Day Zero
Hey everypony! glad to have you here! This is a story that me and my friend Drstupid962 put together a while ago. We would both be grateful if you would review it and tell us what you thought. We’re very open to any comments (negative and positive) and would greatly appreciate any review.
~Thanks in advance
Before
“Come on Lux…” the draconequus whispered into the ear of a pony that was blindfolded.
“W-why?” rang a small voice. The whimper came from a grey unicorn. His legs were fastened together with a tan belt that was wrapped around his body. His legs were broken in more than one place and he was pushed further in to the ground by the strange creature’s foot which was the talon of an eagle. The blindfold that was damp with nervous sweat, stuck onto him as tears fell from his eyes.
“Admit your pain, relinquish it, and give up on these other ponies! They don’t care about you! They left you here with me! Don’t you think they would have brought you with them, if they cared even the slightest bit?” His talon stomped the grey pony further in to the dirt.
“Let me go… Discord, go away, please,” Lux whimpered as he attempted to push the draconequus off him to no avail.
“Maybe I will, but how about another game first?” Discord cackled as he stepped off the grey pegasus.
“No… please anything but that!” Lux cried out as his legs refused to pick him up.
“Another game… another seven days.” Discord whistled as his steps started to hit the ground melodically. “And I know the perfect six ponies to be your partners this go around.” Lux could almost imagine the smile etched on his face. “Let chaos reign! Oh yeah! Let it reign!” Discord laughed as he walked away.
Lux tried to fight it. He cringed in pain as a light flooded his vision. No I can’t let it happened again! His thoughts continued to yell at him to pull through, but before he knew it everything was gone. Everything but his name, and the only way to get it back? Win the game.
Day 0
“I’m telling you, Twilight, my senses are just going crazy!” Pinkie’s cotton candy hair bobbed up and down excitedly as she talked to her friend.
“Pinkie calm down! What could be that bad?” Twilight was staring at her twitching friend with concern. Twilight's gaze turned skyward. I don't know what it is, but today feels... off.
“That’s just it Twi! I don’t know! It’s never felt like this, but it’s even bigger than a doozy! it’s like a... a doozy woozy!” Pinkies said this with a small frown as she steadied herself to stop twitching.
Twilight shook her head in half confusion, half sympathy. She loved her pink friend, but sometimes these things just seemed to get out of hand. “Come on let’s go to the library. It’s safe there.” Twilight said with a comforting smile. Pinkie gave a small frown but didn’t reply .She looked at the sky as if expecting something to fall down from it, but she knew better. Her senses were telling her that whatever was going to happen would be too big for just to come falling down of the sky..
“Sure… can we get the other girls too though?!” Pinkie asked excitedly, starting to hop up and down. Twilight shook her head with a small smile.
“Sure Pinkie… lets go see if they’re all home.”
Lux groaned as he woke up. His eyes fluttered open revealing his ash grey irises. He pushed himself up and started to stumble as if weight hadn’t been placed on his legs for some time. His black mane and tail were mangled. His grey coat coated by dirt from laying on a hard floor.
“Where am I?” He yawned as he sat back down and decided to take everything in. He was inside of a small house that much was for sure. He got onto his hooves and stretched his hooves. The house, or room rather, had only four distinctly boring walls all colored in grey, giving the room an overall dreary feel to it. A door also stood on one of the walls. Lux then noticed the sole window in the room. What’s out there? The question for some reason filled him with dread, and an almost sense of déjà vu overcame him. Outside the window was a small town. What the town’s name was though, he couldn’t remember.
He placed his hoof on the window, giving the window a small push, but it didn't budge. Heaving a sigh he looked through the window again and saw something that he didn’t notice before. Where are all the ponies? He looked closer, trying to see if he missed anything, but couldn’t find a single pony anywhere. He raised his hoof and bashed against the window, but the window wouldn’t even give a sound in reply. “Well that’s not going to work…” Lux said aloud as he shook away the pain on his hoof. He turned away to check to see if there was anything noteworthy in the room. On one of the walls a wooden door stood tall, on it was a post-it note that his eyes missed earlier.
“What is that?” He trotted over to the note, and started to read aloud.
“Welcome to Day Zero. Your entry fee paved the way, and now you must keep the monsters at bay. The shadows darken your every step, but don’t lose your pep. For a game without a winner is boring, and we don’t want everypony running. For the answers you seek, why don’t you open this door for a quick peek?”
“What is this?” Lux stared at the note tentatively before finally placing it on the ground beside him. He stared at the first sentence which confused him the most. “Day Zero?” The term sounded familiar to him, but he couldn’t place it. Now that he thought about it, all of his memories felt fuzzy. A splitting headache started to hit him, and he gripped his head with his hoof. “I- need to get out of here,” he said through pain as he walked slowly to the door.
With an anxious release of breath, he gave the door a hard push. The door creaked open, sending a sound that chilled Lux’s bones. He shivered before trying to take a look.
“What’s got Pinkie so hyped?” a blue pegasus known as Rainbow Dash commented as she followed behind Twilight, flapping her wings melodically.
“She’s just being Pinkie Pie,” Twilight said with a small forced laugh. Twilight looked at her pink friend with a careful look. Pinkie continued walking in front of them, now apparently deep in thought.
“Yeah sure, just Pinkie…” Dash said with a small sigh as they entered Sweet Apple Acres. Pinkie then stopped abruptly in front of the barn and started looking around strangely.
“Pinkie you okay?” Twilight asked her, walking closer.
Pinkie looked at her and gave a small frown. “Don't you feel it?!” Pinkie’s voice was barely above a whisper as she leaned close to her friends.
“Do I feel what?” Twilight asked confused, as Dash was spinning her hoof around her head in the ‘crazy in the head’ motion.
“Everything is all loopey, topsy turvey, curvey!” Pinkie started to bounce around Twilight and Dash.
“Pinkie you’re not making any sense.” Twilight said to her pink friend. Pinkie huffed in semi annoyance before starting hop away.
“You think they got a Pinkie to English translator?” Dash asked Twilight as they started to follow after her.
“That would make things too easy.” Twilight sighed.
Lux stared past the door with anxiety grasping at his every breath. The door led into a winding hall, the end of the corridor not in sight. Picture frames hung from the walls and led all the way down the passage. What’s going on? He thought as his hoof steps echoed through the hall.
He looked around frantically taking looks at each of the walls. The pictures that hung from the walls were strange ones indeed. The first picture was only words that said, “now how is that fair?” other pictures were drawings of a specific scene. Some of the pictures included six different colored ponies who were accomplishing different things in each picture. Some included two regal looking alicorns. Some pictures also included a strange animal, with the face of a pony with antlers and a horn, a goatee was also present on the strange creature. His legs included that of a lizard and a goat, while his arms were that of an eagle’s talon, and a lion’s paw.
“Draconequus.” The word rang from him before he knew what he was saying. The creature gave him an instant sense of déjà vu. The aching in his head returned and he had to grab his head to avoid the brunt of the pain. He continued to walk down the hall seeing many pictures that included the six ponies and the draconequus . Finally he found one picture that showed the strange creature encased in stone. Who is that? He placed his hoof on the picture and started to follow the outlines. Suddenly the picture began to move. Lux jumped back in fear and shock.
The stone statue that was the creature started to break apart until it was nothing but dust in the picture. Words began to be etched in to the picture as the statue was decimated.
“Silly princesses thought they had me, but they still don’t understand that I’m the owner of this deed. Those six fillies thought I was wrong, but breaking them apart didn’t take long. So why am I in here you may ask, that answer though is reserved for another task. How about we get to this hall? I’m sure you’ll have a ball. In these pictures a story you’ll find, without the right order forever in this hall you’ll be bind. So have fun, and when in doubt look toward the sun.”
Lux read the words carefully before turning to look at the other pictures in the hall. “An order?” He thought aloud as he started walking past the picture again. Lux counted and found that there were ten pictures in all, only nine being actual pictures with one being the text that asked “now how is that fair?” Lux scanned the pictures and started to note each one. He started to make a mental list of each picture
One with two alicorns encircling the draconequus
One with six ponies staring down the draconequus
One with the draconequus sitting atop of what appeared to be a pink cloud
One with the six ponies walking in separate directions
One with the draconequus sitting on his throne talking down to the two alicorns
One with the six ponies who now held golden necklaces around their neck staring at the draconequus
One encompassing a dreary world void of color
One with seven new ponies who were estranged in the grey world
One with the draconequus half statue half his normal color.
Lux stared at each picture. Let’s try setting them next to each other. Almost every picture meant absolutely nothing to him. He frowned as he leaned back looking at the pictures. Only the picture with the seven ponies felt at least a bit familiar, and something inside him told him that the memory was recent. Why can’t I remember anything? He started to hit his head a little bit trying to strike a memory with little luck. Failing to conjure up a memory he just placed the picture with the seven ponies to his furthest right, and he stared at the rest of the pictures.
Lux started to pace taking a careful look at each picture. Is there a date or something? He thought somberly, unsure of which order the pictures were supposed to be in. Silly Princesses thought they had me. The thought rang from nowhere, but he decided to go with it. “If I relate it to the riddle, then maybe an order will appear.” Lux said as he tried to remember the crude words. Silly Princesses, he thought again looking through the pictures. The two alicorns stood out the most to him and he started placing every picture of them in to one pile.
Six fillies, Lux thought as the second part of the riddle came back to him. He looked through the pictures once again and separated the pictures that had the six fillies in them. If this is right then the one with princesses should go before the six fillies. He placed the pictures with the princesses to his furthest left and then placed the pictures with the six fillies in the middle. He looked through the pictures once again to see that he had one with the draconequus on a pink cloud and one with a grey world, one with the creature half way in transformation. hmm... so why am I here you may ask,’ Lux thought about that line and stared toward the picture of the creature in a half way transformation. The draconequus held a shocked look on his face, almost without thinking Lux placed that picture to his far right before the picture of the seven ponies.
“How does he expect me to do this?!” Lux shouted as twenty minutes had come and go at this point. He crouched down to the pictures of the alicorns he had separated earlier. He had decided to place the picture of the draconequus on his throne before the picture of the alicorns encircling the monster. The story wouldn’t have just started with a fight... would it? Still unsure, Lux moved on.
What would connect the alicorn pictures to the ones with the six girls? Lux picked up one picture where the draconequus was half statues half normal and placed it after the alicorns encircling the creature. Here? Lux shook his head confused but moved on. After a few moments of thinking of the riddle he placed the six fillies in the order: without necklaces- separating- with necklaces.
Six fillies thought I was wrong... breaking them apart didn’t take long... so why am I here you may ask. Lux also grabbed the picture that was only text and placed it beside him unsure of where to put it. He stared at the pictures for another five minutes before leaning back and sighing. When in doubt look toward the sun. Lux sat up and started to trot toward the beginning room.
The lone window still showed an empty town. He walked up to the window and took a look outside. Outside there was a small town, not many houses that were that large. He made out a large tree that appeared to be a makeshift house now, but something else caught his attention. Where’s the sun?! In the sky, there was no sun and the only thing there was a cloud simply grey. Scowling, Lux looked for any possible clues that could help him.
“You gotta calm down sugar cube,” Applejack said trying to talk sense in to Pinkie. Pinkie had been getting stranger, she had started shaking and twitching uncontrollably, and was starting to speak way too quickly, even for Pinkie.
“Something is strange, very very strange!” Pinkie’s eyes were open wide. Her tail was twitching and her legs were convulsing sporadically.
“Pinkie what’s wrong?!” Twilight was starting to panic, is she sick? Twilight thought as she placed her hoof on Pinkie’s forehead.
“I got her some water!” a butter colored pegasus, by the name of Fluttershy, said as she quickly flew back to the small group.
“Thanks Fluttershy,” Twilight said as she started to wet a rag and place it on Pinkie. Pinkie stopped convulsing for a second before shaking it off.
“Where did Rainbow Dash go?” Applejack asked Twilight.
“She left to go get Rarity and Zecora.” Twilight’s scowl deepened as she looked at Pinkie.
Suddenly Pinkie started shaking uncontrollably, and then stopped. Her three friends looked at her with wide eyes, their voices caught in their throat. Suddenly Pinkie’s eyes closed.
“Is she...?” Fluttershy asked, her hooves over her mouth. Applejack reluctantly put her head to Pinkie’s stomach.
“No she’s just asleep.” She didn’t even try to hide the relief.
“Let’s get her to the library. Maybe if we let her rest for a bit, she’ll get better...” It was an empty idea, but the others had no better one.
Lux stared at the window looking for clues. The only thing he could take from the grey world outside was that the picture of the grey world must have been after the other pictures, but the outside world told him nothing else. There’s nothing here... Lux thought grimly. Great now I’m stuck here... Lux sighed as he began to turn away. However, right before he turned away completely, something caught his eye. A pink blob in a darkened world. The bloc was a pony with a mane that simply defied gravity in its ‘poofiness.’ The mare fell from the clouds and sailed toward the ground quickly. Lux’s mouth dropped in disbelief at this new mare. She landed through the roof of the house made of a tree. You could hear the bumps and crashes as the pony fell through the roof and whatever floors beneath it. “Wow... I hope she didn’t get hurt too bad before...” Lux didn’t want to finish the thought. Surely she’s dead from that drop...
Lux’s eyes widened as the pink mare trotted out of the tree as if nothing had happened. She craned her neck and legs as if she was getting a kink out, and then moved on her merry way.
“What?” Lux heard himself say in disbelief. How can she act so nonchalant about falling from so high?! He watched as the Pink mare spun her head around, getting a good look around town. Her ears then noticeably perked up and she started to skip away.
Why does she look so happy? was the first thought Lux thought as he saw the pink pony skip away. “Hey!” Lux called out to the pony to no avail. She turned around a few times obviously hearing the voice but wouldn’t skip in his direction. “Over here!” Lux yelled again gaining another response from her twisting head but no movement. Suddenly the pink pony hopped just barely out of his vision. “Dang it!” Lux swore as he sat back. The first pony I see in this deserted town, and she doesn’t even see me, Lux thought with a sigh.
“Hi there!” suddenly came a hyperactive voice outside the window. The new voice made Lux flinch away from the window. The pink pony had decided to pay a visit. She stood at the window with a smile printed on her face, tailored fit for her. “Do you know where everypony is? Because my friends were worried about me, and I don’t want to keep them if they’re still worrying, especially since I feel super duper terrific now! I’m Pinkie by the way!”
She never took a breath... Lux noted with wide eyes staring at the pink pony. “Um... no sorry but I think the town is empty besides you and I, and I’m Lux, nice to meet you.”
“Oh.. well that’s not good...” She put her hoof to her mouth as if thinking critically about something, the pose lasted less than a full second. “I got it! You gotta help me find them!” Her smile strengthened as she reeled her hoof back and pounded on the window.
“The window is too strong,” Lux said, stifling a laugh.
Pinkie’s face turned in to a small scowl. “Is there another way out?” The pink pony asked as she hopped on her two hooves to get a better look in.
“There’s a hall way, but I’m not allowed to pass until solving some puzzle.”
Pinkie suddenly inhaled a huge gasp. “I love puzzles! Especially the ones with the x’s and the o’s and the um...” She drew a number sign in midair to show me the symbol.
“Tic-tac-toe?” Lux asked her.
“Noooooo! That game’s too boring! I’m talking about the game of ox!” Her smile grew as she remembered the name of the game.
“I don’t think there is a game called ox.” Lux responded, walking closer to the window.
“Well of course there is!” she said with a slight pout.
“Um... okay.” Lux said with a small laugh. His shoulders started to relax.
“So what was the puzzle thingie?” Pinkie asked
“Um, wait one second,” Lux said as he returned to the hall where he had placed the pictures. He quickly picked them up and brought it back to the room with the window. He laid them in front of Pinkie so she could see each picture. ‘When in doubt look toward the sun,’ was she what the last part of the riddle was about?
“Ooh ooh! That’s me and my friends!” Pinkie said as she pointed to the pictures of the six fillies. Lux took a closer look to see that one of the ponies in the picture was distinctly pink, and was a mirror copy of the pony in front of him.
“Yeah you’re right.” Lux noted. “You know anything else?”
“Well there’s Princess Celestia and Luna there!” Pinkie pointed to the two alicorns who Lux had assumed to be the princesses before, but Lux was glad for the confirmation. “Ooh! That’s Discord too!”
That name. “AH!” Lux shouted in pain as he grabbed his head. Why does this name seem so familiar?!
“Lux?!” Pinkie placed two hooves on the window to get a closer look at the grey pony on the floor.
What is this?! He thought to himself as his brain felt like it was being carved open with a knife.
“Lux!” Pinkie’s voice had turned to panic immediately. She started to pound on the window attempting to break through.
The blistering headache eventually simmered down to a mild throbbing. “Ugh I’m okay.” Lux said through gasps.
“What was that!? You were okay one second and then you just went...” Pinkie started convulsing and grabbing her head to demonstrate before fake falling on the ground and performing a fake seizure.
“I’m not sure.”
“Well that’s not good!” Pinkie said as she returned her gaze to the pictures. “What do you have to do with these pictures anyway?”
“I’m supposed to put them in order somehow.” Lux sighed at the very thought.
“Oh! That’s all?!” Her hyperactive voice had picked up to a new height. “You put that one there! That over there! That one... I dunno, so put it over there!” Pinkie continued to orchestrate the order of the pictures for a few minutes before the order came to be throne alicorns encircling Discord, then the one with the six mares staring at Discord, one with the six ponies traveling in different directions, the one with Discord on a pink cloud, one with the ponies, now reunited, staring at Discord with necklaces around their necks. “Those are the Elements of Harmony!” Pinkie exclaimed excitedly while telling Lux where the pictures were supposed to go.
“Elements of Harmony?” Lux asked as he stared at the picture with the strange jewelry.
“Yeah! They’re these...” Pinkie started to move her hooves to show a shape of a sphere, “and they have the magical power of... well... harmony!” She acted sporadic while attempting to explain these apparent “magical” items.
“That’s very helpful.” Lux said his eyes rolling backwards as he turned his head down to take a look at the remaining pictures. “Any of these other pictures look familiar to you?” Lux asked. The only pictures left was one with only text saying “well, how is that fair?”, a picture with seven ponies on it, one with Discord half turned into a statue, and one simply showing a world devoid of color.
“The one with Discord half turned into a statue should go at the end.” Pinkie noted as she took a look at the the other pictures. “Hey! Hey! There’s you! Right there!” Pinkie pointed to the picture of the seven ponies. Lux picked up the picture to get a closer look. “The grey unicorn!” Lux placed a hoof over his forehead and felt only his forehead.
“Um... Pinkie, I’m a pegasus.” Lux told her as he took a look a the pony she was referring to. The pony looked almost exactly like him except for the horn on his forehead, and the fact that this pony lacked any wings.
“What does that have to do with anything?” she asked.
“This is a picture of a unicorn.”
“...so?”
“I’m not a unicorn!” Lux exclaimed at the pony.
“ I know you’re not a unicorn silly, you don’t have to tell me.” she said with a small giggle. Lux stared at her awkwardly for a second before leaning back and exhaling a sigh.
“Well do you recognize any of these other pictures?” Lux looked around the room. I just want to get out of this place, I need to stretch... maybe catch some air.
Pinkie stared at the remaining pictures tentatively. “No idea!” she said with a quick shake of her head.
Lux stretched awkwardly as he stood up. “Time for some trial and error!” Lux exclaimed as he grabbed the pictures, making sure that they were in the right order before leaving the window Pinkie was at.
“Tell me how it goes!” Pinkie said waving at Mach speeds before bobbing away from the window.
“What a crazy pony,” Lux whispered under his breath as he made his way down the hall.
“Do you know what’s wrong with her Zecora?” Twilight asked inquisitive.
“Her condition I cannot disclose, but a question I must pose. When did she fall ill? Maybe with that knowledge I could find the right fill.”
Twilight looked around at her four other friends. “About twenty hours now.” Twilight told the zebra.
Zecora twitched her mouth around, trying to think about the situation. “Perhaps if my ingredients I had, then I could help... at least a tad.”
“What would you need?” Twilight asked quickly.
Zecora stared at Pinkie and walked over. She placed her hoof on to Pinkie’s head and checked for a fever, and then she placed her head on Pinkie’s raising and lowering stomach. “I’m sorry my little ponies, but the sickness seems like a phony. She has no fever, and no flu, yet when thinking if she's sick... I’m still a believer. All I can promise is to check my books, I’ll make sure to check every nook”
"What do you mean 'believer'?" Twilight asked inquisitively.
They all heaved a sigh. “Thanks for coming Zecora.” Twilight responded.
“I apologize, this sickness may be dramatised. She’s been asleep for a day, at least for now, keep your fear at bay.” Zecora said as she walked out of the library.
“Now what?” Dash finally piped up.
“Well... maybe we should send a letter to Spike, I was thinking maybe he would want to know...” Fluttershy commented.
“Spike left for his ‘vacation’ and besides, there’s no use in worrying him about something that he couldn't’ get back in time for anyway.” Twilight said.
“Well how far away is he? Maybe I could just go and sonic rainboom him back?” Dash noted.
“He left to Fillydelphia, It’s about a week walk, and I don’t think Spike could handle riding back on you Dash.” Twilight said with a smirk. Dash shrugged at the remark .
“Why don’t you use that ol’ teleporting trick?” Applejack asked Twilight.
“Fillydelphia is a long way away, and making a round trip would drain me completely, if not strand us half way. Let Spike have his fun, there wouldn’t be much he could do here anyway. The ponies nodded at the comment.
“What do you think is wrong with her?” Rarity asked the question that had been on everypony’s mind.
“I don’t know, but I’m sure she’ll wake up soon, and we’ll all feel stupid forever worrying about her.” Dash laughed.
*********
“Okay, wake up Pinkie!” Twilight had had enough. Her cheeks were flushed red as she stood over her limp pink friend. “Pinkie this isn’t funny!” Tears were forming at the corners of her eyes. Five other ponies stood around the bed with Twilight, each staring with worried looks at the pink mare.
“Don’t be such a drama queen. She’s just sleeping...” Dash turned away from Twilight, trying not to betray her true thoughts.
Twilight turned to Dash her eyes wide open and bloodshot. “Pinkie has been asleep for THREE days! Zecora couldn’t even figure out what was wrong with her!”
“There... has to be something we can do.” Fluttershy tapped her hooves together as she floated in the air.
“Sugarcube calm down, there ain't no use ‘n panicking.” Applejack had attempted to be voice of reason as soon as Twilight had fallen off the deep end, but each day passed slower and slower, and it was beginning to see any really hope for the Pinkie’s sleeping figure.
“Celestia will be here tomorrow darling, if anyone can fix Pinkie it’ll be her.” Rarity said trying to comfort her disorientated friend.
“Pinkie had been acting weird all morning...” Twilight whispered as she sat down on the floor by her bedside.
“This isn’t your fault Twilight...” Fluttershy said as she sat next to Twilight.
“I can’t help thinking that it was. Maybe if I had listened more carefully to her, she wouldn’t be like this...”
“Git some sleep Twi, you’ve probably gotten the least amount of sleep of all of us.” Applejack told her as she walked Twilight up the stairs to her bedroom.
“Pinkie will be okay... right?” Fluttershy asked Rainbow Dash as she started tapping the ground with her hoof.
“Yeah! Definitely! I mean we got the Princess on it! Pinkie will be back to her normal prankster, party throwing, kind of annoying self in no time!” Dash let out a half-hearted laugh at the end of her comment, betraying her words. Dash walked closer to Pinkie’s sleeping figure. “You better get better soon Pinkie.”
“Open sesame!” Lux yelled at the wooden door in front of him. The door had exactly nine holes in it barely large enough for the pictures, now rolled up, to fit in, and Lux had been attempting every magic word he knew with every possible combination of picture for the last half hour. “Open, you stupid door!” Lux shouted as he dashed in to the door. The whole attack gave an audible clunk as Lux was thrown back because of his momentum. Sighing, Lux place his hoof on the door, looking for a switch for the third time.
Finding no switch, Lux took the pictures out of the holes, rearranged them and placed them in to the holes. “What word opens you?” Lux asked aloud as he stared at the door.
“Did you try alakazam?” a voice came from behind him.
Lux paying no attention to it, “of course I tried it, I also tried abracadabra, and open sesame, got anything else?”
“Chupacabra?” the voice said this time.
“Why wou-.” Lux stopped mid-sentence and blinked. He turned around and faced a familiar face. The being stood about four times as high as he did. His deer and goat antlers stood proud with his lion paw and eagle talon crossed over his stomach, it was Discord from the pictures.
“Surprised? Shocked even? You must be amazed by my attractiveness! It’s okay, many are.” A large smile that held no emotion behind it formed Discord’s face. “I suppose it’s time I introduced myself, Lux.” His voice held a certain allure to it, which was almost intoxicating. The soft tune of his voice made Lux almost respond in awe rather than his true emotions.
“How do you know my name?”
“That’s your first question? I mean, you’re stumped on the first test on Day Zero, and you ask me a stupid question? Tsk Tsk, I expected better from you Lux.” Discord said, shaking his head in harmony with his tsks.
“Okay, then do you want to tell me how to get out of here?”
“Not particularly.” Discord said heaving an over exaggerated sigh. He started walking away from Lux his steps making audible echoes in the hall. “But the game is no fun, if you simply die from starvation here... then again dying here is kind of figurative huh?” Discord laughed until he saw the confused look Lux held on his face. “Why the long face?” he said holding in a snicker.
“What are you talking about?”
“Well you see my young friend, you can’t die here. In fact that isn’t the point of the game at all! What fun would it be that the game ends when you die?! I mean do you know how fragile you ponies are?! I mean look!” Discord suddenly appeared in front of Lux and grabbed his front leg and snapped it in the span of a second.
“AH!” Lux yelled in pain as he fell to his side bracing his leg. “You broke my leg!”
“Get up you sissy! Your leg is healed, only the pain still lingers.” Discord said as he shook his head.
Lux steadied his breathing before feeling the pain start to fade away, and he was even able to put weight on his leg with only a twitch of pain. “How...?”
“Let's go with magic,” DIscord said obviously bored.
“You're going to give me any answers?” Lux panted as he stared at Discord in the eyes, rage building. Discord looked at Lux’s eyes for about two seconds before smiling.
“That’s what I want to see!” Discord laughed.
“What?!”
“Rage! Fury! They always lead to well, chaos! At least you’re embracing it better this time.” Discord’s smile had never left his face.
“This time?”
“Not important! Anyways, let's get down to business shall we?” Discord snapped his talon making a wooden desk appear between the two creatures with two chairs.” Have a seat my friend.” Discord said gesturing to the seat.
“I think I’ll stand.” Lux said with a frown.
“Suit yourself.” Discord sat down and snapped his fingers again creating a pipe in his lion’s paw. “How about we start Lux? What would you like to do? Psychotherapy, parapsychology, or my personal preference, get more intelligent through the use of electric shock therapy.”
“What?!” Lux asked confused by the draconequus.
“Keep up Lux, it’s not that hard,” Discord said taking glasses off his face that had not been there a few seconds earlier.
“Just tell me what you’re trying to tell me.” Lux said placing his hoof on his head in anger.
“Oh quick tempered I see... almost like a child.” His smile never wavered as he made the note.
“Don’t compare me to a child!” Lux said, stepping closer to Discord, both only separated by the desk.
“Although I’d love to sit here with you all day trading insults, I must prepare for the games. So lets skip the casualties.” Discord yawned.
“What is this game you keep telling me about?!” Lux barked at the draconequus.
“Ah, finally a question I want to answer!” Discord sat up from his chair and jumped on to his desk. “This is my game! And the game consists of seven days. Each day I expect you and six other ponies to figure out whatever riddle, overcome any challenge, and accomplish anything to win that day, otherwise I’ll deem you all unfit and simply kill you.” He blew on his nails as if this was a casual thing to say.
“You said we couldn’t die here!”
“I know what I said, but that’s only in the process of the game. You become decapitated, you wont die, it’ll just hurt a lot, and eventually you’ll regain your body, if you’re lucky that is. However, if you or one of the ponies whom I pare you with decide to blow off the day and not attempt to complete the game then well... you’re not worth my game and I’ll personally take you out of the game, if you catch my drift.”
Lux just stared at this creature, shocked by all of the words. How can somepony be this... cruel? “What was today then, what do you mean by day zero?”
“Day zero is a day in its most technical sense I suppose, but nothing fun happens, all it is is getting my pawns together to prepare for the game ahead.” Discord gave a cackle as he finished his comment.
“And Pinkie?”
“She’s one of the six ponies that will be your... lets say partners on this magical adventure.” His smile still stood strong.
“Why her?”
“Grudges last forever my sweet pony, and she and some of her friends decided to limit my fun, it’s only fair that they give some of it back.” Discord explained as if it was obvious.
“Well why me?” Lux finally asked .
Discord’s eyes turned downcast as he looked at the floor, something was there... Sympathy?
“You’ll just have to figure that out yourself.” Discord snapped his fingers and the desk disappeared leaving the two creatures in the hallway only staring at each other. “Well, it’s been fun as always, but it’s time I left... can’t wait to see you later.” His smile had returned and he was just about to snap his fingers.
“Wait! How do I open the door!” Lux cried out.
“Oh yeah, almost forgot! He snapped his fingers and the doors swung open revealing the outside world.
“I had to find the order for these pictures and everything, and you could just open it with your fingers?!” Lux asked obviously peeved.
“The pictures were never meant to open the door, the right order was simply to call me here to give you this small chat.” Discord gave a wink to the confused pony before snapping his fingers and disappearing.
Lux blinked looking at where Discord used to be, and he turned and walked in to the outside world. “This is going to suck, I can tell already.”
“What do you mean there’s nothing you can do?!” Dash yelled aloud. Her eyes were wide and she was biting her lip in order to keep from letting her rage show even more.
Twilight sat down and stared at her teacher who had just said that she couldn’t do anything for poor Pinkie who laid in bed.
“I’m sorry, but I cannot do anything about this.” Celestia bit her lip to prevent from saying something else. Twilight saw it and knew that her teacher was holding something back, but at that moment didn’t care about the deceit.
“She’s been comatose for four days now, and you wont help her at all?!” Twilight asked, her voice just above a whisper.
“I can’t help her Twilight Sparkle, it’s not in my power...” The princess turned away from the somber looks given by every pony. Fluttershy had ran out of the house seconds after Celestia told them that she wouldn’t do anything about Pinkie’s condition.
“Imma check up on Fluttershy.” Applejack said to Twilight as she walked out of the library her head low.
“There must be something you can do...” Rarity said, attempting to plead with the alicorn.
“You’re the princess! How can you not fix Pinkie?!” Dash yelled. Silence ensued and Celestia heaved a small but noticeable sigh.
“Twilight, I’m taking my leave.” Celestia said walking out of the library leaving only more silence in her wake.
Twilight sat there next to Pinkie’s bed unsure of what to do next. The door swung open as Applejack walked in, tears threatening to fall from the somber Fluttershy walking in.
Fluttershy looked ragged, tears had mixed in with her coat and her eyes were beat red. “We’ll find a way to help her!” Dash exclaimed trying to convince herself more so than the other ponies. They all looked toward the sleeping figure of their best friend. They had tried to feed her and give her water, but you wouldn’t be able to tell. She would twitch every now and again, but gave no noticeable sign of danger, that is until they checked her pulse. Her heartbeat had changed from a hundred beats a minute to sixty beats in the four days, and was still lowering with no signs of slowing down.
“Girls I don’t know what’s wrong with her, but if her heartbeat keeps dropping like this, then soon they’re will be no way to help her...” Twilight sighed.
“Well there has to be something, sugarcube... a spell you forgotten maybe?” Applejack plopped down in to a sitting position.
“I tried everything I know already...” Twilight said avoiding the looks from her friends. I wish there was something I could do. There should have been something I could do. Maybe if I studied more there would be a spell I could have used. A tear fell from her left eye as she stood up and started to pace. “I’ll try to find something...” Life had drained from her voice, and with it hope had left as well.
Her friends gave small nods at Twilight’s fleeting figure.
“Because it is a hop, skip, and a jump, and just move your little rump!” Pinkie had had better days then simply being alone in a desolate Ponyville, but she wasn’t going to let that get her down. “Somepony has got to be around her somewhere!” Pinkie exclaimed as she continued to bop around town. She had first checked the library, and found nopony there, afterward she took a quick look at Sweet Apple Acres, and found it empty. “I’ll need to tell Applejack to return to the farm, it’s Applebuck Season. I don't want her to get behind.” Pinkie continued to hop on the trail back to Ponyville.
Ponyville wasn’t much different from the Ponyville that she knew. It even had the cupcake in the cupboard that she had hidden away from Mrs. Cakes a few days prior. Pinkie smacked her lips still savoring the remnants of said cupcake as she wandered back in to town. Something’s off about the town...Pinkie noted as she looked at her surroundings, besides the missing ponies the real change was simply how darker everything was. It felt like a grey hue had covered the whole town, making each color much more ominous then before. Pinkie huffed before bobbing toward Rarity’s shop. A little grey is no problem.
Rarity’s door was unlocked, as was every door in the town. Pinkie pushed the door open to reveal her friend’s shop. You could just make out the start of a disaster in the back rooms where Rarity kept her “organized chaos” at. “Hello? Anypony home! It’s Pinkie!” Pinkie yelled at the top of her lungs. No response. A small pout formed on Pinkie’s lips. “Well... now what?” Pinkie started to look around Rarity’s store not seeing any clue whatsoever.
Pinkie finally found the opening in to a white kitchen. She stopped before entering and took a quick peek in to the kitchen. “I’m sure Rarity won’t mind if I get some treats while I’m here...” Pinkie’s smile had returned as she happily skipped toward the fridge. Finding some left over pie, she dug in happily.
“So you find that your friends aren’t home, and you loot their fridge?” a voice cackled behind Pinkie.
“Hey! I was only thinking about looting everyone else’s fridge!” Pinkie said, pie still in her mouth as she talked. She turned to face the voice who spoke to her and saw a familiar face. She swallowed her food down in a single gulp. “Hi Discord!” She waved at the draconequues happily.
Discord shook his head, holding back a laugh. “So you are Ms. Pie, I don’t believe we’ve had formal introductions without your friends around.” Discord said holding out his paw.
“Well there was that one time in the maze with the balloons and the faces that were like:” Pinkie took her hooves and spread open her mouth in an attempt to force a scary smile.
“Good times.” Discord cackled as he sat in one of the chairs in Rarity’s kitchen.
“No...not really. But the party that we threw after you turned to stone, THAT was fun.” Pinkie said hopping only a few centimeters in the air with each syllable.
Discord’s eyes squinted together. “Yes, right, anyways lets get to the point of me being here.”
“If it’s for pie, then you’re out of luck, I may have... ate it all.”
“You’ve been here for less than a full minute...”
“Point?”
“Nevermind, now back to the topic at hand. Ms. Pie you shall be playing in a game that I have created.”
“Ooh I love games!”
“Then you’ll be a great participant!” Discord said with a smile. “Anyways this game will span seven days, each day will have its very own riddle.” Discord snapped his talon and a small piece of paper appeared over his talon. “Solve the riddle and complete what it says, and you move on to the next day. Fail to figure out the riddle before the day is up or simply fail to complete the task laid out before you then...” He snapped his talon and the piece of paper burned in a green flame.
“We get to see green fire?” Pinkie asked excitedly staring at the dazzling display.
Discord eyes lowered annoyed. “No it means you’re gone, poof, decimated, vaporized, you know the deal.
“Well that’s not very nice.” Pinkie said annoyed as she turned her back to Discord to see if Rarity had any left over sweets.
“Are you even listening to me?!” Discord asked, his tone growing in impatience.
“Not really,” Pinkie replied as she threw out an apple core. “Rarity needs better food...” Pinkie sighed as she walked past Discord, out of the kitchen. Discord stared silently at the pony who had just left him behind.
“What?” Discord said finding himself to start laughing. “Oh Ms. Pie, you’re going to make this very entertaining for me.”
“Why is that?” Pinkie asked as she left Rarity’s house. I wonder if Lux got out okay? Pinkie thought as she started to hop toward the center of town with Discord following behind her.
“You seem... oh lets use the word entertaining.” Discord said as he floated next to her skipping body.
“So Discord why are you here anyway... Didn’t we seal you up or something... like a couple of months ago? You went all....” Pinkie explained by standing on her hind legs and staying completely still. .
“Why this is my world Pinkie, and I can do what ever I wish here.”
“Can you make pie fall from the sky?”
Discord snapped his talon and a pie fell into his lion paw. “Why yes I can, but I can do much more like for instance.” He snapped his talon and a large castle wretched itself from the ground tearing other houses away, when the castle was finished it stood much higher than Canterlot’s castle did in height. “My power has no equal here.”
Pinkie was staring at the pie in Discord’s paw through this whole spectacle. “Can I have the pie?” Pinkie asked, eying the pie behind Discord’s back.
Discord looked from the pie in his hand to the castle that he had just wrought. He heaved a sigh and threw the pie in Pinkie’s face. Pinkie excitedly licked all the pie filling off her face before staring at Discord expecting more. “I bring up a massive castle without breaking a sweat and you ask about the pie?!”
“What can I say... I like pie.” Pinkie shrugged before deciding to move on due to the lack of any sweets in the vicinity.
“How about I go screw with someone easier?” Discord said, shaking his head before snapping his talon and disappearing.
Sleep was for the weak. That had became Twilight’s motto over the last three days Pinkie had been in a comatose state for seven days now, and Twilight was scanning her books for any clue that could lead to waking up the poor filly. As predicted Pinkie’s heart rate had kept going down steadily. The last time they checked earlier that morning Pinkies heart rate was only heard at thirty beats a second. Would she even function normally after all of this? Twilight would ask herself as she read through some books.
Pinkie had been oddly still lately and one of the five would always become a little antsy and make sure she was still alive, luckily she hadn’t left the world of the living yet. Everypony had been trying their best, whether that be remedies proposed by Fluttershy or Applejack, messages and ideas from other unicorns brought via rainbow Dash express, or Twilight scanning every single book she had looking for a possible remedy.
“There is nothing here!” Twilight would say in frustration as she threw another book off of her desk.
“We can’t just give up Twilight. Maybe this book will have the cure.” Fluttershy said, attempting to encourage Twilight and abate her frustration.
“None of these books even mention something like this. Comatose patients don’t reject food and water when you give it to them, this is something different.” Twilight said, running her hooves through her mangled mane.
“Well, maybe we could-” Fluttershy was cut short as a book fell from one of the shelves.
How about this one? It was a strange thought. A thought from nowhere. But it kept repeating itself. Look in the book. Twilight heard the voice in the back of her mind like somepony was reciting words in her ears. “Do you hear anything Fluttershy?” Twilight asked, starting massaged her temples.
“No, I don’t hear anything...” Fluttershy said, twiddling her hooves.
Twilight shook her head, attempting to stop hearing things. Great I’m starting to hear things... “Fluttershy, could you hand me that book that just fell?”
Fluttershy nodded before floating over to the book and brought it over. The book didn't have a title. It was simply a black book, no designs, just a hardcover, black as night book. “What is this?” Twilight asked as she turned the book so Fluttershy could see it as well.
“Um... I don’t know, I don’t remember seeing it here before...”
Twilight opened the book desperately. Maybe there is something in here! Twilight’s face dropped at the mention of the first word. Discord.
“Hello my young fillies, it’s been so long since we last met... you know since the whole stone turning incident. No hard feelings... well maybe a little, but I know of your predicament and am willing to help in any way possible. Pinkie was my favorite after all. I’m sure if you’ve picked up this book, you’re on your final legs, no way to save the pink pony and with your princesss not even attempting to help, maybe you’ll understand my view of our ‘government’ now.” Twilight read the page aloud to her four other friends who had came in to the room.
“Discord?” The ponies said in unison.
“I think so, later he signs the letter.” Twilight opens the book to show everypony and sure enough a couple of paragraphs later there was a signature that said “the bringer of chaos, the ruler of the universe, and the most handsome fellow in all of Equestria, or simply Discord.” Twilight sighed as she turned the book around so she could only read it.
“When your on your last legs just give me a call, no need to break the curse, simply pour some of your power into the book oh mighty apprentice and I will appear before you, not in my true form, but close enough to where we can all have a true civilized conversation.
Twilight looked out to her friends who stayed quiet. “What do we do?” Twilight asked them.
“Ah say we call ‘em. We can always put him back down with the Elements of Harmony if things get outta hand.” Applejack said.
“But... how will we use the Elements of Harmony without Pinkie?” Fluttershy asked in a voice barely above a whisper. Applejack sighed as she began to think about another way.
“I say we don't call him, he was able to easily tear us apart last time.” Rarity said, recalling the event.
“We don’t have much of a choice though Rarity.” Dash chimed in.
Twilight nodded before looking at the book again. What if there really is no other way? Twilight thought. Her friends began to bicker with Applejack and Dash wanting Discord to come, and Fluttershy and Rarity against the idea. Seven days have gone by... Pinkie wont last much longer... Twilight began to focus on the book in her hand and poured the red aura in to the book... The effect was immediate. The book burst into green flames erupting in a collective gasp from every pony in the room. The green flames consumed the book before turning it in to a pile of grey ash. What now? From the ashes erupted a new figure. Discord had joined the party.
Discord looked similar to how he had looked only a few months ago, however, he looked faded, almost transparent in Twilight’s eyes. “Yeah, being this weak does make me look like a ghost a bit doesn't it? I mean I wanted to lose a few pounds, but this is taking the comment a bit far.” Discord said as he looked at his body.
“Hello Discord.” Twilight's voice was cold, unyielding even.
“Hello there young apprentice and hello again to you young mares.” He said this with a smile addressing everypony there.
“So can you really help?” Dash asked, while leaping in to the air to speak to the draconequus face-to-face.
“If you mean, ‘is it in my power to relieve Pinkie from her comatose state?’ Then the answer would be yes.” Discord yawned as he picked up his feet and floated in the air.
“You can save her?!” Fluttershy asked excitedly.
“I could.”
“But you wont.” Twilight finished for him.
“I never said I wouldn’t, but there are stipulations.”
“Course there are.” Applejack said.
“No need for the mistrust Applejack, however, since you ponies ruined my fun, I have a very limited amount of fun in my ‘world’.” Twilight noticed the extra emphasis on the word ‘world.’
“What are your stipulations?” Rarity asked.
“A game. A seven day game in my mind scape, if you win, you get Ms. Pie back, if I win... you ponies won’t even see the next sunrise let alone your friend.”
“How do we know you’re not lying to us?!” Twilight barked at Discord.
Discord snapped his talon revealing a small cloud that opened to reveal a scene. The world inside the cloud was a darker version of Ponyville and spot in the middle of it was Pinkie. “I’m not lying to you because Pinkie is already in the game, or well the prologue of it.” Discord explained as the picture poofed away.
“What did you do to Pinkie?!” Dash shouted.
“Just wanted to have some fun.” Discord shrugged as he stood up. “ It gets so boring living in eternal torment.” Discord laughed.
“What is this game like?” Twilight asked.
“A rather fun game if I say so myself. I’ll even give you all a partner, rather smart fellow, what he has in intelligence though he lacks in common sense.” Discord said as he shrugged. “But in the game, you simply answer or complete a task. You get one day to do it, if you fail then well...” He pointed to each and everypony’s body making sure they knew that they knew he was referring to their bodies. “Those will fail. if you win the seven days, then you get out scott free with Pinkie in tow, and with a promise from me to never mess with any of you ponies again.”
“You’re asking us to risk our lives for your enjoyment?” Rarity asked.
“No, I’m asking you to risk your life for your friend. If you choose not to join in... then that’s okay with me, Ms. Pie is a rather... entertaining guest, and she will still be in my world long after her corporal body dies.” Discord explained as he prepared to leave.
“Wait! Don’t go!” Twilight yelled out, with the other friends mimicking her reaction. “I’ll play your game, they don’t need to risk their lives..” Twilight said, gesturing towards the other ponies.
“You’re insane if you think we’re going to let you do it alone.” Dash chimed in as she stepped next to Twilight.
“We wouldn’t let yah do this on yer own sugarcube.” Applejack said, stepping next to Twilight.
“I suppose, anything for Pinkie.” Rarity sighed. “I don’t like you though.” Rarity said gesturing towards Discord. He simply raised his hands up in defense, still holding on a smile that never left his face.
“ I-I’ll try my best to help..” Fluttershy stammered as she walked next to her friends.
“There, everypony is going to go, we accept your challenge Discord!” Twilight exclaimed at the draconequus.
“Marvelous. We’ll all have such a fun time.” His smile had grown wider as he snapped his fingers and a blinding light enveloped the library.
Lux’s first steps outside of the house were refreshing to say the least. He let out a sigh of relief as his wings stretched to their full wingspan. “I just feel like flying!” Lux exclaimed happily as he prepared for a takeoff.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” The voice immediately brought him down.
“Why are you here again?!” Lux gasped as he jumped away from the voice.
Discord had reappeared to the side of him. “Oh right in your eyes, it’s only been about a minute since we last talked.” Discord yawned. “Colt I’m telling you, it’s getting much easier to get ponies to accept stipulations.”
“What are you talking about?” Lux asked as he began to step away from the creature.
“Nothing really, your team however, will soon arrive.”
“My team?”
“Why yes, Miss Pie, made up one of the members, but the other five will be coming as well. What a fun game this will be!” Discord laughed as his feet started to shuffle with anticipation. “You know what that means?!”
“Can’t say that I do.”
“Day Zero is almost over! Finally, this is the most boring part of the game as I’m sure you’d understand.”
“Why do you want this game so bad?” Lux asked preparing to take off in a hurry.
“Why not? The next seven days will be your personal Hell, and I get to orchestrate all of it.” He couldn’t mask the glee in his voice as he snapped his fingers. “See you soon.” He exclaimed as he disappeared in a puff of smoke. Lux gazed at where the creature had once stood and shook his head.
My first objective should be to find Pinkie. Lux thought to himself as he leaped in to the air and began to flap his wings. I wouldn’t do that if I were you, the comment rang through his head, and he learned why. As soon as he leaped into the air he fell back down, his wings refusing to capture any air to lift him up. “What?!” Lux said confused as he tried again to no avail. “Well I guess I’m walking then...” Lux pouted as he started to walk towards the house that appeared to be made out of a tree in the middle of town.
Lux traversed the town, the silence almost insanity driving... at least to him it was. Many of the building looked to be broken in to, and the fridges were all open with their content spilling out. I wonder what happened... He thought as he shied away from venturing in to any of the houses. Discord still unnerved the pony, and he didn’t want to be caught in an enclosed space with him again... especially after having his leg broke by the creature.
“Lux, you made it!” A familiar voice rang out. Lux turned to the right to see Pinkie carrying a tray of cupcakes on her back as she trotted over to Lux.
“Pinkie?” Lux asked as she drew closer. “What’s with the cupcakes?”
“I know, I know, I mean I wanted the cakes or the pies, but I couldn’t get it out of the freezer since it was locked...”
Not having a suitable response, Lux simply nodded. “Where’d you go?”
“Well I tried looking around town to see if anypony was around, but nopony and I mean NOPONY is here! It’s like...” she stopped mid sentence and attempted to offer a comparison. “It’s like an empty town.” She flashed a smile at Lux’s confused look.
“Well what do we do now?”
“We live Lux! We live.” Pinkie exclaimed, not really directing the comment at Lux, he looked strangely at the mare, before shaking his head and deciding that he should just start walking. “Wait for me!” Pinkie exclaimed as she bobbed after Lux.
“Really though, where do we go from here?” Lux asked, feeling a bit awkward walking next to a pony who appeared to be jumping in the air.
“We could loot more cakes.” Pinkie said with a very serious expression on her face.
“Don’t loot anymore cakes!” Lux replied.
“How about pies then?”
“No”
“You’re no fun.” She pouted.
“Well we’re kind of stuck in another world, right now, so forgive me if I don’t want to loot houses.”
“Apology accepted!” Pinkie said, flashing a big grin Lux’s way before happily hopping off.
“Colts and fillies I welcome thee!” The voice boomed across the sky like someone was using an air horn to deliver the message.
“What is that?” Lux asked.
“Well if you don’t hurry up, you won’t find out!” Pinkie said as she was already about a hundred meters ahead of Lux.
“Wait up!”
Both ponies raced to where the booming sound was coming from and ended up at the place where Pinkie had originally fallen. The tree was excessively large with a smiling Discord perched at the very top.
“I see our contestants have started coming, I ask that you applaud their entrance!” His voice boomed across Ponyville. Lux felt his spine shake each time he spoke a word. “Now let’s start with the introductions!” He snapped his fingers and an orange pony with a blond mane suddenly appeared in a flash of light. She looked disorientated and had to catch herself from falling,
“Applejack!” Pinkie yelled, waving excitedly at the pony.
“In this corner we have the spittoon spitting, sugarcube saying, apple picking mare known as Applejack!” He snapped his fingers and a sudden noise of applauds rang through out Ponyville like thunder. “Okay! That’s enough! She’s not that special! The applauds died down a bit. “I’m just kidding with you all, give her another round of applaud!” The applauds picked up even louder than before before Discord lowered his paw effectively ending the clapping sounds.
“Where am I?” Applejack asked grasping her head with one of her hooves.
“Not important at the moment!” He then snapped his talon again, and a new pony appeared this one was yellow in color with a pink mane. She fell over, completely disorientated by the experience.
“Look there’s Fluttershy!” Pinkie was becoming ecstatic and was now waving with both hooves wile standing on her back two.
“Like that pink mare keeps saying, this is the mighty Fluttershy! Her adorableness rivals that of hundreds of small bunnies! She has the ability to tame any animal, and gain the power of a small army when enraged!” Discord cackled as Fluttershy struggled to get up.
“Lets head over there.” Lux told Pinkie, but Pinkie was already halfway over there before Lux noticed. Sighing he raced over as a mass amount of d’awws and applauds complimented the appearance of Fluttershy.
“HI you two I missed you SO much, I mean an hour completely alone... oh well with Lux, but he didn’t want me to eat cakes or anything! I missed you guys so much!” Pinkie cried as she tightly hugged the two disorientated ponies.
Lux’s eye twitched at the comment about him, but didn't say anything and just shook his head.
“Pinkie, you’re okay!” Fluttershy finally said, a gleam of light flooding her eyes and the gleam of light turned into a tear as Fluttershy hugged back. Applejack mirrored the yellow pony.
“Okay you ponies are reunited, friends forever blah, blah, blah. Now back to the main reason everypony is here! Next up is:” He snapped his finger and a white unicorn appeared from no where and fell next to them.
“Oh dear!” the unicorn cried as she fell to the ground.
“Rarity!” Pinkie exclaimed as she raced over to the pony and tackled her in a hug.
“This my audience is Rarity, seamstress and dressmaker of Ponyville. She has the ability to... to well make dresses!” Discord yelled out.
There were many woah’s going through the crowd , and some sounds of awkward clapping.
“Nice crowd...” Lux remarked.
“Now we have the self proclaimed fastest in Equestria, even though she could never beat me personally in a race, Rainbow Dash!” Discord snapped his fingers again and a blue pegasus appeared from nowhere and landed on the ground with a thud.
“Hi Dashie!” Pinkie exclaimed as she ran over to her friend.
“She’s fast, she’s colorful, she’s Dash! With the power of rainbows on her side, what could stop her!” Discord laughed. “Now lets head over to the next pony! Fillies and gentlecolts, I would like to introduce you to the one the only Twilight Sparkle!” A purple pony was suddenly teleported into existence beside the ponies. For some reason, boos ensued and overtook any clapping if there was any for this pony.
Why are they booeing?
“This pony is Celestia’s personal apprentice, and she is one of the strongest unicorns in Equestria! She is also a buzz kill and was the main one that caused me to turn back into stone!” Discord threw a couple of pebbles over Twilight’s way. “But I am a more civilized person to hold that personally against her.” Clapping ensued as soon as he finished the comment.
“This guy sure has an ego.” Lux stated, watching the dancing draconequus.
“Now everypony should be acquainted with the other two ponies down there, but we should introduce them anyway! To the left is Miss Pinkie Pie! Possibly the only pony who has a sense of humor to match even my own!” A mass amount of clapping ensued, and Pinkie stood on her two hooves taking all the applauds by waving at an imaginary audience. “And the other pony is a pegasus this round that goes by the name of Lux! He had to trade his memory to play this game with me, and I know he’s going to be in for a shock when he gets it back!” Discord laughed and the laugh boomed across the town.
“What do you mean by shock!” Lux yelled at Discord. What does he know about my memory?
“Oh you’ll find out soon enough! My audience, here are you participants! This marks the end of Day Zero as you all know, and tomorrow the fun begins!” He snapped his fingers and Lux’s as well as everypony else’s vision went black.
“So for now... Good night.”
Alright here we are for Day One! We would really like to hear your views on our story, so please leave a comment whether it be a positive or negative. We had fun writing this, and we hope you have fun reading it. Thanks for reading!
Day One
“Wake up!” Lux heard from the outskirts of his mind. “Wake up Lux!” With hesitance Lux’s eyes opened revealing himself in a dark, absolutely bleak alleyway. He groaned as he rubbed his head. In front of him were two ponies. One was Pinkie staring at Lux intently.
She must have woke me up. Lux thought as he stood up. Lux took a look at the other pony. The other pony was the purple pony that had been introduced the day before. Twilight, I think her name was. She was leaning against one of the walls studying a note card intently. Weren’t there six other ponies though?
“What happened Pinkie?” Lux asked, quietly looking around.
“Well... first we were talking to Discord, and he was introducing us, and then there was like:” Pinkie stood on her hind legs and started clapping madly. “And then we were all like:” she then fell to the ground from standing on her hind legs.
“So we fell asleep?” Lux asked, slightly annoyed by the pink pony’s antics.
“Yes.” Twilight finally spoke up as she stood on her legs raising the note card to her eye level. “Apparently he made us fall asleep, and wake up in Canterlot, or well... something like Canterlot.” She spoke softly, still in thought, and still glancing around her.
“Is there something wrong?” Lux asked.
“Well, have you seen this?” Twilight asked as she levitated the note over to Lux. Pinkie hopped up in an attempt to see what the note was.
“Welcome to Day One! For now the true game has begun. Relinquish your inner fear, and show it to your peer. Will you be left behind in a trail of tears, or will you be looked down upon with leers. It’s anypony’s guess, and that’s why this game is the best. For what good is a game without a little shock? By the way don’t forget to listen for a tock.” Lux read the note aloud, and turned it over. “A sound will be the first light shone upon your path.”
“Yeah there is apparently two riddles...” Twilight said.
“Lux turned it back to the side showing the paragraph. “This is probably the main riddle.”
“Ooh! I know!” Pinkie cried out.
Lux and Twilight both turned to her with confused stares. “You know the answer to the riddle already?” Twilight asked.
“No! But I know what tock means!” Pinkie started to hop around in a small circle. “Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, goes the clock!” she sang happily.
“A clock...?” Lux said, thinking to himself. A time limit?
“What would a clock have to do with the riddle?” Twilight asked Pinkie. The pink mare stopped hopping around and shrugged.
“I dunno, but I know a clock goes tick-tock.” she said this,continuing to prance around.
Twilight stared at Pinkie for a few seconds to long, and started to laugh uncontrollably and hugged the pink mare. “We missed you Pinkie.”
“Gee Twilight I haven’t been gone THAT long.”
“You we’re out cold for seven days!” Twilight exclaimed.
Seven Days!? Lux thought shocked. Time must flow differently in this world. He looked around and tried to flap his wings to no avail. My wings still can’t catch any air for some reason. He thought this somberly as he walked a little bit out of the alleyway to get a better look at where they were.
“No I wasn’t silly! I was only in well... here for like an hour or two!” Lux heard Pinkie yell out behind him.
“... There must be something different about time in this world then...” Lux heard Twilight come to the same realization that he had.
Outside of the alleyway, there was a large street that seemed to be connected to many different buildings. “Wow! We really are in Canterlot!” Pinkie exclaimed as she hopped out of the alleyway.
Twilight turned to Lux and finally asked, “Who exactly are you?”
Lux turned to face her, stifling a laugh at seeing Pinkie dance around one of the vendor stands. “I don’t even know, I can’t remember anything besides my name.”
“How convenient...” Lux heard Twilight mutter. Twilight walked past him and into the street after Pinkie.
“What?” Lux asked himself as he followed after the two other ponies.
“No, no, no, no, no, NO!” Fluttershy was racing away. The trees were dense beyond belief, and not a single ray of sunlight, if the sun was even there, would be able to get through. She kept trying to flap her wings, but it didn’t uplift her like it usually did. Through Fluttershy’s cries, there was a steady thumping. Each thump brought with it a small tremor shaking a few leaves off of the trees.
“Twilight! Rainbow Dash! Pinkie! Applejack! Rarity! Anypony!” Fluttershy yelled out as the tremors came closer. Finally after running for a few more moments, she found a small light leading to an exit from the forest. Panting, she rushed out of the forest. She turned around and took a look back at the forest. Maybe it wont follow me. She thought hopefully. Her hopes were crashed in an instant however. The last tree was ripped out of the ground revealing what she had been running from.
Its snout was large, with teeth razor sharp and each tooth at least the size of a small pony. Its arms were bulky and long. Its tail stretched almost five meters as if it was a snake, it twisted and writhed around. The winds on its back stretched out like bat wings ready to summon a mighty gust. It was black as night everywhere but its eyes which were crimson in color. It was a dragon.
“Hello Fluttershy.” The creature snarled as it walked out of the thick forest. Fluttershy couldn’t speak. Her mouth was agape, and tears had already formed at her eyes.
“Y-y-y-you-you’re not re-real.” Fluttershy stammered uncontrollably.
“Why am I not?” His steps were precise. A predator circling its prey.
“Th-this is just a nightmare!” Fluttershy yelled out, backing away from the creature.
“Would you like to test your theory?” The Dragon hissed a low hiss as he stepped closer.
“I just have to wake up!” Fluttershy yelled at the creature.
“Let’s wake you up then...” The dragon said, a cynical smile appearing on the dragon’s mouth.
Canterlot felt even more strange with no ponies in it then Ponyville did. Lux noted this as he walked around the city. Buildings stood tall, and vendors stood ready with produce, but there was no pony there.
“What are we looking for?” Lux asked to the two other ponies. Twilight was looking at the riddle from all angles as if she somehow found the right angle, the note card would tell her the secrets to life. It’s a hopeless cause, Lux thought somberly as he looked around.
“Were looking for the tick-tock that marks the clock! Maybe even a clock tower!” Pinkie exclaimed excitedly as she skipped next to the two ponies.
“What would a clock have to do with it though?” Twilight asked as she read the line over.
“A time limit.” Lux pointed out. Twilight stared at him a bit confused then face hoofed herself.
“Of course! If the clock represents the time limit, then that doesn’t necessarily mean there is a clock around...”
“Right, but we shouldn't focus on that side right now anyway.” Lux said turning over the card to Twilight.
“You think this is more important?” Twilight asked.
“For right now at least...”
“What kind of “sound” would lead us to where we have to go?” Twilight asked looking over the note. Lux looked up, pondering the situation.
If you called the fire hot, that would have been a huge understatement. The fire reached high above the city below the blue pegasus, and she wanted to cry at what she saw. Her home, her past, her life was being consumed by an orange fire.
Cloudsdale.... Rainbow Dash thought as she stared at her home city. Buildings that once stood proud we’re crumbling because of the new heat. There has to be something I can do! Dash thought with a determined smile. Nothing bested her. Ever. She flew in at mach speed into the fire. Her speed by itself parted the flames in her way. When she flew back in to the air, the flames stood like two separate spirals engulfing everything in side them.
“Not on my watch!” Dash roared as she flew toward one of the columns of fire, leaving a rainbow trail following in her wake. She flew around the fire quickly creating a large gust. Soon Dash’s speed became so much that a tornado formed with the fire wrapping around it. Dash flew away from her creation, head held high.
“Now for the ne-” she started to say.
“You sure you want to do that?” A familiar voice asked.
Dash turned in shock to see Discord sitting on a lone cloud, holding his trademark smile on his face. “Discord?!”
“You remember me! That’ll make things so much easier! You know... no time wasting introductions, no need to explain my antics, just so much easier.” Dash felt like his eyes were staring into her soul.
“Well I’m sorry I don’t have time to catch up, but I have a town to save.” Dash exclaimed spitefully.
“Oh don’t let me stop you.” Dash got ready to take off. “But let me ask you, you ever think you’re doing more harm than good?” Discord asked the blue mare.
Dash’s face fell almost immediately. “What do you mean? That fire is encased in the tor-” The tornado that had separated and would inevitably snuff what ever flame was inside of it was now over run by fire. “NO!” Dash screamed as the the tornado made of fire started to incinerate what ever was left of the once proud town.
Discord cackled as he saw Dash’s face. Her eyes were downcast and her legs hung there aimlessly. “I must be off my blue friend, but just so you know, it has been fun. And remember... this was your fault.” Discord cackled as his image disappeared from Rainbow’s world.
“WHY DID IT TURN OUT THIS WAY?!” Dash screeched aloud.
A scream filled the three’s eardrums. The screech was incomprehensible and felt more like nails scratching on a black board then a pony. “What was that?” Lux asked as he unplugged his ears. Pinkie shrugged and Twilight looked in the direction it came from.
“Lets go find out.” Twilight told the other two as she raced toward whatever sound it was.
It didn’t take far to find where the sound had come from. Only a few blocks away there was a blue pony perched on one of the many benches in Canterlot, she was laying there and rolling and grunting.
“Hey! It’s Rainbow Dash!” Pinkie yelled excitedly as she started to skip towards her friend. A red aura swallowed Pinkie and dragged her back to the group.
“Something’s wrong...” Twilight voiced.
“Intelligent as always, my purple friend.” A voice said as it appeared beside Rainbow Dash. Discord’s smile was as cynical, and all-knowing as always.
“What did you do to Rainbow Dash?!” Twilight yelled at the creature.
“Nothing... well I guess that’s not necessarily true is it.” His smile grew with each passing word. “Dash, and your other friends have seemed to have gotten lost in the deep dark fears that they all hold inside them. Dash is just having some trouble cooperating with hers, so it seems. “
Before he knew what he was doing Lux bolted at Discord. Pinkie and Twilight reeled away shocked by Lux’s speed. Even Discord eyes widened a bit when he saw Lux’s takeoff. Lux crashed in to Discord tackling him into one of the neighboring buildings. “We’re not here to play your stupid mind games!” Lux yelled as he hit him in to the building. Lux’s eyes were red, strained, frustrated.
“Oh but Lux, that is your whole purpose in life.” A voice rang out from behind him. Lux turned to see a completely unscathed Discord standing there looking at him. “Inner rage is not a good thing, you may hurt someone.” He laughed as he sat down and looked toward Rainbow. “I wonder why you hold so much... angst toward this topic... Well, I shoudn’t say that, I wonder why you think you have so much resentment, I know why you do...” His smile grew until his sharp teeth were all visible.
Lux looked toward the ground dejected. What does he know about me? Why is he doing this? These thoughts ran through Lux’s head, and he had no idea what the answer was to these questions.
“Now back to my main point before being so rudely interrupted. Your friends are in a nightmare state, where they must face their inner most fears-”
“Then what about us?” Twilight said, despite Pinkie trying to shush her.
“You always want to ruin my fun, don’t you? I was going to have a big reveal, a maniacal laugh or two while I made sure you each face your own personal fear, but no. You have to ruin the surprise... fine. “ A sad frown had appeared on Discord’s face.
Pinkies scooted next to Twilight. “You should apologize.” she whispered.
“I’m not apologizing Pinkie!” Twilight exclaimed back.
“Doesn’t he look so sad though...?”
“It doesn’t matter!”
Wasn’t this supposed to be a serious topic. Lux thought to himself. That’s what makes Discord so dangerous though... his motives are never clear...
“It’s okay Ms. Pie, I don’t need an apology from her, but I would like to see something from her.” Discord snaps his talons and Twilight vanished immediately.
Pinkie jumped back and gave a quick “woah!”
“And I’m sorry Ms.Pie, but I can’t play favorites.” he said, his grin back. He snapped his talons and Pinkie disappeared as if she hadn’t been there.
“Where did you take them?” Lux yelled out.
Discord turned to face the grey pegasus. “Weren't you listening at all? There in their own nightmare... somewhere around here.” Discord said this, faking looking around.
“And me?” Lux yelled at Discord.
“Why I can’t compete with your worst fear. Your worst fear is such a devilishly handsome fellow, and such a fun fellow, that I wouldn’t dream of messing with him.” Discord cackled.
The fear. “What do you mean?” The paranoia when I first saw his picture. “I’m not scared of you...” The uneasiness that I felt when I first saw this darker world. “I don’t even know you...”
“Apparently your subconscious does.” His smile spread across his face, showing the dagger like teeth in his mouth. “Enough of that though... despite what you may think, I don’t want the game to end... at least not on the first day... What would I have to do if that happened?!” Discord simply shook his head at the thought.
“We’re just your playthings?!” Lux growled.
Discord laughed and leaned closer until he was only inches from Lux’s face. “You were never anything more.” He jumped back and sat down on the bench where Dash still resided. “A game isn’t fun without some competition, and is even less fun without a participant, so shall we start?” Discord sighed as his lion’s paw stroked the mane of the trembling Rainbow Dash.
“What did you have in mind?” Lux asked with a scowl.
“We have six ponies in different but equally horrendous nightmares... I want you to entertain me by trying to snap them out of it before their nightmare consumes them.” Discord picked at his teeth with his claw before kicking his feet up.
“You’re awfully upfront about this.” Lux asked skeptical.
“Am I?” His smile shined as he finished the last word. “Some of these fears may be a little too much for even you to handle my sweet Lux, and we cant forget the-” He snapped his fingers and a large clock resounded through the whole city.
“Tock? What’s the time limit?” Lux asked.
“That’s for you to decipher.”
“You going to tell me anything useful?” Lux groaned.
“Hm...” Discord put his talon to his mouth as if deep in thought. “Okay, what about this: each day requires seven, but only one a day do I make plans for Heaven. Something I must confess, is that everyday I pry on a weakness. For today is fear, and you must ask yourself whose weakness is fear my peer.”
“Couldn’t think of a clever last line?” Lux asked.
“I am the cleverest fellow of all the land, what you think is irrelevant.” Discord said proudly.
“How do you expect me to help these ponies anyways!?”
“This is my world, and I do make the rules fair... most of the time. Simply touch one of these comatose ponies and their dream you’ll experience. Lets see if you can snap them out of their terrors, and try to hurry it up, I imagine somepony around here who can’t take much longer.” He snapped his talon and his figure disappeared. “Have fun.”
Lux groaned. What is his angle? Is he really just doing this for fun? Lux walked up to the blue mare on the bench and touched her head. Lux felt his eyes roll back immediately, and he felt his legs crumble as his vision faded.
“What do you mean?” the white unicorn said in disbelief.
“This is the most horrendous work I have ever seen.” A group of ponies stated while looking through some of the unicorn’s dresses. “I mean silk with these jewels, simply hideous.” The leader of the pack said. The leader held a beige coat with a black mane and tail. Her hooves didn’t make a single sound as she stepped. “Maybe that’s why your store is located in this backwards town. A backward store for a backwards town.”
“You have no right to tell me that!” Rarity bellowed as she stomped her hoof.
“I have every right miss Rarity... If you ever want to sell your clothes outside of this country town, and ever make it to a higher status then now, it would take decades for you to perfect... this garbage.” The beige pony exclaimed, the ponies who appeared nearly identical, nodded in agreement. They were all white ponies with black suits and sunglasses on their face.
“Please... there must be something I can-” Rarity pleaded
“You can give up on this profession because your obviously unfit for it.” The beige pony flipped her mane as she prepared for her walk out of the store.
“Fléau! Please Don’t leave! There has to be something you enjoyed?” Rarity begged as the beige pony slammed the door behind her. Rarity was speechless.
Her review will kill me. I can kiss high society good bye. Rarity released a deep sigh before standing up. Each breath she took she felt a little bit of herself slipping out. What do I do? she crawled in to her bed and stared at the ceiling. I-Is this how my career ends? In failure...? Rarity buried her face in her pillow.
The warmth felt comfortable. However, it kept getting hotter, and hotter. “Can somepony turn down the heat?” He asked his eyes still shut. Finally he felt something touch his hoof, and streak of fire grazed his legs, and he jolted awake. His eyes were wide. “Ow!” He yelled out taking his hoof away from the fire.
What is this?! In front of him were the remains of a town that had burned down. Fire was still at some places, but it was obvious that there had been more before that. “What happened here?” Lux asked, starting to walk around the area.
This is Dash’s nightmare? Lux thought to himself as he saw that ash and soot were falling from the sky. Buildings were damaged if not completely collapsed. Tossed to the side of the streets were charred remains of a few ponies. Lux forced himself to turn away from the corpses in an attempt to keep the inside of his stomach from being hurled. After making sure his stomach was kept down he took another look around. Much of the ground that wasn’t covered by black or grey ash was covered by a dark dried red. Lux walked by trying to avoid glances at ponies who had been in awkward positions or at ponies who were charred to the bone.
I can see why this would be a nightmare. Lux thought, walking through the ruins of the city. After walking, he took another step, not looking where he was going, and felt no ground beneath his hooves. in shock he flinched back and saw that where he had stepped was the end of the city, no land passed it, just a dip. This city is floating?! he thought frantically looking over the curb. The city was many feet in the air. City for pegasi?
“Why... are you here?” an empty voice said from behind him. Lux turned quickly to see the blue mare. Her mane was ruffled beyond belief, and was black and grey around the edges. Her eyes were bloodshot red, from frustration or tears, Lux wasn't sure. Her winds flapped giving off the aura of melancholy.
“Are you Rainbow Dash?” Lux asked her as he stood up.
“Who... are you? How did you survive...?” Dash asked, her voice empty of any real emotion.
“I’m Lux, I’m here to get you out of this dream.” Lux said offering his hoof to shake with the mare.
“You’re a liar. You’ll just leave... like the rest of them... and it’s all my fault...” Dash’s face filled with an expression of pain as her wings dropped her to the ground.
“I can help you, this is all Disco-”
Dash pushed Lux in the chest off of the side of the cloud. “What would you know?!” she cried out.
Lux felt the rush immediately. I’m going to die. I’m going to die. I’m going to die. I’m going to die. His thoughts were frantic as the air passed through his wings.He flapped his wings, but they crumbled under the speed of the decent. The ground’s getting closer! his thoughts yelled at him.
The ground loomed closer, and he closed his eyes waiting for death. It never came. Pain did however. “AHHH!” Lux screamed as he heard his legs snap in at least ten different ways as he hit the ground. He crumbled to the ground immediately, unable to get up. He attempted to lift his legs, but they wouldn’t give. He bit his lip to prevent himself from screaming at the pain.
He saw a blue figure gliding down to where he was. She stared at him a bit cold. “You’re alive...?” she asked him.
“No thanks to you!” Lux roared as he crawled back to his feet. The pain was still there, but the bones had already mended back together. He took a long breath to try and calm the pain as he stood upright.
“Why aren’t you dead...?”
“I can’t die in here. Not in Discord’s game at least.” Lux cringed as the pain rushed up and down his legs.
“They’re dead though.” Dash gestured up towards Cloudsdale.
“They’re not real though.” Lux explained as he limped closer to Dash,
“They were my friends! How can you say they weren't real?!” Dash bellowed as she tackled Lux in a full on assault, bringing him to the ground.
“It’s just a dream!”
“You’re lying! I felt the fire! I saw the chemicals mix and explode, I saw the tornado destroy everything!”
Lux pushed against the mare, throwing her back in to the air. Her face was wet with tears that kept coming out.
“It’s all my fault! If I had been smarter. If I had been stronger then maybe... maybe I could of...” Dash sobbed as she fell tot he ground and her legs crumbled. Lux walked over and put his hoof on her head.
‘Snap them out of it before their fear consumes them’. How though? Lux thought as he sat next to the crying mare.
“Who are you?” Dash asked.
“Lux.”
“Why did you come here?”
“To get you out of here. Your friends are in trouble, and I want to help.”
“Why would you want to help?”
“I’m not sure, but do you really need a reason to want to help somepony?” Lux stood up and looked at Dash. “So come on, lets go find your friends and get them out of their nightmares.”
“I don’t know you, how can I trust you?” Dash said, her confidence still destroyed.
“You know my name, and what my plan is, you know about me as much as me as I do.”
“What do you mean?”
Lux pointed to his head. “About as empty as you can get. No memory in here.”
“How do we get out of here then?” Dash asked.
Lux looked back up to the ruins of Cloudsdale. “We go back up.”
Dash’s frightened look returned. “No!” She started cowering away from the very notion.
Lux scowled as his wings flapped quickly. There was something different about this world than the other one. I can catch the air! A smile appeared on his face as his wings lifted him up in the air for the first time in what felt like centuries. “This may be the only way out, and you would still rather not try it?”
“I don’t want to see it!” Dash bellowed.
“The confidence of a mighty flier broken by one mistake, not even a real mistake, her spirit broken by a possibility.” Lux stated solemnly as he rose further in the air.
“You don’t know me! I’m the fastest flier in Equestria, I am not broken!”
“Prove it then because we’re wasting time here bickering. What’s more important to you, your friends who need your help, or avoiding the thought of this possibility!?” Lux yelled at the mare.
Dash stared at the ground to avoid his gaze. “... You’re right.” Her voice was little more than a whisper. “I just don’t want to feel powerless.”
“Then prove your not powerless and come with me.”
“It’s not that easy!”
“Why isn’t it?! This is a nightmare Dash, nothing else! So while you’re here sulking in a corner, your friends are in danger of their own nightmares, and you’re too scared to help them? Is that it?” Lux yelled.
Something changed in Dash’s eyes as soon as he said it. Lux noticed it immediately and smiled. A new light entered her eyes and she stood up and her wings lifted her in to the sky.
“I’d rather experience this twenty more times then leave my friends high and dry!” As soon as she spoke the words, the destroyed Cloudsdale faded away as if it had never been there in the first place.
“You ready now?”
“Never been more ready!” Dash bellowed as a bright light enveloped the two ponies.
Pinkie sat alone at her white table. The cloth covered the table with small frills at the very edge of the table cloth. Before her sat five chairs each containing a single balloon. Each balloon had on it a painted smile that ranged in different shapes and sizes. Pinkie sat in her chair and stared at the table at loss for words. Where am I? She thought to herself as she sat up from the chair.
“Ooh balloons!” Pinkie exclaimed happily as she went to each balloon. Each balloon was a different color. One was a deep purple, another was a bright white, another was a rasp orange, another was a sky blue, and another was a buttery yellow. Pinkie looked at the balloons for a few seconds. I wonder who left these here... She looked around taking in the room she was in. The room was small and cramped, and most of all it was quiet enough to here a pin drop.
“Hello?” Pinkie called out, earning no response.
There was nothing on the walls, not a single door or window. The walls were colored a deep tan. What a boring color... Pinkie thought to herself as she returned her attention to the table.
Upon further notice the table had name tags in front of each of the six chairs. She started to read out the name tags. “Twilight, the smartest unicorn ever! but she still didn’t make it....” Confused, she continued on.
“Rainbow Dash is the best prankster,and the fastest in all of Equestria, but she didn’t want to come...”
“Applejack is so dedicated, but she said she was busy...”
“Rarity is always so fashionable, but she thought the party beneath her...”
“Fluttershy is so nice, but she just told me no...”
Pinkie looked around confused, and her eyes were stinging more and more as she read each passing note. Pinkie returned to the seat she started in and read out her note card.
“Now here I am... all alone.”
Fluttershy looked at the dragon that stood in front of her in wonder and in fear. Where do I go?! Her frantic thoughts were starting to get the best of her.
“Time for it to end.” The dragons sickening voice felt like acid running down Fluttershy’s back. The creature stepped to the point where it was in arms length of the frightened pony. Adrenaline pushing her, she dodged out of the way of slash, and started to run maniacally toward an orifice in the mountain.
If I can make it there than maybe... Her footsteps were silent compared to the small earthquakes the dragon behind her was making.
“No you don’t!” The dragon roared a breath of flame that missed Fluttershy by inches, but the dramatic increase in heat was enough to make Fluttershy cringe. Fluttershy galloped in to the cave and hid behind a wall made of broken rocks to avoid the possibility of getting hit by fire.
Please go away! Fluttershy silently prayed as she closed her eyes in desperation.
“You have to come out sometime!” The dragon’s cackle made Fluttershy bury her face into the ground.
“What’s wrong my sweet Fluttershy?” Discord said as he walked in front of the timid pony.
“Di-Dis-Discord! What are you doing here?!” Fluttershy stammered as she slowly raised her head to see the draconequues.
“Did you miss me?” Discord laughed as he gave a thumb up to the dragon just outside of the cave.
“A-ar-are you the reason for the d-dragon?” Fluttershy stammered.
“Bingo.”
“Why would you do such a thing? It seems very … unkind.” Fluttershy whispered.
“Oh I’m so sorry my sweet Fluttershy, would you like me to get rid of the scary dragon?”
“Very much so!” Fluttershy nodded quickly.
“That was a rhetorical question. Anyways how is it being in a cave?” Discord said, a scowl crossing his face.
“Well good, since I’m safe from the dragon.” Fluttershy said, smiling at the end of her comment.
“I’m the reason your in this situation, and your smiling at me?” Discord noted.
“I’m sure you had your reasons.” Fluttershy said, tapping her hooves together.
Discord stared at the mare for a solid three seconds. “And people say I was cheating.” Discord said as he shook his head.
“What was that?”
“Nothing... Anyways, no resentment, nothing?”
Fluttershy sat down and shook her head. “I’m fine for right now.”
Discord snapped his talons and the wall that was keeping them out of sight from the dragon disappeared. “How about now?”
Fluttershy noticeably tensed when the dragons smile appeared in the cave. “I-I’m fine.”
“I thought you’d be more fun.” Discord said with a scowl. “I mean this is the same pony that’s scared of her own shadow...” Discord shook his head. “It just doesn’t make any sense...”
“I’m sorry.” Fluttershy responded with a sad frown.
“It’s okay, I’ll just go meet up with Rarity or Applejack, or something.” Discord shrugged. “I’ll come back when it gets more interesting.”
“Bye.” Fluttershy said with a smile as Discord vanished away.
“Now back to our game of cat-and-mouse.” The hiss of the dragon ran through the tunnel.
“Um, I think I’ll stay in here for now, if you don’t mind.” Fluttershy said as she backed away further from the opening.
Lux’s eyes fluttered awake revealing Canterlot once again. “Ugh are we back in the well... wherever we are?” Lux groaned as he sat up. He looked around and saw Dash a few meters away looking around. “Sure hope so,” Lux yawned as he walked after Dash.
“Morning.” Dash said to Lux as he walked up.
There is something different about her now. Lux thought to himself. Dash seemed... there. A sparkle in her eyes that wasn’t there before had returned and was shining prominently. “Alright, we need to find the other five. We just need to find out where they are.”
“I can find them in a second.” Dash said proudly as she opened her wings and attempting to flap them to get herself in the air. Lux scanned the mare as she attempted to fly.
She can’t catch the wind either.
“What’s going on?” Dash exclaimed as her wings refused to lift her up.
“Discord must not like the idea of us flying.” Lux replied.
“How do we figure out where to go then?!” Dash said.
How do we figure out where to go? As if on cue a single note card fell from the sky, falling like a single snowflake. The note card fell to the ground in front of Lux. On the front of the card was a picture of Discord, which looked completely made up of triangles. It looked strange and appeared more reminiscent of a stained glass window design rather than a drawing. Well, he is a strange one.
The note on the other side held a single line: “If Dash has joined the party, then ask her where her betrayal was hearty.”
“What does that mean?” Lux asked Dash, she simply looked away avoiding the glances from Lux.
“Um... just follow me.”
The wind flowed across the hill, and would take Twilight's mane with her. Her expression was hard as she studied the five slabs of rock in front of her. Something has to be off... Twilight thought to herself as she studied each slab. They were grave markers. Twilight placed her hoof on one of them, and felt the cold smoothness that came from it. The chill scared her, and she flinched away immediately.
This has to be a trick. the soft grass beneath her her hooves prickled at the bottoms of her feet. This can’t be real... can it? “Is that really you guys?” calling her voice a whisper, would have been an overstatement. Her voice was almost silenced by the small breath of wind behind her.
“Looking at each slab of stone made her worry more and more. Each was marked with a name that made her stop dead to scan it. “Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity... This isn’t real right?” Twilight asked almost silently as she walked up to each stone. Each second she looked at it, she felt her heart drop that much more.
“Was there something I could have done?” Twilight whispered to the grave markers. “Maybe a spell or a skill? Would something like that have kept you all alive?” She sat in the middle of the five grave markers and pawed at the ground nervously.
“If I was a better friend, would this have happened?”
Lux followed the blue figure in front of him. Dash had been leading the way for the past ten minutes and walked with reluctance in her step, not wanting to relieve whatever moment she was taking him too.
“What are you hiding from me?” Lux asked, eager to get it out in the open. Better sooner than later.
“Well, it was kind of a mistake on my part...” Dash whispered. They walked in front of the glimmering castle that stood remarkably high.
Are we heading to the garden? Lux thought to himself as they passed the castle, and were heading to the stream of bushed beside it.
“Before we sealed up Discord, he played a game with us using the maze in the garden. In the garden I did something that I'm not really proud of.” Dash said to Lux as they walked up to the beginning of the maze. Lux took a look and was amazed by its size, It made everything else seem small in comparison, and Lux could only imagine how immense the inside was.
“What did you do?” Lux asked calmly.
“I-I bailed...” Dash was reluctant to answer, but then faced Lux. “I'm different now, I don't leave my friends on their own... it was a mistake.” Dash lowered her gaze. Lux looked at her calmly.
This must have been on her mind for some time. “I'm sure they don't hold it against you.” Lux told the blue mare.
“I really hope they don't, I've felt bad about it since the day it happened...” Dash gave an awkward laugh as she continued on in the maze. “Enough with all that emotional stuff, come on lets go find his stupid answer.” Dash said as they wandered through the maze.
The maze lived up easily to Lux's expectations. It was as puzzling as it was immense. Dash was able to traverse the maze rather easily, only making a couple of wrong turns, and even then, she was able to correct herself right afterward.
“You can really see the different pathways when you fly over it!” she would say when they went through an unusual pattern of turns. “I guess I just have a knack for remembering the ways.” Dash said, obviously glad to be able to remember the way.
We must be about the half way point now. Lux noted as they entered a round circle in the maze.
“Over in this next pathway should be what Discord was talking about.” Dash motioned for him to follow. He took a look around and saw something catch his eye in the distance. It was a tall clock tower that stood in the center of Canterlot.
How much time is left? Do we even have any time left? Is there even a time limit? Lux unable to answer the questions that scratched at his mind, followed Dash into the hall way.
There Dash stood with a smug look on her face because plainly visible in the middle of the hallway stood a chest. The chest was rather large and was a customary brown chest with a black metal outline.
“Want to do the honors?” Lux asked the blue pony as they both reluctantly stepped toward the chest.
“I'm perfectly fine if you wanted to do it.” Dash said, holding up her hoofs, in an “I don't want to touch that” motion.
“Fine, fine.” Lux sighed as he carefully pried open the chest. What was inside almost made him laugh. Almost. In the chest was a sleeping mare. A sleeping white unicorn to be exact. She was clutching on to five individual rocks which littered the remaining floor space of the chest. “And this is...” Lux looked through his memory of the introductions and came with the name. “Rarity.”
“Yep, and it looks like Discord likes his old jokes...” Dash said aloud with a small smirk on her face.
“What do you mean?”
“The rocks... they were just something he did with her the first time.” Dash explained as she turned her attention to the sleeping figure. “So... how do we, you know... help?”
“We enter her dream...”
“Oh, thanks for that sound plan.”
“Well... if you put your hoof on her then you supposedly enter. I mean, that's what Discord said, and it worked when I place d my hoof on you.” Lux replied. Not waiting to see if Dash was on board, he placed his hand on the purple mane of the white unicorn and felt his consciousness slip away.
“What in tarnation are you talking about?” A particular orange pony called out to the town of Ponyville. Ponies walked around disregarding her with their heads stuck up looking away from her.
“Don’t feel bad Applejack, it’s just that your not needed anymore.” The mayor told the orange pony, a cynical smile on her face.
“Me and mah family have sold apples here fur generations!” Applejack told the mayor.
“Well, some of our citizens have been complaining about you.”
“What in tarnation would they have tah complain about?! Our apples are top quality!”
“You’re going to make me say it aren't you?” She heaved a small sigh. “It’s you who they have a problem with.”
“Me?! Why would they have a problem with little ol’ me?”
“Because of that!”
“Because of what?”
“The way you speak, the way you act, there’s no place for that here.”
“You can’t just discriminate against me!”
The mayor shook her head. “Can’t you just leave with some dignity, you can ask anyone around here. They don’t want you here you hick.” The mayor gave a yawn at the shocked face that had wretched itself on Applejack’s face. “Now if you excuse me, I must be going. I expect your little cart to be picked up and and gone by the time I get back, or their will be consequences.” The mayor gave a slight yawn as she walked away.
“Well, Ah’ve been selling apples fur years, ain’t no pony has ever stopped me before!” Applejack said proudly as she set up her shop.
Three hours passed and not a single pony came to her little cart. Why isn’t anypony comin’? Her breath was shallow and her eyes were wide. Am Ah really not welcomed here? After a few more minutes a familiar pony came in to view. “Lyra! Sugarcube, come ‘ere fur a sec.” The light green pony showed a micro expression of disgust, but came over anyway.
“Why hello there sugarcube!” Applejack said with a bright smile, trying to look as friendly as possible.
Lyra leaned in close to where she was only a few inches away from Applejack. “Why are you even here? Didn’t the mayor come talk to you?” Applejack’s blood turned to ice.
“You... you don’t want me here?”
“Don’t give me that look! Ponyville is becoming busier than usual, and we... well thought... it’d be best for everypony if you just left.” Lyra not wanting to say anything else, left Applejack with her shocked expression.
“Where are we?” Lux groaned as he and Dash stood up in a place surrounded by pony mannequins. The area was tense with many of the windows drawn, letting in very little, if any light.
“This looks like Rarity’s store...” Dash said as she began to look around.
“Store? It looks like it hasn’t been used in months...”
“Yeah it’s usually... um, cleaner.” Dash said as she wiped some dust off of a mannequinn. “Rarity! You in here?!” Her voice echoed through the store.
“Lets get out of here... this place looks abandoned.” Lux said as he opened the door out of the store, and stopped short.
“What’s wrong?” Dash asked, walking up to him.
There was a note placed on the store’s door. “This property has been foreclosed on.” was all the note read.
“What is this?” Dash asked.
“A foreclosure notice... apparently Rarity doesn’t live here anymore.” Lux noted as he walked out of the store. “Do you know somewhere Rarity would have gone?”
Dash shook her head. “No idea.”
Lux scanned the street in front of them. It’s... colorful? He thought to himself as he looked around. Despite the bleakness of this nightmare, everywhere was filled with color and was lit up by a sun in the sky. Why is there a sun here?
“Wow... it looks like we’re in the real world...” Dash noted. She looked around outside, and saw exactly what he was looking for. In one of the shadows of a building sat a white pony, covered in dirt, wrapped in a tan blanket. “Come on!” Dash beckoned to Lux as she ran toward the pony.
When they walked up to the pony, she didn’t make a single sound. “You sure that’s her?” Lux asked, not being able to really recognize her.
“Messier than I’ve ever seen, but yep that’s the same purple mane as always.” Dash said as she tapped Rarity’s shoulder.
Rarity gruffed and shivered. “Please.. don’t bother me.” Her voice was rasp and unpleasant.
“Rarity! It’s me, Rainbow Dash!” Dash called to her.
Lux looked around and saw that everypony around them was walking back as if there was nothing unusual seeing a pony here. He then looked to the side of Rarity where there was a notebook with a small mound of crumpled up papers. Under the papers you could make out the basic shape of a white cat. “What are these?” Lux wondered, picking one of the papers up.
Rarity instantly jolted up and knocked the piece of paper out of his hooves. “Don’t touch these... these disasters!” Rarity yelled. The paper uncrumpled a bit when Rarity hit it, and on the piece of paper was a picture of an immaculate dressed decorated with brightly colored jewels.
“This is awesome, what are you talking about?!” Dash asked picking up the piece of paper before Rarity could get it.
“It’s horrible! A travesty to fashion everywhere, and I’m ashamed to even have drawn it!” Rarity’s speech slurred toward the end as it mixed with her sobs. Her eyes were dark with bags. Her mane while the shiny purple it had always been, was muffled. Her coat looked grey now rather than her snow white color, each spec of dirt showing clearly on her coat.
Lux walked up to the confused mare and placed a hoof on her head, silencing her immediately. “What happened? Tell us from the beginning.” He said his voice calm and even.
Rarity silenced immediately and stared at the two ponies. “It’s gone... everything is gone. My dream. My life. My goal. I don’t have any talent..., I don’t even know why I tried...” Her voice cracked and her hooves hung beside her limp body, motionless.
“This is talent right here though.” Lux said, picking up the crumpled piece of paper.
“You don’t know anything about fashion darling, this is utter trash, and now... so am I.” Rarity heaved a sigh as her cat climbed out from under the mound of paper and curled up next to her. “At least Opal has always been here for me.”
“Rarity, you’re better than this.” Dash said with a scowl.
“Maybe in the past, when I knew I had something to live for...”
“This is pitiful.” Lux said plainly as he lifted the white mare up. “Are you that afraid of failure?”
“This isn’t some game! This is my life’s work! My dream! And it’s gone!” Rarity screeched at him.
“Rarity, this is a nightmare. None of this is real, but even then, would you just give up on your dream if this was real?” Lux asked her.
“I haven't given up, I draw designs all the time!”
“Yet you haven’t implemented any of them, and still thrown them away like their trash?” Lux put her down finally and pulled some of the picture she drew. “This, this, and this, all of them look amazing, yet you still wont bother giving any of them a try.
Rarity turned her head up. “None of these are good, that’s why I don’t create them.”
“Rarity... How did you end up here?” Dash asked her.
“I... I stopped making dresses after Fléau came...”
“Fléau?” Lux asked, and Dash simply shrugged.
“She’s only the most acclaimed designer in all of Equestria!”
“What a beautiful name.” Lux said sarcastically as he walked up to Rarity. “So you wouldn’t create any more dresses after one pony told you she disliked it?”
“If I can’t appease one pony, then surely more will follow... Then what? I’ll end up being a washout designer, stuck where I am forever.”
“You’re not a washout Rarity.” Lux told her as he picked up more of her designs,
“Then what am I?”
“A designer, that scared of seeing her work fail...” Lux picked her up to where she was standing on her all fours.
“Who are you?”
“I’m a...” Lux started, but fell silent, not knowing what to say.
“He’s a friend.” Dash finished for Lux.
Rarity started to walk toward the store she used to have. Ponies stopped in the middle of their walking to gaze as she stepped back in to store. Each pony had a smile on their faces, as she went inside.
“What is she going to do?” Lux asked, walking up to the store.
“I’m... not sure.”
Sounds erupted in the store, and the door flew open with Rarity her coat clean, and white as snow. Her mane combed back giving off a sheen. and she was holding glasses with a ruler wrapped around her neck. She carried out a sewing machine and a mannequin telekinetically.
Lux stood with his mouth agape at what she did next. Rolls of fabric spilled out of the house, and started to swirl in the air. Soon the ruler was flying around with the scissors and cutting with precision. Everypony around was staring with expectations in their eyes, and each and every expectation was fulfilled. Rarity worked quickly, no piece of fabric unneeded, no movement of scissors not perfectly planned and executed.
Elegant. That was the only word Lux could think of as Rarity smiled with her instruments flying around her. When Rarity finished, the dress came onto the mannequin. It’s perfect. He thought with a smile as he applauded with Rainbow Dash and the other ponies around them. Rarity let out a breath of relief and smiled at everypony. She looked toward Lux and Dash and nodded her head. Thanks.
Lux leaned back in satisfaction and gazed into the sky where a sun had appeared from behind a cloud. The sun started to shine brighter and brighter till Lux’s vision was filled with light.
“You sure are taking your time Lux.” A familiar voice jolted him awake. He was face to face with Discord, and the draconequues was holding him about five feet off the ground.
“I don’t particularly like waking up to your face. I thought I would share that.”
“At least you’re funny, that’s always good.” Discord said, dropping the grey pegasus. “Back to what I was saying, I am a very easy to bore draconequees, and I really prefer if you keep things interesting for me.”
“Sorry If I’m not keeping you entertained.” Lux grumbled.
“It’s no problem at all.” Discord said waving his talon in front of Lux. “I am curious of how you are going to solve the last pony’s fear though.”
“And who is the last pony?” Lux asked.
“All in due time.” Discord laughed as he snapped his talon and three new note cards appeared, both having his insignia on them.
“Three?”
“Like I said, you are taking too long for my tastes. So, I figure why not have a bout with you excluded?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well you have seemed to take the leadership role, and I’m curious to see if these two ponies whom you ‘saved’ from their nightmares are any good at playing the game without you in it.”
“What makes you think that we won’t just solve the three problems together?”
Discord snapped his talons and a clock appeared in his hand. “You get one hour for you and your sleeping friends there to get to each of the three ponies and enter in to their dream and save them.
“What happens if we can’t get to them in time and save them?”
“Well then you’ll lose three ponies on your first day.” Discord gave a large smile as he was getting ready to play the game.
“You would kill the three fillies just because of this stupid game of yours?!”
“HELLO! Have we not met? I’m Discord, patron of disharmony, good looks, and awesome games. Nice to meet you!”
“Give me the notes!” Lux growled.
“I knew you’d see it my way.” Discord laughed as he handed the notes to Lux. “You can choose which riddle to go after, I honestly don’t care.” Discord said as he shrugged. He snapped his talon and the clock gave a sharp sound and started its countdown. “See you in an hour, and I expect to see you with three new ponies. “ He laughed as his body disappeared.
Not good! Lux thought frantically as he quickly woke up Rarity and Rainbow Dash. Their eyes fluttered awake easily, but they still look groggy as they sat up.
“What’s the deal?” Dash groaned.
“We have a problem! We have three ponies to save and one hour to do it in!” Lux remarked as he handed the ponies the three riddles. The two ponies jolted awake at the idea of a time limit.
“What happens if we can’t save them in the hour?” Rarity asked.
“Well then we’ll be short three ponies by the end of the day.” Lux said grimly.
“Ah! I know this one!” Rarity exclaimed excitedly as she picked up one of the note cards.
“What is the riddle?” Lux asked.
“In the gardens alone, where they laid me to rest the princesses of stone.” Rarity recited as she picked up the note card.
“Princesses of stone?” Dash asked her.
“If there’s an actual time limit, then I don;t have time to explain.” Rarity stated. Lux nodded as he took a look at his note card.
“How about you Dash do you know the other note?” Lux asked.
Dash scanned the note, and a smile appeared on her face. “I know exactly where to go.” Dash exclaimed.
“Whats the note?” Rarity asked.
“Where your feet are fleet, where the fastest is the one to beat.” Dash said, already ready to run off.
“What does your note say?” Rarity asked.
Lux scowled looking at the note. Of course. “Back to the start of Day One, where it began: the fun.”
“You know where to go?” Rarity asked, confused by the note.
“Yeah I’m fine, lets meet up with together after we save them. Deal?”
“Deal” the other two said in unison. Rarity ran back towards the castle with Dash heading downtown.
“Well guess I’m going this way right?” Lux sighed.
***********
Lux galloped through the streets of Canterlot that made him truly feel alone in the grey world. No time for self-pity! I have a job to do. It didn't take him ten minutes to find the alleyway where the day had started, but even ten minutes was a little long for what he had to do next. I hope this can end quickly. He turned in to the alley and almost face hoofed himself. This wont end well. He thought to himself as a particular lavender pony’s sleeping figure came in to his view.
“Hey there, Twilight.” Lux said as he trotted closer. I knew Discord was sadistic, but sending me to help the pony who’s already cautious of me. By myself no less. Lux sighed as he placed his hoof on the top of Twilight’s mane. Twilight was shuffling a bit strangely, but then again so were the other mares when they were experiencing their nightmares.
Time for another nightmare, He thought to himself as he felt his eyes roll back, and his consciousness slip away.
“Now where could that garden be?” Rarity whispered to herself as she trotted trough the gardens outside of Canterlot castle. The gardens were as immense as ever. If you didn’t know what you were looking for you could get lost for hours, let alone the single hour that the group had.
“There you are!” Rarity exclaimed as she ran in to one garden in particular that had statues everywhere. “In the gardens alone, where they laid me to rest the princesses of stone.” Rarity recited as she stopped in front of a statue of the reason they were all in this mess.
“Hello Discord.” Rarity said to the statue. “Princesses of stone... it wasn’t to hard to figure out if you remember the resentment you held toward the princesses.” Rarity thought aloud as she placed her hoof on the statue. “Now how do we find the pony we’re supposed to find here?” Rarity asked, getting up on the statue.
Before climbing any higher, the statue’s eyes shone gold instead of its grey color. Without a second delay the statue erupted in to many different pieces. Rarity lifted her legs, protecting her eyes from the shards that were coming from the small explosion.
“Little flashy, don’t you think.” she said as she brushed herself off. In the middle of the debris was a familiar orange pony with a blond mane. “Applejack!” Rarity exclaimed as she walked up to the orange pony. A smile was held tight across her mouth as she stared at her friend.
“Um... what now?” Rarity asked. “Um... wake up?” she said to the sleeping figure of her friend. “Oh dear... what do I do now?” Confused by what she was supposed to do, she tapped Applejack’s shoulder. “Wake up Appl-” She didn’t finish what she was saying. The effects were immediate and her eyes rolled back, bringing herself to sleep.
**********
“I don’t want to ever do that again.” Rarity yawned as she stood up. She looked around and saw herself in Ponyville. Déjà vu. She thought to herself as she took a look around. Similar to her nightmare most of the ponies were walking around normally as if nothing was different.
“Applejack?” Rarity called out.
“Ew... you’re looking for Applejack?”
Rarity turned around to see a tan pony with a blue mane with a single pink stripe going through it. The same for her tail.
“Why hello there Bon Bon. Have you seen Applejack?” Rarity asked.
“I haven’t seen that hick for almost a week, it’s been great!” The tan pony exclaimed.
“My! That's some foul language to call your friend!” Rarity responded, raising her hoof to her mouth.
“Rarity! YOU are sticking up for the country folk?! I think I’ve seen everything now!” The tan pony laughed as she walked away from Rarity.
“What is going on here?” Rarity asked herself, shaking her head. Almost by instinct, she started walking toward Sweet Apple Acres. Everypony who knew what direction she was heading in, started scoffing at her. How rude...
After about ten minutes of walking the farm came in to view, and Rarity stopped right where she was, her mouth agape in shock by what was in front of her. How can somepony be this cruel?
In front of her the farm was covered in eggs, written on with anything you could imagine, there were holes everywhere, and on the side of it was clearly stated. “DON’T COME BACK TO OUR TOWN!” Rarity, unsure of what to do, ran toward the farms.
At the farms Big Macintosh and Granny Smith sat there packing up large suitcases. Apple Bloom was in the corner of the farm wiping tears from her eyes.
“What’s been going on?” Rarity asked, running up to the three. They noticeably flinched when she came up.
“Are yah here just tah tell us about the expanding town and how we don’t fit in anymore?” Apple Bloom spat.
“What ever could you mean?”
“Now Apple Bloom, be nice, we should always be respectful.” Granny Smith scolded.
“Why should we be respectful tah these ponies who don’t treat us with any respect!” Apple Bloom yelled, running away right after she said her last syllable. Granny Smith started to slowly chase after the small filly, but Apple Bloom was obviously quicker.
Rarity walked up to Big McIntosh. “Is Applejack in the barn?” Rarity asked.
“Eeyup.” He said solemnly, returning to packing his stuff.
Rarity gave a nod of thanks and started to walk over to the barn. Looking at the barn almost made her cringe. It was utterly broken, unusable in its current state. She walked over to the door which had a huge hole in the middle of it, which looked to be caused by a stray brick. I hope Applejack is okay. She tried opening the door, but the door wouldn’t move an inch.
“Applejack?” Rarity called out.
“Go away!” Applejack’s voice rang out.
“I just want to talk!”
“I don’t wanna talk!”
Rarity scowled as she tried to pry open the door again. Unable to do so, she turned her attention to the hole. It might be big enough... She thought to herself. But it’s covered in egg ooze...
“Applejack, I just want to talk to you, I promise I won’t say any of those hurtful things.”
“Maybe it’s not hurtful tah you!” The voice shot back
Rarity heaved a sigh. For Applejack. She squeezed in to the hole and felt the egg slide down her back. She held in a squeal and slid in to the barn, cringing as the egg slid on to her face. How disgusting. She shivered while she walked deeper in to the barn. Applejack was in one of the far corners of the barn staring at her hat, and twirling it in her hooves.
“Applejack!” Rarity called as she raced to the farm pony.
“I told you not tah come in here!” she replied.
“Applejack, I just want to help.”
“You just wanna mock me! Like all the others! You just want to put a label on me and make sure Ah leave, right?!”
“Of course not! What would make you think that?!”
“All you ponies are acting the same... One day we’re all happy together, and the next y’all telling me that ah ain’t good enough for your town. “
“Applejack, this is a dream...”
“If only.”
“DO you honestly think any of this is real? DO you think that Ponyville would actually-” Well you thought that your business would surely fail. Rarity’s voice failed her once the thought ran across her mind. “Listen Applejack, this is just a nightmare. Just your nightmare! That’s all it is.”
“Yur crazy! This feels too real tah be a dream.”
“This is your worst fear isn’t it?”
Applejack seemed to find a renewed interest in her hat at this point.
“I know this is a nightmare because I just went through the same thing. My store closed and I thought my self a failure, b-but you can get over these things.”
“So Ah’m just supposed tah get over people calling me a hick!? Labeling me and discriminating me?” Applejack yelled.
“No, of course not. It’s your fear, and you’ll have to live with that as a possibility..., but you can’t stay here in this barn!”
“At least Ah was always safe in this barn.”
Rarity let out a laugh. “This isn’t real safety! This is you trying to escape from fears that you have, and are too scared to face them!”
“How would you know?!”
“I just went through it! I spent what I thought were weeks withdrawn from the world, whole up in my little ‘barn’ not wanting anything to do with the world because I didn’t want to fail again.”
“Rarity, why does everything have tah be about you?” Rarity’s eyes widened at the comment.
“I-I’m just trying to help you!”
Applejack just shook her head, shrugging off Rarity. “Ah just want yah tah leave me alone.”
Rarity looked away, inhaled a deep breath, and returned ready for a stare down. “Do you hear yourself!?” she screeched at the orange pony. “We have friends that need our help, and you’re holed up in here, not budging an inch? What kind of friend are you?!”
“Don’t come in here telling me tah be a better friend!”
“Well you obviously need a lesson in one!”
Applejack turned away from Rarity, and stared downcast at the table in front of her. “Why won’t yah leave me alone? Everypony else has.”
“I’m- we’re your friends Applejack, we won’t leave you, and we definitely won’t label you like these ponies here would.”
“Ah want to believe you Rarity, ah really want to, but it feels so real here.”
“I know it does...” Rarity walked over to Applejack and placed a hoof on her shoulder. “This is supposedly our worst fear after all, the absolute worst possible thing.” They both shared a small laugh.
“So now what?” Applejack asked as she stood up.
“First, lets get out of this damp barn.” Rarity said.
“Gotta get Ms. Priss out, don’t we?” Applejack laughed.
“Why of course, I love you a lot dear, but I still don’t like barns.” Rarity laughed as they walked toward the barn entrance.
Applejack stopped short just before they were about to exit the barn. “Rarity, what is it like outside of here?”
Rarity stopped short, “I can’t tell you, I’ve only been out there for a half hour if that...” The time limit! Rarity thought to herself. “We have to hurry and make sure Dash and Lux get back!”
“Lux?”
“I’ll explain when we get out! But right now we have to go!”
Applejack, sensing the urgency nodded. “Lets go then.” she said determined. They both rushed the door, and as the door opened revealing a light that enveloped them.
“Okay, not cool!” Dash was fed up. She had followed the riddle to the arena where the Wonderbolts always had their competitions. This place is huge, where am I supposed to look?! She thought grimly as she walked through the stands of the arena. After checking out the actual arena and finding nothing she started looking through the stands, still finding nothing.
“It’s already been twenty minutes!” Dash groaned as she looked around some other chairs. Finding nothing, she sat down, and took out the riddle once more.
“Where the fastest is the one to beat,” was the part of the riddle that turned Dash onto this arena. At the time she figured the first part was supposed to only represent the same thing. “Fleet would coincide with speed...” She studied the riddle “Where your feet are fleet.” Wait... She looked at the word “feet” for a second longer than necessary to read a word. “Feet... foot. Fleetfoot?” Dash thought aloud studying the card.
What is the note wasn’t just directing me to the arena? What if... Dash eager to try out her theory raced down toward the arena. Once she hit the arena she headed towards the locker rooms. Maybe, just maybe...
The locker room was a quaint little room with lockers each having a respective name tag on it. Dash immediately dashed toward the one that said in bold print “Fleetfoot.” She opened the locker. I don’t have time to be wrong, please be right. As soon as she opened the locker door a pink pony fell out of the locker and toppled out .
No time for a victory dance just yet. Dash thought with a smile, as she touched Pinkie’s mane. Already expecting it, her consciousness faded quickly. I wonder what Pinkie is scared of.
*****
“Hi there... Rainbow Dash.” Dash’s eyes opened revealing her in a room that looked like the inside of a cardboard box. No windows, no doors, and each wall a boring tan color coating each wall.
“Pinkie, great your already here!” Dash said with a smile as she stood up. Why is her mane down? Pinkie’s mane looked as if it was straightened. It’s just like that one time...
“You just appeared... did you come for my party maybe? The balloons are such good company though... I wouldn’t want to abandon them.” Pinkie put extra emphasis on the word abandon before happily skipping off to her table.
“Uh, Pinkie? What’s wrong?” Dash asked her pink friend.
“You want to know what’s wrong?! I’ll tell you whats wrong! I have all of this tea, and I have NO SUGAR!” Pinkie screeched as she threw one of her tea cups across the room. The tea cup sailed through the room and shattered once it hit the wall. As soon as the cup broke, its shards disappeared, and reappeared in front of Pinkie, fully rebuilt. “And then! This is the worst part! You see the pie in the middle of the table?!”
“Uh Pinkie... there is no pie in the middle of the table.”
“EXACTLY! So you see my dilemma!” Pinkie yelled as a shiver ran through her.
“Pinkie your creeping me out, more so than usual I mean.”
“I don’t know why! I mean I’m just minding my business with all of my real friends right here!” She gestured to the balloons around the table. “That’s Twilight 2.0, that’s Applejack 2.0, that’s Rarity 2.0, that’s Fluttershy 2.5-”
“2.5?”
“Oh well she popped earlier, and it didn’t feel right calling her 2.0 anymore.”
“Hmm okay...”
“Don’t you want to know what the blue one’s name is?!” She exclaimed with a smile spread across her face. The smile however looked much more forced then the Pinkie that was there before.
“Um is it Rainbow Dash 2.0?”
“Ooh you’re so close! But nope it isn’t! It’s actually Bob, isn’t Bob a terrific name for the balloon?” Pinkie asked as she started to prance around the table.
“So I don’t have a balloon?” Dash asked trying to avoid looking directly at Pinkie.
“Well you did... But then Bob came about, and I just love him so much more.” Pinkie cooed toward the blue balloon.
“You replaced us all with balloons?”
“Nope, the balloons were ALWAYS here for me, but you all just decided to leave, but it’s fine. I‘m absolutely perfect! Except for the you know... NO SUGAR!” Pinkie yelled as she grabbed a tea cup and threw it at the wall again.
What is going on? Rainbow Dash thought with a feeling between concern and fear . It doesn’t matter, I just need to snap her out of it before the time limit... Pinkie, we’re always here for you, you should know that. Remember your birthday party?”
“I remember Rocky! He was such a cute rock! And Mr. Turnip was so funny that day!” Pinkie started to convulse sporadically as she jumped on to the table.
“Pinkie calm down!” Dash yelled at the pink mare. “This is just a dream! it’s just your fantasy!”
“I’m caught in a landslide with no escape from reality!” Pinkie sang awkwardly as she started to dance around the table.
“What?!”
“Discord! I know you’re there! Get over here and bring me my pie! Fluttershy 2.5 demands it!”
“Pinkie, we don’t have much time... You have to settle down, and come with me... we have to make sure our friends are safe.” Dash says, slowly getting closer to the pink mare.
“What are you talking about!? All of my friends are right here!” Pinkie laughed maniacally as she gestured to the balloons around her.
“Pinkie these are balloons!” Dash roared.
“Bob protect me!” Pinkie yelled as she threw the blue balloon at Dash. They both watched as the balloon simply floated to the ceiling as soon as Pinkie let go of it. “You’re such a scaredy cat Bob, but I still love you!”
“Pinkie, you can’t be friends with these balloons...”
“Says Rainbow Dash 1.0.” Pinkie huffed as she picked up the purple balloon and started to twirl with it.
During one of Pinkie's twirls she kicked off a piece of paper toward Dash. Dash picked it up and read aloud. “Rainbow Dash is the best prankster,and the fastest in all of Equestria, but she didn’t want to come...” Oh Pinkie...
“Pinkie, we’re all here for you whenever you need us. We sat at your bedside hardly ever leaving for seven days when you were in a coma.” Dash said to her. The pink mare paid no heed to the blue pony though.
“What if they made a cupcake that was all bubblegum? Too where each time you chewed it, it would taste like a cupcake, but you could continuously eat it because it was gum?” Pinkie asked to no one in particular as she danced what appeared to be the tango with the balloon.
“Pinkie are you even listening to me?!”
“No”
Dash face hoofed herself. “Why wont you listen to me?”
“Because Twilight 2.0 is too purple for me to hear you!” Pinkie yelled out.
We don’t have much time. Dash thought grimly. Pinkie continued to dance wildly on the table. Well here goes nothing. Dash jumped on to the table and hugged Pinkie from behind. Pinkie stopped moving immediately, her bodacious singing abated quickly and she fell limp.
“Dash 1.0 I’m sorry you five don’t like me.”
“You crazy pony, we all love you.” Dash said.
“I’m sorry... I know that I’m a hassle...”
“You’re not a hassle, and each of us would tell you the same thing.”
“I-I-I don’t wan t-to be al-alone.” Tears started streaming out of her eyes. As soon as she said it, each and every balloon in the room popped one by one. “I don’t want to be alone!” she yelled again with conviction.
“Pinkie, we’re your friends, we wouldn’t leave you.”
“Everypony always says that though, ‘we wont leave you, we won’t judge you, we’ll always be here’. It’s always a lie...”
“Pinkie I can promise you that we wont be going anywhere without you.”
“Please keep your promise...” Pinkie said through sobs.
“Of course we will.” The two stood there for a solid three minutes
“Thank you Dash.” As soon as Pinkie uttered the words, the room faded away.
*******
“Dash come on!” Pinkie exclaimed as she tried to pull the blue mare out of the locker room.
“Uh what?” Dash said getting off the floor.
“We have to find the other four, and Lux, I was with him when I went POOF!” Pinkie explained.
“Lux?”
“You know! Grey pegasus, kind of mellow, looks like he could use a good cupcake.”
“I know who Lux is, but you’re right we need to meet up with Rarity and Lux like now!” Dash said as she raced out of the room with Pinkie skipping after her.
**************
“Cutting it a bit short aren’t you?” Rarity asked when Dash and Pinkie ran up.
“Hey we were out of the dream in time, that’s all that matters!” Dash sighed.
“Hi Rarity! Hi Applejack!” Pinkie exclaimed happily.
“Hello darling.”
“Hey there sugarcube.”
“So where’s Lux?” Pinkie asked as she looked around.
“He wasn’t with you two?!” Rarity asked.
“Why would he be with us?” Dash countered.
“We only have like fifteen minutes, give or take.” Rarity said as she bit her lip.
“What happens if he’s stuck in the dream when the time runs out?” Applejack asked.
Then whoever nightmare it is will end up gone.” Rarity said, placing her hoof to her mouth.
“Like poof?” Pinkie asked
“Exactly like poof.” Dash said grimly.
“Then shouldn’t we try and help the colt?” Applejack asked.
“Where was he supposed to go?” Rarity asked.
“Back to the start of Day One, where it began: the fun.” Dash recited.
“What in tarnation does that mean?” Applejack asked. Dash and Rarity both shrugged.
“Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Pick me!” Pinkie said, sticking her hoof in the air.
“Um... Pinkie?” Dash called.
“Follow me!” Pinkie beckoned as she ran towards the alleyways of the city.
“Get up!” Lux heard a shrill voice yell at him. He scrambled up to be confronted by a Twilight who had seen better days. Her horn was glowing with a red aura, preparing for a fight. Her mane was disheveled and her eyes were dark. “This was all your fault wasn’t it!?” Lux felt himself get picked up off the ground.
The area around him was rather small and bleak. The sky was a somber orange with clouds littering the sky. Around him were many rocks, and a tall oak tree. The thing that stood out the most though were the five slabs of stone in the corner. A cemetery?
“I just woke up, what could I have done!” Lux cried out as his legs dangled.
“It wasn’t my fault. It couldn’t have been. It was your fault! You mysteriously appear out of nowhere, and we’re supposed to believe you’re genuine? Yeah right!” Twilight dropped her head down, and Lux was thrown to the ground telekinetically.
How did I know this wasn’t going to end well. Lux thought to himself as he opened his wings. Please let this be a world where wings work. He flapped his wings, and in an instant he was propelled in the air. “Are you planning on listening to me at all before you start trying to kill me?”
“Why would I want to listen to your excuses?” Twilight called out.
“Maybe because they aren't excuses! I don't even know who I am! How could I have tricked you?!” Lux asked.
“How convenient it is that you can't remember a thing!” Twilight yelled out as a red aura appeared next to a boulder next to her, and she threw it at the gray pegasus. Lux dodged out of the way and rushed toward Twilight, pushing her to the ground. “Get off of me!” Her horn glowed red again and Lux fell off of her holding on to his gut.
“You have to listen to me!” Lux shouted at the mare.
“Give me one reason!” Twilight shouted as her powers started throwing rocks at the pegasus.
“I just got done saving two of your friends!” Lux shouted at the mare as he dodged out of the way of the rocks. He then felt gravity intensify, keeping him ground.
“Lies, all of it. How could you save them, when their gravestones are right here?” Twilight said, choking on her words. She dragged Lux toward the grave markers that littered the grass hill. The five gravestones each had the name of her friends.
“This is a dream! A nightmare put together by Discord!” Lux shouted trying to break lose of Twilight's control.
“Everything feels to real here for it to be a dream. I don’t want your lies!” she shouted as a small orb of light appeared on her horn. The blast shot from her horn on a one way track to Lux.
Is this how I die? He asked himself. Before the orb of light could hit him however, his black pentagram cutie mark started to glow a snow white color, and a small shield in the shape of a pentagram appeared in front of him shielding him from the blast.
“What... What did you do?!” Twilight yelled. “You're a pegasus! You shouldn't have magic!”
Magic? That was magic? Lux shook his head. Not important right now! His cutie mark started to glow white again. What is this feeling? He felt it before he saw it. He stood about fifty feet away from Twilight, and in a split second appeared behind her. No flash, no boom, one second there, the next somewhere else. He tackled Twilight to the ground. “Listen to me for one second!” He shouted at her.
Twilight's horn glowed once again, but this time before another punch in the gut, Lux teleported away immediately placing himself another forty feet away.
“This shouldn't be possible...” Twilight said in disbelief, looking at Lux.
“I don't know how, but as long as it keeps me alive, I'm not complaining.” Lux panted. It's so tiring though... I feel like I Just ran ten miles in ten minutes. He took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself.
“Who are you!?” Twilight yelled out
“I'm who I told I was. I'm just Lux, I don't know anything else.”
“So I'm just supposed to believe, that a pegasus that can use magic has nothing to do with any of this?”
“... I'm not sure to be honest.” Lux whispered. “I've thought about it, and I don't know what role I play in these games. You think you should be worried?! I have no idea who I am! I have no idea why I'm here trying to protect ponies whom I've never met before!”
They stared each other down for a solid thirty seconds. “How can I trust you?” Twilight asked him.
“I haven't killed you.”
“Not yet at least.” she finished for him.
“I have nothing against you Twilight, why are you so adamant against me?”
“You want to know why? It's because I see these graves, and know they're fake! I can reason that they are fake, I know they're fake, and although my heart tells me to believe, my mind knows the truth and keeps me away from it. I'm mistrusting of you because I know that if this stupid game continues, it's more than likely that I really will be looking at a gravestone of one of my best friends someday. And I'll try to prevent that by any means necessary!”
“I'm trying to prevent that as well though!”
“I just don't know that I can trust you....”
“Then trust us.” Came a familiar voice.
Lux turned around to see four other ponies, all who he had seen the day before.
“Hi Lux!” Pinkie shouted as she waved her hoof.
“You guys...” Twilight said with a slight sob. “Where’s Fluttershy?”
“We're still not sure yet, but we're planning on looking into it as soon as we get you two out of here.” Applejack said.
“How can we trust this colt though, what makes you guys so trusting of him?” Twilight asked.
“He saved both of us.” Dash said, referring to Rarity and herself.
“He's fun!” Pinkie chimed in.
“I haven't met him yet, but he seems like an upstanding fellow.” Applejack said.
Twilight sighed as she looked at Lux and her friends. “If they can trust you, then for now at least, I can as well...”
Lux gave a sigh of relief. “Alright, that's good .”
“It's all great that we made up, and we're all one big happy family, but can we get out now since the time limit will run out in about a minute?” Rarity said as she pushed Twilight toward the foot of the mountain.
“Time limit?” Twilight asked.
“Tell you later! Just move!” Rarity pushed, and Twilight nodded, and then the world faded away like it was just a bad dream.
The other five were asleep when he woke up. Lux gave a yawn. This is getting ridiculous... at least only one is left. He started to walk out of the alley way and into the streets. Is Discord going to come to give his customary threat? Lux wondered looking around. Something felt off about the world. It was darker.
“Night time is a coming.” Discord’s happy voice rang through Lux’s ears.
Lux flinched away. “Discord?”
“The one and only.”
“Thankfully.”
“No need to be mean, I just wanted to congratulate you.” Discord yawned as levitated himself in to the air.
“Now just for sweet Fluttershy, and this day will be done.” He gave a yawn.
“Where is sweet Fluttershy?”
“That is for you to find out. Make sure you find her before the end of the day though.”
“Is that time limit?”
“Not really, but Day Two starts when Day One ends, and it would be terribly awkward if you moved on to Day Two without a friend.”
“How are we supposed to find the pony?” Lux asked him.
“I already gave you the riddle for her, you figure it out, I don't like giving out more hints.”
“You didn’t give us the riddle for her!”
“On contrary, my budding magician. I gave you her riddle already, and you just can’t see it yet.” Lux ignored the comment about the magician and focused on the riddle.
This is more important right now.
“Shall we play one more game before the day is over Lux?” Discord whispered.
“Why would I agree?!”
“Because you have no choice, but a little reward never hurt anypony I suppose. How about if you manage to wake poor Fluttershy from her sleep before the clock strikes eight o’ clock then you can ask me one question, and I’ll answer that one question truthfully.”
“And I would believe you why?”
“Because if you fail this game, I’ll take poor Fluttershy away, and I’m sure you have faith in the fact that I will do that.”
Lux’s eyes turned downcast. “Be prepared to answer my question.”
“I already know what the question is.” His razor teeth giving the biggest smile as he disappeared.
Lux looked up into the night sky. What a beautiful sky. He turned back toward the other five ponies. “Girls.... wake up.” Will this ever end? “Girls!” He shouted. The mares shuffled a bit, and some of them grumbled.
This whole experience is going to make me a light sleeper.” Dash yawned.
“Let’s go, we still have Fluttershy to find...” Lux’s voice was more shallow than usual.
“Something wrong Lux?” Pinkie asked first, skipping toward him.
“Nothings wrong.” He said this quickly and adverted his gaze.
“Well where is Fluttershy?” Applejack asked rubbing her head.
“He give us another riddle?” Rarity asked.
“No, he says we already had the riddle.” Lux said with as scowl on his face.
“Well, what other riddles do we have?” Pinkie asked, bouncing slightly in the air.
“How about the first riddle?” Twilight asked them
“First?” Lux asked her.
“I thought that was the ‘sound would shine your way’, or something.” Pinkie said.
“Not that one, the one I was reading.” Twilight reiterated.
“Oh you mean with the tick-tock goes the clock?” Pinkie asked excitedly.
“It didn’t mention clock in the riddle at all Pinkie.” Twilight said. “But it did mention tock, and has there been a real time limit for this day?”
“Well there was that hour time limit we just go through-” Applejack started.
“But that was only part of the day... The riddle was supposed to represent the whole day I think.” Lux offered.
“So what do you think it means?” Rarity asked.
“Welcome to Day One! For now the true game has begun. Relinquish your inner fear, and show it to your peer. Will you be left behind in a trail of tears, or will you be looked down upon with leers. It’s anyone’s guess, and that’s why this game is the best. For what good is a game without a little shock? By the way don’t forget to listen for a tock.” Twilight recited.
“The last part does seem strange.” Dash said.
“I know where she is...” Lux said in a moment of insight.
“Huh? Where?” most of the others said in unison.
“It’s so obvious, we should have seen it earlier! Come on, we’re going to the clock tower!” Lux shouted as he ran out of the alleyway.
“The clock tower?” Rarity asked.
“Listen for the tock, like Pinkie said tick-tock goes the clock, but he didn’t say look! He said listen for the tock. Only the clock tower would make a sound that would be audible through the town.” Lux shouted as he raced toward the tall tower that stood in the middle of the city.
The six ponies ran toward the clock tower, which it’s clock face was clearly shown from the foot of it. “Are you sure, Fluttershy is up there?” Dash asked reluctant.
“I think so...” Lux said, not waiting for their response he ran in to the clock tower.
The inside was compact to say the least. He traveled up the bronze stairs that held a long rope in the middle of the room. The walls were a golden brown on the inside with cogs showing up every now and again. He didn’t have to look behind him to know that the ponies were following him. Their echoing footsteps sounded like a miniature stampede.
The top of the clock tower was barely able to fit the six ponies. Inside it was simply a compact room with thousands of cogs and switches for the clock.
In the middle of the room sat an unconscious Fluttershy. “Well Ah’ll be darned!” Applejack whistled as the six ponies walked closer to her.
“Poor Fluttershy... She’s probably scared out of her mind.” Twilight said.
“Well lets help her then.” Lux called out before touching the yellow pony’s mane. He blacked out instantly.
“Before you girls go in... Have you noticed anything strange about Lux?” Twilight asked them.
“He seems a little down.” Pinkie said.
“Not that. When we we’re fighting in my dream, he used magic.” Twilight recalled
“Must have been a trick on the eyes darling, he’s a pegasus, he can’t use magic...”
“I saw it you four... just be careful around him okay?” The other ponies gave curt nod before all entering Fluttershy’s dream.
******
“Where are you Fluttershy?!” Lux called out as he walked through the forest. Strangely the other five weren’t around him, and this worried him a little. Discord always likes to play these stupid tricks though. He sighed as he exited the forest. He entered a wide plateau surrounded by mountains and grass.
“Fluttershy?” Lux called out.
“Fear is amazing isn’t it?”
“Can’t you bother somepony else Discord?” Lux as he walked away from the reappeared draconequues.
“You’re so much fun though.” He snickered as he floated on his back while Lux walked away.
“Well do you mind telling me where Fluttershy is?”
“She’s locked herself away.” He yawned
“You’re no help.”
“Why thank you! I try to be as least helpful as possible in all of your endeavors.”
“Congrats.”
“Want me to tell you something though?” Discord asked.
“If you’ll tell me anything of any value then sure.”
“This pony you wont be able to help, at least not in the conventional sense. ”
Lux turned toward him. “What do you mean?!”
“I mean that this pony is in a place that you wont be able to talk to, and wont be able to tell her to ‘face her fears’.”
“Then what’s the point of me being here!?”
“To enjoy the show.” He said with a smile.
“I can’t do anything?!”
“Hm you can try to do something, but you’re by no means strong enough.” Discord cackled.
Lux huffed, and he started to walk away.
“Oh don’t be like that!” Discord laughed.
“I’ll see you when this is over Discord! I still have that question for you.”
“Bring it!” He laughed as he disappeared once again.
Lux huffed as he continued walking, a tall black figure just visible in the horizon.
Fluttershy stared at the dragon. “Mr. Dragon, why are you keeping me locked in here?”
“No particular reason.” His voice still feel on Fluttershy’s spine like acid, and she would shiver uncontrollably with every hiss.
“Then would it be possible... to let me leave?”
“Yeah, like I would let you leave!” The dragon hissed.
“Oh but it would be so nice.” Fluttershy whispered.
The dragon looked annoyed and avoided looking at the yellow mare. “Why don’t you come out here then?” The dragon hissed. “Lets see if you can get out...”
“I’m fine in here, thank you.”
“You’re no fun, you know that?” the dragon hissed.
“I’m sorry.”
The dragon shook his head, and smoke flew out of his nostrils. “How long are you planning on staying in there?”
“How long are you planning on staying out there?
The dragon started etching in to the ground using his claws. “I bet your friends are already long gone.”
Fluttershy tilted her head.
“They had to face their worst fears as well.”
“Oh dear! Are they okay!” Fluttershy asked.
“They all got out fine, but why do you think they haven’t helped you yet?” the dragon whispered.
“I’m sure they’re really busy.”
“Why aren't you getting upset?!” The dragon asked as it pounded on the outside of the cave.
“I’m sorry.” Fluttershy said again as she began to cower toward the back of the cave.
“You know... you’re friends were easy to break. They would change personalities like a breeze on the wind. They would hide in the corner of their lives and fail to face their fear. You sit here yes, but you haven’t changed. Why is it that the most fearful of the six, and you remain unchanged?” Discord walked up to Fluttershy.
“What did you do to my friends?!” FLuttershy said, turning her attention to the reappeared draconequues.
“I personally did nothing, but show them their worst fear, their weakness did it all after that.” Discord started walk around the yellow pony.
“Why would you do that...?” Fluttershy pawed at the ground.
“I wanted some thrills, and I got them. You still haven’t answered my question though.”
“What question was that?”
“How is it that the most fearful of the six ponies has manged to stay sane, while the others quickly turned?” Discord asked.
“Maybe, I’m used to being scared?” Fluttershy asked.
“That’s not a valid reason! They broke in to tears, hid in a corner of their mind. However, you just sit here. Not necessarily much better, since you’re still hiding from your fear, but you’re still you! It makes no sense. Perhaps your innocence is the key... and why dragons?!”
“Dragons are scary.”
“Scarier than being alone? Of watching your home get destroyed? Of failure? Of being discriminated against? Of seeing your friends die? A dragon is scarier than all of that?!” Discord shouted.
“Well look at him! He’s big and he has these giant teeth and... and!” Fluttershy started to walk on her hind legs and snap her hooves together like they were a jaw.
Discord stared at Fluttershy for a few seconds, and then he laughed. “I don’t understand you at all.” He cackled “But that’s what I like about you!”
“Thank you?”
“No problem at all.” Discord laughed as he disappeared.
“That was strange.” Fluttershy said as she looked toward the opening again. Just outside she could make out five figures in the distance. Is that them?I she thought to herself as she angled herself to try and get a better view.
“What are you trying to look at?!” The dragon hissed at her.
“Uh... nothing at all!” Fluttershy smiled, trying to avert the attention.
Twilight stared at where the cave was. A tall black dragon stood there, almost blocking the whole entrance. “Fluttershy is probably in there.” Twilight said with a scowl.
“So you thinks he’s trapped inside a cave with a dragon keeping her in there? Genius!” Pinkie yelled out as she started to skip toward the cave. She didn’t get far though as she was dragged back by Twilight’s magic.
“It’s a dragon Pinkie, we can’t just walk in there.”
“Perhaps we could distract it?” Rarity asked.
“I could run past it, and that could give you time to get Fluttershy out.” Dash offered, ready for a take off.
“Maybe I could teleport in...” Twilight said, thinking aloud.
“There seems to be some weird restrictions in these worlds of Discord. Would it work?” Applejack asked.
“I’m not sure...” Twilight replied.
“Hey! Look it’s Lux!” Pinkie yelled out, pointing at a grey pegasus running across the open plains.
“What is he planning on doing?!” Twilight asked in shock. She started to run toward the grey pegasus in an attempt to stop him.
“Woo! Party!” Pinkie yelled out, chasing after the purple unicorn with the others following her.
Lux looked at the incoming pony with a bit of resentment. “What do you want?” Lux shouted at her.
“You can’t go up against a dragon!” Twilight yelled at him.
“She’s in there isn’t she?” Lux asked the purple pony.
“We think so, but the dragon would tear you apart, we should think about this before we start charging in.”
“Discord said that we couldn't help her. Do you know what he meant by that?”
“Maybe he doesn't expect us to get to Fluttershy because a dragon is in the way.”
“That’s what I thought, but think about it. Fluttershy is the only one to have a tangible fear.” Lux stated continuing to run toward the creature.
“Tangible?”
“She’s scared of an actual monster, while the rest of you were scared of a concept or possibility. I don’t think that because a dragon is in the way, is the reason we can’t help.”
“So you propose we leave her in there!?” Rarity asked from behind them.
“I propose the opposite, but I have a plan that may seem out of the norm.” He yelled out as his pace quickened.
“What is it?” Twilight asked as she sped up next to him. Lux started to whisper in her ear, and her face dropped. “This is a kamikaze mission.” She shook her head.
“Would it work?” Lux asked as the dragon took notice of them.
“Well... maybe, I’m not sure.” Twilight stammered.
“Why? What’s the plan?” Pinkie asked happily skipping behind them. Twilight quickly told her the plan, and the group had mix reactions.
“Sounds fun!” Dash yelled out picking up speed.
“You all are crazy.” Applejack shook her head, but kept up.
Pinkie’s face brightened. “It would definitely work!”
Rarity and Twilight were the only ones with looks of disbelief on their face, but both inhaled deep breathes and followed.
The dragon took notice of the oncoming ponies, and snuffed a laugh. “Looks like the cavalry decided to come!” He chuckled as he saw Fluttershy’s concerned face. He faced the six oncoming ponies showcasing his razor teeth. “What do you think of that?”
Fluttershy chanced a glance to see her friends and a gray pegasus running toward the dragon and the cave. “Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no!” Fluttershy said repeatedly as she started to walk in a circle in an attempt to figure a way out of this.
“I guess, I can have more than one dragon for dinner tonight.” He purred as he braced himself for the six ponies.
“Just keep running! Show no fear!” Lux shouted as the Dragon became about fifty meters away. It stood high and ready for a bout, it knew it would win, easily. No magic, no flying, and no weapons, made this an easy match for the dragon. That wasn’t the point of this charge though. If this works, will be out of here in a few minutes. Lux tried to calm himself down, but adrenaline was pumping readily. If it doesn’t work though... He chanced a look at the shark like teeth in the dragon’s smile.
The dragon laughed as he stepped closer preparing a swipe of his claw as they neared him. “We can play a game of chicken if you wish!”
“Come on girls!” Dash yelled as they stomped closer.
What do I do!? Fluttershy thought nervously.
The dragon swung his claw and swiped away Lux easily. Lux fell to the side, his body going limp. Dash was next and she was kicked in the air. The dragon then inhaled a breathe of fire ready to set the rest of the ponies aflame.
Is this how it ends? Lux thought as he felt his broken bones. You can’t die here, but the pain is enough to turn your brain to mush. He thought to himself, trying to pick himself up.
A red flame erupted from the dragon’s mouth and started to incinerate where the remaining four ponies used to be. The remaining four scrambled in multiple directions attempting to keep away as long as possible.
I knew this wouldn’t work! Twilight thought.
Oh dear, maybe this wasn’t such a fantastic idea. Rarity thought as she smoothed over her mane while running from another stomp.
Ah’m trusting you Fluttershy. Applejack thought to herself rolling out of the way.
Come on Fluttershy! Come through for us! Dash thought, her back aching from the drop.
She’ll come through. Pinkie thought happily, bouncing away from the repeated swipes of the dragon.
Fluttershy looked on with wonder as her friends fought with the dragon. They’re fighting for me.. I’m always the one like this. I always need help. Fluttershy’s eyes turned downcast toward the ground. I don’t care if it’s a dragon! I don’t care what it is! She ran out of the cave and broke out in to a full on sprint toward the dragon.
“NO ONE HURTS MY FRIENDS!” Her voice rebounded through the area as she jumped up and met the dragon’s eyes. Her eyes we’re red and large. Her face was taut, and the scowl on her face showed every trace of anger she held at the moment.
The dragon nearly flinched at the oncoming pony. “Why are you here?!”
“I’m here to do what I should have done! I came to face my fears!” Fluttershy stood directly in front of the dragon. His smile had came back.
“Then I’ll allow you the honors of being my first treat!” He stared at her. Her face was unnerving. Gone was the innocent pony who was polite to every creature. She stood there ready, just daring him to come.
“Try me!” She shouted at the dragon, and the dragon backed away. The dragon tripped and fell on to it’s back.
“I don’t understand!” He roared.
“That’s enough.” Discords voice rang out through the world. The draconequees lowered with a cloud as his seat.
“She’s not scared of you anymore... Shame it may be, but you’re of no use to me.” Discord snapped his talons, and the dragon started to convulse violently before suddenly falling limp.
“Oh my gosh...” Fluttershy said in shock looking at the limp body of the dragon.
Did he just... kill the creature?! Lux thought in horror.
“Now that that’s over, I believe congratulations are in order. Congrats to you seven for surviving your fears, and making it through Day One in one piece. He looked at Lux’s broken body. “For the most part at least.” he snickered.
“So are we done with your game?” Applejack asked.
“Far from it my dear Applejack! We have six more days for you to run through before you can even start to think of getting out!”
“Then what’s next?” Dash asked.
“The day ends” He said with a smile. He prepared his talon getting ready to snap it to close the day.
“Wait!” Lux shouted at the draconequues. He was still wretched in an awkward position but he pulled himself in to a standing position. That claw really did some damage. “You owe me something!”
Discord stroked his beard. “I suppose you’re right.”
“What do you mean Lux?” Twilight asked.
“My question is... How long have I been playing this stupid game of yours...?” Lux asked with a hard expression on his face.
Discord laughed. His laugh seemed unending. “Every time you ask me the same question. Every game you always ask the same question!”
Lux’s expression fell. “What’s the answer?!”
Silence ensued. Nopony said a word for the longest time.
He snapped his talon signaling the end of the day, but before everypony blacked out he said a simple sentence that made Lux’s heart skip.
“You have been in here, stuck with me for over five thousand years.”
END OF DAY ONE
