What Happened To Discord?

I screamed, jumping back in fear only to suddenly wake up in a hospital bed. Dash immediately grabbed me, holding my shoulders as she tried to calm me down.

“Apple Jack, you’re fine. Listen to me, you’re okay. Alright? I’m here.”

“Wha– where am I?! What happened?”

“You’re at the hospital… Big Mac brought you here.”

“Huh? Why? Wh… what happened?” I asked again.

“Apple Bloom said you came upstairs to her room talking about monsters… then all of the sudden you looked out the window and screamed before running downstairs. Said Big Mac found you trembling in the barn mumbling nonsense.”

“No… no she— she said she saw Discord. I— I saw Discord.”

“No, Apple Jack. You didn’t. The doctor said you were hallucinating. They did some tests and said you had alcohol in your system and was drunk.”

I shook my head, “I… I could’ve sworn I felt sober. I don’t understand. That’s never happened before?” Dash could only sigh, and after a second she hugged me. It took me a minute to realize she was crying. “Dash? Is something wrong?”

“I… I didn’t know what to think. I wake up and all of the sudden I hear you’re in the hospital and I… I was scared that maybe you— I thought…” she began sobbing, causing me to wipe her tears with my hooves.

“Hey. Hey. I promise you I’ll never do that. Especially to you, stormcloud.” I hugged her, “I’m so sorry I scared you.”

“No. Don’t be. I’m just glad you’re okay.” Silence fell between us, and the only thing I could seem to hear was the beeping of the heart monitor, and the shuffling of ponies outside the room.

“I don’t suppose the girls are here?” I broke the silence, causing Dash to glance over at me.

She shook her head, “No. Fluttershy was too scared to see you, worried… you know. Rarity thought the worst and almost tried to overdose till she had a heart to heart with Sweetie Belle; she promised she’d quit and well—she’s starting to make good progress since she went to see a doctor this morning. Twilight…” she paused.

“Is complicated.” I finished her sentence, causing her to repeat me.

“Is complicated… yeah.” she smiled for a second, finding it rather funny and ironic at the same time. Out of nowhere her expression changed, being replaced with a rather dull frown. “She does care about you though. I kn—I know she has a hard way of showing it, but she does care. She’s just… angry.”

“At who? Me?”

“Herself. I’m sure the pressure of being “Princess Perfect” isn’t helping. If I were in her horseshoes, I’d probably be angry too.”

“But to push us away? That ain’t helpin’ at all. She’s got all this stress, sure, but who doesn’t? Pinkie’s dead, Discord’s dead, who’s next this time? Me? You? Rarity? I mean come on… we’ve lost enough as it is, pushing us away ain’t gonna make the situation any easier for her.”

“I’m aware, Apple Jack, but you know she won’t listen. She wouldn’t even hear us out when we tried showing her that stupid photo.”

“Do you seriously think that’s a pony though? I mean— ain’t there weird stumps or even trees that look that way sometimes? Maybe we’re just looking too far into it.”

“I’d rather be wrong and know for sure… than right and—”

“—and not know at all.” I finished her sentence, “That’s a good point.” I stopped for a minute before shrugging, “But would anypony even listen to us?”

Dash shrugged as well, “I doubt we’d even get the opportunity to take this stuff to the Noble Council, considering they’re the ones who dismissed the case.”

“What about the Princess’?”

“Twilight said they’ve secluded themselves since Discord’s death. Princess Celestia probably won't even budge if we tried talking to her… she’s already on edge from the solar eclipse.”

“Right… so our chances are slim when it comes to talking to them then.”

Dash nodded for a second before furrowing her brows, “What about Princess Luna?”

“What about her?”

“Well, since Princess Celestia’s been hibernating… Princess Luna’s practically taken over Canterlot and all the duties that come with it. If we can talk to anypony, she just might be our best shot.”

“So what’s the soonest time I can get out of this place?”

—

Canterlot seemed rather dull at this time of year. The Gala was supposed to happen this weekend, but was obviously canceled due to Discord—and now Pinkie’s death. The streets were full, yes, but leading up to the castle was barren and quiet. The guards let us pass, and as we walked down the halls of the castle, we could already hear Princess Luna yelling at somepony.

“How many times must we repeat our words, Prince Blueblood?” I peeked past the wall, noticing Princess Luna speaking to a familiar white stallion with a yellow mane. “We hath spoken to the council a number of times, and until Duke Venture retires, you are hereby not allowed inside the court. That is final.”

“Your majesty, I—” I was rather curious about his reply till Dash washed him out by whispering in my ear.

“Isn’t that the jerk that spit out your apple fritters the first time we went to the Gala?”

“Ugh, don’t remind me.”

“Do we need to repeat again, Prince Blueblood?” Princess Luna asked, her tone definitely louder than his. “No? Then I suggest you wipe that incompetent grin off of your maw and do thine job.” When the stallion finally left the hallway, Dash and I stood up straight.

“Princess Luna. Can we speak to you for a minute?” Dash asked.

“We would, but we’re very busy at the moment.”

“Please? It’s about Discord.” I said.

Princess Luna paused for a moment, sighing before motioning us to follow her. “It has not been the easiest of days nor nights for either of the Princess’, Apple Jack and Rainbow Dash. The days grow colder in the midst of summer, and nights feel warmer than the fortnight of autumn, and thy Princess of the Sun has yet to leave her slumber.”

“I’m sure Discord and Pinkie’s passing isn’t helping any.” I said.

“Tis not. The death of Discord and Pinkie Pie has taken a heavy toll on our hearts, and we hath yet to see either of them in thy resting place.”

“So you’ve also been hibernating in a way. Y’know, Twilight told me the stars were growing dimmer. Is that at all relative to what’s been goin’ on?”

“Perchance you recall an old legend; the tears we cry paint the night sky, one that may answer thine questions?”

“Uh… sure?” Dash shrugged as I glanced over at her.

“Excellent!” Princess Luna then entered her bedroom (sus), allowing us inside. “Now what art thou wish to speaketh about?” Dash and I glanced over at each other, slowly getting used to her way of speaking.

“Well… Princess…” I was about ready to explain when Princess Luna let out a soft giggle.

“Oh. Perchance you wisheth to refer to me differently? If we join your courageous journey, we must not waste thy breath on titles. HENCEFORTH, thou shall nevermore address us as our role of royalty! Call me Luna.”

Dash, who was standing behind me due to Princess— or Luna’s yelling, gulped before peeking over my hind. “Great… can we lose the formality too… and maybe the yelling?”

“We—! I mean… I may attempt to speak in a more colloquial fashion, yes.” she blushed, smiling and hiding her face.

“So a couple of days ago Rainbow Dash and I were looking at this old cork board Pinkie must’ve started using. We were looking over it and we noticed this…” I held up the picture of Discord and Pinkie.

“I see nothing out of the sort?” Luna mumbled.

“Sure, but if you look closer…” Dash pointed at the figure in the forest. Luna looked confused, glancing up at the both of us before using her magic to pull the photo out of my hoof.

“Where was this taken?”

“Somewhere along the edge of the Everfree Forest… I got there like ten minutes after. Why? Do you recognize them?”

“This is Duke Venture. The Noble Council and my sister granted him as the Duke after his duties of a guard surpassed many expectations. The first ever non-royal stallion to be granted such a role.”

“Wait, and this Duke Venture, was he the stallion that dismissed Discord and Pinkie’s case?” I spoke up, genuinely starting to believe this is our guy.

“Yes. ‘Tis true.”

“Okay, now I know this is a bit of a stretch, but hear me out. What if they didn’t commit suicide?”

“You are suggesting…”

“What if they were murdered?” I elaborated.

“Such nonsense! Nopony would ever harm another—” Luna stopped when she saw our expression, “Right. Is there perhaps substantial evidence aiming towards this claim?”

“In a way, yes. I actually brought the cork board to the farmhouse, if you’d like to see it. Just in the dining room—”

“I moved it to the barn.” Dash suddenly interrupted me.

“Huh? Why?” I glared at her for a second.

“Apple Bloom.”

“Ah.”

“Perhaps I will stop by this weekend where we can conjure up a plan to investigate.”

“Investigate…” I mumbled before getting an idea, “Woah— hey. Luna, Maybe we can pop into Discord’s dimension? Search around for things that may seem out of the ordinary.”

“With Discord… things were always out of the ordinary.” Luna sighed, looking away for a moment.

“I know, but you and I know damn well if he was alive… he’d do the same for us. Pinkie too.” Luna looked back up at me, her eyes appearing similar to glitter, as they were filled with untouched tears. “If we’re right, Luna, we’re catching that son of a bitch.”

—

When Luna opened the portal, I felt a churning in my gut.

“I only have so much time before my sister finds out I opened the portal, I would make this quick if I were you, Apple Jack.”

I nodded, stepping into the portal. I heard Dash wish me good luck before it closed, and then there was silence. I stood right at the front door, my hooves barely fitting on the ground below me. I was hesitant to open the door for the longest time, almost frozen in place… begging he’d open the door instead. A minute had passed, and after snapping myself out of it, I walked inside.

It was dark, damp, and wreaked of a mixture of blood and mold. I turned my head to my right, my eyes immediately falling on the blood stained carpet. I didn’t even want to think of it nor imagine his body in place of the dark figure settled in the fabric, but my mind didn’t seem to help either. I didn’t even realize I was crying till I felt a cold tear slide down my cheek. I wiped it away instantly, looking ahead and for signs of… anything really.

After a few slow, deliberate steps, I finally kicked into high gear, running rampant around the house and searching drawers and closets, high and low for signs of a struggle, leftover evidence, or even identity markings.

My hooves skimmed over just about every single surface the house had on offer. I even lifted up his mattress to look underneath, but with a loud groan and a sign of loss— I slammed the mattress back down before sitting on my hind. I sniffed barely on the verge of crying when I heard a piece of paper fly past my nose.

Opening my eyes, I glanced over at the piece of paper. Hopes, worries, prayers and answers— all of it came flooding down before I read the first words on the note.

“If you’re reading this; I’m dead.”