Chapters One Blue Eye; One Green Eye
The Past is the Past, or is It?
Life is never simple is it. Life is always moving; always changing. It is never the same way twice. If you mess it up it will stick with you and you will never be able to escape it. You can try, but Fate is a fickle beast and will never compose itself for the mortals. Or the immortals if that's what you wondered. You could have all the money in the world, all the power, all the beauty, but these don't matter to Fate. Only Fate matters to Fate. Confusing isn't it?
This is why Discord favors Fate. What Discord creates is against nature, but Fate is no stranger to the chaos Discord creates. Discord uses Fate and makes it his own and in return Fate receives a good comedy act until life takes its course and chaos is returned to the stone Fate creates.
But then something happened that wasn't set by Fate. Fate was not happy, it is never happy, but today it was furious. Instead of receiving comedy from a free Discord it was jibbed and Discord freed from his Fate. That was not supposed to happen. Fate would not be cheated, but now some creature had made Discord a new Fate.
So Fate plotted and planned, tried to decided which mortal or immortal it would reek its havoc. And then Fate was jibbed again. It had written her plan already, but then the same immortal had taken its fun away and now it would pay.
It is time for Fate to write new stories and change a few old ones.
...
The night was warm with a slight summer breeze flowing through the grass. The stars shone high in the sky as little beacons of light while the spotlight moon glowed gold. A single midnight blue alicorn flew across the sky; surveying the land below. In thatched houses did ponies sleep and ignored her beautiful night.
They had ignored her night every night, but today she had hoped the ponies wouldn't. It was once year did the the stars fly towards the earth. They would hurtle at breakneck speed sending bits of white hot rocks and sparks shining over Equestria in fantastic fireworks. That everypony was missing.
Luna gritted her teeth and circled back to the ever glowing capital city. She approached slowly, not wanting to know if Celestia was awake or not. But landing on the balcony she knew the truth; her sister was ignoring everything she did again.
Sighing, Luna hung her head and made her way through the castle to her room. Stepping carefully past the sleeping barracks and her sister's room. But then she passed Eris's.
Eris's room had always been simple ever since the snow white dragonequs had arrived at the castle. A bed, a nightstand, and a small bookcase. Normally Luna would have kept moving to her room; not wanting to suffer under the rage of the mischievous prankster, but tonight she stopped because of the eerie white glow it was emitting.
Pressing her ear to the oak door Luna caught Eris say, " -but I don't want to leave Luna."
And then Luna heard a soft murmur; like wind through cattails.
Then Eris said, or replied, "In the Mirrorworld, but-" The rest of what she was saying was caught off by Luna breaking the door down. But by then Eris was gone, like she was never there.
...
Discord was not not happy to say, but he was bored. He was floating high above Canterlot and watching as they released fireworks for the newest princess. Of course he hadn't been allowed to go to the ceremony, stupid Celestia. Ever since he appearance at a dinner party for the griffins she had forbidden him from going to anymore Royal parties or dances and whatnot. Not that he cared, he was a spirit of chaos, an immortal god of destruction and terror.
Yes he did not care about not being at those things those ponies did. Did not care at all. Being up here was much more fun.
Okay he might have cared a little, but only because of the boredom.
Okay he would kill a minotaur if it would get him into the palace.
Suddenly a flash of light flew past the lounging dragonequs. His eyes fluttered open and he spun around dizzily.
"What the-" he started to say when an screaming came the falling white thing as it crashed into the palace below.
"DISCORD!!!" shouted Celestia from beneath the wreckage of the west tower that had been knocked down by the white flash.
The dragonequs's yellow and red eyes went wide and ears went flat as he slowly floated downwards towards the angry white and rainbow alicorn.
"WHAT WAS THAT?" Celestia shouted Royal Canterlot voice in full swing.
On the ground the damage was a lot worse, noted the dragonequs. The west tower was completely destroyed and their was a gaping hole in the side of the grand hall. Luckily, it seemed everyone had been in the outdoor plaza for the celebration so the only danger had been falling debris so no one had been in danger. But now Discord was in danger of having a one way trip back to being stone.
"That was not me," he said, taking a step back as Celestia's mane started turning from a flowing rainbow to spiky and harsh fire.
"Then what was that," she growled her teeth gritted.
"Celestia?" said a voice from beneath the rubble.
Celestia turned just in time to see the pile shift and from under a beam crawled a white dragonequs with one green eye and one blue.
Celestia's jaw had dropped and she said, "Eris?" just before she collapsed in a dead faint.
Luna suddenly ran out of the grand hall and went right to her sister; not seeing Eris walking out of the rubble, her light green lizard claw dragging behind her.
"Lulu?" asked Eris placing her white paw on Luna's shoulder.
Luna's head looked up, but didn't turn and said quietly, "Only Eris called me Lulu."
Luna turned and saw the snowy dragonequs, her eyes wide. But unlike Celestia she didn't faint. Instead she shouted, "But you've been gone for 2,000 years!"
"Um, surprise," Eris said, all while trying to make herself small so that the eyes on her would not be so big.
Turning Eris's eyes locked on Discord and she suddenly shouted, "Brother? Why are you here?" Her words were filled with anger and disgust and she turned to Luna saying, "I thought you turned him to stone."
"We did but-"
"Then why in flying feather did you release him; you remember what he did to you, to Celestia, to me?" she said, not caring that all eyes were on her and that Discord had a small tear rolling down his cheek.
"You'd know that if you'd been around for the last 2,000 years, where were you?" asked Luna staring Eris right in the eye.
That broke her and Eris fell to her knees saying, "I, I don't know." And with that the flood gates opened and Eris started sobbing into her mismatched hands.
One Blue Eye; One Green Eye
4,000 years ago the world was chaotic. Not for the ponies of course. Ponies had their princesses who kept balance and harmony. But the dragonequi lands were always chaotic. Barely anyone has seen what it looked like, and those who had could never give a good description of it because it was always changing, never the same. Sometimes it was mountainous, other times it was sunken like the lost city of Trotlantis. But it was only like the latter when the really messed up dragonequi were in charge. Their government (if it can be called that) works by that each year a new leader is picked by if the challenger can defeat the old leader in a fight to the death.
At this moment the lands of the dragonequi were being ruled by the black dragonequs, by Chernobog. But he is not at the center of this story. No far away from Chernobog's cavern lived our center, lived Discord and his sister Eris.
Now this was 1,000 years before Discord's reign and then defeat. During those times he was a brute and a trickster; capable of dislodging a ponies mind with a flick of the wrist. But 1,000 years before that he was a bit different; he was a loving brother and probably had never dreamed of defeating Cherbonog or later conquering Equestria. Right now all he cared about was making it to the next day and making sure Eris did too.
Although chaos and unstablity were all attributes of the dragonequi the land of the dragonequi were for many years now a desolate and dark place. Cherbonog had defeated every challenger placed in front of him; each the same way. He would make them see what they feared most.
His spells were illusions of course, but fear is a powerful thing and some challengers had jumped off cliffs by the fears Cherbonog inspired. Even now when his darkness reigned did the dragonequi fear for their life each day. Cliffs appeared at odd spots and active volcanoes sent smoke and ash all over where the dragonequi lived. Timberwolves and manticores ran rampart and everyday one less dragonequi was alive.
But so far Discord and Eris had managed. Discord was now about 20 years old in mortal years while Eris was about 14. Having been orphaned at 12 and 6 the two siblings had it pretty good, if you called living in an abandoned, burned down village good. And having to eat raw meat some nights so not be caught by Cherbonog's press gangs good. And having to teach your baby sister how to survive will barely knowing yourself good. But they weren't dead or being forced to work in Cherbonog's mines. So, in truth they were doing pretty good cause if you are thinking clearly I'm going to guess if you were in their situation you wouldn't be where they were today. Alive.
That fateful night they were pressed up against each other between the sharp gray rock and the smooth gray rock as they hid from the press gangs that were scoping the ancient cites for any dragonequi that weren't already enslaved under Cherbonog.
They had come late that night and taken the 8 year old dragonequi that had been hiding in the house next door. That's actually how Discord and Eris had gotten out of their house before the gangs could reach them. They had woken up by his screams of protest and fear.
Now they were hiding in their backyard between some rocks as their hearts raced in fear. They couldn't see anything except the back of the house, but that was the scary part, no seeing only hearing them walk around searching for any other dragonequi that could of use to the king.
The to sibling heard the cries of the other hiding children in the town. Of the little 10 year old from down the street and his 3 year old sister, of the couple from down back alley way that had just had a new baby. Suddenly an eagle talon reached into the hollow and drew out Discord by his lion paw.
"No!" screamed Eris and grabbed Discord in a bear hug only to be dragged out by another sadistic dragonequs.
Hands wrapped around the snow white dragonequs and pried her away from Discord. Their owner called, "Got a pair of them Boss."
"Eris," cried Discord and with that he bite the talon holding him. The dragonequs cried out and dropped Discord who ran at Eris and grabbed her hand.
"Little beast," mumbled his captor as the dragonequs dropped a weighted net over the Discord and although he clawed and screamed it was all cut short by the beating stick that was dropped down on his head.
"No!" screeched Eris, "Discord!" was her last cry as she to was knocked out as well.
Eris's captor, hastily tossed her in a net of her own. With the help of his partner they dragged the siblings back to the pair of carts that was already filled with dragonequi.
One cart was going to the east mine and the other was going to the west mine. After the pair tossed their last captives into the cart did they set off each going a different directions and each having only one of the siblings while the other was going the other way.
...
3,000 years later in the Royal Chambers was a very awkward moment. Discord was sitting outside the door; deep in thought while inside sat his sister and Princess Luna as if it was 2,000 years past and no time had past separating them.
Except time had separated them and the awkwardness was still there as the two of them silently sipped cups of mint tea. Shakily Luna placed down her cup after a long drink and stared at Eris, at those same mismatched eyes and snow white coat she had known from years past. Except something was different. Eris would never have cried publicly back then and Eris seemed almost fragile.
What had happened to her?
"Lulu?" said Eris, breaking Luna's thoughts.
"Yes," said Luna, before taking another sip of tea.
"What happened while I was gone?" she asked softly.
Luna finished her drink and took a moment before asking, "Why don't you first tell me why you were gone in the first place?"
Eris sniffled and answered, a catch in her throat, "I don't know. I... I can't remember."
She was going to start crying again! thought Luna. "No, no it's fine Eris. It's just strange to see you after, well after that long."
"Yes, so what happened?" diverting the topic back to her question.
Luna sighed and started with her jealousy and transformation into Nightmare Moon, but when she got to her banishment did she get a reaction out of Eris besides a gasp.
"Celestia would never do that," shouted Eris as she knocked over her cup. And flinched at the noise when it dropped.
Luna thought again, what happened to her?
"She did, but on-" but Luna was cut off as Eris started ranting about how Celestia was such a cruel and horrible sister and how she would pay for imprisoning Luna. All while they didn't her the door open and Celestia step through catching Eris saying, and I quote "And by Fate would Celestia pay for hurting Luna."
"I did to save my life, Eris," said Celestia. And that stopped all the ranting. Eris's pupils shrunk and she took a step back, scared.
Eris opened her mouth, but before she could ask Celestia replied saying, "Luna will tell you."
And with that she left, stopping only to bring Dicord with her.
"So..." said Eris taking a seat.
Luna sighed and started on the story of the darkest day of her life.
One Blue Eye; One Green Eye
1,000 years ago on this day was the Summer Sun Celebration. it was also the day of Celestia's coronation.
Many years past was the day the past princess made her an alicorn.
A year later she made her sister the same as her. There was a reason she waited that long, although Luna didn't see it like that. To Celestia, she waited because of the thought of Luna outliving her friends, but did it because of the thought of having to bury Luna. But to Luna it was that Celestia had forgotten about her until then and was just remembering "oh yeah. I have a baby sister who wants to be an alicorn too."
But even after publicly naming Luna an alicorn, ponies still barely remembered she existed. And all through the years they ignored her and her night.
But yet Celestia was blind to it; to busy trying to run the country then listen to her sister. Celestia didn't even see how jealous her sister was of all the glory the solar sister got after defeating the tyrant Discord and the capture of the white dragonequs, Eris.
Eris had been taken to the palace after Discord's short, but terrifying reign. You see; back in those days it wasn't tall rabbits, chocolate rain, or buffalo ballets that were his style. Back then he was all about making a pony's worst fears come to life. And unlike normal dragonequi who could only make the illusion of fear; he could make it real, breathing, living fear.
Eris was not like Discord though. He had been a tyrant, but Eris was nothing short of a prankster that only created chaos for a good laugh. Simple as that. She had come into the land shortly after Discord, but unlike him the Royal Sisters spent no time waiting for her to start unraveling the sanity of ponies. Quickly they captured her and locked her away in an anti magic cell in the Canterlot dungeons.
Celestia was ready to turn her stone right away, but Luna had other ideas. They had been unprepared for the level of chaos Discord had created and if not for the Elements of Harmony they would have been defeated when they went after him. The sisters were lucky they survived the battle with Discord. Luna had the plan to study Eris, to try to figure out how dragonequs magic worked and why Discord had launched an attack on Equestria in the first place. And this might have been pony kinds only chance to really speak with dragonequi.
So, Celestia let Eris stay, but only if she stayed away from her and that she stayed in a locked room with an anti-magic ward on it. The sun princess was not taking any chances.
But after time went on Celestia started to realize how little she saw her sister anymore. Before they had been at least good friends and shared secrets no other pony or other creature knew. Luna had been spending all her time with that dragonequs. You see although Celestia was okay with Eris staying at the castle for Luna that was the only reason she was okay with it. If no for Luna there would be a new addition to the sculpture garden which wouldn't be too horrible. The garden was basically Celestia, Celestia, a fountain, Discord, and more Celestia.
So once when Luna walked off to Eris's room Celestia was with her. Using the excuse of "wanting to see Luna's progress on Eris." But of course Celestia hadn't learned that to be her name; Eris had always just been that white dragonequs to Celestia.
They walked into the her room and Celestia's eyes were wide. Instead of the normal and simple room their was a chaotic state. The dragonequs was sleeping on a cotton candy cloud and instead of having the books on the shelf they were flying around the room, narrowly missing the sun princesses head as she walked into the room.
Before Celestia could say a word about how this is not possible with the wards on the room, if the wards were still on the room? Eris sat up and looked from the Luna to her sister and with a snap brought the flying books to halt and sent them back to the bookshelf.
Oddly calm Celestia turned to Luna and asked, "What is going on Sister?"
Luna took a seat in a plush cotton candy chair and after spending a few minutes nibbling at the armrest she finally said, "Eris is completely harmless and We decided that she should at least be able to use her own magic." Luna left out the part about how the stability had almost killed Eris.
Just waking, Eris yawned and without opening her eyes or realizing Celestia said, "Will you stop with the Royal 'We', Lulu."
"And who are you talking to," Eris sat up and locked eyes with the glowering white alicorn. "Oh." Eris said and with that the books flew to the shelf and the cloud she had sat on turned back into a bed, as well as Luna's chair which resulted in a few holes in the chair and some coughing from it's occupant who had unwittingly eaten it thinking it wouldn't turn back to normal.
Ignoring the coughing and the frightened Eris, Celestia started again after Luna saying, "How dare you not tell me you loosened the wards. If a guard had seen the chaos they would have reported it to me and you know what would happen next."
Not knowingly Eris shuddered at the thought. But of course she hadn't known about Discord or what would have happened. Only that it wasn't good to anger a pony who could blast you with a solar flare.
...
Being inside the sun felt like were getting a warm embrace that was slowly strangling you. Fast enough that you knew what was happening, but slow enough not to feel it. Celestia would have been dead by now if not for the fact that every hour the cycle reverted back to the beginning and started all over again. The only good thing about it was that each day she could see the bright smiling faces of the ponies; and could keep a good eye on Luna.
Or the thing that was once Luna.
Now being in the moon was a lot different. It was like you floating in space, and could all around you. It was like you were inside a ball made of glass. Right in the middle of it so you couldn't break the sides. But instead of seeing only white in the sun, in the moon all you saw was the darkness and the distant flickering stars. You saw nothing of Equestria and your only companion was yourself, and your insanity. Or for Luna, her other half, her Nightmare Moon.
It was like she was in a hall of mirrors and in each one was Nightmare Moon laughing at her as that was what was happening only different. Instead of mirrors it was reflections of herself in the glass and instead laughing they talked.
Mostly the topic was Celestia and their plan once they got home to earth. Sometimes it was about the stars and how Celestia kept messing up when she made the constellations. But once in a while Luna would talk about Eris. When this topic rolled around Luna did most of talking, since for one Nightmare Moon wasn't around back then and two Luna was just talking to herself and did most of the talking anyway.
Luna had become Nightmare Moon on the anniversary of her disappearance and a year later after Celestia busted out of the sun she had been banished that day too.
Actually a lot of things had happened that day. Celestia and her had been made alicorns; notably a year apart. Eris had disappeared from the castle, her sister celebrated the Summer Sun Celebration, she had become Nightmare Moon.
And in turn been banished to the cold of her own moon.
...
Discord and Celestia stood near the base of what was once the west tower and what was now a giant pile of wood and stone. Using the newest princess and every unicorn at the party did the two immortals manage to at least re-build the base of the tower, they'd need Luna to finish the job off.
Panting and sweaty the two headed back the palace to discuss their newest visitor. Discord had been stone when Eris had been at the palace, but after hearing about how Discord was conscious when stone then he probably remembered when Eris had discovered what Discord had done and in turn what Celestia had done to him in return.
Celestia winced at the memory and remembered how surprised she had been when she discovered that Eris had not turned him into gravel, though when Eris had said she had dumbed down Discord's powers she now knew what that had meant.
Now he was just a prankster like Eris. Celestia shuddered, last time he had been a sadistic trickster who had nearly unrolled her sanity with the images he had showed her, of Luna, Luna...
Celestia's train of thought wandered off and together her and Discord walked into the castle. They made a beeline for the private guest rooms since Celestia and Discord's rooms were still firewood outside. Almost to the hall they were suddenly stopped by Shining Armor who had run up asking what he should do about the guests in the plaza who were asking a lot of questions.
"Send them home and say the information is still privy for the moment, but all their questions will answered," said Celestia wearily and with that the odd pair made their way up the many stairs.
One Blue Eye; One Green Eye
Moon Beams of the Coldest Night
The moon would just not rise. Celestia sent out another stream of magic, sweat glistening on her brow. She looped it round the moon and heaved her head back only to sever the line and dropping the moon back down below the horizon.
Celestia gritted her teeth and sent out the last of her magic and binding the moon tightly in her grasp. Straining she lifted it and with a finally heave managed to raise it to a point where it could contiune across the sky on its own. Sighing, Celestia blindly plopped down on her bed and was almost into sleep when she remembered that ruling the night wasn't just raising the moon. Sighing she got up and flew into the night all while grumbling about stars.
Finally after trying, and ultimately failing at making stars did Celestia finally be able to lay down and sleep. But then suddenly a guard burst into the room, blubbering and shouting for her royal and tired majesty to wake up.
Raising her head and glowering the weary alicorn said, "What, Sir is so important that you had to wake me?"
The guard stopped panicking and said quickly, "Your majesty, it's noon and the sun hasn't risen yet."
"What?!?" screeched the princess as she ran to the window seeing the moon had reached the horizon. Reaching with magic she set the moon and gently pulled the sun up to it's natural point. Cursing Celestia sent the guard away and layed down.
She wasn't tired anymore; instead she was sad and mumbled quietly to herself, "Luna, Luna, Luna." And with that she drifted into a fitful sleep.
...
After talking about the last few centuries with Eris the next part of this intresting night was having to lower the moon and showing Eris to her room. Unlike the rest of the castle; not counting the west tower, Eris's room had been one of last things in the castlenot touched y renovations.
The pair made their way down the few hallways toward her room when Luna noticed Eris was favoring her light green lizard leg.
Lune looked from Eris to her leg and asked quietly, "What happened to your leg?" not wanting to wake Blueblood who slept in this hall. Now that would be the defination of a Royal Pain in the plot.
Eris's face screwed up and glaned down at her leg like she hadn't even noticed she was dragging it behind her.
"I'm not sure, Lulu," she didn't say anything else, but a few moments asked, "The night I disappeared, do you remember anything about it."
"I remember returning from making the stars and passing by your room," Luna stopped talking deep in thought and then added, "I remember the inside of your room was glowing. You were talking with somepony and then you were-"
But the word 'gone' was lost as Eris yawned loudly and stepped into her room without another word. But as Luna was walking away, she heard quiet sobbing coming from behind the door.
Luna shook her head and turned to go down the hall when she noticed a note on the floor. Gently she picked it up with magic. Her eyes went across the paper twice and each time her mind was whirring with so many questions.
It read:
Luna,
I can't talk about this right now, he is still listening. Some day maybe everything will be brought to the light.
E.
...
Eris fell from the cliff; her wings trying to flap, but bound togeher so tightly she couldn't. From the top of the cliff she could see Chernobog laughing as she struggled and smiling as she fell into the freezing water. Sea salt stung her eyes and although she tried to reach the surface she just kept sinking deeper and deeper into the water. Her lungs filled with water and slowly she lost consicious. The last thing she saw was the full, white moon.
But then the scene changed. Her lungs filled with air and she breathed two deep breaths. And she saw him. It was Discord. Oh, she hadn't seen him in so long she wanted to run to him, but her feet wouldn't move. He waved at her obilvious to the large black dragonequs behind him. It raised it's wolf paw to its lips in a shushing motion and then quickly wrapped its hands around Discord's neck from behind, slowly choking the life out of him.
"Discord!" she screeched sitting up suddenly. Breathing fast and heart racing faster she finally noticed where she was.
She was still there. Still inside the horrible cave. The walls were covered in a green moss and messages from the last inhabitants which normally said, "Help Me" or were suicide messages and the bars on the door carried anti-magic properties that crippled her when it came to magic so there was no escape for this dragonequs.
It was 4 years after that fateful night and unlike her brother who was brought to the dusty mines of the east valley while she had been brought straight to Chernobog's own cavern. At first she hadn't known why and was terriffied. But after discovery she was less terriffied and more mind boggled at her luck.
But soon that mind boggledness at luck, had turned right back to fear. If she had been a normal dragonequs then it would be right off to the mines with her, but Eris was not a normal dragonequs. At least she wasn't in Chernobog's eyes. Most dragonequs were the same only with different colored eyes and personality and gender to tell them a part. It was very rare to find an all black dragonequs, such as Chernobog. It was even rarer to find a white one, like Eris.
At the moment she had the king's fancy and every now and then he would try to court her. That was what kept her alive. But if she ever lost it.
Eris shuddered. She knew there had been other dragonequi the king had had an eye for; she was not the first. But no one other than the king knew what happened to them. Some said that he had lost love for them and had them shipped to the mines. Others said that the old fancies had rejected the king's advances and that had gotten them killed. The most common story was that every 5 years, which was around the time he picked a new suitor he ate his old one.
Eris really hoped that wasn't the case. The New Year was going to arrive in two weeks and unless the opponent beat Chernobog or the wasn't the case then she was as good as dead.