Chapters Chapter 2: Down the Rabbit Hole
It struck me in the middle of my chest as if to fill the whole where my heart used to be. A moment later I was still standing there. I opened my eyes and looked down in confusion. As my sight narrowed on my chest I found no evidence of ever being hit. No wound, no burns, no blood. Frantically I searched again, for something, anything.
“I've been cheated!” my thoughts lashed out as I let my self collapse. I screamed as loud as I could, just to let it out. I pounded my fist on the ground, tears stinging my eyes. “Wait! Am I in hell!?” my mind raced. My head began to spin with questions. I was suddenly nauseous and vomited.
As my brain was reeling with questions something interrupted me. A voice! It was vaguely familiar and was enough to break my train of thought and bring me back to reality. Confused I finally lifted my head to study my surroundings. I blinked my eyes to try and adjust to the dim light. I wasn't in that sad, downtrodden little village anymore but it was somewhere equally as depressing. It was a dreary room littered with derelict furniture, books and scrolls were strewn about carelessly. The walls of the dark room seemed to press down, suffocating me. I shuddered, it was as if all the life and color were sucked out of this forsaken shelter.
“How do you feel?”
My mind registered what I heard this time and my head snapped forward. There to meet my gaze were two penetrating violet eyes.
“Like Alice falling down the rabbit hole,” came my hoarse response.
“What? Never mind. I'm Twi-”
“I know who you are,” I interrupted.
“Well, would you care to share your name then?” she asked perplexed sinking to her haunches, a hint of indignation in her voice.
“I'm not in a sharing mood. I need answers, what happened? Why the hell am I here?” I demanded gruffly, “I should be dead right now,” I added.
I expected my tone to catch her off guard but she never batted an eyelash. I caught her melancholy eyes glance to her right and mine followed. A large white heap. As I strained my eyes through the dim light I could see it was a body. It's coat was matted and stained, the mane a tangled mess, and a few ragged feathers clung to the tattered wings.
Was I really seeing this? What was I doing here? This couldn't be real. None of it could be. “This has to be purgatory, it has to be,” I tried to convince myself. “I was killed by that rocket. What would draw me to this place?”
“The Princess sacrificed her own life to bring you here,” she spit out venomously. “The truth is were at war. Four years ago Discord broke from his prison and laid siege to all of Equestria,” she continued.
“Four years?” I thought dismissing the coincidence. I turned my attention back to the pony speaking. It was now I noticed how rough a shape she was in. Her coat and mane were also matted and unkempt. A long jagged scar carved a path above her left eye. Her horn had been broken off at what I assumed would be the middle and what remained had fractures that ran the length of it. I still couldn't believe what I was seeing but I didn't show it.
“As to where we are, we're in the Canterlot library in a prohibited wing. The spells here are too dangerous for anypony to ever know and they've been sealed away for over a thousand years,” she stated grimly.
“That still doesn't explain what I'm doing here,” I interrupted. I didn't know what I should have felt. I was in world from a fictional T.V. show. I got that, but I couldn't decide if it was real or if this was some repulsive trick my mind was playing on me.
She, my baby girl, loved watching My Little Pony and I would watch it with her. At first I had no interest in it and only watched it to spend time with her. Eventually, however, I grew to enjoy it as much as she did. To see this place in shambles felt like yet another insult. Something my daughter had loved was sharing the same despairing reality my life had become. I had to push those thoughts aside for now though, I needed to remember as much as I could about this cartoon I was now unwillingly a part of.
“Princess Celestia and I didn't know who or what we were bringing here, or from where...” Twilight hesitated and muttered under her breath, “or at what cost.”
“The spell description wasn't clear, it only said it would summon one capable of wielding The Elements,” she explained.
“HAHA!” I scoffed louder than I had intended but I didn't shy away. I remembered what The Elements were. “Sorry to be the bearer of bad news you but you've got the wrong person for the job,” I stated with contempt as I made my way onto my feet again.
Before she could offer any sort of rebuttal we were interrupted by the groans of the ancient doors straining under their own colossal weight.
“We have to go! We've spent to much time here already!” Twilight whispered in an urgent tone quickly rising to all fours.
“What about your Princess?” I pointed with my head.
“She's dead, there's nothing we can do for her. Come on!” She urged me again as she turned and began to run.
I was taken aback by how coldly she responded as I following her through the shadows. “I thought Canterlot was suppose to be a safe place,” I asked myself wondering what could cause it to be otherwise. I was about to ask why we were in such a hurry when Twilight stopped dead in her tracks. I almost tripped over the top of her but managed to catch my balance. When I looked up again there was a figure standing in front of us.
I squinted my eyes but before I could determine who it was Twilight blurted out, “Trixie!?” The surprise in her voice was obvious as she recoiled.
“It's been a long time Twilight,” came a smug response. “In fact the last time you saw The Great and Powerful Trixie, Trixie was leaving Ponyville after you had embarrassed Trixie in front of everypony... again...” Trixie leveled her gaze at Twilight accusingly.
“Trixie! We don't have time for petty old grudges and this certainly isn't the place! We need to get out of here, now!” Twilight shifted uneasily, the panic in her voice rising.
“Don't you worry Twilight, The Great and Powerful Trixie isn't here for revenge. Like Trixie said it's been a long time since you've seen Trixie but Trixie has been watching you and Trixie knows what you're up to and what you and you're princess have done.” Trixie replied in a casual manner staring straight through me.
“Then what is it you want?” Confusion crossed Twilight's face, the urgency still behind her words.
“Redemption,” Trixie grinned wickedly. “By Trixie's estimate Discord's forces will be here any moment and they'll catch you and you're new friend if you don't have any way to slow them down.” Trixie glanced at Twilight's shattered horn. “And seeing as you can't even wield magic anymore that would be rather difficult wouldn't it?”
Twilight grimaced. “What are you saying then?” she asked impatiently pinning her ears back.
The same vindictive grin had found it's way onto Trixie's face again. “What The Great and Powerful Trixie is saying is Trixie will to stay here to make sure you and you're... new friend escape.”
“That's suicide!” Twilight blurted in shock.
“Well, well, well, it seems we have some neighsayers in the audience. You better hope your friend...” I was really tired of her saying that. How pretentious could this pony be? “...has the answers to end all of this. Now be gone with you!” She demanded as she turned her nose up and flipped her cape.
As Trixie's horn began to emit a purple aura the air crackled with energy. The electricity made the hair on my neck stand on end. Twilight looked up at me and nodded and without a seconds hesitation we were running again as we could hear the clamoring of more hoofsteps echo down the corridor. The murals and tapestries on the walls were a blur as we raced for an exit. The pale light filtered through the deteriorating windows guided our path.
It was evident when whatever was chasing us had made it to Trixie. The echo of Trixie's voice chased us down the hallway as she cried with supreme confidence, “Watch in awe!” Suddenly the hallway was swallowed with a blinding light as the walls shuddered and began to collapse.
I didn't know how but we had made it through that devouring light and we were now outside. The great hall that had been moments before now matched the grim sight that lay before us. “If only I had slowed for moment,” I thought turning around to take a final look at the devastation caused by Trixie's spell. I peered through the dust that hung heavily in the air, the desecrated city before us wasn't anymore welcoming than when I had first arrived. The sky was roiling with menacing clouds and the ground was heaved and gaping, vainly trying to swallow any moisture it could from the restless sky.
“Let's go, we can talk on the way,” Twilight snorted taking off at a trot.
I was still slightly caught off guard at how callous and unforgiving she seemed to be not mention the fact she even existed outside of someones imagination. “Good,” I thought, “I still have questions that I need answered.” I kept pace with the worn purple mare as we made our way out of the dead and eroding city of Canterlot.
Chapter 4: Follow the Leader
“So what are you?” The question caught me off guard. I had thought I'd be the one to break the silence, not Twilight. In a short time we had made it out of Canterlot and into a wooded area where we made our way along the banks of a river.
“I'm a human.” It was strange to say.
“Well you obviously aren't a pony. Are you a soldier?” the same almost uninterested tone as before. She never even glanced back but kept her focus straight ahead.
“Yes, why do you ask?”
“I'm trying to figure out why The Elements would choose you,” she said as she picked her way through the brush.
“that still doesn't tell me why it matters that I'm a soldier,” I replied gruffly ducking branches Twilight easily walked under.
“It doesn't matter,” Twilight replied. I paused for a second confused. “Frankly I don't believe your capable of controlling The Elements but if you're a soldier you can still be useful. You at should at least know how to fight in any case,” she stated dryly.
“HEY!” I shouted as my temper flared, “I never asked to be brought here! I want nothing to do with this!”
“I already told you, I had no clue who or what that spell would bring here,” she replied calmly. “Princess Celestia sacrificed herself bringing you here believing you could make a difference so why don't you show a little respect.”
I sighed and curbed my anger. “I'm sorry.” It wasn't sincere but I didn't care. “Is there anything else you wanna know?” I asked annoyed.
“When we first met you said you knew who we were. My question is how?” she asked in a puzzled manner dismissing her previous disinterest, but she still didn't bother to face me.
I let out a sigh as I wiped my face. “This will be interesting,” I thought.
I told Twilight everything I knew, everything I thought could be relevant. I was from Earth, magic didn't exist there but we had television and that's where I had learned about this place and who they were. She didn't quite understand, and believed that what we had a device that allowed us to observe other worlds or dimensions without being noticed. I explained to her that that's not how it worked and that her world was a fabrication created in someones imagination. She really didn't like that and we argued, but I conceded seeing as I was here and it seemed real enough that I wasn't questioning if I was dead or in a dream anymore. I continued to go into details about the show, racking my brain for anything I could remember, various locations and the things her and her friends had done. Had I paid attention I would have noticed her cringe any time I mentioned the other ponies.
“I-I think I understand,” she said bringing a hoof to her chin thoughtfully.
“Good, now I think it's time you answered some of my questions,” I demanded.
“Fine,” she said hotly as she glared at me with contempt, “but we should keep moving.” Again we were moving through dense foliage along a river.
“OK, first off; where the hell are we going?”
“The Everfree Forest.” she stated bluntly, “We're trying to avoid Ponyville, it's more trouble than we need right now.”
“Why?”
“You said you had watched us. If you recall Discord had planned to turn Ponyville into the chaos capitol of the world. Well he succeeded,” Twilight replied in annoyance. I could feel my temper rising again. I asked my next question.
“Trixie said you couldn't use magic, what did she mean? Why can't you use
“Because my horn is broken!” she fumed as she turned around to face me. Those Violet eyes burning through me. “When a unicorns horn is broken their magic either becomes too unstable to use or they lose the ability completely. Believe me, if I could use magic I would but I can't even turn a page in a book anymore!”
“If you can't use magic then how in the hell did you bring me here!?” I shouted back at her.
“I told you Princess Celestia sacrificed her life to get you here! The spell we used is kept in a forbidden wing of the Canterlot Library. Those spells are over a thousand years old!” She shouted vehemently, “The reason they're forbidden and locked away is because almost all those spells require two ponies, one being what is only referred to as “The Catalyst”. Somepony to surrender their life as they perform the spell! IT doesn't use normal magic and anypony could use those spells!”
I'd taken enough scolding from this little pony. “You know what? To hell with this! I'm done playing follow the leader in this god forsaken place! Why don't you go back to your friends and solve your own damn problems! I don't-”
Before I could finish, before I could even react she had bucked me square in the chest. The air rushed out of my lungs as I was knocked to the ground. My first instinct was to go for the knife strapped to my boot but it wasn't there. Instead it was against my throat as Twilight held it in her mouth. Her face twisted in rage as she took heaving breaths. She hated me. I narrowed my eyes at her, daring her to use it but then something happened that I didn't expect.
Her impregnable demeanor began to crack. That impenetrable facade melted away as tears began to soak her cheeks. In her eyes... it wasn't hate, it was pain. She dropped the knife as she turned away letting me up. I was still trying catch my breath after being kicked so hard.
“Are you alright?” I coughed dusting myself off. My anger was gone and was instead replaced with sympathy and confusion. “She had me dead to rights,” I thought to myself. I had no doubt she could have killed me without a second thought if she wanted to, her grief was something else.
“It's... It's just... I..” she stammered as the tears continued to run across her cheeks staining her fur. “I miss them so much!” she blurted out sobbing uncontrollably. She collapsed to the ground and covered her face with her hooves. “They're all gone! I tried! But I just- I just couldn't... Don't you see? That's why we need you!” she raised those remorseful eyes towards me as she sat up. She was utterly broken.
For the first time I realized just how angry and selfish I've been since I've lost my daughter. How spiteful I've been since Twilight brought me here. I had lost everything and given up. I didn't believe I had a reason to live let alone deserved to but looking into the sorrow that filled those big lavender eyes I realized she had lost just as much as I had. No... More. Not only had she lost everyone and everything she loved but the very fabric of her world was being torn apart at the seams. Yet somehow she had found the strength to keep on. She hadn't dishonored her memories as I had.
My shame was too much to bear and my guilt consumed me. At that moment I vowed I would do whatever it took to help Twilight and make things right. For her, for myself, for my daughter. Of all the promises I've made and broken, this one I'd keep or I'd die trying. I fought back the tears welling up as I knelt down and hugged her tightly. Hot tears stained my shirt as she buried her head in my shoulder. “We'll make this right Twilight. I promise.”
Chapter 5: Trials and Tribulations
“I'm off to Zecora's, I'll see you tonight for the party!” I waved to Pinkie Pie as I left Sugarcube Corner.
“Oh, Twilight! Could you give this invitation to Zecora for me?” Pinkie asked as she zoomed inside and back out with a pink envelope decorated with frills and glitter.
“Sure!” I said smiling. I took the invitation and put it in my saddlebag.
“Thanks!” replied Pinkie as she bounce back inside. I smiled again as I turned to leave. Pinkie Pie certainly had a talent for making ponies smile.
Zecora had promised to let me borrow a book. It was a good excuse to return another book I had been borrowing and bring her something from Sugarcube Corner for her kindness and generosity. I made my way to the edge of town. It was another gorgeous day, the pegasus ponies had done a great job of keeping the sky clear. Soon I was trotting into the treeline of the Everfree forest and thinking about my schedule. “I have an hour once I get to Zecora's then I need to go back to the library and check it of the checklist. I hope Spike has his chores done before I get back.”
I was too preoccupied with my thoughts to notice anything unusual. Unusual for the Everfree Forest anyways.
“When did it get so dark out?” I though to myself. Suddenly I was sprawled across the ground. “OOF! What the?” I asked out loud, “What did I slip on?”
I picked myself up, the blazing orb of the sun was once again high in the sky. I turned my attention to the road only to notice the it had turned to soap. My heart jumped into my throat as I began to panic. “Oh no! This can't be happening! It's not possible!” I exclaimed, the anxiety in my voice rising. A familiar chuckle echoed in my head.
“Not possible? Come now, anything is possible with a little chaos.” a voice pierced my mind. “Oh twilight, I really thought you'd be more happy to see me again. I missed you.”
“Show yourself!” I shouted into the forest.
As though he had next to me the whole time, Discord walked past. “Oh you're not going be like that the whole time are you? I was hoping we could play a little game.” A sly smile crossed his face as he faced me.
“How!? How are you free again?” I demanded.
“That's not what's important right now. What matters is that Ponyville...” he paused before he continued in more sinister voice, “...and your friends need you. You wouldn't want to let them down now would you?”
“My Friends? What did you do to them?” I choked as fear began to overwhelm me.
“You know how this works so I'll get to the point.”
“Here we are we meet again,
now a fate you'll choose for them.
Use their strengths to save them all,
or your friends will surely fall.”
He snapped his fingers and he was gone. “Don't keep me waiting Twilight Sparkle.”
I pushed myself as hard as my legs would carry me and as quickly as the erratic sun and moon would allow. I made it back to the edge of Ponyville in short order reaching Fluttershy's cottage. I paused for a moment to catch my breath before knocking at her door. It was eerily quiet, I knocked but there was no response. I pushed the door open but there no sign Fluttershy was there, not even her bunny Angel was anywhere to be found. My heart sank as fear gripped my mind with the possibilities of what might have happened to her and everypony else.
Without wasting what precious time I might have had I continued into Ponyville. “I might be able to find some answers at the library,” I convinced myself, “It's safe to say Discord has probably already stolen The Elements.”
Running through the streets something occurred to me. “Where is everypony?” I wondered out loud. My muscles burned but I pushed myself harder with renewed urgency. I had to get to the bottom of this. Finally I arrived at my destination.
Everything appeared to be untouched. “I might still have time to figure something out,” I thought. I slowed my gait as I tried to catch my breath.
I was halted in my tracks as Discord suddenly appeared in front of me. Six stone figures behind him. I looked again. Those stone statues were my friends! I gasped at the realization. The absolute terror frozen in their expressions sent chills down my spine.
“Twilight Sparkle, you look surprised,” Discord said folding his arms. His tone darkened as he approached my friends, “Do you have any idea what it's like being encased in stone? I may have said I don't turn ponies to stone but in this case I think I'll make an exception”
I was frozen, I couldn't say anything. All I could manage was utter disbelief.
Discord grinned, “Oh don't worry Twilight, they're quite aware. They can see and hear everything and that's...” he rapped his knuckles on Applejack's head as he leaned on her, “...the honest truth.”
I began to channel a teleportation spell. I needed to get my friends away from him but I never finished. The magic from my spell suddenly faded. My horn! It was gone!
“Uh uh uh. Remember the rules to my game? No magic,” Discord jeered wagging a finger.
“I'm not playing your games! You don't play fair!” I shouted, anger wavering in my voice.
Discord looked down his nose at me as he stretched out his hand summoning an immense hammer. “Refusal could have... dire consequences my dear,” he said with a complete lack of emotion.
Suddenly the hammer was in motion. I could only watch in horror as it made its fatal arc. The shattering pierced my ears but what had really been pierced was my heart. I tried to scream but nothing would come out. I sprinted as fast as I could. Running past and completely ignoring discord I threw myself on the rubble that had been my friend. I buried my head in my hooves as I bawled uncontrollably, the tears soaking the fractured stones.
“Spike! I'm so sorry! I... Oh Celestia why!?” I cried out. I turned to Discord, “Why!? I demanded, as I wiped the tears streaming from my face. “Spike never did anything to deserve this!” I felt sick, the whole world was spinning around me. He was my first friend and, until I came to Ponyville, my only friend.
“Consider it a warning shot,” Discord replied inspecting his claws before facing me. “Now that you understand that your friends lives depend on you playing my game I think we can begin, don't you?”
I didn't want to agree but he was right, at least we would still have a chance to use The Elements. I sniffed as I continued to wipe away the tears. I couldn't trust him, and I fully anticipated he would cheat. Anything he had in mind was designed for me to fail but I had to try for my friends sake. “Where do we start?” I asked shakily.
Discords face lit up, “I thought you'd never ask! Now let's see...” He pondered stroking his beard. “Aahh yes, the brash Rainbow Dash. Her ambition drives to always be first. Let's start with her.”
“What do you mean?” I asked baffled.
“I have a series of trials, one designed for each pony. It's up to you to complete them. Succeed and I will release your friend” Discord began to explain. “Now back to Rainbow Dash. She's famed for her speed and agility, you're going to have to match that if you hope to rescue her.”
“I don't understand. These tests don't have anything to do with The Elements of Harmony?” I asked perplexed.
Discord sighed, “Ugh, that's so predictable... and boring. Don't worry, you'll get an explanation before each round of our little game.” As he talked he covered my eyes with his paws and when he removed them I was in corridor, hedges on either side seeming to touch the sky. He was lounging on a cloud with a bucket of popcorn. “Now, this is just a simple obstacle course. There is one hurdle you must clear before reaching the finish line.”
“That's it?” I was skeptical.
“That's it,” Discord replied.
“It can't be that simple. What isn't he telling me? What am I racing against?” I asked myself.
In any case I didn't have much choice. I just remember, slow and steady wins the race. Just like the Running of the Leaves. OK I placed fifth but it was still a sound strategy. If I didn't rush I would be able to avoid any traps he had hidden. Besides this was much shorter.
“Oh, one teensy little detail I forgot to mention...” Discord smiled in his hubris. His curved fang accenting his dark intentions. “I almost forgot to mention that in this little trial of speed and agility you will have an opponent.”
I knew it. “Who? There's nopony here.” I had a sinking feeling and I started to feel sick again.
“Why Rainbow Dash of course. She is after all, “The greatest flyer to ever come out of Cloudsdale.”” He snapped his fingers and in the blink of an eye Rainbow Dash was suspended high above us. “You'll want to reach the finish line before she does if you want to catch her... Best of luck... Twilight Sparkle.”
With that Rainbow begun plummeting from the sky. It would have been ironic that she was frozen stretched out in flight if it hadn't been for how dire the situation was. I lunged forward, my muscles strained as I sprinted as fast as I could. “Almost to the first, and “only” obstacle,” I thought trying to reassure myself. It seemed like just a simple hurdle. I jumped. WHAM! A tree sprouted instantly leaving me completely helpless as I dove into it head first. I staggered as I battled to get my hooves under me. My head was throbbing and blood cascaded from my nose.
“This is hardly the time to be napping in a tree don't you think?” Discord mocked, flicking a piece of popcorn into his mouth.
I ignored his jabs as I took off again. I'd lost too much precious time. My vision was blurred after being blindsided and I almost ran headlong into the hurdle but managed to clear it this time. I needed to be vigilant for any other surprises.
This time I saw it. Another tree, I dodged right only to halted by enormous vines shooting out from the hedges on either side. I had no option but to crawl under, over, and between the brambles that were rapidly constricting the path. I was never an athlete. Not like Rainbow or Applejack. I scrambled to overcome the obstacles, becoming more desperate with each second that passed. I tore against the restrictive vines. They scraped and ripped at my body until they halted my progress completely. I looked on helplessly just shy of the finish line as Rainbows form cratered into the earth.
My body went limp and the vines released me as I slumped to the ground. I didn't want to look but I couldn't turn away. All that remained was a small crater littered with small stones and pebbles, a solitary wing jutted from its center. I wanted to cry but I was too exhausted. I was drenched in sweat trying to catch my breath. This couldn't be possible, not like this. This was a nightmare and I was desperate to wake up.
“A valiant effort Twilight, but it appears you weren't cut out for racing,” Discord stated flatly dismissing the events that had just unfolded.
The hedges that towered above me sunk into the ground.
“Lets try something more your speed shall we?” asked Discord, feeding off my misery.
I had no response, no angry retort, only my grief and disbelief.
“The “Beautiful Rarity” always had a discerning eye and you share a knack for attention to detail yourself. This next one should be easy for you,” he said as he conjured a curtain from thin air and pulled it away revealing three identical statues. Each a stone effigy of Rarity. “Now all you have to do is decide which is the genuine article and which ponies are phonies,” he smirked overly pleased with himself.
I slowly rose on all four hooves, I was numb. I had never felt anything like this before. What was I suppose to do?
I trudged over to the three statues of Rarity's likeness. I merely stared blankly at them until prompted by Discord. “If you're attempting to have a staring contest I can assure that it will be a fruitless endeavor.”
I tried to push what happened to Rainbow out of my thoughts. I couldn't let it happen to anypony else, I wouldn't be able to take it. I needed to concentrate.
I began to scrutinize the three silent gray figures in front of me. The first one was obvious, as though Discord didn't even try. “That's not her cutie mark... What is that even suppose to be?” I puzzled. It looked like... marshmallows? It didn't make sense.
I turned my focus to the remaining two. These were much more difficult. I wore out a circle in the ground around them as I struggled to find something, anything out of place. I slumped to my haunches after I had made back in front of them.
“You're starting to bore me Twilight. If you don't choose, I'll choose for you, and I assure that you won't like my choice.” Discord said becoming annoyed with my lack of progress.
I doubled my efforts scanning for any imperfection I could possibly find.
“That's it! Her eyes!” I gasped. “Something had been bugging me about them and now I see it!”
“And what, pray tell, is that?” Discord grinned skeptically.
“The eyelashes are wrong on this one!” I shouted pointing to the one the left. “The real Rarity is in the center!”
“Wrong!” Discord interjected poking my nose with his talon.
“Wrong!? That's impossible! No! No, no, no, no, no!” I scolded myself.
Discord placed his arm around me. We were on a train now watching other ponies. Those ponies were my friends! It was our trip to Canterlot for the desert competition!
Discord led me to a portrait on the wall. “If you recall, this was the day you learned that the fair Rarity wears false eyelashes,” Discord gloated. A snap of his fingers and we were back in Ponyville.
How could I have forgotten!? Now I've let rarity down too. What was he going to do to her?
“Look out! Here comes Tom!”
I wheeled around and there was Discord flipping a small pebble and catching it in his paw. He suddenly let it loose. I had to stop it. I ran to intercept it but it began to accelerate and grow in size. It was enormous now, I had no hope of stopping it and dove from its path as it careened past. I turned my head just in time to see it bowl into Rarity and her duplicates. For the third time that day I was crushed and my heart broke. I laid there and wept, salty tears stinging the cuts in my cheeks. I didn't want to get up.
“Aah, such supposition Twilight, I really expected better of you,” said Discord. His words stung, rubbing salt in my wounds. He was now resting his elbow on my head and jabbing his lion paw into my ribs. “You better pick up the pace or there won't be anypony left for you to save.”
I was too empty to give any response. I couldn't do this anymore. “Oh Celestia, let it end. Make this madness stop.”
“Awww Twilight, you look glum. Pinkie Pie always had a penchant for cheering up sad ponies,” Discord said breaking the silence. He was relentless. “Maybe she can turn that frown upside down... I'm afraid she won't be the life of this party however so it will be up to you keep things entertaining.”
What sadistic thing did he have in mind? What could he possibly conjure up to perpetuate my misery? I didn't even want to fathom the cruelty he had planned.
“Over here Twilight Sparkle. You wouldn't want to be rude to your guests now would you?” Discord called bringing my attention to table that had been set.
A bucket of turnips, a sack of flower, a pile of rocks, and a giant ball of lint were all adorned with party hats and seated at the table. Dozens of balloons decorated the chairs that had been set. I was completely baffled by the scene before me. At one end of the table stood Pinkie's statue motionless, ominous.
“Well we can't start without you Twilight, take a seat,” Discord encouraged me as he pulled out a chair on the vacant end of the table I reviled his persistence to continue.
I slowly trudged to the table and cast a weary eye over the supposed “guests” and Pinkie Pie opposite me. I eased into the chair anticipating something to happen, anything, but there was nothing to break the tension hanging in the air. I sat uneasily on the edge of my seat and began to wipe away some of the dried blood on the end of my nose when a flash spurred me from it.
“You're awfully jumpy Twilight, you should try and relax. It is a party after all,” Discord said with feigned sincerity, “and it wouldn't be a party without a cake. All you need to do is serve your guests.”
I sat in quiet protest and glared at him, unmoving.
“Don't forget what happens if you refuse my little game,” he said trumping my obstinance. I winced at the reminder.
Grudgingly I rose from my seat and began to make my way around the table placing a slice of cake in front of each object seated at it. “This is utterly pointless,” I told myself as I passed Pinkie at the end and made my way up the other side. The suspense was thick enough I could have cut it with a knife, but yet again nothing happened as I served the final “guest” and made my way back to my seat. The “party” was driving me to the brink of insanity.
Just as I sat down Discord broke the silence that had been building. “I hope you brought your umbrella. It seems the party has been canceled on account of rain!”
It rained everything imaginable, an anvil being the first object to fall from the sky and crash through the table. The sudden surprise caused me to nearly jump out of my skin as I fell backwards out of my chair. I landed on my back knocking the wind out of me. I looked up at just the right moment to find a flower pot on a collision course with my face. I rolled to the side just in time as it smashed into the ground. As I jumped to my hooves I tried to find Pinkie Pie through the collage of balloons that had been set free and were now obscuring my view.
After a brief moment of searching I found her still standing and unscathed. I had to get her to cover but where and how? I dove under her and stood up so that she was straddled across my back. She was much heavier than she would have normally been and slowed me down a great deal as I began the search for shelter.
“Hold on Pinkie,” I whispered, more so to reassure myself than my charge.
Pinkie teetered side to side, the awkward load slowed my pace further. I tried to watch the sky through the wall of balloons. Objects fell all around us; a piano, a wagon, hay bales, bricks... everything to include the kitchen sink. Fatigue was setting in as I dodged the falling debris. I kept my eyes on the sky, another volley was plummeting through the veil of balloons.
Breaking its way through was an enormous safe. Focusing on it as it's shadow loomed over me I failed to see what was in front of me. My attention was brought back to the ground as I collided with something in my path. There I found myself staring down the barrel of a cannon. Pinkie's cannon. The fuse was lit and instinctively I ducked stranding Pinkie Pie who was frozen upright directly in its line of fire. It only took a moment for me to realize what I had done but it was too late. I tried to rise only to be knocked down by the concussive force of the ordnance that had been fired.
Scintillating shards of stone showered down, burying me in the refuse. My eyes clamped shut as I began to cry again, knowing full well what had just happened. The shadow from the safe grew darker as it neared and I didn't wish to escape it.
It never came. I looked up through my swollen eyes and to find a clear sky and everything that had previously fallen cleared away as though it had never happened. I reluctantly pushed my exhausted body to stand, dust shaking itself from my back. One final look down at what remained of my always joyful and exuberant friend, I was haunted by the piece of her face that seemed to be staring back at me... accusing me...
“I don't know... what to do Pinkie... Please...” I cried biting my lip.
“It must be hard... all these ponies relying on you and you haven't managed to save a single one! The dependable Applejack rarely lets a pony down, and now she finds herself in the unusual position of depending on you...” Discord said with feigned pity. He was supremely pleased with his cleverness. “Given your performance thus far she must be awfully concerned now that she finds herself as the damsel in distress.”
A clatter came from down the street, faint at first but it quickly grew louder. I tried to see what was causing the clatter of steel when the sound finally rounded the corner of the buildings. I watched puzzled as the railroad seemed to be rebuilding its self carving a path straight through town.
“Oh Celestia no. Don't let this be what I think it is.” My mind began to conjure dozens of scenarios as to why Discord would move the railroad.
Eventually the tracks ended at the front door to my library. It didn't make sense at first but Discord grabbed a paint brush and a bucket of paint out of the air and painted the door black. I stared at the door for moment. No, it wasn't a door anymore it was a tunnel! I could see a faint light deep within and the faint chug of a locomotive. My eyes followed the tracks it was bound to and there I found Applejack tied to them in a tangled mess of rope.
“You'd better hope you're as handy with rope as your farmer friend,” Discord said, devoid of any emotion.
I staggered to the clump of ropes that were smothering AJ, still trying to recover from the vertigo caused by the cannon blast. I began to tear at the knots with my teeth when I noticed a sheared railroad spike just to the left. It's had a jagged edge on one side, just enough to be useful, or so I thought. I began to hack at the ropes with it but it wouldn't cut! I sawed frantically but I might as well been using a stick of butter as the spike I had thought would be my salvation turned into unrecognizable black mush.
“That would be cheating,” Discord chided.
I had lost valuable time, and the train was only getting louder. I could feel the vibrations in the track intensify as I tried to undo the bindings with a sense of urgency.
“Only a few ropes left!” I thought to myself. It was then I made an unforgivable error. I turned around to see just how close the train had gotten. It was only seconds away. In a last ditch effort I tried to pull Applejack off the tracks hoping against hope that just by some miracle the ropes might come free. They did not. My grip failed and I fell backwards off the tracks just the train zoomed past and collided with AJ's defenseless statuette.
Suddenly I was violently jerked by a back hoof as the train began to come to a screeching halt. A loop of rope had snagged my leg and drug me at the mercy of the juggernaut locomotive. As the train made the corner into town the roped pulled me under the cars and but by the grace of Celestia I narrowly missed the wheels. The rope that had tethered me to the careening locomotive had finally been severed by the immense wheels as they ran it over, leaving me at the mercy of my own momentum as I tumbled out the back.
As I slammed to a halt a searing pain shot through me just above my left eye. Rivulets of blood streamed down my face forcing me to clench my eye shut. My hoof went to my brow to try and wipe away the blood but it pointless to do so. With my good eye, I inspected the object I had collided with. It was Applejack's hat... it had also been petrified and was sticking vertically out of the ground in the middle of the tracks. My blood stained the brim where it had gashed my head. Dread washed over me seeing that hat anywhere but planted firmly atop AJ's head.
The Train had finally rolled to a stop. I put a shaky, bloody hoof out and gingerly touched the stone stetson rising from the ground like a gravestone. “Forgive me Applejack...” I wept. More tears filled my already swollen eyes as they mixed with the blood trickling down my face.. My stomach churned and felt like it was eating itself.
I granted myself a fleeting reprisal and laid down burying my face in my hooves. Anything to stop this dizzying world from spinning. Never in my worst nightmares would I have imagined anything like this to be possible and the worst part of it all was it wasn't over yet.
““Knot” so good with knots are you?” Discord laughed at his own joke. I had long since tuned him out.
I lifted my head and the back of the train came into view. Something was unusual about it, something about that last car as Discord hovered next to it. The door wasn't a door in the normal sense, or like one I would expect to see. It was a heavy wrought iron gate. I could only imagine what purpose it served as the never ending roller
“Fluttershy had so many delightful critters at her cottage and I simply couldn't leave them unattended, so I thought why not bring them here!” Discord said stretching an arm out to lean against the caboose. “Of course seeing as she's indisposed at the moment there simply isn't another pony to soothe these poor creatures,” he lamented as he raise his free hand to his brow exaggerating a faint. “Seeing as your such a “good friend” you wouldn't mind looking after them for her would you?”
He had moved to the heavy iron latch of the portcullis. He fondled it, flipping the latch with his hand as he watched me expecting some reply or protest.
“Please... stop...” I begged weakly as I stretched a feeble hoof in his direction. “Please end this...” I was desperate for the torment to stop, for some small shred of mercy. To be put out of my misery.
“It will end all in good time, one way or another. In the mean time I suggest you keep your eye on the prize,” Discord said denying my request. His tone almost sounded encouraging, like he wanted me to succeed but his ploy was thinly veiled.
With a flick of Discord's wrist the doors of the colossal kennel swung open and critters of all kinds, sizes, and colors poured out. Angel on his long spindly was leading the pack. Once again I found myself at a loss as to how to deal with the situation. They barreled towards us seemingly oblivious to Fluttershy and I in their path. I began to beg and plead for them to stop or go around or anything.
“Angel! You have to stop! PLEASE!” I begged but my words fell on deaf ears. I summoned whatever shred of energy I could command and hobbled towards Fluttershy to intercept the herd. I braced myself only a few feet in front of Fluttershy. There was no other choice I could think of. I threw myself into them as began to thunder past. I couldn't afford finesse anymore. I pushed and shoved and kicked exerting every once of strength I could muster until I was overwhelmed and, for the second time in my life, trampled under hoof and paw by the multitude of creatures.
The beating was over but I was too battered to stand up. I couldn't even manage to lift my head off the ground and could only lay there in the mud, the blood, and the dust. Squinting through puffy eyes I found Fluttershy. She was OK! I couldn't believe it! A butterfly landed delicately on her nose and I allowed myself a faint smile. “At least I saved somepony...”
The butterfly that had perched itself on Fluttershy's muzzle began to beat its vibrant pink wings. As it took off I watched in horror as Fluttershy turned to dust and began to blow away in the breeze. I tried to get up. I wanted nothing more at that moment than to go to her and embrace before she was gone, but my body had betrayed me and wouldn't obey. I laid there utterly helpless while Fluttershy was reduced to nothing more than a small pile of ashes. I had no more tears left to give. I closed my eyes. I had failed them all.
“Oh my, how ironic is that!” Discord cried ecstatically. With a snap of his fingers he returned my horn. “You managed to fend off a stampede but failed to defend her from the most delicate of creatures. That is rich! Wonderful!” he exclaimed with great relish as he rolled on the ground in laughter clutching his sides.
Something in me snapped. A new emotion, what was it? Anger? No. Rage? No, not rage. HATE! IT WAS HATE! I HATED DISCORD! My horn began to draw magic as though it had a will of its own. I'd never felt so much power, it was terrifying. At the same time it felt incredible, exhilarating, like new life had been breathed into me. I tingled with both fear and excitement. This power, I was going to use it to destroy Discord! I felt my body leave the ground, I was levitating. My eyes glowed, burning brighter than the sun yet blacker than the night.
“I HATE YOU!” I screamed with every fiber of my being.
Before I could unleash the awesome magic I had gathered, I was stopped short. Discord had grabbed my horn in his vile paw and I felt all the energy of that spell being forced back into me. The pain was indscribable. I clenched my teeth as I fought through the agony. I resisted and strained to unleash that power but it was like trying to defy a tsunami as the current grew stronger.
“Aren't we just a little bundle of entropy?” he snarled as he tightened his grip. “Come now, don't think I forgot about your element Twilight... The most elusive and dangerous of all...”
The pressure that had been building inside of me finally had nowhere to go. A violent eruption of unstable magic separated us and sent me cartwheeling through the air. I hit ground with an audible thud and a crack. Pain shot through my chest forcing me to gasp for air sending another jolt of pain through my sides. The landing had broken my ribs and all I could manage were short, raspy breaths. Next to me was a small fractured purple stone. Some how it seemed familiar. It was then I realized it wasn't a stone it was my horn! Another gasp at this revelation sent me writhing in agony.
I had never felt so cold, it felt like dying. A part of me was hoping to could join in my friends fate. I couldn't stand the thought of them being gone forever. Another deep pain in my chest interrupted my thoughts. It refused to subside and felt like something was being ripped out of me. Just when I thought I couldn't bear it any longer a small orb of white light emerged from my chest. I saw five identical orbs rise from the refuse and debris where my friends had fallen. Simultaneously they rocketed into the sky and out of sight. Another wave of cold washed over me, the blood freezing in my veins. I watched, detached, as my coat dulled into a familiar gray.
“YES!” Discord celebrated pumping his arm in the air. “With the bearers of The Elements defeated and no suitable pony left to possess them they're gone for good! How delightful, I'm in stitches!” he roared with laughter. “Harmony is officially and literally dead!”
“DISCORD!” A voice thundered from overhead interrupting his celebration. I turned my gaze to the sky and watched as the winged silhouette descended.
“Aah! Princess Luna, punctual as always,” Discord said expectantly.
“THOU SHALL BRING NO FURTHER HARM TO TWILIGHT SPARKLE!” Princess Luna boomed as she landed. She planter her hooves in the ground and flared her wings menacingly.
“Yetch, gag. Still fond of the Canterlot royal voice I see,” Discord replied in disgust pointing a finger down his throat and rolling his eyes.
“THOU WILL REGRET...” Luna was interrupted as Discord snapped his finger, a zipper across her mouth silenced her. Pulling the gag from her mouth she continued, “DO NOT TRIFLE WITH US! WE HAVE NOT COME FOR GAMES!”
Discord wound up and pitched. A steel plate hitting its mark, riveting Luna's mouth shut. She attempted vainly to pull it away like she had before.
“Come now, must you keep yelling?” Discord asked rhetorically as he strode her. “Remember I'm the one who made you Nightmare Moon! I sewed the seeds of resentment between you and Celestia.”
Luna clenched her eyes shut and her horn radiated a ghostly hue as she dispelled the magic that had rendered her unable to speak. She cast Discord a look that could turn a pony to stone. “THOU'S TREACHERY WILL NOT WORK ON US AGAIN!”
“Perhaps not,” Discord contemplated. “However... I know something that will... Something you should be quite familiar with.” Discord's musing took a sadistic turn as he rubbed his paws together. “As Nightmare Moon you could be useful but frank my dear, there's only room for one on “Team Discord”. And the royal voice really is too much, you could stand to mellow a bit and I know just the place...”
A maelstrom ripped open behind Princess Luna. “I think another thousand years on the moon will help you loosen up,” Discord said as he lowered himself to meet Luna at eye level and cradling her chin.
“NO! NEVER! WE WILL NEVER AGAIN SUFFER THAT SOLITUDE!” Luna beat her wings furiously as she was slowly pulled towards the vortex. “NO!” She tried to teleport but her magic had been nullified and only served as wasted effort. She dug her hooves into the ground but her efforts were to no avail leaving a trail in the soft dirt as she skidded backwards. Luna was on the precipice of being consumed by the raging torrent as she made one last desperate plea, “NO! I WO...”
The portal collapsed and Princess Luna was gone.
“HAHAHA! If only you could have seen the look on your face!” Discord said roared wiping a tear from his eye.
Suddenly a form was standing over me blocking out the sun. I didn't bother to see who or what it was. I didn't care, I didn't have anything worth living or fighting for anymore. Discord's next words alerted me as to who it was but It didn't matter to me anymore.
“Oh, Celestia! How delightful of you to join us! I'm sorry but it seems you've missed all the festivities!” Discord's greeting was cynical and paltry.
“Enough Discord! This has gone too far!” Warned Princess Celestia sternly.
“Says the tyrant who's ruled over Equestria for the last thousand years,” he retorted folding his arms across his chest.
“I'm taking Twilight Sparkle and leaving. You won't stop us,” Celestia said, her tone resolute.
“I wouldn't dream of it Princess, in fact that's the point.” Discord's lips curled in a nefarious smile.
Next I felt a gentle muzzle against my cheek, much like a mother with her foal. My hair pricked up as energy filled the air and in a burst of white candescence we were away from that unholy place.
“stay with me my student,” Celestia's gentle voice cooed. Whatever she said next was unintelligible as the world went dark and I slipped into unconsciousness.
Chapter 6: Hook, Line, and Sinker
In war... Innocence is always the first casualty.
“Do you understand now,” asked Twilight shakily while looking up at me with puffy eyes. “After Princess Celestia rescued me she spent over a month healing my injuries. She used the memory spell to break Discords magic on me. Unfortunately she didn't have a close enough relationship with anypony else for the memory spell to work.”
What could say? I had been absolutely horrible since I arrived here. “I... I'm so sorry, I didn't know,” I choked out. What had I been doing for the last four years? How could I have been so selfish? God I was fool.
“I don't...” Twilight sighed, “I don't blame you.”
“where were we headed again?” I asked trying to divert the subject.
“Zecora's hut in the Everfree Forest,” she replied.
“She's been helping you all this time? Why didn't she come to Canterlot with you?” I asked.
“Was... She was helping me, but now she's gone now too. We... I still use her hut. Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo... They're all gone now.” Twilight's voice trailed off as she hung her head.
“Wait, I thought you said everyone... everypony in Ponyville had been taken that first day,” I asked wondering if I had missed something.
“Everypony was taken. They were at their clubhouse in a secluded part of Sweet Apple Acres when Discord invaded. They escaped whatever fate befell Ponyville only to have to suffer this wretched war.” Twilight paused. She looked like she wanted to cry but she was well past the need for mourning. “One by one they all fell victim to Discord and his infinite cruelty...” she trailed off again.
“What about your brother or Princess cadence? You never mentioned them,” I asked. I immediately regretted the question.
“While the princess was treating my injuries they went after Discord head on.” Twilight started to choke on her words. “He... He killed them with their love!” She broke down crying again.
“Oh Twilight, that's quite the depressing tale you've spun,” a mocking voice resonated from the dark forsaken trees surrounding us. It was everywhere, and nowhere all at once. I shivered as the repulsive tone touched my mind. The air had become unnaturally still as the silence that followed became almost maddening.
“You know nothing of what I've endured!” Twilight shouted back into the pitch black wiping the tears that had sprung from her eyes.
“Endured?” Came an indignant reply. “You haven't been encased in stone for a thousand years. Kept as a trophy by that old hag in her personal garden and left to the mercy of avian bombers using you for their personal outhouse. Do you have any idea how undignified that is for a being such as myself?” The ground had become illuminated and assumed a pattern akin to that of stained glass. Discord's visage fillings its frame as he spoke. The trees moaned and became warped and contorted seemingly in an attempt to cower from his presence.
“Don't you dare speak of the Princess like that!” Twilight screamed as she trembled with fury.
“Hell hath no fury...” I thought to myself.
“Must you hold this all against me?” Discord sighed. “After all you're the one who killed her,” Discord said accusingly. “That's right Twilight Sparkle. I watched your little escapade in the library. Not the first I might add. Tell me, who do you think created those spells?” The implication was unsettling.
“A stroke of pure genius if I must say so myself,”Discord continued. “A way for any pony to wield magic. Simply a question of whether ones desires were worth the sacrifice. Oh, you should have seen the pandemonium before Celestia and Luna sealed me, and my spells, away for a millennia.” His tone became more sinister. “And you're friend Trixie?” She needlessly threw her life away to destroy something that was never there.”
Discord faded from the windowed floor he occupied as images of the library took his place. It was like watching a silent movie. We looked on as two figures toiled in the darkness. It was Twilight and Celestia drawing circles in the ground. When they finished a demonic rune had taken shape on the floor and it seemed as though they were arguing over something. It was impossible to discern over what at first. Twilight moved to a smaller circle tethered to the rune Celestia sat in which appeared to be the centerpiece of whatever ritual they were about to perform.
I tore my sight away from the mesmerizing portrait and shot a concerned glance towards Twilight. She never noticed as her gaze was transfixed on events replaying before us. Her lips quivered as she blinked a tear from her eye. I couldn't imagine how she felt reliving this. I truly felt sorry for that sad purple mare.
“Keep watching, this is where it gets juicy,” Discord's voice prompted.
Obediently I turned my attention back to the living mural sprawled across the ground. Twilight appeared to be reading a scroll and the runes began to glow. A quick flicker of light drew my attention to Celestia's figure. In her mouth she held a a crude makeshift dagger. She lifted a front hoof and with the flick of her head she made a cut in her leg. Rivulets of blood flowed down her leg. As they made contact with the floor the room erupted with an unholy light. Following suit Twilight made an incision in her own leg. As the trickle of blood reached the floor a spark raced along a line that tied the the two circles together.
I pried my eyes away once again and examined Twilight. Dried blood had caked around the bottom of her right fore hoof. How had I not noticed a fresh cut on her leg? How did I not see the circles etched into the floor? Another burst of light brought me back to the window on ground.
I appeared in a second small circle tethered to the large rune. It was my arrival here. My brief introduction, or lack of one, with Twilight played out before we slunk into the shadows and into the hallway. The exchange between Twilight and Trixie was next and as we fled down that foreboding corridor this visual stayed fixed on Trixie as she charged her spell. A half dozen pale figures came into view just as Trixie unleashed her magic and they dissipated like they were made of smoke before the window we had been watching through whited out and shattered.
I blinked my eyes trying to recover from light that had just blinded me and when I could see again Discord was reclining in a chaise lounge sipping a glass of chocolate milk. Literally drinking the glass.
“You see. The Great and Powerful Trixie obliterated half the library fighting an apparition. A mere figment of your imaginations,” Discord said with an evil grin that could froze the blood in my veins.
Twilight opened her mouth to respond but I beat her to the punch. “You son of a-”
“Now, now. Temper, temper. I didn't bring the building down on top of her,” Discord interrupted calmly.
When he finished his drink he threw what remained towards us. I dove on the ground and covered my head with my hands as I recalled the explosion that occurred in the show. But there was no explosion. I opened my eyes and recovered, rising to my feet. Instead it created a small puddle like one would normally expect. Even that normality was brief as the puddle rippled and revealed images of Ponyville; the library, town hall, sugarcube corner...
“Seeing as you've finally managed to pique my interest again I'd like to extend to you an invitation to visit me in Ponyville so that we might settle our differences.” Discord said as he stood up. Walking over he lowered himself to be eye level with me. “Besides I have something that may be of interest to you human... Something you've lost perhaps?”
My eyes widened and I immediately began rifling through my pockets in a frantic search. “Where is it!?” My mind was racing. “When did I lose it!? Where could I have dropped it!? Where's my letter!?”
“You know where to find me,” Discord laughed as he disappeared.
Again Twilight had opened her mouth to offer a rebuttal but he was gone before she could.
“Dammit! How could I be so damn stupid!?” I cursed at myself.
“It's not your fault...” Twilight began in an attempt to comfort me.
“It is my fault! I need to get that letter back,” I lashed out.
“It's a trap, it's exactly what he wants us to do! We can't.” Twilight stated flatly.
She was right. I knew it was a trap but I didn't care. I needed to get that letter back. “I'm sorry Twilight but I'm going after him. You brought me here to fight? Well I promise you that's one thing I can certainly do. I'm gonna beat the that smug look right off his face!”
“If it were that easy don't you think somepony would have done that by now?” argued Twilight.
I ignored her as I turned and began walking along the brick road that had appeared. The path offered a faint yellow glow to guide me.
“Then I'm coming with you, you can't face him alone,” Twilight spoke up as she trotted to catch up to me.
I glanced down at her and we made eye contact. Those intense violet windows into her soul reflected a resolve that could move mountains.
“What can we expect when we get there?” I asked.
“If you've watched us then you should know how Discord works. He's Enigmatic at best. Be ready for anything...” Came Twilight's calculated response.
I nodded and without another word we were on our way to end this nightmare, one way or another.
View Online
Chapter 7: The Deranged, The Innocent, and The Fool Caught in the Middle
After what seemed like a never ending maze of following that brick road it ended just as we exited the forest. We stood on the edge of Ponyville and attempted to find a path where we could enter unnoticed. Twilight knew Ponyville far better than I did. After all, all I had was the narrow view from a children's show. Not that it made a difference with the way buildings would uproot and rearrange themselves or hang in the air overhead.
We slowly crept into town trying to keep a low profile. We had already past a few of the derelict buildings like Fluttershy's cottage and Rarity's boutique near the edge of town. A trio of ponies trotted past us in reverse forcing us to take cover behind a solitary warped tree. Given the hell the rest of the world was in, backwards ponies almost seemed normal.
“I thought you said there weren't any ponies here,” I whispered trying not to lose my balance as we tried to obscure ourselves with the narrow woody plant.
“There weren't,” came Twilight's flat response. “Not at first anyways. None of these are ponies I recognize.”
I left it at that and broke from cover after the patrol had rounded the corner. There was a small cart, long since neglected, in the center of the street. That would be our next waypoint before we found some more permanent cover. I followed Twilight's lead.
I watched in quiet awe of a thundercloud that roiled above town hall, which itself hung suspended upside down and in defiance of gravity. I wondered what kind of precipitation it would bring recalling the chocolate rain clouds in the show. This cloud certainly didn't look like cotton candy and it's presence felt ominous as we neared the cart.
“Watch out!” Twilight shouted as she gave me a forceful shove. A sink had nearly fallen on us, the porcelain flying in all directions with nearly explosive force as it hit the ground.
That could have been my head. “How did you know?” I asked. I never saw her take her eyes off the street in front of us.
“Call it intuition,” Twilight said as she scanned the street after making our next cover.
As I began to crouch down a snake crawled from the broken boards of the wagon. It didn't slither, it crawled with two little sickly legs. The gross bastardization startled me causing me to jump back but it seemed to care little about us and went about its business elsewhere.
I settled back in and peaked around the corner of the cart looking for our best route.
“You see that?” she asked in a low whisper.
“What?” I answered her question with my own trying to find what she was talking about.
“That alley on the right. I think we can use it,” she replied pointing with her head.
One final check to make sure the coast was clear and we headed for the gap between what appeared to be an abandoned building and a wall made of random objects congealed into a tangled mass.
Once through the threshold we glanced back to ensure we weren't seen or followed. The passageway was humid with a foul stench that I felt I should recognize but the answer eluded me. A thick layer of slime covered the wall of debris. I brought myself close to examine it; a cart, a wheel, a hay bale, and what seemed to be part of a train engine? I put a hand out and touched the muck that clung to everything. It was sticky.
“I think we made a mistake,” Twilight said nervously disrupting my inspection. A low rumble filled the air.
“Why is that?” I asked but a glob of slime plopped onto the ground with a dull splat prompting me to look up. There I was met with the hot humid breath of three immense heads. My heart jumped into my throat choking me as I realized just what we had stepped into. Those three gaping maws slowly descended as they continued to growl. There was no running away from this thing. I slowly reached for a broken board projecting from pile of chew toys without taking my eyes off of the behemoth drowning me in its shadow. As I brandished my makeshift weapon it was ripped from my hands.
“Here Cerberus! Here boy! Go get it!” Twilight gestured playfully as she threw the plank I had planned to defend myself with. My eyes went wide with horror at what she had done but something that I did not expect happened.
The giant hound sailed over my head and pounced on the piece of timber. It's heads fought briefly to retrieve it but the middle head came out victorious as it took all of two steps to return to Twilight and drop its prize in front of her. The hellhound lowered its heads playfully as Twilight stretched out a hoof and rubbed its muzzle with a smile. “That's a good boy! That's a good Cerberus!”
I was slack jawed, I couldn't believe it. “When did she become so good with animals, let alone monstrosities like that?”
The moment didn't last long as Cerberus began to whimper and look around wildly. The cause of the three headed beast's behavior became evident soon enough.
That narrow alley vanished and we were teleported to a new location before Discord himself. We now stood before Town Hall where he was lazily draped across his throne. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised he brought us here seeing as he knew we were in the library, and where to find us in the forest. One question had been bugging me though, and that was; If he always knew where Twilight was and could follow her anywhere unnoticed why had he left her and Princess Celestia alive all this time?
“I swear you can't find good help these days,” Discord said shooting an evil glance at Cerberus who in turn cowered with a whimper. He clapped his hands twice and the mammoth hound fled towards the forest.
He turned his attention back to Twilight and I. “Aah, so nice of you to join me,” Discord began with a smile. “It's been so long since we've had an opportunity like this. Now we can have a little fun because just killing you would be boring.” His eyes narrowed on me, “Yes human I know what you're thinking. Oh, it's been a wonderful few years at your expense Twilight.” He chuckled as he turned to Twilight. “I was really starting to tire of you though. You were being oh so predictable...” He paused for dramatic effect, “That is until you brought the human here. A very interesting move indeed.”
Twilight gritted her teeth. “You're twisted,” she muttered.
“Did you forgot who you're talking to? Hello?” Discord answered with false surprise. He summoned a paddle ball and began playing with it as he rested his chin in his paw.
“What makes it so fascinating that I'm here?” I ordered ignoring the school of fish swimming through the air.
“Oh it's certainly strange to see a human here in Equestria but what makes it so intriguing is Twilight's little spell summoned you of all people.” Discord said as he cracked a sly grin.
“What's that suppose to mean?” I barked clenching my fists.
“I've watched you. I must say I have a certain affinity for your world. It's so... wonderfully chaotic...” Discord answered his words dripping poison. “Beautiful really...”
“Are you responsible for what's happened on Earth!?” I demanded. I was enraged by they thought.
“Goodness no. You're world didn't need my help to achieve the level of disharmony you find yourselves in. You humans are most peculiar species; capable of great compassion and equally great cruelty.” Discord laughed again, pleased with his analysis.
Confusion flashed across Twilight's face. “How do you know who he is?”
“In due time my dear.” Discord brushed her question off.
“No, I think now is good,” I stated bluntly.
Discord halted his game of paddle ball and set it down with a sigh. “Really? Fine I'll tell you,” he said as lifted off from his chair and hovered with his wings. He clapped his hands together again and a faded yellow letter poofed into existence. “Ahem,” he started as he cleared his throat,
“to Daddy,
I know your scared im scared to.
dont worry though I know it will be ok.
the doctors are scarry but I think they will make me better.
even if I have to go away I will always be in your hart.
I know this letter will make you happy when your sad.
I love you Daddy,
Love,
Cecilia”
My mind shattered and I slumped to my knees. In all the time I've kept that letter, never has anyone else seen it let alone read it.
“I really should thank your daughter for if it wasn't for her I would have never escaped,” Discord gloated.
I couldn't respond. The void in my heart felt like it was going to consume me.
“How? That doesn't make sense. It doesn't explain anything,” Twilight asked unable to mask her confusion.
“Oh? But it does my dear,” Discord began. “You searched through my spells in the library. You know they require two sentient living beings, one of them being The Catalyst. This spell in particular...” He paused letting the implications sink in. “...required The Catalyst be one of pure innocence and harmony and lets face it nopony in Equestria fit the bill. She was the key to unlock my prison.” He turned to me in a sinister tone, “Your darling daughter.”
Little Cecilia! He murdered her! I began to hyperventilate as I doubled over nauseous at the revelation. My insides felt like they I had been scrambled with a red hot poker.
“How could you have possibly done that? You were turned to stone!” Twilight gasped in horror.
“After my release the first time I took out a little insurance policy. If I were to ever be returned to stone the key would forge itself inside the mind of that little girl. So technically you killed her Twilight when you and your friends used The Elements of Harmony to defeat me.” Discord had drifted over and hung his arm around Twilight as he revealed the truth behind his escape.
Twilight recoiled at the accusation she was responsible for destroying an innocent life.
“You're deranged,” I finally choked out without looking up.
Discord's eyes flickered menacingly, “Deranged? Oh yes, but we're one and the same, you and I.”
“We're nothing alike,” I replied grimly. I lifted my head to find his only inches away.
“I beg to differ. We both thrive on chaos and misery. You've spent your life in a profession that wouldn't exist without discontent.” Discord asserted.
I erupted with rage and swung my fist expecting to make a solid connection but Discord had vanished. The momentum spun me around and I landed on my back in the dust.
“Aren't we the feisty one,” Discord chided as he stood over me.
I jumped to my feet to continue my assault with all the fury I could muster. Mocking me he willed a blindfold into existence and covered his own eyes with it and placed his hands behind his back. He effortlessly flowed around my blows like water. I was getting tired... slow. He snaked his tail between my legs and tripped me. Helplessly I fell forward and landed face down in the dirt.
I made my way to one knee and wiped the dust from my face. I winced as my sweat rolled into the small lacerations caused by the gravel that ended up ground into my skin. Discord's handicaps had been removed and he now stared back at me with contempt. I reached down and pulled the knife from my boot and hefted it by the blade. I drew my arm back and let the blade loose with all of my strength. It was right on target.
What happened next was unexpected but it should not have been a surprise given who and what my target was. Reaching behind him Discord had produced a mirror from behind his back. What happened next was indescribable as the knife I'd sent whirling through the air entered the mirror and the reflection came out aimed directly back at me.
“Look out!” Twilight shrieked but I didn't have time to react and barely managed to raise my hand in a vain attempt to shield myself from the projectile. I Let out a painful yelp as it sunk into my hand, burying itself all the way to the handle. I fell backwards as I writhed in agony.
“Quite foolish to attack me so brazenly,” Discord gloated. He opened his mouth to chastise me further but was interrupted by Twilight leaping into the fray.
She was quick, graceful. Her motion was fluid as she bucked, kicked, and dodged his counters. In the blink of an eye she was fighting mirror images of Discord and was managing to hold her ground. The speed and agility she possessed, I would have never imagined her to be capable of. Try as I might, I couldn't discern which was Discord and which were his copies but she seemed to be able to tell them apart. I began to actually have some hope that she had a chance.
That hope faded as I watched Twilight begin to stumble from exhaustion and Discord's clones began to land several blows. She was thrown to the ground and the clones once again merged with their master. The ground began to shutter and a hole began to form beneath her. She jumped to her feet but she was tied to several anchors with a rope knotted around each hoof. She untied them at record speed, but the abyss that was attempting to swallow her up left her nowhere to go but the small island she was staked to and that was eroding quickly.
If I was impressed at how fast she had freed herself, I was dumbfounded at the blazing speed she joined the sections of rope together.
Soon as she had finished splicing the ropes together it was sailing in my direction. I grabbed it with my uninjured hand and rolled on top of it to secure it around my waste. Just in time as she leaped from the spit of land she had been standing on. She disappeared into the maw of the gaping chasm but the rope tightening around my waste told me she was still there. Sitting up I dug in with my heals and pushed myself backwards. I strained against the weight, a pony was heavier than I would have thought.
Grunting and straining I kept reeling her in, beads of sweat forming on my brow. I let out a sigh of relief as she crested the edge of the pit but that relief was short lived as Discord lifted Twilight by a foreleg. He dropped her to the ground, conjuring a cage, he dropped it over the top of her. Satisfied that she wasn't going anywhere he turned his attention to me.
“You've been quite bothersome haven't you? But... you've managed to impress and entertain me to some degree,” Discord said thoughtfully stroking his chin. “I think I might keep you around a while longer,” he said as he put a single claw to the top of my head. I don't why but it made me nauseous. The same sick feeling I had when I first arrived in the library. I felt cold, like I was freezing from the inside out. Then it stopped.
“What's this? This doesn't make sense.” Discord paused and then laughed at the irony of his statement.
“That's it! That must be why The Elements chose you! You somehow have an immunity to chaos!” Twilight proclaimed.
She was right it seemed. I looked normal, I hadn't been turned into various shades of gray but that didn't matter. We were beaten. I had failed and broke yet another promise, the one I had made to Twilight. I began to tear up at my failings and a familiar feeling of despair returned. I tightened the piece of my shirt I had ripped up and wrapped around my bloody hand as I bowed my head.
Ignoring our lament Discord strode back to his throne and plopped down. “It doesn't matter why The Elements chose him. And it's no matter if you are immune to my magic, I still know what makes you tick.” He grinned devilishly as he pulled out my daughters letter once again. With a flick of his wrist he sent that tattered note sailing in my direction. It landed gently on the ground in front of me.
“Aah doubt. Such an endearing quality,” Discord said of our situation. “You know what makes doubt and despair especially delicious?” He asked sadistically as he leaned forward in his seat. “All it needs is a dash of hope,” he let out with riotous laughter.
I fumbled to pick up that little rainbow letter written on that stained and faded parchment. I read it like I had a thousand times before while Discord droned in the background.
“...always be in your hart... ...make you happy when your sad... I love you daddy...”
I allowed a faint smile to find me as the tears streamed from my face and gently pattered onto the worn paper. I always hoped... Hope. A spark. In that instant something inside me changed. A flame had been ignited. I was filled with two things I hadn't known for an eternity. Hope and love.
The words scribbled on that frail note began to glow, dimly at first but they grew more vibrant until the words themselves seemed to fly off the paper. Blues, reds, greens yellows... every color was there emanating from the letter in my hands.
“What's this!?” Discord rose from his throne, the confidence he exuded previously was replace by a rare panic. “It's impossible! Give me that letter! I'll destroy it!” He shrieked leaping from his perch.
It was too late. A glorious rainbow had already sprung forth and made an arc, descending on its target.
“NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” Discord's protest was silenced as he was cast in stone and toppled to the ground.
Still in a state of disbelief, I scrutinized the letter I still held in my hand. Whatever magic had been contained within was gone. I quickly secured it in my pocket and hurried to free Twlight from her prison.
Soon as she was free she leaped up and hugged me. “You did it! You can control The Elements!”
I smiled, “No. You're still wrong. It never was me. You're spell meant to bring you my daughter but I was they only way for her to get here.” I looked at the perplexed purple pony for a second then continued. “The only place she still lives is in my heart and that little rainbow letter. It took everything that's happened here to remind me of that.”
Twilight sat down and pondered what I said for a moment before standing up and placing her hoof over my heart. “Thank you Cecilia,” smiling warmly as she said it.
It melted my heart.
I looked around, the world was still in shambles. The laws of physics, even for this place, were still being grossly violated as buildings drifted listlessly and fish swam through the air. I turned my attention to Discord's contorted figure. “What are we going to do with him?” I asked.
Twilight”s demeanor changed in an instant as made a very somber walk towards where he laid in the dirt. “I hope you were right about being able to see everything. I want you to see this coming,” she said grimly. Then her powerful legs went to work as she bucked and kicked with relentless vigor. Discord's stone carapace began to fracture, then splinter, before finally shattering under the force of Twilight's blows. It was truly intimidating.
Finally she had finished pulverizing the pile of rubble that remained trying to catch her breath in between sobs.
“Easy, easy. It's over now,” I tried to comfort her as I knelt down and put an arm around her.
“It doesn't make sense...” she whimpered wiping the tears from her eyes with a hoof. “The last time we defeated Discord everything returned to normal. Why is everything still... wrong?” She looked up at me, those deep sad eyes begging for an explanation.
“I don't know Twilight,” I answered, “but I bet I know where we could find some answers. Do you think there would be something at the library in Canterlot?”
Her ears perked up, her expression was one of shock. “But the only spells we could use are...” she glanced at the pile of debris that had been Discord, “his.”
“We should still take a look. Who knows, we might find something,” I said shrugging my shoulders.
“You might be right. We still need to find a way to get you back to your world,” she agreed.
“It's settled then,” I said. With that we took a few hours to rest and scavenge some food before our long trek back to Canterlot.
Chapter 8: The Last Goodbye
We had finally made it to Canterlot and were standing in front of the collapsed section of the library we had escaped. We also found the final resting place of Trixie, underneath the only living tree in the city. I insisted that I'd bury her so Twilight could get to work but she wouldn't have any of it. I was actually grateful she insisted on helping. It's hard to work a shovel with a gaping hole in your hand. We had found the shovel and a few other useful tools in the garden near by.
Once we had Trixie interred, Twilight said a few words. “I know you didn't like me... and I never meant to hurt you...” She cleared her throat before continuing her solemn eulogy. “I don't think you had many friends... I... I just wished I could have been your friend...” She turned to me, pausing for a moment before grasping the makeshift headstone in her hooves and planting it in the ground.
“Here lies The Great and Powerful Trixie
After the ceremony was over we went inside. We spent the next three days searching through the dusty scrolls and tomes. It was fortunate that only the hallway had collapsed.
“This is pointless!” Twilight yelled in frustration. “We've been through every book, every scroll, every scrap of parchment in her... Twice!”
“Are you sure there's nothing here?” I sighed.
“There's only two spells in the entire library that would work but they're Discords spells,” Twilight replied. Even though he had been dead for four days, his mention still made me uneasy.
To tell the truth I felt kind of like a fifth wheel. Between Twilight being able to browse entire sections faster than I could flip through a single book and my bum hand restricting the size of book I could grab. Some of those books were obscenely large. Of course it didn't help that everything was written in a language I couldn't read. I mostly just looked at pictures.
I sighed again, “What do you got?”
She laid two scrolls out on the decrepit table that served as our work station. “This one would send you back to your world... And this one would turn My world back four years to before Discord was freed. UGH!”
She was frazzled. “If I went back to my world it would Equestria like this wouldn't it?” I asked. The answer was obvious.
“Yes,” Twilight replied.
“And if we sent Equestria back in time four years wouldn't Discord just immediately be free again?” I asked finishing my two part question.
“No. I know it sounds like a paradox but only Equestria would be reverted four years. Earth would still be in what is now the present,” Twilight stated matter of factly. “Your daughter... Cecilia would already be gone. The spell simply isn't powerful enough to affect the time line of two worlds.”
“Kind of a catch twenty-two huh?” I chuckled.
“I don't know how you find this amusing. Both of these spells call for The Catalyst. One of us won't survive...” she trailed off at the prospect before regaining her resolute composure. “I promised I would get you home and that's what I'm going to do!”
“Are you sure about that?” I asked in surprise.
She gave me a confident nod as she collected the two scrolls, “I'm sure. Both of the spells are similar. They use the same rune, its just a matter of reading from the right scroll and standing in the right circle.”
I wasn't very helpful and could only watch as Twilight began to etch the runes into the floor. When she had finished she stepped back to admire her work. Satisfied with what she had done she turned to me. “Are... Are you ready,” she asked. It was obvious how nervous she was. She didn't want to die.
“Yeah. Yeah, I think so,” I answered with a deathly calm. “You'll have to help me write me a translation though.” I added.
After the translation was finished we took our places. Twilight broke the awkward silence that had been building, “I'm ready when you are.”
“Yeah, just one sec,” I answered as I stared at the scroll in my hand. “Twilight, can you help me with this real quick?” I asked as I began to make my way towards her.
“Why what's wrong? Is there a problem?” She asked in alarm.
“No nothings wrong. I just need to make sure I'm doing this right,” I responded handing the scroll to her.
“Wait, this isn't the translation we made... Wait! This isn't even the right spell!” She stated, her pitch rose to match her confusion.
“I know,” I smiled at her.
Her gaze became fixed on the river of blood flowing down my arm as I clinched my injured fist ripping open the wound. The blood began the spatter on the ground causing the rune to begin to glow.
“Are you crazy!? You don't have to do this!” Twilight pleaded.
“I know,” I smiled again looking at the ground.
“If the runes are activated without the incantation the results would be catastrophic!” She shouted hysterically as she began to prance in a panic.
“That's what I was counting on,” I thought to myself. “Better read fast then Twilight Sparkle,” I said with a sheepish grin.
Without needing further convincing Twilight made a dash for the other rune laying the scroll out in front of her as she read. As she finished she picked up a shard of glass she had scavenged from the dust and drew it across her front leg. Her tears mixed with her blood on the floor. As a sparked raced across the floor from her circle to mine she gave one last sorrowful look with those sad violet eyes. “I'm sorry...” She choked through the tears in her eyes.
“Don't be sad. I have my own promise to keep,” I said offering one last kind smile. “Thank you Twilight, for everything, but your place is in another time.” I could feel energy coursing in my veins. The light shined through me, illuminating every corner of my soul. It was warm, soothing. I felt pure serenity. I would see my daughter again. “I'm proud to call you my friend. My name is...”
With a blinding light he evaporated. Before he could finish speaking he was gone. I never got a name for the strange man from another world but he'd willingly given himself for all of us. I didn't believe it at first but he truly was worthy to wield the elements and I see that now. As I looked around the room, the gloom that had shrouded every corner of it before had dissipated and for the first time since our world was plunged into chaos, everything seemed to beam with the colors of life.
Then something caught my eye. A frail scrap of paper lay on the ground where he had last stood. It was the letter. The one possession he clung to to remind him of his daughter. All the colors were gone from it and only the words that were written remained. Long forgotten feelings of joy and happiness filled my heart for the first time but also a deep sorrow for that man that gave us everything. I blinked away the tears forming in my eyes, it was bitter sweet.
“Twilight Sparkle,” called a comforting and majestic voice. My ears perked up as I turned around. To my amazement, Princess Celestia stood there proud and regal as ever. All of my friends there with her, a part of me still didn't believe I'd ever seen them again but just as real as the air in my lungs, there they all were. My heart fluttered and my legs trembled in exhilaration. The fervor was nearly uncontrollable.
“See I told you she was just being an egghead somewhere,” Rainbow said trying to mask her genuine concern with a nervous smile.
“Y'all 'right sugarcube?” Applejack asked with concern. “We've been searching fer ya fer four whole days!”
Four days! Its been four years!
“We were terrified when you went missing,” Fluttershy added in her sweet shy tone.
“She was missing?” Pinkie Pie asked quizzically before she returned to bouncing gleefully. “I thought we were playing hide and seek! You're good Twilight!” she snorted as she giggled.
“Darling you look simply awful, like you haven't slept or showered for day! You simply must let me treat you to the spa. Perhaps after you've gotten some rest?” Rarity inquired.
A smile of relief crept onto my face as my eyes began to water, “I'm sorry everypony, I never meant to worry you all so.” They would never know, they could never know. They were here and that's all that mattered. I let all the memories of our friendship fill and spill over my thoughts as my heart brimmed and swelled with my love for them all. I could ask nor want for anything more.
“Twilight,” the Princess' warm, soothing voice came again demanding my attention, “You know this section of the library is off limits to all ponies.” She smiled kindly.
“I know Princess,” I smiled shyly. “I learned something wonderful about friendship today...”
“Why are you reading this? You're pathetic. Can't you find something better to do with your time?” I thought to myself accusingly. I knew the answer because I'd asked it numerous times before. I sighed as I felt the worn paper between my fingers. It had seen a lot of abuse over these few cruel years but it was all I had left of her. The colorful words dulled with age and the paper yellowed and stained with greasy fingerprints and blood.
I reached to my waste and unclasped my canteen as I glanced out the window of the humvee. Another impoverished village. The sagging buildings seemed to stare back sharing an emptiness I've never been able to fill since I lost my beautiful baby girl. The letter I clung to, she had written me 4 years ago. I let my mind wander back to that day.
She was in the hospital, and the doctors were trying to prepare her for surgery. She was using the crayons I'd brought as she waited in her bed.
I paused momentarily to ask myself, “Why? Why her? Why is this world so cruel? It ain't fair.”
She had been diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor and the doctors didn't give her very good odds to pull through it. I spent every moment I could with her. I was all she had. She was all I had... Her mother had walked out when she was only a year old. I was a soldier and wasn't there the first year of her life and I always blamed myself for her mother leaving. I made a silent promise that I would always be there for her and never leave.
I was able to get a transfer so I could be a reliable parent and for six years I never abandoned her. But that's when life dealt us a cruel blow... How can a child of seven years old be asked to be so brave and face the terror of the unknown?
When the doctors came to take her away for the operation she grabbed my hand and gave me what she had been so intensely focused on with her crayons. “I love you Daddy,” she said as I looked down at what she had given me. It was a letter. Each word written in a different color. Each word vibrant with life. When I looked up they were already gone from the room and I nervously made my way to the waiting area.
An eternity had passed in those few hours I waited. I had made myself physically sick with worry and I had vomited twice. I clutched that letter she wrote with all the colors of the rainbow against my chest like a blanket on a cold night when to doctors entered the waiting room. I was hoping, praying for some small bit of good news.
“There were complications,” they began to explain. My chest heaved, and my heart bounded skipping beats. My mind was gripped by panic. “We did what we could but...”
I tried to scream but nothing would come out as the noose of my grief tightened around my throat. The sound died in my throat with little more than a whimper. I collapsed as tears stung my eyes and ran across my cheek and onto the floor. I didn't hear the rest of what they had to say, it was just static, background noise. My world had come crashing down around me and the only thing that mattered to my life was gone.
Shortly after there was fire that claimed our home and everything we had owned. Everything, except for a little rainbow letter kept tucked away, always to me. Faulty wiring in an old house caused the fire and I never forgave myself for not fixing it. It was another broken promise.
The only answer I could find was to return to duty. I had no reason to stay in that place any longer and I was desperate to get away from everything and end it all. I couldn't count how many nights I had stared down the barrel of my rifle hoping the answer was in there. “Just pull the trigger and the nightmare stops,” I thought grimly but I could never follow through, a trait that had always plagued me. I was running from myself and I knew it. I was ashamed but I didn't care. My mind and soul were dead, my body just hadn't accepted the fact.
I lifted the canteen to my lips to drink but it never got there. An ear piercing explosion ripped through the vehicle leaving the occupants at the mercy of gravity and whatever equipment was not secured as we were thrown like rag dolls off of the road. By the time I realized what had happened I was crumpled up on the roof inside the cab. The taste of rust in my mouth. “Blood,” I answered before the question could even materialize.
I lifted myself to my hands and knees and spit. I watched as the blood curved a path as it mixed with the water from my open canteen. I glanced up, The driver was dead and the corporal next to me was tore up from being tossed around and colliding with the loosed equipment but he was breathing. “Why couldn't that be me?” I thought selfishly.
“Sergeant!”
I heard someone shouting but the ringing in my ears made it impossible to comprehend.
“Sergeant!”
The sound was still muffled but it registered this time. It was a young kid who had been in one of the other humvees in our convoy.
Taking a another quick look around I found that little rainbow letter and hastily shoved it into the front pocket of my shirt. I groaned as I pulled myself from the upturned vehicle. My head began throb. Turning my attention to my unconscious subordinate I reached in to retrieve him. Every bone and joint my body ached as I strained to extract the battered corporal from the wreck. I caught a glimpse of his name tag, “Hicks,” I said out loud to myself. “Well Hicks, you aren't gonna die on me today.”
“Sergeant!” the kid yelled again, “We need to get to those buildings, we're gonna be target practice sitting out here any longer!”
As if on cue a hail of gunfire began to riddle the empty shell of the humvee. “Go! I'll cover, and you damn well better not hesitate! And you better be ready to cover me when you get there!” I barked at him grabbing the front of his uniform. The anxiety in his eyes and the jerky head nod was all the answer I needed.
“Go!” I shouted again and he ran as though his life depended on it. I suppose because it did. “Fear,” I thought to myself, “Have to have something to live for to be afraid.”
He'd made it and now it was my turn. I gritted my teeth as I grabbed Hicks by his collar and drug him as fast as I could. It was a short distance but it felt like a mile with cinder blocks strapped to my feet after being a pinball in a pop can. The pounding in my head put me off balance as a staggered back and fell after reaching cover.
“I'm gonna go back and grab the med kit out of the wreck, do you understand that?” I said sternly shaking him again. The only response I got was the same jerky nod as before. I got up and started running.
I made it to the hulking corpse of our overturned transport and began searching for the med kit. It had ended up in the front seat under the driver. “Don't think you'll need this any time soon,” I said callously as I pulled it away from the broken body. It was warm and sticky with blood. It left a familiar metallic taste in my mouth as I remembered spitting out blood after the explosion. I exited the vehicle and stood up expecting to return to to the other two in the same manner I left them. That thought was quickly dismissed.
“RPG!” a distant echo rang in my ears.
I whirled around on my heels, the serpentine smoke trail was racing towards me. “Finally,” I muttered a sigh of relief, dropping my weapon in the dirt. “This world is finally giving me some bit of solace.”
My arms were draped at my sides, my palms up welcoming the fate hurtling at me as though I were greeting my daughter. I allowed a timid smile to creep its way onto my face as tears began to well up behind my eyes which were clenched shut. “I'll see you soon baby girl.”
Chapter 3: The end of Greatness
The rubble shifted and the stones that threatened to be her tomb reluctantly surrendered as Trixie crawled from the devastation she had created. Her tattered dusty cape stuck to the wounds oozing from her back and shoulders. Her broken bones wouldn't allow anything more than an agonizing crawl as she drug herself inch by inch to a lone tree defiant of the decay around it.
“Think twice before tussling with The Great Trixie,” she smiled weekly coughing up the blood pooling in her throat.
Next to her a single wilted flower under the boughs of that great tree was begging desperately for attention. She gazed sympathetically, tears stinging the dust in her eyes. It was the first flower she had seen in years. Gritting her teeth she exerted the last of her energy in a vain attempt to revive the sorrowful blossom.
“I only wanted a friend...” she choked as her final breath slowly escaped her body.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk.” came an unimpassioned voice. “My, my Trixie. It's a shame you chose this path, you could have been useful to me. You always did have a flare for over-dramatics.” Discord's unsympathetic tone was less than palpable as he materialized from the dust still lingering from the collapsed structure. He purposely crushed the woeful flower Trixie attempted to revive under his heel as he towered over her.
Discord's sight shifted from the battered Trixie to the direction Twilight and her new companion had fled. “Good,” he grinned wickedly, “You've finally made things interesting Twilight, I was starting to get bored... Fascinating, you bringing the human here. Let's have ourselves a little game shall we?” He laughed devilishly as his form melded into the shadows.
