Justice

A/N I am really considering a pre-reader. Someone to help me keep on track with this story and to help me iron it out before I post it. So far I have been editing all my own work, but I feel it just isn’t cutting it anymore. Each chapter I feel like I am getting worse and worse, even if I’m not. If anyone here would like to pre-read my stuff, please let me know. For Fanfiction.net: @PancakeProdigy, Luna is Discorded as well, but to so little an extent you can barely tell. Celestia is Discorded like crazy however, hence her being a tyrant. @Flyingspud, I feel like Neo from Matrix, barely bending back far enough to dodge all those bullets. Even though I did fairly well on the first two points, I feel point three grazed me, but not without due reason. Anyway, thank you for the detailed review, I really appreciate it. Again, sorry for long wait, and here is chapter 16!

I sit in the library for about an hour.

Thinking, contemplating, wondering what the heck is wrong with Twilight!

“One minute she acts like I’m her best friend, then like she hates me, then gets all sad, and then she hugs me?!? The mare has worse mood swings than Fluttershy!”

On that note I end my mental tirade against Twilight.

“She must still be affected by traces of Discord’s influence. From what I’ve seen so far, anypony under Discord’s power is the opposite of themselves.  Maybe some dregs of that power mess with their emotions even after it’s gone? That would explain Fluttershy’s behavior too.”

I turn my head as I hear hooves carefully trot down the stairs.

“Well, here she comes,” I think, “Hope she isn’t too embarrassed from the previous incident.”

She pokes her head around the corner, sees me, and immediately withdraws back around.

“Might as well hope I get a million dollars air-dropped to me while I’m at it.” I think with an exasperated sigh.

“Twilight? I think we just need to talk, okay?”

A few seconds pass and she slowly trots into view.

She says, “Look… I’m really sorry about what happened earlier… Ever since you saved me my emotions have been all over the place. I’m not really sure why. So, I am sorry if I did anything out of bounds. Do you forgive me?”

I smile, “Of course. I actually have a theory about why you may be so confused right now.”

She perks up a bit.

“Really?”

I nod, “Yep, I think it is because Discord’s power is still affecting you even though the majority is gone. I think this because Fluttershy acted similar after I changed her back to normal.”

I see the look of concentration on her face while she ponders what I just said.

“Hmm… That would make sense. As long as Discord is around we wont be able to get rid of his influence for good.”

“All the more reason to finish off the last guardian and find him.”

She nods and trots over to the fabric and sewing supplies she had left earlier. She gathers them up with magic, and trots to the center of the room. Still using magic, she removes the horse-head statue on the table there, and gestures me over.

“We might as well finish making you a new shirt, and you promised to fill me in on what’s been happening with you and Fluttershy.”

I walk over to the short table.

“Oh…right.” Twilight looks at me and says, “You don’t want to talk about it?”

“Not really. But I promised I would.”

I stand up on the table. Using magic, Twilight holds up a tape measure and begins taking measurements of my torso.

“Well, what do you want to hear about first? My world or Fluttershy and I?”

“As much as I want to hear about where you come from, I think the more pertinent subject would be better.” “Alright… Well, when I first landed here, you remember how I saved Fluttershy right?”

She nods.

“Well, after I got wounded and the zebra-”

“Zecora.”

“What?”

Twilight looks up at me, “The zebra’s name is Zecora.”

“Oh okay, so after Zecora healed me, I was captured by royal guards and taken to the palace. You were there when I spoke to the Princesses and escaped. After I escaped, I went to the armory in search of my sword. You were there as well so you should remember what happened.”

Twilight nods, and begins cutting out designs in the navy blue fabric.

“So after that Fluttershy and I traveled back to Ponyville together, but on the way-”

“You killed three criminals.”

“Yep. Once we got to Ponyville, we went to the ruins to find the hidden Element.”

“And of course there was our fight on the way there.”

I nod, “Yeah, where you and your friends almost killed Fluttershy and I. Also, you gave me these scars as well.”

I point to my face and right arm. Her ears droop down as she mutters an apology.

“It’s all in the past now, you weren’t yourself. Anyway, we eventually got into the ruins where I had to fight the spirit of the former bearer of the Element of Justice, who, oddly enough, was a human just like me.” This really catches Twilight’s interest.

“Really?!? How is that possible?”

“I’m not really sure, every time I ask him about it he clams up. In fact, he hasn’t spoken since I healed you.” I look down at my left forearm. The gold and sapphire bracelet with the scale, crossed swords and the shield are all faintly glowing as usual.

I tap the bracer, “Hello? Anyone in there?”

No response.

“Just giving me the silent treatment I suppose. So, back to my story. Once I got the element, He taught me how to use a sword and shield made out of aura, and this awesome suit of armor I can summon whenever!” She looks really surprised now.

“Really? Let me see!”

I summon the sword and shield, and wave them around a bit. Her eyes light up at seeing these.

“If you think those are cool, check out the armor!” I return the sword and shield, and summon the full suit of armor.

CRACK!

The table breaks underneath me and I fall backwards onto my butt. When I finally manage to stumble to my feet, I look through the visor to see Twilight laughing her flank off. I turn red from embarrassment, but thankfully she can’t see me through the helmet.

“Alright alright…”, I mumble. “The armor is a bit heavy.”

Her laughing finally resolves into a small fit of giggles.

“Just a little hehe.”

I stand and dismiss the armor back into the Element.

“Anyway, once I became the Element of Justice, Fluttershy and I went to the swamp to find the Hydra. We found it, or more like it found us, and I fought it. Long story short, I blew up the entire swamp to finally finish it. And right after that you showed up.”

She levitates the cut-out fabric towards me to see if it is coming along well. She nods, satisfied at her own work, and starts sewing the pieces together.

“I’m glad I am caught up as to what exactly you have been doing, but I’m more curious as to what happened between you and Fluttershy.”

She raises her eyebrow and looks at me.

I scratch the back of my head in embarrassment. “Uh… I’ve been trying to avoid that…” I nervously chuckle.

“I can tell.” She deadpans

I sigh, “Alright, well not soon after Fluttershy joined me I could tell she liked me allot. I wasn’t really sure what to do at first, so I did nothing. Not a smart move. Eventually she was completely in love with me, and even said so. And being the idiot I am, I said I loved her as well.”

Twilight asks, “Well don’t you?”

“Yeah I do, but it is a bit more complicated than that. You see, where I am from, it is strictly forbidden to love an animal. It is just bad and quite frankly, downright sick.”

To my surprise she nods in agreement.

“Well yeah of course it is, but what does that have to do with Fluttershy?”

It dawns on me that she doesn’t think of ponies as animals, which actually makes perfect sense.

“Where I come from, you guys,” I point at her, “Are considered animals.”

“Oh.” She says with a shocked expression.

“Yeah… that’s the problem.”

She ponders for a moment on what I had just said.

“You really screwed yourself over with that one.” Is her blunt reply.

I roll my eyes, “I was hoping for advice, not a statement of the obvious.”

Twilight sighs as she finishes the last stitches on the shirt.

“Quite frankly, I’m not sure what to tell you. Did you explain all that to Fluttershy?”

“Yeah, that was right before she turned dark and left.”

“Huh, now I can see why.” She levitates the now completed shirt towards me. I take off the tattered remains of my old one and put the new shirt on. Fits perfectly.

“Thank you for the new shirt, I really appreciate it.” I say.

She smiles, “Your welcome.”

Her expression grows serious again.

“Actually, I have thought of something. You said where you’re from we ponies are considered animals, right?”

I nod.

“Do you?”

The question takes me by surprise, and I have to think about it for a moment. I think over everything that has happened with them, how they have their own government, laws, towns and pretty much everything us humans have.

I look up at Twilight and say, “No actually, I don’t. In my world ponies are animals, but they are nothing like what you guys are. In this universe, you ponies are just as much a person as I am. We are still different species, but that’s no excuse for treating you all as sub-par creatures.”

She smiles again, “I’m really glad you think that, but it now begs the question: What are you going to do about Fluttershy?”

“I’m going to find her and beg her forgiveness, that’s what I’m going to do.”

She sagely nods her head. “Good. Also, the ponies I encountered on the way home today seem to actually side with you. If you treat all ponies like you would treat another human, you might be able to find some allies. Anyway, now that that is cleared up, can you tell me what your world is actually like?”

“Sure, but sit down because this will take awhile.”

We spend the rest of the day talking about my world. The idea that technology replaces magic is astounding to her, and the subject of electronic books take an hour alone. Once it starts getting dark outside, I call it enough for one night, and Twilight calls Spike down to make dinner. I apologize to Spike about Rarity, and after some prodding from Twilight he finally forgives me. We eat dinner and Spike goes upstairs to his room. As I grimace in the general direction of my bed, Twilight asks, “Is there something wrong with the sheets I put out for you?”

I shake my head, “No, the sheets are fine, it’s the hardwood floor underneath that’s killing me.”

“Oh…”

Her cheeks turn red underneath her facial fur.

I ask, “What?”

“Well… if you don’t want to sleep on the floor again… um…”

“Twilight, what is it?” I ask impatiently.

“Well… my bed is big enough for two… if you don’t mind sharing.”

The suggestion hits me by surprise.

I brush my shock aside and think, “She knows I like Fluttershy, it’s just a harmless suggestion.”

I say with a smile, “Sure, thanks!”

She grins broadly and practically bounces up the stairs.

My smile turns to a frown at her behavior.

“I admitted I was still in love with Fluttershy just a couple of hours ago, why is she acting like this?”

I shake my head in confusion and follow her up. I go into her room and find the bed. I get in, scoot as far to one side as I can, and close my eyes. I feel her get in on the other side and she turns off the lights. The last thing I think of before I drift off to sleep is, “I hope Fluttershy is okay…”

Fluttershy’s POV

I raise my bloody hoof.

“No! Please, stop! Ple-”

I slam my hoof downward, crushing his skull in.

Another section of my dark pink hair turns blood red.

“That’s five in one day, not bad.” I say to myself.

I’m on the edge of the Everfree forest, and this pony had taken his midnight stroll just a little too close.

I look up at the full moon rising overhead.

A voice from my past floats past me.

“My my, a beautiful night for murder, don’t you think?”

Discord.

I nonchalantly reply, “Yes it is, and thank you for giving me the power to do it.”

The voice replies, “My pleasure, my dear. I must say though, I never expected you to go this far. Usually killing ponies is my job. Not directly of course, due to my current predicament.”

The misty form of Discord materializes in front of me.

“Unfortunately, while my guardians are alive, I am confined to this form. I am invulnerable of course, but where is the fun in that if I can’t actually kill?”

“What does that have to do with me?” I bluntly ask him.

He smiles, “It is so nice to see you taking charge and to stop being so shy, I like it. Anyway, do you like killing?”

I smile, “Of course. I’m so mad right now I could just kill everypony.”

“Good good… You want to kill, and I can’t. You however have to be careful not to be caught, while I don’t. I think we may be able to help each other. A… partnership, if you will.”

My grin gets wider.

“I’m listening.”

Celestia’s POV

“Princess Celestia, your sister wishes an audience with you, she says it is of the utmost importance!”

From my throne I glare down at the two guards before me. My horn glows, and the one that just spoke burns into a pile of ash. The remaining guard is quaking like a leaf.

I smile.

“Very good, allow my sister in.”

The guard turns tail and runs to open the door. He opens it, and my sister trots in with an owl perched on her shoulder.

“DEAREST SISTER, MY INFORMANT HAS GIVEN ME IMPORTANT NEWS ABOUT THY STUNDENT, TWILIGHT SPARKLE, AND THE HUMAN!”

I roll my eyes, “Please talk quieter, you’ll give me a headache.”

“Sorry.” She says in a normal tone.

“Anyway, what did your little owl tell you?”

“The human has healed thy student and restored her from Discord’s influence. He is also the Element of Justice. They are staying in the library where Twilight Sparkle hast resided these past years.”

My eyes widen.

“The Element of Justice?!?!? That filthy human is the hidden element?!?” The castle shakes from my rage.

Luna takes a step back.

“Um… yes?”

“I will not put up with his insolence any longer! Destroy him!” I bellow at the now quaking form of my sister.

She shrinks slightly and mutters out a question,

“But… He killed the second guardian of thy most dreaded enemy, Discord. Isn’t he helping us?”

I jump off my throne and glide towards her. I get right in her face and growl,

“He is doing our job for us, yes, but at the same time he is making us look weak and incapable of dealing with Discord ourselves. The subjects are quickly losing faith in us, and we can’t have him making us look bad on top of it.”

“But… if we simply joined forces with him…”

My expression of rages silences her.

“You will fly out and destroy him. Are we clear?”

“……..Yes… when do you want me to go?”

“You are at your strongest during the night, correct?”

“Yes?”

“What time is it now?”

“Nighttime, sis.”

“So by putting two and two together, when do you think I want you to go?”

“….Now.”

I stand to my full height and nod.

“Indeed. Destroy him and report back as soon as he is gone.”

She hesitantly stands.

“But, he also healed your student and is no doubt working with her… what do you want me to do?”

I snort, “She failed me. Dispose of her as well.”

Luna turns around and starts walking towards the doors.

“…As you wish.”

A/N- I feel terrible. I turned Fluttershy into a killer. As out-of-the-blue it may seem, it is actually necessary. I have a very good idea of where the plot is going, and this is one of many steps to get it there. Haters gonna hate. Crass, overused statements aside, this chapter took forever to write, and even though it is weird, it came out as expected. Also, consider it a “Part 2” to the previous chapter. I couldn’t do it all at once because I am lazy and rushed for time. Also, I didn’t want you all to have to wait twice as long. On an almost completely unrelated note, the season finale was the best thing known to ponykind, I loved it. Anyway, please review if you have any questions or indignant comments regarding Fluttershy, as I’m sure some of you will. In all seriousness, thanks for reading.