My eye twitched, "The hell's wrong with you! You sent me to the Crystal Empire in front of the protagonists! I could've been captured!"

But Discord has the balls to just smile up at my situation!

"I needed to make sure you were up for the task, of course, sending you to the empire needed to happen as that was the last physical spot He was at. I just" he rolled his ghostly claw out looking for the word, "wanted to see how you'd fare."

I was starting to get angry. "So you just let me come across the most important ponies that could easily destroy me with the elements?!"

He slowly came forward with a smirk, I growled at him but he gave it no mind, lifting a lion claw, he clamped his index paw and thumb on my horn. The result is me hearing a sizzling sound effect, "I would recommend you keep your anger in check, wouldn't want to give the wrong idea right?" His mischievous grin slowly turned into a serious scowl, "Or at least don't aim it at someone important enough to send you three dimensions off from where you came from."

Looking directly at his eyes, all it spoke of was a gaze that put my soul in place. My insides stirred and I felt my hooves become weak, anxiety began to build up and dwell in my mind.

"Good, glad we understand each other, now!" He smiled again with mischief. "Onto business." He clasped his hands together but made no noise.

"Hey if you could make noise with your tongue then why can't you-" I was interrupted with a talon on my lips.

"Now now, show some respect for your conductor." As he lifted it back away I looked up to find him with a conductor hat and a scarf. I could tell he was fucking with me with the slightest shit, I stood there confused but silent.

"I'll take that as a 'you understand' silence. So this makes it easier for me." He snapped his fingers and with it, I became dizzy and disoriented before I heard more snapping, but without the lights and magic.

Discord called out. "Hey," I slowly regained my senses, but he kept snapping for a good measure I guess. "Oh look you're back!"

"Where-" I looked around to see the walls and chairs of a train, I was seated on a couch that had a table in front of it with Discord being opposite to me. I looked out to my left to find a window that showed odd purple swirls and stars.

"My personal chaos dimension, isn't it great?" I looked back at him with confusion.

I still was feeling the effects of the- teleportation? Wait did he just knock me out?

He laughed a bit, "Aha no, just teleportation I'm afraid, nothing as dark as knocking somepony out."

"Did you just-"

"Read your thoughts? Oh goodness no, nothing as silly as such, your face is just saying it all."

My eye twitched, I was starting to feel like I was being toyed with.

He sighed before pulling out a small glass of water, bringing it above my head, he dumped it causing a waterfall to pour down on me.

Sizzling and a wet mane were what came afterward. But I didn't react, this was Discord, while annoying he had a point.

He smiled innocently, "Now how was that?"

I forced a smile with my teeth grinding while I spoke out of it. "Just. Peachy."

"Glad to hear because our deal is going to need an overview as I'm sure you're just fuming your little head with sparks as to why my choice of Sombra."

"You didn't tell me I would be taking SOMBRA'S BODY!"

He chuckled, "Such naivety, I never said it wasn't going to be him, now did I?"

I was starting to build up rage once again, "Oh yes I'm soo sorry for not asking, what I meant is YOU FAILED TO MENTION KIND OF A BIG FACTOR IN THIS DEAL!"

I opened my maw again only to be dumped with water again, "AND WHY THE HELL AM I GETTING SOAKED!?" Which led to another gallon of water hitting my head.

Discord rolled his eyes with a sigh, "So I neglected to tell you of what body you'd inhabit, big deal, this is still your dream right? Becoming one of the many ponies that encompass the land?"

I felt the build-up of anger but as I looked up to the bucket that was over my head I saw it had tilted. I took in all the anger in one inhale and then exhale, I looked back to see the bucket had righted itself.

I figured it out, the bucket was merely to take out the anger that was leaking from my horn, whether Discord did it to calm me or just to punish me was something that felt like was going to be up in the air.

"So why Sombra?"

That caught Discord off-guard, "Sombra? Oh yes, your body, well I felt if anypony was to be reformed, well why not the worst king to rule?"

"You chose to use the worst example!?"

"Careful King, your crown is tilting." He spoke in a vaguely threatening way. I moved back to cling to the cushions and shut my mouth.

"As to what this was about, I want to make a message."

I parroted that last bit, "'A message'?"

He smiled like a madman, "Can you imagine the look on the princess's faces when they realize how they denied a tortured a victim to the whims of the universe? How do they deny a King's request for pardon when he finally has accepted harmony? How sweet it is to see a former villain reform and the very ponies that preached it become the last to accept him!"

"You're doing this to fuck with them? To fuck with me!?" My blood began to boil and I was getting heated and at the top corner of my eye, I saw the bucket slowly tilt. I focused on it, soon it was surrounded by a red aura, I felt the weight, the water's volume, and slowly pushed it back but I didn't stop there.

My anger was starting to rise as I've already had to deal with shit, the bucket began to slowly have creases, and punctures began to form with black crystals with the metal crumpling like paper. Everything was laid out to me, all this just to fuck with me and my dreams! I crushed the metal container in one swift moment, but as it was crushed I felt exhausted. I let go of the metal can to fall. I realized, the anger clouded my sense of depletion, I looked back to see the bucket had fallen onto the ground with dark purple crystals protruding from the iron exterior.

"I guess this had to come eventually." I looked back to Discord with a wince in my horn, an aching began to form around my brain and horn.

"What?"

Discord rolled his eyes and began to lay back with his back against the cushions of his seat. "Due to the revival of king Sombra's physical form, its muscles had atrophied. Think of it like a coma, during the unconscious period the body cannot do daily activities such as walking or running. These daily minor, trivial as they are, keep your muscles working and build your endurance whether you notice it or not. So when you come out of a coma your muscles are weakened and unable to do a sufficient amount of work without slow steps to build It up again, thus the same effect is what you're experiencing from lifting the bucket with your normal magic before switching to dark magic with anger in replacement of your initial use of magic.

I tried to rise from my side but my hooves felt weak. "But I could run just fine earlier?"

Discord laughed at the notion, "What happened was adrenaline coursing through you in a fight or flight response, it was amusing, however."

"Wait then-" I was interrupted by a major spike of pain in my head.

"That leads to our next lesson which holds your fascination in this world so much. Magic!" He said with sparkles in his eyes and confetti popping out of nowhere. "Magic itself is not a tangible muscle you can work, your horn, however-"

I started to feel ridiculously weak each second, slowly losing my back support and leaning onto the cushion of my chair. "What?"

"Your horn is a conduit for magic, something that can be good and bad depending on how well trained your horn is, think of it as a gateway, without command it stays close but say the word and it will open!"

He leaned forward with a smile, "Just like your mother."

I was becoming too exhausted to be irritated so I just gave him a death stare.

"Anyway, the problem is you have a gateway for a reason, using magic constantly drains you of your endurance and strength, each pony has a set pool amount of mana. You can make it bigger and stronger with practice but it can also be cheated with huge drawbacks."

"So wait, why could I move within Sombra's- I mean in my form?"

"Hm, that was surprising, I was did wonder that myself, to see you activate his most prominent card of escape was quite the development."

"Wait, you were watching?"

He chuckled, "But of course, who did you think caused the blizzard to become strangely stronger and powerful?"

"Agh! Of course, that was you." I could only express my discontent in my voice.

"Back to the point, I have do have a theory; I am guessing since it was such a vital surprise card to his arsenal that it was ingrained into his body like a reflex. Strange how bodies that are taken over by another could be used all the same."

"Ah"

"And as to why you could use his black magic, that is slightly worrying, it's strange that his body has allowed using his horn like nothing without a single thought. Truly fascinating."

"Wait, worrying? As in danger?"

"Well, I suppose with how easily you could incite dark magic it could drain you for all you got. Much like a succubus, your very being could be sucked dry and left a husk of a corpse."

"You mean I could die!?"

"Yes, but I wouldn't worry too much, as long as you don't get angry it shouldn't be much of a problem right?"

"What do you mean 'not worry too much' I could die from anger!"

"Yes much like you are doing to yourself right now." He snapped his fingers and a cascade of water hit me.

"It will be something you will have to learn to control, I will not be holding your hoof throughout this, from here on out you and your silly actions will be yours to hold. So right now would be a great time to ask questions before you are completely alone.

I became slack onto my side of the table. "You're an asshole."

"You did sign up for this, I held my bargain and more, now you must as well."

"...What happens if I die before turning my reputation better?"

"Your soul will be sent to Tartarus."

"What?!"

"You didn't think failing wouldn't lead to consequences did you?"

"You mean if I don't succeed I'll go to Tartarus either way?"

"Indeed."

"That's- that's insane!"

"Well, you did make the deal without seeing the paperwork."

"I- agh."

"Yes if you are to fail your soul will be sent to our imprisoned hell for all of eternity!" He spoke in mock sorrow and a claw on his heart. "The tragedy! The heart-break! The-" he stopped midway to look at me.

"What?"

He began to lean closer, inspecting me as if some puzzle was off. "Hmm, I thought I saw something on your soul."

"What!?"

"It was probably nothing."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN JUST NOTHING?!"

"Egads, such a drama queen."

"FOR SOMETHING IN MY SOUL?!"

Another dump of water had hit me, soaking my mane this time.

"Let's get back on track, after this incident with the elements of harmony they will know you are alive. Probably tell the princesses and Yada yada." He began to stand up straight, "The point is you're going to be on the run, I'd recommend you try to cool down that fuse of yours to stay low."

As he said all this I looked at him.

"What?"

"What about Fluttershy?"

He raised his eyebrow, "The element bearer of Kindness? What of her?"

My eyes shot open, Of course! This was in season two but Discord hadn't become friends with her. For him, this was the present but no knowledge of the future.

I shook my head, "Never mind."

He looked at me with a raised eyebrow but shook it off.

"Well anyway, the point is your real threat is the main six, as you so delightfully call them."

"Wait you've watched the show?"

"Hm? Oh, just a few of the first episodes, from what I could see it's quite accurate."

"How would you know if they're accurate, they were just about Twilight."

He looked at me dumbfounded, "Tell me, how do you think I'm here now?"

"Uh-"

"Trick question, I'm in a statue hell, I've moved my spirit outside of it and watched as Equestria unfolded. This is me still here, I've bided my time and allowed you to move from your world to mine. Universes apart might I add."

"So, why wouldn't you want me to help you escape?"

"Oh but you already are, the chaos you will sow will bring me free of my prison."

"Huh" freeing Discord didn't sound good at all.

"Ah, seems we've reached our destination."

I heard the train screeching as it slowed down to a halt.

"This is your destination."

With a snap of his fingers, I felt refreshed, "What just-"

"I gave you some energy to help your progress on recovery, it's only enough for you to feel normal. If you have another hot-tempered moment, however, well."

I nodded, getting the message I looked out to the window to see a small village near a forest clearing, it resembled Ponyville but was a lot less colorful. "Where is this place, I've never seen it before."

Discord smirked back to me, "Your new hideout." He snapped his finger and I looked behind me to see a boot floating mid-air and rearing. "Oh, you f-" I got kicked through the window, and through disorienting flashes of light and colors I opened my eyes to see back where I started, the forest.

"I failed princess, I failed the test." Twilight looked down holding back tears.

Princess Celestia moved a wing over her student's back in comfort, "You helped a city, I'd rather have a student selfless and look for the good of the people than worry about their own gain."

Twilight looked up to Celestia with tears welling up in her eyes. "I know princess but, I couldn't beat King Sombra, or capture him."

Celestia took a somber face but kept warm compassion behind them, "The test was never about taking Sombra head-on, I wouldn't have imagined he would come back but the important thing is you and your friends are safe and well."

The front doors moved with a strong force that caused Celestia to push Twilight behind her with a calm, expressionless pose.

A single guard had rushed towards the princess before bowing with his head down. "Princess, forgive my intrusion but there has been a development that had occurred."

Celestia kept her cold expression, "Is it of Sombra?"

"No, it's-" the guard stopped to look towards Twilight and then at Celestia.

Celestial nodded before turning to Twilight. "I'm sorry Twilight, please go outside, I will join you shortly."

"Is something wrong? Did I do something wrong?" She began to panic but Celestia lowered her head to lay on Twilight's shoulder. She whispered, "Of course not, Twilight this is unrelated, go with your friends and tell them you did a great job"

While Celestia pulled back Twilight looked up to meet her eyes, "Does that mean?"

Celestial smiled and nodded, Twilight smiled brightly before leaving, and Celestia looked at her student with a warm smile before turning to the guard.

She began to pull a neutral mask over her face. "What is it?"

The guard straightened himself up at the attention. "Ponies have been found in a forest, they call themselves The Pillars."

Her mask of poker broke immediately, she spoke in shock "Of old?"

"Yes," the guard squirmed before continuing "There is another thing."

Celestia's eyes began to widen."Yes?"

"There is an individual, that we wouldn't be able to identify by ourselves."

"Are they conscious?"

"Yes, and he calls himself...Starswirl the bearded, says he fears the end of Equestria is on the horizon."

Author's Note

Ooo development.