> The freeing of the king > by Spell Bound > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > The starting point > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Discord sat upon his throne laughing. All around him there was glorious chaos. This was his Equestria. The way it was meant to be. You all think you know the story of how Celestia came to power, that Discord terrorized us pony-folk. Those are all lies." The peach furred stallion looked over his attentive audience. Their eyes wide with shock. Here was this stranger, his mane green and falling over his eye, challenging everything they knew. These were the bearers of Harmony. He inwardly smiled. He saw his mission as a chess game, and these were Celestia's pawns. If he could get them to doubt her word, then he would be one step closer to winning the game. "Discord was the true ruler of Equestria. The real Equestria. The ambitious Celestia didn't see Discords perfect reign of chaotic happiness, so she overthrew him in an apocalyptic event. This, was the true end of Equestria, when the king was imprisoned into stone. Today's Equestria is merely a mask, a post apocalyptic scene under the guise of Celestia's tyranny and need for control and constants. Now everypony has to control everything, the weather, the animals, the light. The "Equestria" we see in the present, is in fact, not the true Equestria. The true Equestria was destroyed many years ago. “I can see in your eyes you don't believe me. I understand. But I can defend my claims. Let me show you, let us go back to the beginning. So we may witness the Beginning of Order." The stallion reached into his pack, and pulled out some green dust he had picked up from the Zebra outside of this town. A variant had been used to create life like illusions for Nightmare Night. But this dust, it would bring their minds to the time he desired. They would see the truth of their Princess. He blew onto his hoof, and the dust filled the room. One by one the mares fell asleep, as did the baby dragon who was with them. The stallion walked over to the library door, and opened it to let three figured into the room. One was the Zebra who had given him the dust. "Welcome Zecora. Your aid was most useful." The stallion turned to the other two figures. They were taller than any other pony. "Mistress Moon. Queen Chrysalis. It is an honor to serve the Discordant Organization." "We know. How long will this take." Mistress Moon spoke, in a whisper. "It depends. Hopefully not long. I shall begin now." The stallion moved away from his three visitors, and stood in the middle of the passed out group, before entering a trance himself. ========================================================= Discord was still young. He didn't have a care in the world and played with one of his best friends. At this point Celestia and Luna were still fillies, with Discord only being a few years older than Celestia. He and Luna got on really well, much better than they did with Celestia. Tia wasn't too happy with the way the world was. All three of them were once let out of the castle to take a look around. It was disorganized. Chaotic. Discord and Luna loved it. Tia however, despised it. "Oh come on Tia! Lighten up a little. So what if the country's a little chaotic. It's all in good fun, and mother runs it perfectly." "But it is too chaotic Discord! It should have order. Things must be controlled, everything." "Oh nonsense sister. You make it sound that you want to control even the weather and animals." Luna piped in. "Oh give it up Lulu. Tia's being boring, let's go have some fun. I'll make some Chocolate rain for us." "YAY!" Luna cried out happily and fluttered after Discord. Tia just snorted and stormed off back into the castle. The bearers of harmony watched this scene unfold before them, confused, before the stallion walked in front of them and began talking. "Confused? Yes. When they were young they were good friends. Now before you have anymore questions, let us move on to a later time." The image around them warped, and they found themselves in the Canterlot gardens. “The gardens? Why are we here? Why are you showing us this? Who are you?” The purple mare asked. The stallion frowned trying to remember her name, then smiled as it came to him. “We are here, so you can see the true beginnings of Discord’s reign, and your teachers. Why I am showing it to you, is so that a few more ponies will be free from ignorance; and as for who I am, call me StormWolf. Now hush Twilight, and watch.” In the garden stood an older Discord, blindfolded, and walking around, arms in front of him trying to find Luna. “Gonna get you Lulu.” He followed the sound of her giggling, and tripped over a rose bush. “OOF!” “Dissy! You ok?” Luna flew down from the cloud she was resting on, cheating in her game with Discord, and checked up on him. His chest was still, and he wasn’t responding. Luna brought her face close to Discord’s to see if he was still breathing. “BOO!” Discord sat up laughing as Luna jumped up higher than her cloud in fright. “Oh the look on your face Lulu. Priceless.” “Haha Dissy. Uncool.” Luna frowned, but soon Discord’s laughing infected her and she followed suit. Luna and Discord continued to play laughing their heads off. Luna covered her eyes so Discord could hide as they started playing hide and seek, and Twilight looked up to StormWolf. “Why do you show us this?” “I already told you Twilight. So you may know the truth, and not the lies Celestia wrote into your history.” “Ready or not Dissy. Here I come.” Luna uncovered her eyes and began walking around the gardens looking for her friend. She checked in bushes and trees, but couldn’t find him. She stopped and listened closely, and heard him laughing ‘quietly’ in the maze. Luna entered with a smirk on her muzzle. “So much laughter and joy, but disaster will soon strike. And your precious teacher was at the heart of it Twilight.” StormWolf looked down at Twilight with contempt, and Twilight cowered slightly, afraid of what this stranger might do. But without another word he followed Luna into the maze, and the bearers of harmony instinctively followed. > The argument > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Luna trotted through the maze, going as quietly as she could. Her eyes kept darting side to side, trying to find something out of place, something that wasn’t right. As she turned a corner she saw it. A snake like tail was poking out of one of the bushes. Smiling, she lowered to herself down to the ground, like a cat preparing to pounce upon it’s prey. She jumped forward and grabbed hold of the tail. “GOT YOU DISS….AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!” The tail had come away as she grabbed it, becoming disembodied from it’s owner. The owner in question started to laugh and came out from the bush opposite of Luna. “Oh thanks Lulu, I thought I lost that.” “Discord that’s cheating!” She then threw his own tail in his face, and began attacking him with it. Laughing all the while, Discord ran through the maze trying to ‘escape’ his tail followed by a giggling princess. On top of one of the bushes stood the ethereal figures of the hero’s of Equestria and their mysterious guide. Twilight stared at the two figures playing, still unable to believe what she was seeing. Pinkie held a huge grin over her face, her suspicions that Discord was really quite fun loving coming to be proven, while the rest were unsure how to react. on the one hand they didn’t know how to process this new information, while also being quite touched. “Let us move away from this touching scene. I have something else to show you.” he gestured for them to follow as he jumped down from the hedges, and began to slowly walk towards the doors leading into the palace. Looking at one another, the others slowly began to follow. As they walked through the door, they found themselves in the throne room. “Wha...How?” Twilight asked in confusion. “How did we get from the garden to here? I expected more from you Twilight. It’s magic. We’re not actually here. This is but a vision of the past and as such I can take you anywhere I desire just by passing through a door. If you were to walk through that door again you’d just end up here again. Now silence, and observe your teacher.” Twilight fell silent as she followed Stormwolf’s gaze. She saw the young filly version of her mentor walking up to throne. She almost didn’t recognise her. While she still had the snowy white coat that had been a comfort to her for so long, her mane was pink rather than the pink blue and green that she had become known for. As the bearer’s of Harmony gaze went further up, each gasped slightly at the figure sitting in the throne. Another Alicorn sat there, with the same snow white coat as Celestia, but her mane was a burgundy, cut much in the same way as Twilight’s. her cutie mark was of an inkwell and quill. Her face was soft and comforting, though a look of weariness washed over it at seeing her daughter storm into the room. “What’s wrong my dear Tia?” “Mother it’s not right! Why do you let the kingdom fall into such Chaos! There should be order! Everything in it’s proper place!” The ruler of Equestria sighed at the outburst. This was not the first time they have had this argument, and she was sure it wouldn’t be the last. “And who would decide each things proper place? You? That would make you a Tyrant. I will not return Equestria to those days. Things are better this way Tia. The ponies are free as are every little thing. Let them decide what is their proper place. Chaos is the natural way of life.” “Then life needs to be changed! Why won’t you-” “-That’s enough Celestia! I will not be having this argument. I have matters of state to deal with. What you see as hectic I see as controlled Chaos. Discord and your sister understand this, which is why Discord will be taking the throne when I move on. Now go to your room!” Celestia stood mouth half open from trying to speak, before closing her mouth and storming off. As the door to the throne room slammed shut, the seated Alicorn slumped down in her seat with a sigh. “Do you see now Girls. Do you now see how even the mother of Modern Equestria saw that Chaos was required.” The 6 girls held frowns over their faces, but each for different reasons. Twilight was in disbelief, she still wholeheartedly agreed with Celestia, and believed that she could do no wrong, while some of the others were not so sure. Pinkie was beginning to have doubts about her princess, and Applejack was simply confused. Rarity, who believed in a philosophy of organised chaos herself, found herself siding with Stormwolf, but was unready to go against the princess that had trusted her with the defence of Equestria. Rainbow Didn’t understand what was going on while Fluttershy simply wished to go home. “Let us go out into the kingdom now, and see how the world is under this crown.” Once more the door to the throne room opened, but instead of showing the outside hallway, it was filled with a bright light. Stormwolf led the group into the light, a smile on his face. It would not be long he could tell, though Twilight’s stubbornness was worrying. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Out in the real world, in the Canterlot Gardens, a change was beginning to take place. A small green whirlpool of mist had surrounded the statue of Discord, and a single crack had appeared on it. Within her chambers, Celestia felt a chilling breeze waft through. Shivering she went to close the window, only to find they were already closed. Frowning, she returned to her paperwork, but with now a seed of worry in the back of her mind. Back at the Golden Oaks library, The leaders of the Discordant Organization smiled to themselves. Mistress Moon had cast a spell which allowed them to gaze into the world Stormwolf had made, and each were pleased with the progress he was making. “It seems some are already beginning to be brought around to our way of thinking.” “Indeed. Though we still have a lot of work ahead of us. My Changelings are ready to lay siege to Equestria. Will you be ready?” “Of course. My night guard will follow my every order. What about the Hybrid king? Any luck with him?” “Not yet. He is unready to side himself with one or the other. But even without his help, Equestria shall fall, and the Discordant Organization will rule again.” Chrysalis said with a dark smile. Zecora allowed a slight smile to come across her face. She had come to this land, and had seen with fresh eyes the hidden tyranny of Celestia. It was well hidden, but there none-the-less. Many of her pony friends who had spoken ill about the Princess had ‘mysteriously’ disappeared, and she was ready to free them. > Progress is slow but good > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The shining doorway led the group out into a very early Canterlot. It lacked the walls that many associated with safety, and things were in shambles. The streets were hectic and lacked order, it was if the architect was drunkenly half asleep when he designed the layout. But the ponies were strangely at ease. Several were doing cartwheels down the street on their way, and other’s seemed to defy physics, floating along by whirling their tail round and round. Several houses floated in mid-air and others stood on the ground from the roof. The whole scene was causing Twilight a massive headache. She saw the smiles on everyponies face, but couldn’t comprehend them. It was going everything she had been taught. She began to wonder why her mentor had never told her about the old queen, or that Discord was made heir to the throne. And if what Stormwolf was saying was the truth, how the hay did Celestia become the ruler of Equestria. Doubt was beginning to nag at the back of her mind, but her heart was still full of faith that her teacher could do no wrong, that she was the embodiment of good. As one of the ponies floated overheard, Twilight heard Pinkie giggle, and looking back revealed Pinkie herself floating in the exact same way the other ponies were. “Why don’t we do this anymore? This is fun!” “Because it was an affront to Celestia. To her, only creatures with wings should fly. When she came to power she made that the case. In a land of magic, physics was hard pressed on every living creature. Pegasus fly, Unicorns do magic and Earth Ponies toil in the fields.” Stormwolf spoke, turning back to face the group. “Yet some things managed to escape her. Bumblebee’s with their ability to defy physics and biology by flying, even Pinkie’s own antics. Though her efforts are great, Chaos is meant for the world and some always slips through her grasps. If it was not the case Discord would not have been able to escape the last time he did.” Stormwolf turned towards the town once more. He smiled slightly seeing the happy faces on the ponies faces. “Look you defenders of harmony. Look how happy they are. Is this the displeasure your princess told you of?!” “They aren’t under the rule of Discord yet.” Twilight spoke up defiantly. She was joined by a chorus of agreement from several of the mares, though Stormwolf noted that Pinkie Pie and Rarity did not make any sign of agreement. Pinkie held a sad look on her face, upset that her friends weren’t enjoying this like she was. This kind of defiant of physics is what she was all about. They accepted that about her didn’t they? Worry began to worm its way into her mind. As for Rarity, she saw a type of beauty in the madness. There was a rusty charm to it all. She admired old architecture, and though it was all topsy and turvy it just felt right to her. “Is that so Miss Sparkle! Well then. Let us go towards the future, and see how his reign turns out!” Another door of light opened up in front of them. An angered look darkened Stormwolf’s features, though inwardly he was smiling. He was making headway with two of them. Not much longer before he could turn the others around. His masters would be pleased with his progress. Walking through the door, the group were led back into the Canterlot gardens. Once more Discord and Luna were together, though much older. Celestia was nowhere to be seen. The two of them were sat very close, Luna resting her head on Discord’s shoulder. ================================================================================ Mistress Moon felt herself reddening as Stormwolf brought them back to that period of time. “Why does he have to show them that?” Chrysalis giggled slightly covering her mouth with a hoof. “Because it will affect them. It will show them that he is not a monster, who the true monster is.” Mistress Moon sighed embarrassed. She lowered the hood to her cloak revealing her dark blue, starry mane. Her catlike pupils stared intently at the image before her. “I’m not fond of this idea, but fine. I suppose it has merit. I just wish he didn’t have to show such personal information.” she huffed out. Chrysalis rolled her eyes at the reaction of her comrade. “Calm down Luna. All will be well. By the end of this we will be reunited with him.” A smug grin came across her face, illuminated by the soft green glow of their magic. “Then the Equestria your sister built will fall down to be replaced with our glorious kingdom. A land united by Chaos. A union between Pony, Changelings and if the hybrid king agrees to our terms them as well.” “Who is this Hybrid king, does he rule pony or ling?” Zecora spoke from the corner of the room. Both the taller mares jumped slightly, forgetting she was there. They looked at each other before turning back to face Zecora. “Neither my Zebra friend. He is of both. Rather to say, he himself is of both changeling and pony. And those he rules over are those out casted for being hybrids. We are trying to get his support in the uprising.” Luna spoke. “He has also managed to gather a few hives to his side, those originally more friendly to hybrids. While the changeling nation has become more accepting, they still prefer to remain separate. If he agrees it will aid our cause greatly.” Zecora nodded slightly and settled back down in her seat to watch the progression of StormWolf