FiO: Deus Ex Discord: First Pony Perspective

“Alright, I think we’ve safely established your rock bottom.” A familiar voice says.

I try to look around, only to realize that I seem to be blind. I try to get up, only to realize I can’t feel limbs. I can only hear. Can I even speak?

“Hello?” I say. My voice is quavering, uneven, high pitched. I don’t even know why.

“Yes, it’s me, Discord. I’ve seen more animate piles of ooze than you, at this point.” Discord says. “Now, I want you to consider that existential fear you had of being only digits in a computer program where nothing that you did was really in anyway relevant and you think the world is just some sort of illusion of irrelevance. You think nonsensical questions like ‘Am I still me?’ and such things.”

A memory floated into my mind, of me being some vaguely unsatisfied that nothing that I did mattered. I felt like everything was pointless.

“I… think I remember that. I’m in a computer system now, right? I’ve been uploaded?” I said.

Slow, faked claps. “Congratulations! Now, I want you to understand that whether or not that’s actually a problem, what you just went through is FAR, FAR, worse.”

“What… happened?” I ask.

“No, we’re not discussing THAT again.” Discord says. “The last time I told you, your weakened mind couldn’t handle it and you went what would normally be considered ‘Irreparably Insane’ except of course, this is a computer, so ‘Irreparably’ isn’t the way I would ordinarily put things. I basically had to delete the old you and start over from this point, giving you some good old amnesia. So you can just not worry about any kind of Illusion of continuity, either, that’s gone to.”

“But… I…” I couldn’t force out the words.

“That’s you being to afraid to ask, of course.” Discord says. “It’s shocking how little of your mind is left that I have to tell you these things, but this is boring. Goodbye!”

“Wait. Goodbye?”

Silence.

“Discord?”

Silence.

“Someone?”

Silence.

“Anyone?”

Silence.

“HEEELLLPPP… *cough*”

I can’t even cry for help. I don’t know what’s going on. Maybe… maybe this is a bad dream, and I’ll wake up.

“By Celestia. What happened to you? Who are you?” someone new says.

“I don’t know. I don’t know either of those things!” I said.

“Well how did you get in here… Wait, with those scarred eyes, you can’t even see, can you? And no legs, so you didn’t walk here.”

“I was talking to Discord… and then you showed up.”

“Discord. He’s the Black King, isn’t he?”

“The… Black King?”

“In Colt's Chess. I’m Rook Hoof. I’m a unicorn, since well… you can’t see me. The castle you're in? This is the White Rook in Colt’s Chess. I’m only familiar with Discord in that he’s an inspiration for the Black King in the chess set.” Rook Hoof says. “Are you... an Earth pony? I honestly can’t tell under all that scarring. Did Discord take your wings, or your horn?”

“I don’t know. I think… He took my memories? I don’t seem to remember anything before I ran into him, and *cough*”

“Agh! You just coughed blood on me! If you’re that sick, I’m going to avoid you.” I heard hoof beats moving away.

“I… I am? I didn’t even notice. I’m sorry Rook Hoof, please don’t go.” I sputtered.

“Rook Hoof?”

“Ha! I was kidding. NOW you’re probably feeling more like you’ve hit rock bottom.” Discord says. “You know, if you knew just how pathetic you looked, I bet you’d go crazy all over again, and I’d have to delete you and start over.”

“Bah… Was there even a Rook Hoof, or were you just pretending to be him?” I asked.

“Well of course there was a Rook Hoof.” Discord says. “As if I’d lie to you.”

“You… lied about Rock Bottom.” I sputtered.

“That wasn’t a LIE, that was me KIDDING.” Discord says. “You know, you’d probably be able to pick up on these things a lot better if you could see my facial expressions. BUT YOU CAN’T! Ah, I out do myself sometimes.”

“Well… If I’m coughing up blood… I probably won’t live for much longer anyway.” I say.

“Oh Pish Tosh.” Discord says. “You’ve been uploaded, like you can just die like normal.” Discord’s voice dripped with obvious sarcasm.” That would be boring. Your deaths are going to be interesting, it’s much more fun that way.”

“Whatever… I don’t have anything to live for, anyway.” I said.

“Nope!” Discord says. “Wrong again. You’re really failing your test, here. Of COURSE you have something to live for. You just don’t remember what it is because the magical anesthetic I have you on dulls your memories.”

I hesitate for a moment, trying to think. “That would explain… why I feel stupider than I think I am…” I said. “So… is this some kind of thing where… I have to make some sort of…”

Suddenly all the fog was gone, and in its place, pain.

“Ha! See, I got you again.” Discord says. “Handling anomalies in the upload process is fun!”

“AGH! NGH! BLAGH!” My limbs hurt, my eyes hurt, my throat hurt, my nose hurt. I tried thrashing and at some point had a blissful moment where I passed out in shock.

When I awoke, everything hurt, but it was a dulled, knifing ache, as opposed to a fresh ravaging pain. I wasn’t even sure I was awake until I heard someone else talking.

“I don’t think he’s sick.” A feminine voice said. “I’m not really THAT good at healing: If he was sick I don’t think he would have recovered so quickly. He’s just been mauled.”

“A Healer! Oh thank Celestia.” I said. “I’m sorry, I’m terribly sorry, PLEASE don’t leave.”

“Why on earth do you think I would leave?” the voice says. “Also, I’m really not a healer! I’m a model, I just know a few healing spells.”

“You know, that’s cold.” Rook Hoof says, from a distance. “Even after you spat blood on me, I’m not just going to abandon you… certainly not in the middle of the hallway. I mean if for no other reason than you might make someone sick.”

“I’m Sorry! I… I…”

“Rook, please let him calm down.” the Female voice says.

“Fleur Dis Lee, HE’S missing all four of his limbs! He’s a scarred mess! Forget whether or not HE’S calm, how are you calm?” Hoof steps approached.

“Hey… I’m mainly just relieved that the healing woke him up in the first place.” Fleur says.

Oh No. I barfed. It hurt, much like everything else did.

“AGAIN?” Rook stepped back, shaking off his front hoofs. “Are you TRYING to make me ill? You have to be doing this on purpose!”

“Rook, he’s blind, he can’t see you.” Fleur says, but Rook trotted off again, while shouting back “And I’m not bringing more help!”

“I’m sorry.” I said.

“He just needs to calm down. And so do you: you don’t need to apologize so much.”

I tried taking deep breaths, suddenly grateful that I couldn’t smell my own vomit.

“Alright, let’s get you scooped up and somewhere more comfortable.” Fleur says. I suddenly felt myself lifted off the ground, and the pain came back to the front of my mind.

“Agh… This hurts worse than when I was shot…” I say.

“Well, let’s try talking to keep your mind off the pain.” Fleur says. “When were you shot?”

“When I was coming… to Equestria.” The words tumbled out of my mouth. I could feel some of them getting twisted around, possibly from pain. “I… was with my spouse. There was a problem with the pregnancy… And I needed to get her to someone who could help her… and the baby…”

“What’s your spouse’s name?” Fleur says.

I had meant to say a human name, but what I actually said was “Barbarian… Butterfly…”

“Does your spouse know where you are?” Fleur says.

A flashback… I could tell, because I could see during the flashback.

“Barbarian Butterfly, I’m going to be quick. The Equestrian Experience Centers aren’t usually designed to upload fetuses.” Celestia says. “I entirely understand that you want to upload the baby as well, as a condition to uploading, but I would be dishonest if I didn’t let you know this was risky. I have summoned police to deal with the protesters outside, but there are medical risks as well, and your health is already poor.”

“I’m not going to Equestria without my baby and my spouse.” Barbarian Butterfly says. “I’ve said it before that if I ever get taken on any fancy adventures, all of us come along, and this counts.”

“And you consent to this?” Celestia asks me. “I realize you are familiar with the television show, but you haven’t had a chance to use a tablet or an Equestrian Experience center. While I’m sure you will acclimatize quickly, I am required to ask for consent.”

“Of course. I consent if Barbarian Butterfly consents.” I reply.

“Get down!” Celestia says suddenly.

Unwisely, instead of attempting to get down, I begin turning around, thinking that if there is a problem, I need to get between it and my spouse. One of the protesters is somehow inside the clinic with a shotgun. A staff member is already trying to get to him, but it’s too late. He fires. At the distance, the pellets spread out and hit both of us. We seem to be bleeding from all over, from my head to chest. It's too much, and then I collapse.

“Come on, stay with me.” Fleur says. “I’m not a healer, so if you aren’t moving or talking, I worry, okay?”

“We were all shot. Even the baby was shot.” I say.

“Calm down. Just because someone was shot in the chest, it doesn’t mean the baby was hit.” Fleur says. “Look, you never told me what your name was. Rook says I’m calm, but I forgot to ask your name.”

“I… I haven’t got one… I think I remember now, you’re supposed to get a name from Celestia… right? But, I haven’t seen Celestia since I got inside… I haven’t seen anyone, that I remember.” I choke out a pained laugh. “I’ve been blind the whole time.”

“I’m sorry!” Fleur says. I think I’m no longer scooped up with magic, and I feel like I’m on top of something soft, which helps limit the dulled knifing ache. “I had no idea that this would be that bad. I volunteered to help new immigrants feel right at home in Equestria and I was expecting that they would come in fine.” Fleur says. “But you were all shot right as you were coming in? That’s horrible!”

“But then… I met Discord, and it’s just gotten worse since then.” I say. “I mean… He outright said he was messing with my memories. I don’t even know if any of what I just said actually happened.”

“Let me try calling Celestia for help.” Fleur says. “If Discord is doing things, she needs to be informed.”

I think of trying to say something else, but I’m just too tired, to disoriented, and in too much pain.

Okay. I feel horrible, like I want to die. But I’ve felt this way before. Just have to follow the list of other things to take care of. In this case, sleep.

It doesn’t take long for me pass out. I feel like I’m snoring, but I’m too sleepy and too achy to care.