Labyrinth: Return of Discord

Fluttershy took the last train to Canterlot late that night.  The moon illuminated the countryside as the train slid past, rolling along at an even, steady pace that gently rocked the carriages.  The cart she was in was empty, as few ponies traveled at that hour.

She closed her eyes for a moment to refocus her thoughts.  Discord was real.  He was trapped in a stone prison for a crime he had committed a thousand years ago.  Slowly, her eyes opened and her gaze lifted to the moon hanging low in the starry sky.  If Princess Luna could return, be accepted back into society, and have her crimes forgiven, then why not him?  He had already been forgotten by nearly all ponies, while the infamous Nightmare Moon had scared countless foals for centuries.  Shouldn't that make it easier for him to be forgiven?

She rested a hoof on her bags, which contained a few necessities for the trip as well as the book.  Carefully, as though someone might be watching, she retrieved the book and set it in her lap.

"A draconequus," she murmured under her breath as she opened to the page Cheerilee had found for her.  "Not much is known of the legendary draconequus.  Although technically a chimera by definition, a draconequus is a distinct race of its own by the chaotic magic it possesses.  Only one notable draconequus has emerged in Equestria's history: Discord, a spirit of chaos whose taste for disharmony won him a short-lived tyrannical reign of the kingdom."

She paused, flipping the page back and forth, her lips falling into a pouting frown.  On the backside of the page, a different creature was featured.  She frowned.  "That's... that's it?  That's all there is?  Oh, dear..."  She sighed and put the book back into her bags.  "That's not very much at all."

The rest of the ride continued in silence, save for the clicking and clacking of the wheels on the tracks and other usual sounds one hears on a train.  The cart swayed back and forth, gently rocking her into a calm, relaxed state as the journey continued further into the night.

The moon was directly overhead when the train pulled into the station.  Fluttershy slid her saddlebags onto her back and trotted out of the cart, gasping when she nearly walked straight into Princess Celestia.

"P-Princess!"  Her knees buckled from the surprise and she tried to regain her composure by bowing low.

"Please, Fluttershy, there is no need for such formalities."  Celestia smiled.  "We have known each other for too long."  She put a gentle hoof to the pegasus's shoulder.  "I received Twilight's letter that you were looking to partake in the flower festival."  They began to walk away from the station.  "I am surprised you did not come sooner.  Did you hear of the breezies' arrival?"

Fluttershy had been walking with her head low, but she perked up at the mention of the equine fairies.  "The breezies are here?  Oh, they are so adorable...  And it's so rare to get to see them!"

Celestia smiled softly, her regal air never wavering.  "Yes, it is quite the honor to have their presence at our gardens.  However, you must be tired from such a late train ride. I will show you to your room."

The pegasus walked alongside the alicorn, just a few steps behind hers so that the princess was clearly ahead of her.  As she did so, the alicorn slowed her own pace to match Fluttershy's.  They went back and forth until Celestia stopped walking at all and looked at her, a strange look of concern on her otherwise flawless face.

"S-sorry."  Fluttershy trotted forward and stayed directly beside her.  She glanced up at her to see the concern still present on the princess's expression.  This caused her to panic.  Was something wrong?

Her fears were solidified when the princess spoke in a low, rolling voice.  "Fluttershy, it has been many years since Twilight left my care to meet you and your friends at Ponyville.  I have known for a long time that she was special, and I knew she would meet other special ponies that would join her as the Elements of Harmony.  Each one is vitally important; however, I do not know if you are aware how truly unique you are.

"There is no creature, pony or otherwise, with as much kindness in their heart as yours.  Even I have fallen victim to cruelty to those I hold dear."  She winced at the painful memories that sprung forth from just the vague mention and finally looked down at the other.  "Kindness such as yours is a gift to all who know you, but it can be dangerous if you do not guard your heart, lest it be taken advantage of by those with ill intentions."

Fluttershy couldn't meet her gaze, suddenly feeling as though she were on pins and needles.  The speech seemed to be brought on by something, but what?  What did Celestia know that she didn't?

Celestia seemed to sense the other's uncertainty and put a gilded hoof on her shoulder.  "I have faith that when the time comes, you will choose the right path as you have always done.  Now, we are at your room."  She smiled and stepped back.  "May you sleep well and have sweet dreams, Fluttershy."

"Thank you, Princess...  I will."

Stepping into the room and shutting the door behind her, her worries were washed away when she collapsed on the bed.  It was covered in the finest of silks and she sunk into the many layers of comfort as though she were lying on a cloud.  The soft hues of green decorating the room lulled her into the feeling of being surrounded by a quiet forest.  Her mind heavy with too much noise from Celestia's speech, she slid off the bed and walked through the drapes that covered the entryway to a balcony.

In the cool of the night, it seemed as though she were looking out into a dark ocean.  The vastness of the shadowed lands overwhelmed her for a moment before she could focus on the gentle light of the Breezies as they tended to the nocturnal flowers.  Whenever the majority of them paused at their flowers, their light held still, and it seemed like a reflection of the starry sky above.  At first, she marveled at the beauty of it, but a throb of pain shooting from one temple to the other overtook her.  She rubbed a hoof to her forehead and retreated back to bed, curling up under the covers.

Outside, Celestia remained by the door, the muddled expression on her face again.  She turned her head at the gentle hooffalls approaching and tried to smile at her sister, but the corners of her lips could hardly lift under the weight of her worry.  "You have no knowledge of the dream of which Twilight spoke?"

"No, my sister."  Luna looked between her sister and the doors.  "If Fluttershy truly had such a distressing dream, I would have aided her straight away."

Celestia sighed heavily and began to walk with her down the hall.  "I wish Twilight had written of this dream when it had happened.  I hope it is not what it seems, and that we are not too late.  I fear for the safety of Fluttershy... and Equestria."

In the morning, Fluttershy was awoken by a chorus of small birds singing on her windowsill.  She felt completely refreshed from the solid night's sleep and sat up.  The aroma of flowers drifted in on a breeze.  She took a deep breath to inhale the delicate but lovely scent and was startled by a knock on the door.

"Miss Fluttershy?  Your breakfast is ready."

"M-my what?  Oh, dear."  She pulled the blankets up to her shoulders, though she hadn't a clue why she felt compelled to do so.  "Um, okay."

The door opened and one of the servants walked in with a covered plate balanced on his head.  He gently set it down on the bed beside her, bowed his head, then left the room with the door shutting behind him.

"Oh, my."  She lifted the cover with one hoof and gazed at the food underneath.

It was a light but divinely prepared breakfast of a mixed fruit salad.  She recognized some of the fruits as local produce, especially the slices of green and red apples, but there were some bits and pieces of exotic fruits that she didn't recognize but, when she tried them one by one, thoroughly enjoyed.

The speech from last night had faded from her mind.  Even her worries about finding the statue had drifted away.  She looked toward the balcony with a small smile, only thinking of her present situation in that moment.  She put the finished plate with the cover back on outside the door, then trotted over to the balcony.

The green drapes blew back from a brief gust of wind to expose the balcony and the view of the gardens below.  The sight she gazed upon was different from but just as beautiful as the one of the gardens at night.  Flowers of all shapes, sizes, and colors were growing in every inch of the garden, crawling up walls and blooming along pathways.  Below, ponies stopped to marvel at each and every one.

Hardly able to contain her excitement, she hurried at a pace above her own but still slower than average, making her way to the gardens.  Two guards pulled back the doors and a wave of color and scents flew in from outdoors.  She bowed her head in thanks to the guards before stepping outside.

Birds flew through the treetops singing of the wonderful festival while butterflies danced across the colorful petals.  She hardly noticed the ponies around her while she walked down the stairs to the garden.  She paused when a trio of breezies fluttered over to her.

"Oh, hello!"  She beamed at them.  "Isn't it a wonderful festival?"

They chattered their agreement in their own language, though the meaning was clear from the smiles on their little faces.  Two broke away to pluck a soft blue rose from a nearby bush and carried it over.  They delicately laid it atop her pink mane while the third began to weave the stem into her tresses.

Unfortunately, the breezies had neglected to notice a couple of thorns along the stem, one of which scraped along the side of her ear and pricked her.  She winced, but did her best to not move, not wanting to startle the little darlings.  The closest breezie noticed her ear flinch, however, and cried out when it saw the cut.  It flapped over to the other two breezies and they all began to whimper and whine their apologies.

Fluttershy giggled and shook her head.  "There's no need to apologize.  Little breezies like you could never hurt a soul on purpose!  Besides, it was the flower that bit me, not you..."  She trailed off, her smile fading some as she felt another throb of pain, much deeper in her head than the little scratch on her ear.  When they looked at her with curious concern, she lifted the smile back onto her lips.  "Oh, I'm fine."  She smile regained some strength.  "Thank you ever so much for the flower."

Satisfied, they waved their tiny hooves and fluttered away to tend to the various flowers in the garden.

Fluttershy found a stone bench nestled between some bushes and sat down.  She rubbed a hoof to her forehead, trying to soothe the pain away.  "What's wrong with me?"  she muttered under her breath.