Away from Home

Mush Presents

A ‘My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic’ Fanfic

‘Away from Home’

Prologue

Celestia's Sun was rising once again, cresting the dramatic peaks of the Canterlot Mountain range, on which the great city perched. A great shadow was cast down upon the towns below, extending as far as the Everfree Forest. One of the few small towns still in the shadow of the mountains was the quaint little town of Ponyville. Fluttershy's cottage, being closest to the Everfree, was the first to be released from the mountain's dark embrace as the sun inched ever higher in the sky. The pegasus inside however, was already awake busying herself inside putting the nocturnal animals to bed for the day.

The shadow of the mountains retreated still, gently revealing a Ponyville that wanted ‘five more minutes’. However, there was already one pony up and about near the Apple’s orchard. One by one, the trees of the orchard were welcomed to the light of the sun, and so too was a pony doing some early morning apple-bucking. This pony however, was not Applejack, but her brother Big Macintosh, who has been around for the last hour bucking trees for the early morning market in Ponyville square.

The shadow retreated more, revealing yet more of Ponyville. Curtains were opening and very tired looking ponies peeking out over the world. Between the houses and cottages buzzed a little orange filly on her paper-route, stifling a yawn or two  and moaning occasionally about the cold and being awake at such an outrageous hour. Copies of the 'Foal Free Press' gently planted themselves on the doormats of the houses Scootaloo buzzed past, a few being dragged inside by tired ponies in dressing gowns and bath robes.

The last building in Ponyville to get bombarded by Celestia’s early morning light was not really a building at all. It was more along the lines of a huge tree that had various balconies sticking out of it, some of them had telescopes, and others were used like outside living areas with wooden tables and chairs. Inside the library however, things were not so peaceful. Twilight was galloping around the library in a tizzy while Spike sat on the stairs and watched the event unfold while eating his cereal.

About half a mile away from the waking town, a lone serpentine figure stood. Not much could be seen of its details, other than its eyes were glowing yellow and red, and in a determined frown. The silhouette raised its claw and clicked its talons, a small flash of light burst from where the claws made contact with the palm. This was followed with similar random flashes of light all around Ponyville as the population slowly decreased.

“Now where’s your precious ‘Elements’, Celestia?”

***

“What do you mean ‘Ponyville is empty’?” bellowed Princess Celestia at an alarming volume across the throne room. Her vocal outburst echoed throughout the large throne room, her hardened guards-ponies flinched a little at the volume. The poor messenger pony up in front of her throne, who delivered the message, never stood a chance and was startled. She fell back onto her hind-quarters and tears began forming in her eyes. The note she delivered was still hovering in front of her face in the mighty grasp of Celestia's magic. "What is this, some kind of cruel joke?" Celestia accused the little pony further.

“It is not my fault, Princess, I swear. I was coming from Cloudsdale with many, many letters and when I arrived in Ponyville... it was empty. It was as if somepony went and ate them all, but didn't because nothing eats ponies, but it would have done if it did eat ponies.” The grey Pegasus wailed, defending herself against the apparent accusations of the Princess of Equestria.

“Oh, I am sorry, little pony. I shouldn't buck the messenger. But this news is startling; I have never seen a whole town get deserted over night before.” Celestia replied. “Are you sure they weren't all in bed?”

“Nuhuh. I went over to the Apple’s place and they were all gone. They are always awake early and sometimes Applejack gives me a muffin, but they weren’t there so I didn’t get one.” Derpy hung her head remembering her lack of muffin today.

“I see... Well, I apologise to you, little pony, for any false accusations I put towards you. Here, have that muffin you never got, it’s on me.” Celestia’s horn glowed slightly and a muffin appeared out of nowhere in-front of the Pegasus. “Enjoy, my little pony.”

“Yes, Princess. Thanks Princess.” Derpy cheerfully smiled at the Princess and flew off with the muffin. Some royal guards looking a little bit more than confused at the scene that just unfolded. An eerie silence then followed, Celestia had an odd feeling in the back of her mind... as if she was being watched.

“Oh Celestia," came a disembodied voice, "why did you have to give her the muffin you know I wanted so?” The low rumbling voice echoed through the throne room. The guards stood firm, looking for the mystery pony. “Oh don’t bother looking for me. I am all but a voice in your head; now leave the room while you still have one.” The two guards exchanged looks, looking between themselves, the door and the princess. Together, they decided it would be best to leave, and then galloped toward the exit, completely deserting the princess.

“Discord. Why are you here? How did you escape?” Celestia asked the empty room. She was keeping an eye on the stain glass windows, for Discord used these to communicate last time.

“Oh, she knows who I am. 10 points awarded to you, well done Celestia.” Discord scoffed. “And don’t be looking at these, as Rarity put it, ‘tacky windows’ for me. For I am right behind you, watching you.” Immediately after these words echoed throughout the room, Discord’s ugly self appeared behind Celestia’s throne, and subsequently turned the throne into chocolate fudge. Celestia jumped up from her now sticky throne and turned to face Discord, who was eating some of the now fudge-ified throne.

“Okay Discord, start talking! How did you escape? And what did you do to Ponyville?” Celestia commanded, she fired questions at Discord, giving him no time to reply. Discord just stood there with a goofy, toothy grin on his face, waiting for her to finish.

“First, I escaped because two brothers decided to have a fight in-front of my statue in the gardens." Discord shook his head at Celestia "Didn't you learn?". Discord raised his lizard like claw and inspected it for dust. "Second, I sent them on a little holiday.” Discord finished, he was nonchalantly filing his claws, some dirt dared to cling to them. Celestia stared at him for a while in sheer disbelief, she was considering fetching the elements right away from Ponyville. She could teleport there and back and Discord would never notice, but Discord might be able to...

“Read your mind? Maybe so, but I am no petty thief. Here, have them.” From behind him, Discord acquired the Elements of Harmony and threw them at Celestia. “They won’t do any good though.” Discord commented, taking another bite off of the throne he was leaning on. "They do suit you though".

“What is this, and why don’t I just turn you back to stone right now and banish you, then lock you in a dungeon in a place I banished you to?” Celestia threatened, making a very un-princess like snorting noise between breaths.

“Because, I know, and you know how these elements work." Discord lectured, "These aren't really the Elements at all, are they, these are just tools to use them, to harness them." Discord poked the Element of Magic. "The real elements went on holiday, remember?” Discord finished, he had thought this plan through and was not about to give any chances, but he was Discord, and he wanted to riddle Celestia. Before continuing however, it was of utmost priority that the throne should now be made of whipped cream.

“Where did you send them?” Celestia commanded, stamping a gold-tipped hoof to the floor.

“Oh you really are boring, aren’t you?" Discord chided "Fine, I’ll tell you, but I’ll only tell you my way.” Discord loved the opportunity to repeat things, Celestia just facehoofed.

“The location of your Elements

Is in a place that constantly invents

They have spied on us for nearly a year

But yet they are nowhere near

The truth that is so tragic

Is that this world contains no magic

So the only way to retrieve the Elements of harmony

Is to give Equestria over to me.”

“I will never surrender Equestria!” Celestia bellowed. She was angry, Equestria was all she lived for.

“Then you will never see any of Ponyville again. Never to see you faithful student Twilight, nor her pitiful excuse for a dragon, Spike. Never to gaze upon the beauty that is ‘Lady Rarity’. Never again to see anypony... ever, ever again.” Discord finished his crippling speech, triumphant. He scooped some whipped cream throne and ate it, he offered some to Celestia.

"You can't just... You... Monster!" Celestia stuttered. "How could you just kidnap an entire town and hold them hostage? How do you live with yourself?"

"I live by creating chaos, dear. Now, surrender Equestria over to me. I swear by the name of Chaos I will not harm other ponies... much." Discord grinned and glanced toward Celestia. "Also, we have whipped cream."

"I refuse... It goes against every fibre in my body. It goes against all morals and everything." Celestia looked down at the floor, had hanging lo "But you have won." Celestia lowered her head so much so, that her tiara slipped off and slid toward the feet of the Element of Chaos. He bent down and picked it up, and put it on his head, upside down.

“Oh it’s just fabulous darling!” Discord announced, studying himself in a mirror that was just floating in the middle of the room.

“Now give me back my little ponies!” Celestia commanded, "As you said, you are no 'petty thief'". She looked at Discord who sighed and leaned over to Celestia.

“Celestia, petty theft is stealing 6 little jewels. This is... Grand Theft Pony, and that I will bring myself to. Also... being the Spirit of Chaos, what can I do?” He asked her, Celestia gave no response.

“I can lie through my teeth!” Discord started to laugh, a low laugh. It soon escalated into a full raucous laugh that filled the chamber. Celestia was miffed; she hung her head in utter defeat and shame.

Her mane stopped flowing in whatever wind it was flowing in and hung low. Then, starting from the tip of her tail, the colour slowly drained out of it. Her Cutie Mark, that appeared to shine with its own glow, was dim and greyscale. Her majestic mane, now hanging loose, looked like the spectrum of all the grey in the world. Her eyes lost their magenta glow and settled for a greyer colour.

Celestia just got Discorded.