic and community worse than before. It would finish it’s job. Discord would truly be the end of the world, just as it was the beginning.
Town drunk claims to have seen all of his rabbits turned into celery and cabbage before his very eyes!
Loggers witness a great river form out of chocolate rain and drive all their logs across hills in it's current, until their timber was splintered. The wood for trading with the neighboring villages has been rendered completely useless as you'd expect. No culprit can be found and the odd magic has left everypony announcing the protocol to stay indoors until the proper authorities have resolved the situation.
Discord read the headlines outloud, and then the articles, and of course recognized many of the faces on the "Gazette". It was all rather hilarious. He'd had a busy morning, and the newspaper didn't come close to covering the half of it! There was also the fact that while he was last conscious there hadn't been a newspaper to speak of. Time had truly changed. There was so much more he could do now, it was... it was boring. There would be no other love for him while he had chaos, however, things were different now, and his entropy didn't receive the same reactions as it had before. Sure, the ponies were scared out of their wits, and their expressions priceless... There was still something off...
He had flooded random areas, only for them to recede like it was low tide and repeat for a time until little over a handful of ponies noticed. caused havoc and wel, Discord, yet he still found the same results. Most of the illusions and chaos he used however, were merely defending his territory. Those loggers were attempting to cut down trees in his side of the forest, and not to sound baby , but the drunkard was insulting him by just being there. Not to mention they weren't his rabbits, those were as wild as one could find them these days. If only they had been, perhaps that would have been funnier than just seeing the stallion run off like a foal on nightmare night. Of course, even Discord stayed out of that Nightmare's hair on those unfortunate hours.
Perhaps... Discord thought as he propped his chin on his paw, it was time to try something new. These tactics were some of his usual work. It seemed he only really surprised those stallions, but he could do better than that. The only thing he needed to beware of was drawing undue attention to the surrounding forests, and keep anyone from asking questions about the connections between incidents. Except for well, you know, the drunkard's case. That one had no correlation. Not. at. all. He just so happened to be in the area and a n easy target for whomever was hiding out in the woods with untraceable magic origins. It would have to be awhile before he could or would have to strike again. He could wait to have his fun. It was no trouble when it meant he could plan out his next warnings. After that, it would be time to reclaim what was his. By rights it shouldn't have been taken away form him by the likes of ponies, much less self-proclaimed royalty.
