Surprise Days

Sorry it took so long for this chapter to come out, I had to deal with both sickness and computer failure these past couple of weeks.  Hopefully there won't be as long a wait before the next chapter.

~Surprise Days~

by NoGiantRobots1983

Scene 4

Draconequis

~Let's Begin!~

"Pinkie Pie!"

Rainbow Dash...?   Pinkie saw her friend above her, reaching out.  Was there a look of terror on the blue pony's face?  She couldn't tell, it was all so blurry.  What was Rainbow Dash standing on?

"Pinkie!"

It was so strange, Rainbow Dash was right there, and yet, she sounded so far away.  That hoof she offered, Pinkie could almost reach up and grab it, but she just... didn't feel like it?

"Don't you dare--"

Pinkie never learned what it was she shouldn't dare, for at that moment the world went black.

All the sudden, there was light.  And movement.  And voices.  Pinkie felt as though she were floating... no, she was laying on something.  Something soft... and who put this green shirt on her?  Was there something wrapped around her head.

Suddenly everything came into stark clarity, and Pinkie knew exactly where she was:  she was in a hospital room.  Was there a nurse on duty?

"Uh, hello?"  She called out to the door.  Nurse Joy quickly looked in, and smiled with great relief, and called to an unseen assistant "Go tell the doctor that Ms. Pie has regained consciousness!"

"She has?!"  Pinkie knew that voice, and soon the blue blur who owned it flew into the room and landed by her side.  It was so strange, too, that Rainbow Dash of all ponies had been crying.  "Oh Pinkie!"  Dash cried out, "It's all my fault!  If I had only seen that tree and that cliff... I should've saved you!"

"Pinkie's okay!"  Pinkie pie said, suddenly wondering why she was referring to herself in third-person.

"No, you're not."  Rainbow Dash said.  "The doctors said there's signs of brain damage."

"Awww, Pinkie no have much brain anyway!"  Pinkie tried to say cheerily, and even as the words came out she was aware of them coming out wrong.

And so was Rainbow Dash.  Hearing Pinkie talk in broken Equestrish caused the blue pegasus to cry some more.

Even so, Pinkie was released later that day, with the doctors saying the damage was minor and probably to non-essential parts of the brain.  Pinkie Pie's friends were all there to greet her, and Pinkie noticed how they all made special efforts to spend time with her.  Rarity marked down her clothing so they'd sell faster, Applejack harvested early, Twilight Sparkle cleared her schedule, Rainbow Dash... well Rainbow Dash had plenty of free time anyway, as did Fluttershy.

Actually, Pinkie didn't like this.  But the only pony she felt comfortable saying this to was Twilight Sparkle, one night while they were alone at the library.  "Pinkie's not dying!  I glad everypony cares, but why make big deal?  Just because I talk funny now."  Then Pinkie noticed something:  "Hey!  Who that man?  I thought you say we were alone!"

Twilight Sparkle looked at Pinkie with eyes wide.  "We... are alone."  Then Twilight Sparkle turned.  Pinkie thought for sure Twilight must see that stallion with the jet-black mane, for she was looking right at him!  But no... Twilight Sparkle swung her head left and right and then said "Pinkie, are you sure you're all right?"

"I fine!  What wrong with you!?  There a stallion there, right there!  Look, see, he stealing your book!"

"What?"  The purple unicorn turned, and Pinkie knew she had to see it now:  the stallion had grabbed a book off the shelf and was going to a corner of the room.  Twilight's eyes were following his every movement... wait the hay?  Where did that stallion go?

Pinkie pie walked to the area, and looked around for a trap door or other explanation.  Then she told Twilight "Man just... disappear."

Twilight closed the book, read its cover.  "Once every month, I find this book lying on this very spot... Pinkie, I think you saw a ghost."

The mere mention of a ghost caused the pink party animal to find the nearest bed and hide under it, even as Twilight called out "Pinkie, don't be ridiculous!"  But Pinkie wanted to be ridiculous.  Ghosts were scary.  I mean yeah Giggle at the Ghostlies and all that, but that didn't count when the ghosts were real!  Pinkie lay under the dark bed, covered her face.  Then she wondered...

Pinkie uncovered her eyes and looked around in the darkness-under-the-bed just long enough for some red-eyed creature to say "Hi."  Then the pink one jumped with such force that it overturned the bed, and ran back downstairs and straight into Twilight Sparkle's hooves.

As she held the panicking pony still, Twilight Sparkle said with as much force and authority as she could muster "Listen to me!  If there are ghosts here, then they've been here a long time and have never once harmed us!  We have no reason to fear them!"  Pinkie stopped struggling, but still looked at the unicorn with eyes full of fear.  Twilight went on to say "Pinkie, you've been given a wonderful gift.  I'm sure something good will come of it!"

"...Maybe," Pinkie admitted, but in her heart she wasn't entirely sure.

One thing was for sure though:  It made the days ahead a lot more awkward.  Pinkie would often find herself talking excitedly to ponies everypony else couldn't see, or jumping in fear of a snake that others were oblivious to.  It soon dawned on Pinkie that Ponyville was a town full of ghosts, and all her life she had somehow never noticed them.

One day, she had to get away from it all, so she went to every young girl's sanctuary:  her room.  She closed her eyes.  If there were any ghosts here, she didn't want to see them.  It seemed like hours past as she lay down in silence, but in reality it was only a few seconds before she noticed Gummy seemed to be after something.  She looked and saw the little gator trying his darndest to eat some... lizard-thing?

The lizard-thing climbed up on Pinkie's bed, and she got a good look at it.  It certainly was like no lizard she'd seen before.  Its head looked like a goat, complete with antlers--but different kinds of antlers on each side.  Different kinds of arms and legs too.  The thing was a mess!  "What are you?"  Pinkie asked the thing, point-blank.

The creature turned to her with some surprise.  "You... can see me?"

"Uh-huh."

"You're talking to me?"

"Uh-huh."

"Well well!"  the creature seemed glad to hear this.  "I'm... well, I can't say my real name, but in mythology I'm known as Discord."

"Why can no say your real name?"

"Because if I do, I reincarnate.  And who wants to come back to life as a silly rabbit or a turtle or something when I'm perfectly happy as I am right now?"

Comprehension was beginning to dawn on Pinkie:  "You're a g-g-ghost?"

"You might say I'm the ghost with the most."

"EEK!"  And Pinkie hid under her bed.  Discord tsked this several times before floating down.

"Look, lady, I've seen you before.  You've talked to plenty of ghosts before me, I'm sure by now you know there's nothing to be afraid of.  In fact, I bet I could even be of help..."

But before Discord could finish that line of thought, Pinkie's bedroom door opened, and in stepped Rainbow Dash!  "Hey Pinkie!"  the pegasus said, and then said "Uh... Pinkie?" when she saw the pink one under her bed.  "What are you doing down there?"

"I'm.... uhhh..." Pinkie thought of an excuse.  She didn't want to tell Rainbow Dash that she was scared of a lizard.  She had some pride!  Then Discord whispered something in Pinkie's ear, and Pinkie came out and said "I drop a bouncy ball.  Can't find.  Oh well."

"Yep, that happens," Dash smirked.  "So, I was wondering if you felt up to some pranking.  You know, to help get you back in the groove."

"Sounds fun!  Who we prank?"

"Well... how about Surprise?  I don't think her feelings would be hurt."

And Pinkie smiled a sweet smile.

The truth is, the thought of pranking Surprise had been on Pinkie's mind for awhile.  Of course, Twilight had always told her not to:  Surprise was too new, she argued, and might take it the wrong way.  But by now Surprise knew most ponies well enough to know she was welcome, so no harm done.  Pinkie insisted on only one thing:  no pranks on Surprise's pet human.  Raydence just looked too weak and delicate.  Rainbow Dash was a little disappointed, but went along with it.

So the first prank was a typical one:  the bucket of water over a door.  Surprise was renting out a small two-room house at the outskirts of Ponyville and after assuring she was there, this was where Dash and Pinkie set the trap.  The door opened inward though, so they set the bucket on the edge of the roof, and the idea was Dash would pull a rope when Surprise opened the door.

What could possibly go wrong?  Well, for starters...

"That's the back door."

Surprise herself stood right next to Pinkie Pie in her hiding place and pointed that out.  Pinkie was (you might say) surprised.  "How you find me?"

"Situational Awareness," the pegasi answered.  "Hey, is that water clean?"

"Uh-huh.  Come right from that river..."

"There's a river?  Oh, good!"  and Surprise went and jumped in that river, getting herself good and thoroughly wet.  The only explanation they got was that it was a hot day and Surprise really needed a cool-down, but the bottom line was there was no point soaking somepony who was already soaked.  Dash and Pinkie took their bucket somewhere else.

If at first you don't succeed...

This one had to work.  By eavesdropping, Dash and Pinkie learned that Surprise was going to pay a visit to Fluttershy.  That gave them the idea for their next prank:  a wooden platform with spring-loaded launchers underneath!  Rainbow Dash explained "When Surprise steps on it, she'll be sent up in the air!"

"Won't that hurt?"  Pinkie had doubts.  "Surprise wings broke.  She can't fly like you."

"Aww don't worry, it shouldn't send her more than two feet off the ground.  If it sends her flying, I'll catch her."

Whatever else Rainbow Dash may be, she was a trusty pony, so Pinkie felt safe and secure pulling this prank.  So they sat by the road... and waited... There she was!  Uh-oh, problem:  Surprise had brought her human with her.  Pinkie cast a worried glance at Dash, but Dash just reminded her "Don't worry, I'll catch 'em if I have to."

The pony and the human seemed wrapped up in some sort of song, sung in a strange language neither pony had ever heard before.  Occasionally they would make dance-step-like movements.  Movements that brought them ever closer to the springboard.   There they were... on the threshold...!

They stopped.

Raydence stood still as a pole and asked Surprise "What was the next line?"

"Hmmm..." the pegasus thought a moment, "You know, I can't quite remember.  I think we've lost the groove on this one."

"I guess we have.  Next time, let's sing in English."

"Whatever mood strikes you."

Then they just stood there, still as statues, long enough for Dash to mumble "Come on, step on it already!"

Then Raydence asked "You wanna step on the springboard or should I?"

That's when Rainbow Dash lost it:  "Now wait just a doggone minute!  How in the hay did you know!?  I mean look at it!  It's so well hid--" and Dash made the mistake of actually sitting on the springboard, which launched her up and right into Raydence's arms.  Apparently, having a pony launched at you only staggers you back a bit, for Raydence was still standing.  Then he scruffled Dashie's mane and said "Aww Rainbow, I never knew you were such a huggy pony!"

"I am not a huggy pony!"  Rainbow Dash forced herself free of his grasp, shook her hoof and flew to behind a shrub to nurse her pride.  As for Pinkie, she approached Surprise and said "How you know?"

"Situational Awareness," Surprise answered.

"You say that before!  What it mean?"

"Just what it says:  being aware of your situation, and looking out for anything odd.  Like for example, a suspicious, square-shaped bump in the road, and an aroma of rainclouds and cake when its not raining and we're nowhere near a bakery."  Surprise caught her breath, "Why don't you two just come to Fluttershy's with us?  I'm sure she'd appreciate the company."

Pinkie turned the thought over in her mind.  "Well... I ask Dash if--DASHIE!"  Pinkie suddenly pulled Dash out from behind the shrub and tried to push her away, all the time shouting "Run, run!"

"Oww!  Pinkie Pie, what's wrong with you?"

"You see it?  Big scary blue thing?"

"I don't see any..." and then Dash's voice lost all its irritation and anger.  There was a sigh, and Dash said "It's just another ghost, Pinkie."

Raydence went to check on the two ponies.  He picked Pinkie up and stroked her mane (Pinkie Pie was the only pony he'd met so far who liked being treated like this) and asked Rainbow Dash "She sees ghosts?"

"Yeah.  Ever since her accident."

"Ah," Raydence's response was barely audible, and he was more concerned with calming Pinkie down.   For of all the ghosts Pinkie had seen so far, this had been the scariest.  Even though the spectre had passed, Pinkie had trouble getting that visage out of her head:  that mane of snakes, those eyes of blood, the horrible blue aura, the ragged clothes that came to life as blades... it looked like an utterly corrupted human being.

Because Pinkie couldn't let go, she and Dash wound up accompanying Raydence and Surprise to Fluttershy's place.  Surprise greeted "Hey Fluttershy, sorry we're late, but these two tried to prank me."

"Oh, you two!"  Fluttershy spoke in a tone of a mother rolling her eyes at troublesome-but-not-bad children, but then she saw Pinkie clutching tightly to Raydence's chest and asked "What's wrong?"

Rainbow Dash sighed and said "Oh, its no big deal.  Just another ghost."  For her insensitivity, she got a mane-scruffle from the man, whose hand she had to bat away.

Besides Pinkie herself, at least two others were taking this seriously:  Fluttershy and Surprise both looked at Pinkie with worry.  Fluttershy wondered if Pinkie would like some tea, meanwhile Surprise looked out the window, as if hoping to see what Pinkie had seen.  And yet, Pinkie's biggest comfort came not from her living friends, but from an ectoplasmic one...

from atop her head, Discord whispered "Psst, Pinkie Pie!  Don't worry about it!  That blue thing was just the spirit of some dumb old human who lost a fight awhile ago.  All she does is walk around looking angry.  She can't hurt anypony."

"R-really?"  Pinkie asked.

"Really what?"  Raydence answered, not sure who Pinkie was talking to, and Pinkie was suddenly aware her words had drawn attention to her.  She quickly covered it up:

"N-nothing!  Pinkie was just talking to self!"  Then she went silent, and unbeknownst to all others this was because Discord was whispering in her ear.  A smile formed on her face, which all who saw took to mean she was coming down off the terrifying sight she had seen in the forest.  When it was finally time to leave, she bounced along merrily, as was her wont.  Only Rainbow Dash suspected there might be something more to it, but her attempts to find out what it was, yielded no results.

What Discord had said was "I have an excellent idea for a prank!  But I need you to summon me."

Now, back in the privacy of her room, Pinkie conspiratorially whispered "How Pinkie do that?"

"Oh, just a small matter of saying my name three times--"

"Discord Discord Discord!"

"--Not that one.  My true name."

"So what is it?"

Here Discord became hesitant, and avoidive.  "Well... you see... it's not that simple.  I have to make a game of it.  You like games, don't you?"

"Yes yes yes yes yes--"

"Good girl!  Now... hmmm..." Discord waved his left hand, and above it appeared an image of a dragon.  Then he waved his right hand and the image of a man kissing something appeared.  Pinkie puzzled over the images for just a second.

"Dragon... kiss?"

"Warm."

"Dragon... mankissing?"

"Colder."

"Serpentmankissing?"

"Very cold."

"Okay, Pinkie think...." and Pinkie tapped her head as if that would help her think.  "...Oh, maybe Pinkie no can do thanks to injury."

"You were warm just a minute ago!  Keep it up, babe!"

"Dragonkiss?"

"Tried that, but warm."  Discord added an extra image between the dragon and the man kissing, this one of the "Men's" sign.

"Dragonmankiss!"  Pinkie declared, feeling for sure she must have it, until Discord shook his head.  With a sigh, the creature of myth changed the middle image, to just a picture of a knee.  "Dragonkneekiss?"

"SO CLOSE!"  Discord shouted, and all the images disappeared and the creature fell onto his knees.  "So close, Pinkie.  So close."

"What wrong?  Why stop game?"

"Because it's hopeless.  Your pronounciation can't be just 'close' it has to be spot-on!  Unfortunately I can't tell you what parts you're saying wrong or I become something that wouldn't help very much."

"Oh..." Pinkie cast her head down, rested her chin on her forehooves, while Discord slumped to a sitting position.

All the sudden, the pink pony of pluckiness bounced back to all fours!  "I know!"  she said, "We look it up in dictionary!  Come on!"

That very moment, Pinkie trotted out the door with Discord on her back, off to the one place she knew had a dictionary:  Twilight Sparkle's library.  Within moments, Twilight was amazed that Pinkie was putting so much effort into research, but Pinkie payed little attention to Twilight, only explaining "I need know something very quick."  So she opened it to the Ds, and looked at any word that began with a d and an r.  "Come on, Dragon Knee Kiss!  Where are you?"

"Are you looking up the Draconequis?"

Twilight Sparkle had asked, and no sooner had she spoken than Discord made a reaction of extreme pleasure, and Pinkie Pie knew she had found the word she sought.  Smiling, Pinkie said "What you say?"

"I said, are you looking for things about the Draconequis?"

Discord made a slight hiccuping sound, and pleaded in whisper "One more time...!"

"What was that word?"

"Draconequis!"  Twilight blurted it out, getting irritated at Pinkie's hearing.

"YES!"  Discord cried out, and shockingly even Twilight Sparkle heard him--and why wouldn't she?  For now, Discord was manifest.  And he was no longer a small, harmless lizard, but an easily nine-feet-tall version of himself.  Pinkie bounced bounced BOUNCED with joy, until she saw Twilight backing away and shaking her head with worry.

"Oh no... no no no..."  Twilight muttered.  "Pinkie, what have I done?"

And Discord guffawed, "And now, Pinkie, you wanted to see pranks?  Oh... how about I do this!"  and with the wave of his hand, the books all flew off the shelves and danced in the air in circles, triangles, butterfly outlines.  "Oh, this feels so good..." and then Discord wiggled a finger and a table began to dance.  Soon, the entire tree was shaking!  Twilight Sparkle, seeking escape, ran to the door... and found out the reason for the shaking:  the library was walking!

"Discord!"  Pinkie cried out, "Stop!"

"What, and spoil my fun?"

Pinkie's ears drooped.  All this trouble, and it was all her fault.  There was only one thing she could think to do:

"Draconequis Drac--"  all the sudden a bandage appeared over her mouth, and Discord jeered "I'm afraid not, my dear!"

"Draconequis D--" Twilight Sparkle threw her chips into the ring with that cry, but she too found herself conveniently gagged.  The two girls glanced at each other, wondering how they were supposed to stop this monster now...

"Draconequis!"

Discord had been in the middle of a dance of joy when he stopped mid-step.  That was it, the final utterance.  His power was fading away.  He was melting, melting!  And melt he did... into vapors, which when cleared, revealed him to have become the little lizard again.

The cause of his undoing had been Spike, who had just walked in on the mess and had happened to overhear the girls calling the creature's name.

"Man, what is that thing?"  Spike asked as he picked up the lizard-ghost.

Twilight Sparkle explained "Discord--that's what we call him to avoid using the other D-word--is a creature of chaos who, a thousand years ago, nearly destroyed all of Equestria.  In desperation, the ponies called upon the Elements of Harmony.  However, the element-bearers also took pity on the creature, knowing that he was so destructive because he had been cut down too early in life.  It was they who made the summoning rules, on the off-chance that Discord might find friends one day and so, be redeemed."  Twilight Sparkle glared at the little creature, "But I suppose that hasn't happened yet."

"Stupid lizard!"  Pinkie banged the ground with both her forehooves, nearly close enough to smush the small thing.  Then she ran into a different room and cried.  In between her expulsions and sobs, she was just barely aware of having company, so she explained "He say he help play prank on Surprise.  I know him for whole week, thought could trust.  He.... He a meanie!"

Then somepony put a hoof on her head, and Pinkie knew without looking that it was her favorite purple unicorn, coming to give her love and condolences.  Pinkie didn't know if she wanted them or not.  Then her ears picked up the sound of three more sets of hooves, and what sounded like Rainbow Dash's voice saying "What's going on?" and then Surprise's voice saying "We saw the tree dancing... hey, what's with the goofy-looking lizard?"

Pinkie Pie finally managed to look.  Dashie, Twilight, Spike, Surprise and Raydence had all come to check out the situation, and they could all see Discord, even as he was trying to hide behind the leg of a table.  Spike was going after him, intent on a clobbering.

Twilight explained the story of Discord and his history to the visitors, and then told them "It appears Discord tricked Pinkie Pie into trusting him."

"Pinkie stupid!"  Pinkie cried out, and her sobs rent the air around her.

Unknown to her, Discord glanced her way and those who noticed saw he looked... a little guilty.  Shortly thereafter, he said "Look, you've all got it wrong!  I really was going to help her play a prank!  It's just that, I wanted to test my powers first, see if I could get that old groove back!  Put yourself in my shoes, being locked away for a thousand years and unable to do the things you could!  Wouldn't you go a little crazy if you were suddenly freed?"

"Shut up!"  Spike said as he caught the creature in his fist.

As if hoping for sympathy, Discord looked at Surprise and said "Like you!  If your wings suddenly worked, you'd fly all over the place, wouldn't you?"

"Maybe."  Just as Surprise's answer got a gawk from Spike, she added "But that doesn't mean we believe you."

Raydence knelt down and held his hand out to recieve the spectre.  Turning Discord over in his hand, Raydence said almost to himself:  "So this is what holding a ghost feels like... So, what do we do with him?"

"Squish him!"  Pinkie Pie cried out.

"Isn't he already dead?"  Raydence asked casually.

Surprise grabbed Discord and turned him over in her hooves.  "Haven't you been saying you need fresh meat?"

While the others turned Discord over in their hands and hooves, Twilight Sparkle turned the question of disposal over in her head.  She finally decided "Well, like it or not, he's already both dead and under a magical bind, so its not like there's much more we can do to him.  Just make sure not to say his true name, that's all.  And since only myself, Pinkie and Spike know it, that should be easy."

"But... but... but!"  Discord began to complain, but no buts could come from him.  He had no argument, no cards left.  Nothing to do but sit there and sigh.  To Pinkie Pie, that was less than he deserved.

And so, for the next two days, all was normal.  All except for Discord's constant nagging.  "Please, Pinkie!  Give me another chance!"  he would say, but Pinkie Pie would pretend not to hear him.  She went about her days, baking, playing with friends, making visits, and not once did she even acknowledge the little lizard was there.  The others who could see him followed in Pinkie's lead and refused to acknowledge him, to the point where they had almost actually forgotten he was there.  As for Pinkie herself, she was growing accustomed to seeing ghosts, and telling them from "real" things, and they began to not bother her much.  Even that scary blue phantom in the woods meant almost nothing to her now.

Then came day three...

Pinkie began that day with a definite sense that something was different, but she couldn't quite put her hoof on it.  Sugarcube Corner was fine, Ponyville wasn't experiencing any disasters, Rainbow Dash was still Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie was still talking that weird dialect she'd developed.  So what was different?  It was late in the day when she stood right in the middle of town that she turned and asked "Hey, Discord--"

Well, wait a minute, where was the little guy?  For all this time he had been pestering her day-in and day-out to give him another chance, and now where had he gotten to?  For some reason, the fact that she didn't know the answer worried Pinkie greatly, and she immediately decided to tell Twilight.  But the purple unicorn didn't think much of it:  "Maybe its for the best.  In his current state there's not much he can do, except..." that's when she had a change of heart, "On second thought, maybe we better find him."

"Can still see him?"  Pinkie asked.

"Well, not naturally.  Ghosts are only visible to those without special sight if they have a large ectoplasmic buildup.  By now he's probably invisible to most ponies again.  But my genius has come through again!  Behold, the ghost-tracking monocle!  When I wear this, I can see ghosts just like you!  Hey, that black-maned stallion is quite a hunk, right?"

Pinkie and Twi shared a giggle at this little joke, and then they were out the door seeking a little lizard with a goat's head.  They looked high and low, east and west, from one side of Ponyville to the other when Twilight Sparkle suddenly just stopped and gaped at something.  "Pinkie!"  Twilight tapped her friend's shoulder and turned the pink pony's head toward the sight.  And what was at the edge of town?

"Hey, Fluttershy!"  Pinkie waved, and bounced happily as her yellow friend came over to greet her.  But in mid-bounce, she saw what had scared Twilight so:  at the edge of Ponyville was that mysterious blue spectre.

Fluttershy said "Hello Pinkie.  Good afternoon Twilight!  Is something the matter?"  In answer, Twilight Sparkle turned Fluttershy's head towards the ghost and gave her the ghost-seeking monocle.  Fluttershy immediately gasped, and hid behind Twilight.

It just happened that at that very moment, Rainbow Dash was coming down from the skies.  "Hey, calm down Fluttershy, it's only me!"  But when Fluttershy didn't leave her cozy hiding place, Rainbow Dash turned her attention to Twilight Sparkle.  But before the blue pegasus could even ask, Twilight offered her the monocle and pointed.  "...Wow," was all Dash could say before she abruptly handed the monocle back.  "So what ghost is that?"

"The witch..." Fluttershy whispered.

"The witch?  The one who you and Surprise totally beat down?"

"Yes!"

Rainbow Dash took the monocle again.  "You know, I always wanted to get a closer look at that jerk..." and even as she said this, Dash hovered closer to the specter.  Twilight and the others crept close behind her, the purple unicorn cautioning Dash to be careful.   Dash, however, was once more throwing caution to the wind.  "Hm," the pegasi smirked, "Thought you were so tough, didn't you?  Think you're so scary?  Actually..." and Dash risked flying right up in the ghost's face.  After all, ghosts can't hurt anypony, right?  "... You're pretty stupid looking."

And then the ghost of Glaire the Witch grabbed Rainbow Dash by the neck, and Dash was shocked at her utter inability to break free.   She tried kicking the witch, but it was no good... at first, her hooves hit nothing, but then Glaire became more solid, and she felt like stone...

"Oh no..." Fluttershy gasped out.

Twilight Sparkle looked on in amazement.  "She's absorbing Rainbow's life force to strengthen her own ectoplasmic manifestation... but she shouldn't be able to touch Dash in the first place!"  Then Pinkie Pie gasped, Twilight glanced at her, then glanced at what Pinkie was looking at, and there, tied around Glaire's neck, was the answer:  Discord, looking like he had the soul drained out of him, dangling limp from a small cord.

Pinkie Pie launched herself at Glaire, and unfortunately bounced off into the dirt without having done a thing to help either Discord or Rainbow Dash.  Nevertheless, a second later Glaire dropped Dash to the ground, leaving the blue pegasus to groan in pain and look like she was barely alive.  By this point, a small crowd had gathered, and ponies were all asking "What's going on?"  Pinkie Pie barely had the strength to answer, and Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy had all they could do just pulling Dash to safety.

And yet, Twilight Sparkle couldn't pull fast enough.  She suddenly found herself yanked off her feet, demonic hands around her neck.  She heard the witch's voice whisper "A unicorn... and this one has exceptional aura..." Pinkie struggled to her feet.  She knew she and she alone had to save Twilight Sparkle...

All the sudden, Twilight Sparkle was pulled free from the witch's grasp and into the arms of a completely different human, this one friendly, and familiar, and even though she couldn't quite tell without seeing his eyes, he looked like he was ready to kill someone.

Without further words, Raydence let Twilight go, stepped just a bit closer to the witch.  All was still for a second, like a stare-down of epic proportions was going on...

And then Raydence threw a punch.

He missed!  WAIT!  As his fist whizzed past the witch's head, he opened his hand and grabbed her hair.  Latching onto it with full force, he pulled the witch down until she was doubling over.  Then, his knee came up as hard as it could right into the hag's nose!  The force was such that she fell backwards, and a handful of her hair stayed in Raydence's clenched fist...

"Nice going, Ray," said Surprise, "I'll take it from here."

"No," he said to his owner, "You ponies get to be cool all the time.  Just once, I want to do something awesome!"

The man and his owner exchanged glances.  Then, they exchanged smiles.

Then the witch got up.

Fluttershy called out "Raydence!  Destroy her Contract Stone!"

But Surprise called back "We already did that!  This witch isn't being backed by a demon, she's supplying herself with the spiritual aura of the creatures around her!"

Raydence barely had time to hear any of this.  The witch attacked full force with a sword of blood that came from nowhere, a slash so fast it was a miracle he managed to dodge it twice.  The third time, not so lucky, but only because he was aiming his fist at her chin.  The strike connected, but seemed to barely bother Glaire at all.

Especially after she blasted a ball of magic right in the human's gut.  As the man who had stepped up to be Ponyville's hero fell backward, things seemed to go into slow motion, the pound as he hit the ground seemed to echo across the distant mountains and drag on forever, and it seemed like inertia would never catch up to him.  Only when he finally stopped, did Fluttershy asked "Then, there's no way to beat her?"

Pinkie Pie had watched everything, just barely managing to stay on four hooves.  She had thought of attacking, but had seen that was useless.  She had watched the fight, and seen Raydence fall.  Then, she looked and say Discord again...

...It was the only way.

"Draconequis!"  Yes!  It was working!  Discord glowed!  He moved!  "Draconequis!"  she called out again, just as Glaire turned towards and reached for her.  Pinkie didn't try to run, she just called out one last time:  "Draconequis!"

And somewhere in the universe, an iconic Danny Elfman tune started playing...

As for Discord, all his magical aura was back, he was moving, he was alive again!  Or, as he put it "IT'S SHOWTIME!!!"

And the first thing the creature of myth and legend did was grow his head really big, and eat Glaire.  A gulp and a lip-lick later, he declared "Problem solved!"

Silence descended upon the town, as everypony stood there and stared at the... thing that had, to all appearances, just saved them.  One unicorn in the crowd asked "What is that thing?"

But Discord was too tired to answer.  He plopped down flat on his belly.  Whether unintentionally or not, his face was toward Pinkie Pie.  He looked at her and said "For some reason I’m so worn out...”  Pinkie didn’t think about it, she just gave her lovable Discord a big ol’ hug...

Then suddenly he pushed her away and grabbed at his own stomach!  What was wrong?  What was happening?  It was... some sort of demon aura surrounded him!  The creature looked as though he were having a heart attack!

“She must be absorbing his aura from within!”  Surprise guessed.  “Quick, unsummon him!”

Pinkie nodded, and tried, but just as the first syllable left her mouth a great wind started and flung her smack into one of Ponyville’s many homes!  She stayed conscious, but barely had the breath to breath.  And all the while, Discord fought the battle with himself, trying to suppress the witch who was in turn trying to conquer him, everypony knowing that if the witch won, she’d be unstoppable...

Everypony, everyhuman, every bird and bee and other thing within hearing range was surprised by how the battle ended:

Discord raised his voice to the air, and shouted his own name, three times.

The instant seemed to last forever, time almost stood still.  Moment after moment, ponies couldn’t quite comprehend what had just happened.   Wind and thunder and dark magic were there one minute, and yet like a light switch getting flicked, the day was a normal, sunny day again.  What had happened?  Where were the ghosts?

Pinkie Pie could barely stand, so Twilight Sparkle and Surprise came to her side, and the pink one asked:  “Did he just...?”

“... Sacrifice himself for us?”  Surprise finished the question for her, and looked at the now-empty scene.  “Yeah, I think he did.”

Across the way, Rainbow Dash was getting up, supported by Fluttershy.  Pinkie realized that left one unaccounted for... and so did Surprise.  In the middle of the battlefield, Raydence lay with his arms sprawled, not moving.  And Surprise teared up when she saw that in his left hand, he still clutched the witch’s hair.  It occured to her, all at once, that...

“You stupid human, you didn’t need to do that...” she said in a low, sobbing voice.  “You can get up now,” Surprise added, and when that got no answer, she shouted “Dammit Raydence, wake up or I’ll never forgive you!”

“Ease up!”  Raydence said, “I’m awake, okay?”

And the old white pegasus looked a little taken aback, like she had seriously expected him to be a goner.  She blinked once, twice... and then she smiled.... and then she laughed and hugged her favorite human a whole huggy-wuggy bunch!  And the human hugged his favorite pegasus a whole huggy-wuggy bunch too!  Then he remembered himself and offered Surprise the locke of witch’s hair.

Surprise looked at it, licked up precisely one strand, and radiated a glow for an instant.  “Nasty tasting,” she commented without displaying any disgust, “But it works.”  Yet Raydence realized she wasn’t going to eat it, and he already knew why--as he proved when he offered it to Rainbow Dash.

“What for?”  the blue pegasus asked.

“Well, let’s say a little bit will age you backwards a day.  You weren’t in pain yesterday, right?”

“Oh, yeah, I guess so...” Rainbow Dash considered the dish, thought about it... and then picked out only a few small strands for herself.  A brief glow later, and the pegasus was a day younger and fit as a newly-made fiddle.  Rainbow Dash jumped in the air and flew a few circles, enjoying her heath.  Then as she came down, she cast a meaningful glance at Pinkie Pie, and asked “Think this is enough to age her back to before her accident?”

“Couldn’t hurt to try,” the good human agreed, and brought the remainder of the locke to the pony of pinkness, who was even now laying down and trying to recover her strength.  She had heard the conversation, she knew what this was for.  She ate, not the whole locke, but one or two hairs at a time, glowing faintly again and again.  As the minutes went backwards for her body, she felt her health and energy renewed, and then she was eating on her feet, and then... she stopped.

“Is this enough?”  Pinkie Pie asked when the witch’s hairs were almost used up.

Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash both payed a lot of attention to her, and Twilight Sparkle said “Pinkie... say something.”

“Sure!  What do ya wanna know?  Oh, hey, since we just defeated witchiepoo again, let’s have a PARTY!”

“Oh Pinkie!”  The pinkness found herself glomped by both sides, and just as she was about to ask, she noticed she saw no more ghosts... and when Pinkie asked “What’s going on?” she realized her dialect was gone... that was it!  Her brain damage was cured!  Or rather, it had never even happened!

“Raydence,” Twilight Sparkle asked, “Mind if I... keep the rest of that hair?  I’d like to study it.”

Raydence gave it a moment of thought, and glanced at Surprise for the answer.  The white pegasus answered “Sure, why not?  That much isn’t enough to help me anyway.”

The ponies crowded around could tell that the show was over.  The ghost-witch was gone, that strange dragon thing was gone, and now they were just picking up the pieces.  Some ponies offered help, but others, seeing that the situation was well in hoof, just went back to their business.  The whole incident made newspapers the next day, but it remained only in the back of most ponies' minds.  Glaire would come to seem like a joke months later, when the second witch showed up.

But in the meantime, Pinkie Pie went back to normal.  Talking, running, bouncing, playing... but she couldn't help wishing that someday, somehow, Discord would return.

Dear Princess Celestia,

This week I've had a glimpse of a world I never knew, the... World Beyond the World, I guess.  Where spirits and demons live, unseen by most ponies.  It's a world I'm not sure I want to see any closer, but I can't help being fascinated!  Oh, and we met somebody you might know:  Discord, the Draconequis.  He's... gone now.  Said his own name to defeat a ghost witch.  I only hope he reincarnated as something he likes.

Surprise and Raydence let me keep a sample of the witch's hair, which can make you young again.  I'm keeping half of it for independent study and I've included the other half, should you wish to have the Canterlot labs check it out.  It's a complete mystery to me.  I've seen its effect work--we used some to cure Pinkie Pie's brain damage--but all my tests indicate its not magical at all.  Surprise hopes to find a witch with long hair some day.  She REALLY wants to be young again, for some reason.  I keep forgetting to ask why, though its probably none of my business.

But the lesson I've taken home from all of this is that the more you find out, the more you're aware of how really complicated the world is.  Ponies always think there's some cosmic order to things and everything makes sense.  Maybe it does, but until we crack the code, none of us will ever see how.

Your faithful student,

Twilight Sparkle

~See you next Scene!~