Side 8: If You Wager With A Draconequus

"I should have known he'd keep the territory random and far away." I sighed for about the hundredth time that night. "I should've counter-offered an easier challenge instead of letting my mouth run." I berated myself loudly. "Now look at me, Tia knows where in the Equestrian countryside I am, smaller than normal, no powers, weapons, abilities or anything else for that matter except experience and what good will that do me if I'm as vulnerable as a normal person?" I pouted missing all that I'd had.

It had all started a couple days back when I was relaxing in the sun on top of Carousel Boutique. Despite a bit of recurring homesickness everything felt impossibly perfect. Then a case of the willies shattered the tranquility. I ignored it and went on staring at the sky thinking about an eagle I knew and wondering if I'd ever get to soar with her again. Then a shadow fell over me interrupting my thoughts.

"Heya buddy trying to get a tan?" came the voice of trouble incarnate. "What do I owe this visit to, Discord oh lord of chaos?" I asked annoyed at having my reminiscence interrupted. "Well I was just passing through and I saw a couple foals playing and had a real strong temptation to be mean so I decided to see if one of my friends could keep me busy until it passes." Discord said adding his usual dramatic flare to his words.

"So you decided to ask me?" I asked adding sarcasm to my tone. "You didn't look like you were doing anything important so I thought why not." Discord replied dramatically. "How about a game Discord, you name it?" I asked hoping to pay back his interruption with a torturous strategy in a card game. "Pinkie promise I get to pick?" he asked with an over done expression of joy. I did the motions and words I was taught and as soon as I'd finished Discord celebrated like a child would in the same situation.

"All right I've heard you say that you've survived being at that size for a long time, but then again that was the same time you got your powers." Discord accused making a strong point. "Never thought of it that way, what are you thinking?" I asked thinking over his incredibly true statement."You a lot smaller, lost somewhere, as vulnerable as any human, your only help is your instincts, and Fluttershy and her friends have to find you, I'd even be willing to wager a week of charity." Discord said listing off the details.

"A challenge is it, and what would happen if I lost after agreeing to your terms?" I asked demanding the stakes. "Oh well that; I'd be able to spread chaos for a week without restriction AND you have to join me for that week." Discord grinned evilly."Fair enough as for surviving until found, am I able to build weapons, shelter and other essentials from the environment around me?" I asked knowing that was vital information. "Like turning a thistle spike into a spear yes, holding your hand out and a weapon appears, no powers so no." Discord answered clarifying the meanings of the word make."I'll tell you what I'm up for a challenge, and I'm confident my experiences will be a big help even with my limitations, challenge accepted." I said shaking hands with Discord to seal our agreement.

With a flash I found myself about quarter of a centimeter tall. Discord had also transported me inside the library where all six mares were gathered discussing somepony they'd all randomly forgotten. I looked around me trying to figure out how close I was to any of them.

On the other side of a stack of books I saw a familiar curly purple tail. Emotions and logic mixed with experience and I quickly made my way up the makeshift staircase. On top I flopped onto back taking a breather. From beside me I heard the girls' voices as they talked. I listened in to see if there was something that might help me get their attentions.

"HOW CAN WE ALL SIMULTANEOUSLY FORGET SOMEPONY LIKE THIS IT'S NOT RIGHT?!" Twi shouted in frustration at the others. "Yeah we were just planning a party for whoever it was and now we don't know who it is we were planning a party for." Pinkie agreed heavily. "He seems quite important to me for some reason, maybe something around here can give us a clue or bring our memories back, preferably something that has a face and a name." Rare said sounding worried and confused.

All the other mares started looking around for some evidence of my identity. "I think I might be in love with whoever it is." Rare whispered as a tear rolled down her cheek. She wiped the tear away, put on a brave face and joined the others in the search with a bit more determination. Rare absentmindedly turned, her tail sweeping me off the cover as her hind legs knocked over the books. I was glad for the chance to not have to jump into the purple tail.

From her tail it wasn't hard to her nose. When the books fell Rare had grabbed her tail to get it out of the way, unwillingly transferring me to a forehoof. Relaxing from the scare she wiped the forehoof on her brow sending me falling to her muzzle.

"What is this?!" Rare asked staring straight at me. "How in hoofing Equestria did a flea get on my nose?" she said picking me up with a forehoof. She headed straight for the nearest window holding me like I was something disgusting. "Wait Rarity did you say bug, don't do anything with it until I can see as I have a feeling it might be related to this somepony we've forgotten." Twi said from across the room, falling on deaf ears. "What was that darling, did you say something?" Rare asked as she tossed me out the window, realizing she'd been spoken to.

I landed hard after my flying a good ways away from Twi's library. I checked for injuries and found nothing hurt.  Instinct kicked in and I climbed the nearest blade of grass to get my bearings.

Looking around I found myself in town square. That made me happy as I was still in town. I was too distracted strategizing to pay attention to my surroundings until a shadow overtook the area around me. I looked up in time to see a huge Light purple hoof descending toward me. My only reaction was to teleport and by the time I realized it wasn't working it was too late for me to do anything but close my eyes and await the inevitable.

With a ground shaking clop the hoof landed. From above a familiar voice sounded and I instantly was looking upward to confirm what I heard. As I did Flitters right forehoof lifted and flew over me as she went on her way.

Unfortunately it was replaced by her right hindhoof which dropped down at an obviously different angle. This time as I anticipated my demise I kept my eyes open. The hind hoof landed close enough to send my grass blade whipping back and forth. My vision flashed between green and light purple as I was sent flying. When my head finally caught up to my body I found myself surrounded by light purple.

All of my senses told me I was on Flitter, just above the hoof that had nearly ended me and instinct told me to grab a hair and tie in asap. As I did the hoof lifted but never landed. As I watched from my new hangout Flitter gained altitude and was beginning a flight to somewhere in Equestria.

I could watch in nervousness as the practical victory Ponyville represented shrank in distance and the difficulty of my task grew. Trying to get to Flitters ear was way more difficult when she was flying compared to when she was walking and was something not worth attempting in my situation. I cursed my luck and decided to wait until she landed before attempting to reach her ear. In the meantime I just had to be careful not to touch skin and enjoy the scenery as it passed below. Hopefully my experience was as helpful throughout the rest of this challenge as it had been so far.

I awoke not knowing how or when I'd fallen asleep and found Flitter landing amongst a clearing in a forest. As soon as her hooves hit the ground I untied myself and started making my way to her back. Halfway up her body started tipping toward the ground and I was left with the choice to either stay and possibly end up splattered or jump pony and survive.

The fall was definitely one I normally wouldn't have risked but I saw below me some reassurances to the safety of my health. I hit a leaf the lead me sliding onto a blade of grass that took me to the ground. Flitters titanic body sent a tremor through the ground signaling she was down and I breathed a small sigh. The grass darkened around warning me a tad late that Flitter was placing a hoof flat on the ground. I quickly found myself pinned between the spongy sole of Flitters hoof and the dirt of the ground with barely enough room to breathe, passing out shortly after being pinned from the sheer relief of being alive and unharmed.

The next morning I awoke to find Flitter had taken off and left me alone. At this point I sat down and started berating myself for taking the bet. Now I was really in trouble.

From my heart I heard a song resonate. From it I heard Rare calling for me. Hearing her voice through the song gave me an idea. Using natural energy and a song's energy I played a song in reply. Feeling a connection come into existence I told Rare to bring the girls and follow the song's energy to find the "somepony they'd forgotten", making it easier by deciding to stay in the general area and playing the song every so often.

Having made that bit of Discord's challenge easier I now focused on the next task, surviving until evac. For this I went around the area gathering and setting up defences both body wise and making a small shelter for myself. While gathering supplies for shelter and defences I also did a bit of hunting and water gathering.

I set up in the crook of a tree about eye height off the ground. I made sure to cover my scent as well as the sight of my shelter to prevent predators from finding me so easily. I covered up using a leaf I'd cut up and before falling asleep wished that the girls would rush knowing Princess Luna would be able to help pinpoint me easier. I knew Luna would somehow cover for me and keep most night time preds and insectivores away.

The next day I'd left my shelter to get more water. A sound captured my attention interrupting my drink and forcing to focus on the sound. I strained listening intently to identify the source of the sound.

"Come ladies he's just over here!" Rare yelled rushing the rest of the girls and making stare mouth wide open in shock and relief. "Shouldn't we be going slower so we don't you know step on him or something?" Twi yelled in reply being the logical one. I laughed at how close I was to success. Then a shadow fell across the grass. "She's right he's practically a bug, maybe you should be more careful unless you want an unfortunate accident." Discord broke in smugly sending my temper flaring.

"Your presence here is assurance we've found him, spread out girls and look and move carefully." Rare said just as smugly but with a hint of rebellion. "Alright ladies you've forced my hand." Discord said snapping his fingers. Before I could react everything went dark.

I instantly found myself pinned beneath a hoof. I couldn't tell whether it was Twi's or Rares because all my senses told me both. I struggled needlessly as neither the hooves nor my senses worked the way I wanted them to. I then stopped moving both to conserve energy and for fear of causing the pressure pressing down on the hoof to increase. Then Discords voice caught my attention.

"You ladies might not want to struggle to move your hooves too much as I've split our little friend in two and placed him under one hoof of two of you who has the best bonds with him and attempting to move your hooves will increase the pressure until he's pancaked." Discord said making me re-strategize. "Why are you doing this to your friends?" Shy asked nearly crying. "Gotta do something to keep my image." Discord said simply.

"Alright girls we just have to figure this out and find a way out of this." Twi said determinedly. "All of us." she said staring straight into Rare's crying eyes. Down below I did the math.

"Discord!" I yelled in rage expecting it to be a waste of energy. "Did you call my little opponent?" Discord said smugly. "If I concede will you end this, it's gone too far." I asked willingly to take one for the team. "Nothing will stop me unless you win." Discord grinned evilly before disappearing. I then realized that I'd fallen into a deeper trap than I thought and that there was only one course of action due to my current limitations.

Once again I pulled a song out of energy and played the lamentation for all to hear. If I was going down I wanted all those I cared about to know as much as possible. Then two voices rang out.

"We may be in a bad situation but there are those that need us and as longs as they do we will not fail to beat you!" Twi declared with "sound the bugle" empowering her words. "He cannot be defeated this easily, I won't let the love of my life just give up like that.!" Rare whispered as quiet as Fluttershy normally was yet her words were forceful and stronger being backed by "don't let go". Then both girls apologized for their next move.

The spirit I'd instilled in them flowed from them and into the remaining four. All the memories and movies scenes as well as music swallowed AJ, Dash, Pinkie and Shy. Then from all six played both "get off my back" and "can't take me" as they all let their spirit's flow outward.

Below the hooves I felt my spirit resonate with theirs. I went from "homeland" to both rebellious songs in the blink of an eye. There was a flash as the resonance enveloped Discord and he disappeared. Discord appeared next to my fully whole body under Rare's hoof. He could feel the power my spirit alone had and knew that mixed with the girls' spirits he was in trouble.

"I thought we agreed no powers?" Discord asked in shock. "This is something that was around before I got my powers." I said grinning confidently. "Consider this the legacy my family left me and I'd like to introduce you to everything my family meant to me," I said my eyes prevailing defiance the way only my adoptive dad could.

In a second flash Discord and I were out in the grass and the girls able to move. "As you have changed the rules so must I change the challenge." I said justly. "You are now as limited as you made me." I began making Discord check my words. "We shall race, each of us must reach an ear of one of the girls, the first to do so and get "found" wins." I said describing the challenge.  "Shy and Rare are out as goals as they're too bonded to us individually." I said solemnly.

"Know that mortality is in effect for both of us and that dying is an automatic dq as well as going for any sense other than hearing to get discovered." I warned fairly. "Be wary and don't try dying on me, I'll need you alive to complete the bet." I grinned. "GO!" I shouted heading for the giant moving pony's.

Being Twi was the closest and offered the best mid strategy switching space I decided to head for her. Closing in on her hooves I slowed giving myself time to react if she turned in any direction but kept on my path toward her hind hooves. My plan of attack was to avoid being spotted or felt on the front hooves by taking the hind hooves to the back, cross to the shoulders, up the neck and into the ears. A tried and true method I'd used countless times before. Count in my spirit resonating and I knew Discord was going to have a tough time against me.

Twi's hind right lifted and dropped backwards nearly squishing me. I dodged and moved to the other hind leg. This one started moving and I had to rush to catch it before it moved.

From the side of the hoof I had a view of Discords progress. He'd taken on his only "safe" option and was having slight difficulty dodging Pinkie's bounces. I shook my head and moved on as soon as the hoof had landed. A half hour later I was up to Twi's belly. I rested on the inner thigh knowing the back was practically a continuous earthquake zone.

Speaking of earthquakes poor Discord looked more like a tiny cowboy rather than someone running a race. Pinkie's jostling movements kept flinging the poor chaos lord flying in every direction. I gave him credit for being able to hold on during all that.

As for the girls themselves they moved slowly around the area picking carefully for spots to place their hooves. They were whispering both mine and the chaos lords names in hopes it would help them find us. Little did they know that they were looking in the wrong place. They each moved with exaggerated slowness especially Pinkie who was moving like a slowed down cartoon character. Little did Twi and Rare know that the other four were surrounding them.

"Discord said that our little pardner would be under the hooves of the two he shares the strongest bonds with and that ended up being both of y'all, care to explain how that happened?" AJ asked accusingly. "Well the little guy and I share a love of books, information and magic." Rwi said beginning the explanation. "Well uh... ahem, we ah...." Rare said feeling cornered and a bit embarrassed the others would find out about her tiny special somepony.

"What are you hiding Rarity?" Dash said getting in Rare's face. "Well I don't know if I should tell you girls without making sure he's safe first." Rare said trying to dodge the question. "SHE'S DODGING THE QUESTION!" Pinkie yelled accusingly. "WHY IN THE HOOF WOULD A LADY SUCH AS I DODGE A QUESTION CONCERNING HER SPECIAL SOMEPONY, ESPECIALLY WHEN HIS LIFE IS IN DANGER?!" Rare yelled realizing her mistake right away. "C'mon girls we'd better find those two quick." Twi said breaking the silence following Rare's revealed news.

From Twi's flank I sighed and laughed at Rare spilling the beans. Before leaving Rare to go search Twi pulled Rare to her side entrapping me between the two mare's sides. I felt Twi trying to comfort and support Rare.

"I feel so bad having forgotten him after he's become so important like that, I mainly just want so see him and hold him and know he's as okay as possible." Rare said confiding in Twi. From between the two I looked for a loophole in the rules. "I'm sure he's fine, and I know for sure that he probably wants to tell you how unharmed he is as well as how much he cares about you but can't because something is preventing him." Twi said practically speaking my thoughts. " How are you so sure Twilight?" Rare asked still too worried. "For one both he and Discord would have appeared by now if one of the two had defeated the other in whatever it is they're doing." Twi said reassuringly.

As the two split to make an attempt at finding Discord and I, I moved toward Twi's back heading deep inside her fur. Reaching skin level I decided to do something risky and that I normally did in a morph. "Sorry about this Twi but I got boyfriend duties that are really needing my attention right now." I said taking as big a bite as I could out of Twi's skin.

"Itch, itch, itch" twi said reaching a forehoof back and scratching where I'd bitten her. From my point of view a giant wall of purple descended. I quickly leapt onto the hoof and held on for dear life. Staying on the outside of the back of the hoof I waited as the hoof flipped sole up and moved forward. "Well no blood's a good sign, might have to check this area for fleas." Twi said as she inspected the area she'd used to scratch her itchy back with.

Seizing the opportunity I slid from where the hoof met with the back of the leg all the way down to her elbow and from there leapt onto the middle of her chest.. I rested there between the two muscle lumps. From my position I was unable to see Pinkie nor check Discord's progress and my vision was further limited when Twi lowered her head and started moving to search as both her neck blocked most of my view and the muscles squeezed together when she took a step.

After resting a bit I climbed up to Twi's shoulders. This was normally a good place to nap as the rocking steps caused was quite relaxing. I stayed away heading more for Twi's neck and mane than for a nap. Twi's mane was a bit thicker than her fur and made travel a bit slower but made for a great split second tie in as manes usually were, Unfortunately Twi had to add to that difficulty by suddenly raising her head and rubbing the back of her neck, right in the spot I was.

The world seemed to close in around me as Twi's hoof pressed down on her mane. Thanks to my size it was more of a weight pushing down on trees and only affected me because she was shaking the spot when she moved her hoof back and forth. She sighed seconds after she'd started and quickly resumed searching.

As her neck returned to the downhill angle I untied myself from her mane and slid toward her head. My destination was her ears but the closest stop was her horn. I was pretty much playing shuffle board with my body as the disc and twi's horn as the scoreboard and beyond her horn as an out of bounds area. Keeping my eye's on her horn and my body moving straight at it was the mission. The challenge would be twi keeping still and having enough reflexes to react if she did move.

I zipped down the line of hairs closing in on the three things that stuck out in the direction I was heading. My speed decreased as twi lifted her head enough to level out her neck. With a sudden jerk forward she sneezed.

I blinked and my surroundings went from the dark purple and pink of Twi's mane to the lavender of her coat. Underneath me the spot where I'd landed moved and flattened itself backward. Taking a look around as Twi blessed herself I realized exactly where I landed. My thoughts thoughts were confirmed when the ear I thought I was on righted itself. All I needed to do was get inside and start making as much noise at as loud a volume I could muster.

I repelled down the side of the ear and made for the darker part of the monstrous cave like appendage. Inside it was filled with wax and otherwise normal internal ear organs. The wax slickened the floor and walls but was very helpful in helping me to cause a din.

I screamed and "woah"ed every time I slipped. I finally gave up moving deeper and started focusing on volume and other audible noises for horses. After a few minutes Twi tried cleaning out her ear thinking she was hearing things. Realizing she wasn't she replaced her hoof into her ear. This helped her to focus on the sounds she thought she'd heard by removing background noise.

"Hey princess if you can hear me I'm in your ear, please respond if you can hear me." I yelled against her ear drum. I heard and felt an audible gasp escape Twi. The other girls must've heard it too as they came running over asking Twi if she was okay.

"I can hear you, please give me details of your situation." Twi said making me sigh in relief. "I'll tell you in a moment but first I need to get to Rare's ears and somepony needs to rescue Discord from Pinkie." I said trying to sound serious at the last part. Twi was able to get Rare to lean her ear right beside Twi's. I quickly got inside and made my way to Rare's ear drum. Before speaking a thought halted me. I tried sobering quickly from the random thought of "Rare's gonna throw me in the sink when this is all over first thing".

"I can't really help with the holding and would rather stay safe where I am at the moment but you said you wanted to know how my health was." I began smugly. "I'm a little worn and dirty from this experience but I owe you girls for a lot of that." I finished waiting for a reply. "How's about you keep that well of emotion until we get back home and I'm normal and until then I'll stay in here and talk to you to remind you I'm safe and sound?" I offered when a reply didn't come.

I felt a familiar energy and quickly headed toward the entrance of the ear. I instantly shot up to the height I normally was before I accepted Discord's challenge. He instantly popped into thin air from out of nowhere.

"He cheated, he got Twilight's attention to get a ride up to her nose knowing she'd check her hoof for blood after he bit her." Discord pouted like a child. "HE BIT TWILIGHT?!" the girls yelled in unison. "Lemme explain ladies, I bit Twi after I heard how upset rare was, I had to do something to be able to fulfill my special somepony role." I said nervously knowing how much trouble I could be in. "ON MY BUTT THOUGH?!" Twi continued yelling. "Actually more like the front half of your thigh, I got the idea from fleas, but it was for love doesn't that count for something?" I asked explaining my actions.

"Well talk later young colt." I heard Twi say darkly. "Ooh two friends arguing can I watch?" Discord interrupted. "After we settle this whole fiasco which you can start by returning our full memories.". Twi aimed her dark tone to toward Discord.

"Fine but if it turns out he cheated I'm returning him to that size permanently!" Discord returned to pouting as he returned my powers and everything else he'd taken from me. I slid down onto Rares muzzle and stood carefully at the tip of her nose. "Well I guess this counts as seeing me, though I doubt you'd want to be touching more of me in this filthy state" I said softly to Rare. She surprised me when she swiped me off her nose and into a crushing tight hug. "After the last couple of days I think I can forget about the multiple layers of disgusting dirt for a little while." Rare said sweetly.

"Eeyup that's true love if ah never seen it." AJ said making both Rare and I blush. "AJ I love ya like a sis but shut up, you'll get your details when we're done with mr. charity here, speaking of which Pinkie 'mere I need you for something." I said affectionately while getting down to the business at hand. "Alright Pinkie lead him through the oath, making sure to add in "not say a thing about Rarity and DanG's relationship without their permission"". I said instructing Pinkie in what I needed her help on.

After discord was sworn to both the week of charity and secrecy concerning my relationship, we sent him off to do his first bit of work. Rare and I were then cornered by the other girls. We gave them all the details of how we'd taken the relationship to marefriend levels on the way back to Ponyville. Rare then asked if we could stop at the next city. "I need to wash off the dirt a certain little somepony I love who needs a bath left behind." Rare replied when asked why.