Phoenix Rebirth

* A little mood Music *

Discord watched patiently as the cocoon pulsed, knowing any moment it would crack open, and the timer would start counting down to when she ended him. Oddly this did not frightened him, instead he willingly embraced it, knowing that what time he bought now would mean more time for Philomena to reach Celestia and warn her of what was happening.

He braced himself as he saw a crack from on the cocoon, two purple claws rising up and lifting a newly transformed Twilight out of the cocoon, which she slithered her body over so that she was perched delicately on top of it, purple flame surrounding her as she looked down at Discord. Discord was struck by how serpentine she had become, and how her forelegs and back legs had changed to resemble bird legs, though instead of just four talons each they had five. Her mane had remained the same, though now coming out from underneath it just above her ears were two pairs of horns, her original horn gracing the center of her serpentine forehead like it had before her change. Her wing had remained the same, though they were now bigger, and at the end of her lizard like tail was a tuft of dark blue fur, a pink and purple stripe running through it like her old tail.

“Hello Discord,” she hissed, her serpentine mouth forming into a wide grin as she stared down upon the chaotic god. “I suppose you are here to try and stop me right?”

“Correct,” said Discord, no trace of humor evident in his voice as he stared at her.

“Wonderful, I was worried I would have to wait in boredom while Luna finished her transformation.”

“What…you don’t mean…?”

“Yes,” said Twilight with a giggle, “She had just entered her cocoon when I left her, she should be here soon.”

Discord swore, but then shook his head, calling flames into his claws as he stared at her. “It doesn’t matter now. I shall hold you here; I have ponies depending on me.”

“Oh so the chaos god has finally grown a heart, how sweet, I shall enjoy examining it once I rip it from your chest!”

Twilight leaped off her perch, her serpentine body slithering through the air as she unleashed a ball of magic at Discord. Discord used the flames to form a barrier, which shook under the force of the magic sphere, but it held all the same. Discord leapt into the air, intercepting Twilight and bringing her back to the ground in a resounding crash, clawing at her face and chest with his claw and talon.

He soon realized her skin was far stronger then his and she made that pointedly obvious when she swiped at his face, her claws easily cutting through his flesh. He quickly rolled away, instead calling upon his powers to cause the entire field to explode underneath her. Twilight was sent into the sky, but soon righted herself with a coy grin. Her cheeks bulged, and then she unleashed a torrent of pure magical power from her mouth, which Discord matched with equal ferocity. The two beams met in the air, locking and reeking havoc on the field around them.

Finally after many hours of back and forth struggle, Discord finally got the upper hand, his blast cutting through hers and hitting her straight in the face. As she fell from the air he cheered, entertaining for one moment the possibility that he might come out of this alive.

That hope however shattered, the moment he caught the sight of another Draconeques descending from the sky, her starry main glinting in the moonlight.

* * *

Philomena panted as she landed on the balcony; Celestia walking out to greet her.

“Philomena, what is going on?”

“Twilight…transforming…into draconeques…….Discord…sent me…to get help…”

Celestia’s eyes widened in horror, then she turned to her guards. “Gather the soldiers and prepare to move out, we need to move quickly if we are to contain this threat.”

The guards nodded, and then Celestia turned to Philomena. “Do you think your up to leading us back there, I know I can handle this alone, but I would rather have you with me just incase.”

Philomena nodded, letting Celestia cast a rejuvenation spell on her. They watched as the soldiers formed, then took off with the troops, Philomena leading the way.

* * *

Twilight slowly lifted the broken and bloody body of Discord with her magic, smiling as Luna brushed herself against her, leaning down to lick the blood of her mate’s lips. Discord noted through his barley open eyes that Luna’s change mimicked Twilights, all save her mane, which stretched across her back all the way to above her back legs.

“You did wonderful my love,” said Twilight, “Though I’m sure I would have prevailed once I recovered from the initial shock of his attack.”

“That’s ok my love, it was fun to tear into him.” Luna turned toward Discord, noting the sad smile on his face as he gazed up at the sky. “And what pray tell is that smile about?”

“This dear Luna…this is the smile of a pony who saw his death coming…and has embraced it willingly. I…I always knew that…that she would be the one to kill me…”

“You knew,” asked Twilight, her curiosity peeked.

“Yes…I knew,” said Discord, blood streaming down from his mouth as he turned to look at Twilight. “From the moment I saw you when I broke free, I knew that you would be the one to bring about my end…but I came to terms with it long ago, and at least what little time I bought insured Philomena got back to Canterlot safely.”

Twilight smirked one last time at the chaotic deity, and then blasted him in the face, blood splattering to the ground behind him as she dropped him to the ground.

Luna giggled at the sight, only to stop when she spotted the approaching figures advancing on their position. “My love, it appears we have played with our little broken toy to long.”

“It does not matter, just hold onto me love, I shall take us from this place so that we could be alone.”

Luna complied, walking up next to Twilight as her magic swirled around them, and then in a blink of an eye they were gone, leaving nothing but Discord’s broken body behind.

Celestia and her group arrived moments latter, Celestia landing on the ground first and running over to Discord as her guards formed a protective circle around the area, Philomena scanning the field with her magic.

“Discord,” said Celestia, panic evident in her voice.

Discord coughed up some blood, turning slowly toward her, but his eyes seemed vacant. “Celestia…is that you…I…I can’t see anything.”

Celestia looked horrified by that statement, put quickly grabbed up his bird like hand, placing it on her face. “Its ok Discord, I’m here.”

Discord smiled, and then felt a tear run past his claw, which he quickly brushed away. “Please my dear sister, no tears need you shed on my account.”

Celestia heard gasps behind her, but she didn’t care. “Don’t speak brother, just rest; we’ll get help for you soon.”

Discord chuckled, “You know as well as I there is no hope for me sister…I embraced my death long ago, as I told you years ago.”

Celestia nodded, remembering when Discord had told her about what he had sensed, after he had been reformed. She hadn’t wanted to believe it then, but now that she saw him like this, she knew he had been speaking the truth.

“Sister…,” said Discord, brining her out of her reverie, “I need you to promise me something.”

“Anything brother,” said Celestia.

Tears welled in his eyes, a few sobs escaping his lips before he could speak. “Please…please promise me you won’t blame Luna for this…it…it wasn’t her fault…she was…she was not herself…please…”

“Don’t blame Luna…Discord; you’re not saying Luna was involved in this are you?”

But she soon realized her question fell on deaf ears, for Discord’s hand had gone limp in her hooves. “Brother,” she asked, tears welling up in her eyes as she cradled his limp body in her forelimbs. “Brother….no…”

She then broke down in tears, her head resting his unmoving chest as Philomena walked over to comfort her, knowing nothing she could say would alleviate the pain of that moment.

Philomena lifted up a shaking hoof, and with a silent whisper of farewell, closed Discord’s eyes for the last time.

* * *

“Love, where are we?”

“I’m not sure, I intended for us to appear outside the griffin territories, but it looks like something diverted us to the caves under Canterlot.”

Luna was about to speak, but then she noticed something walking out of the shadows, which she quickly pointed out to Twilight. The figure finally came clearly into view, and Twilight realized despite the figures cloak and hood, that it was human.

The human stopped a few paces away from the two draconequi, lifting up one of its hands, which Twilight noted had a mark on the back of it, a mark she could have sworn she had seen before.

“Come closer child; let me have a good look at you.”

Luna didn’t know why, but she found that she trusted the voice, and walked over to the human. The human reach up toward her, caressing her face with what she could only describe as a mother’s touch. After a brief examination, the human pulled her close, surprising Luna with a gentle hug.

“I have missed you, my little Woona.”

Luna’s eyes widened in shock, for there had only been one being that had ever called her that, even Celestia didn’t know that name. She gently pulled away from the human, glaring at her with cold eyes before speaking, “who are you?”

The human lifted its hands to its hood, pulling back its hood and revealing her feminine features. Luna was struck with a sense of ghostly familiarity, and so was Twilight, her jaw hanging open in utter shock.

“You…you…I…wha…?”

“Calm yourself Twilight Sparkle,” said the woman, her bright blue eyes turning toward her as she walked away from Luna. “I promise everything will become clear, but first I will need you both to follow me.”

She walked off, motioning for them to follow as she walked back toward where she had come from. Twilight kept a healthy distance between herself and the human, while Luna stuck close to her side, looking confused.

“M…mother, what happened to you?”

“Why whatever do you mean Luna, you have seen me in this form before, there is nothing odd is there?”

“No its not that, it just you have been gone so long, Celestia said you had vanished, that some dark evil had taken you from us.”

“Oh,” said the woman, her voice turning cold. “Is that what your sister told you?”

The finally exited out into a large cavern, and both Luna and Twilight gasped in aw at what they saw, Twilight bowing out of instinct. Luna looked at what she now realized was a projection of her mother, and then turned to what had caused her such shock. For within the large chamber, trapped in an immense rainbow crystal was her mother, the noble Fausticorn.