The Elements of Discord

Chapter 4

An MLP:FiM Fanfic by Midnight Shadow

"Angel! Run! Tell the others! Tell the others!" Fluttershy screamed, but the portal had closed with a disconcerting wrench. It felt like she had been turned inside out and put back together backwards. Everything felt...somehow wrong, an unnerving oddness which grated on her hooves. She didn't know where they were, but it looked like the Everfree Forest...only it felt different. She got the feeling she wasn't in Equestria anymore.

"Damn you and your stupid pets! Oh well, one blasted rabbit can hardly interfere with our plans. He'll be dead before nightfall. Now you, get in the cage!" Slice'n'dice pointed with one hoof first at Fluttershy, then at the cage. Fluttershy considered flight - literally, which was something for the usually earth-bound pegasus - but two burly, mean-looking and armored pegasus ponies appeared from the brush and she thought better of it. Her usual shy demeanor reasserted itself and, head bowed, she clambered into a small, rickety barred cage on wheels.

"Come on boys, let's get our prize to little miss Great One," Slice'n'dice spat on the ground, "we'll pick up the rest on the way."

The wagon was hitched, the ponies pulled it and the group trundled out of the forest towards town.

"Ah Poniberg, how I loathe thee." said Slice'n'dice as they crested the hill and the strange facsimile of the town Fluttershy knew of as Ponyville lay before them, "at least there's somewhere to get out of the rain, unlike the sodding Everscream Forest. Always so dank and dreary."

Fluttershy looked on in silence, so much was like Ponyville that it was disconcerting, though by now she new differently. Houses were in the same place, but they were different. More run-down, faded and in disrepair. Windows were shuttered, doors were barred and every-place ponies trotted through the streets avoiding each other's gaze. Ponies spoke in whispers, if at all, and scattered when they saw the wagon and who was pulling it.

Fluttershy felt her heart sink, whatever had happened, wherever they were, it was going to take a lot more than a little luck to get away. How would a pony like her know how to get home from another world like this? She slumped in the corner of the wagon and cried herself to sleep.

Fluttershy came to as the jostling and bouncing stopped, the echoing clip-clop of hooves on stone dying away to silence; A stick poked her and she roused fitfully from a painful sleep on the floor of a wheeled cage.

"Wake up!" hissed a voice mumbling through the stick held in its owner's mouth, "the Great One wishes to see her prize."

"Where are we? Who wants to see me? ...Are you going to let me out?" whispered Fluttershy quietly, almost squeaking.

"Silence! Silence or I kill you!" hissed the voice again, poking Fluttershy with the stick. The light grew bright enough to illuminate the same yellow pony who had captured her, Fluttershy realised it was the pony that was almost, but not quite, her double. She was not alone, and Fluttershy realised that, if she allowed enough leeway between her friends and neighbours, she could place all of the strange ponies accompanying the pony that called herself Slice'n'Dice.

"Hold!" rang out a voice, soft yet edged with a malice that made Fluttershy's blood run cold, "you'll not be harming our guest. My Mistress needs her, and in one piece. You know how you get carried away, dear Slice'n'Dice, not satisfied until every last ounce of enjoyment is gone - you'll not touch her without my permission or I'll have your hide."

The last few words were spoken in a barking hiss, sibilant yet cutting. The other ponies flinched though Flutter couldn't see the speaker. There were several pony-doubles around her cage now. Fluttershy recognized some of them, though they were twisted caricatures of her friends. A red pony, though fat and huffing instead of sleek and muscular; ironically, his "ugly mark" as Flutter had remembered her double had called it was an applecore. A pink unicorn pony, her forelegs covered in scars, head drooping low and hair covering her eyes, her ugly mark seemed to be more scars. Fluttershy wasn't sure at this distance and in this light whether they were actually scars or just a picture. Well that's Big Mac and Pinkie Pie, sort of, thought Fluttershy to herself, and noted an orange pony bowing and scraping before a ruined stone throne though the pony upon it was entirely in shadow. Flutter's head lolled to one side and she screwed up her eyes to make sense of the ugly mark,

"A snake?" she said aloud, loud enough to attract the attention of the not-Big Mac.

"That's mah sister you'n talkin' 'bout, you'd best be silent and not be sayin'nother word none or imma go git mah beatin' stick. She aint no snake in t'grass though some's says she weren't too unhappy none when ar maw up'n keeled over...heehee, t'were right comical tha way that old nag were thrashin' and chokin'," the red pony blew a lock of hair out of his eyes, "mah sister durnt know how th'rat poison got in maw's tea none though - hee! But she sure made a good cup!"

"Hush now Big Mouth!" said Slice'n'Dice, and planted a swift rear hoof-kick in the red pony's muzzle, "you'd best keep that flapping jaw shut or I'll shut it permanently!"

"Ponies, please, our guest...leave us now. I must get acquainted before my mistress arrives and you needn't bother her with our plans for her friends." The words was spoken by the same quiet, soft voice that had silenced the small group before. It's power hadn't diminished, and the group of ponies dispersed, not without jostling and kicks, into the shadows surrounding the room.

"I know all about you, Fluttershy, and your world. Equestria...it shares so much with our own, even the name. Even it's ruler. I don't get it all, but your world is a mirror of ours" said the pony on the throne, stepping into the light, "where things aren't quite the same."

"W-why am I h-here?" asked Fluttershy, cowering at the back of the wagon as the pony who had spoken previously clopped closer. Fluttershy watched as the form of a grey pegasus pony stepped halfway into the wan circle of sunlight drifting through windows high up in the hall. The pony had grey fur, yellow hair and a single blue eye. She gasped when the pony moved closer and revealed she had only the one eye and was almost sick when she saw that the pegasus had only one wing, "Derpy..." Fluttershy shook her head, this wasn't the real Derpy Hooves, this was...somepony else, "but...what happened to you?" asked Fluttershy

"This?" asked the pony, raising the stump of her burnt wing and regarding it as if it were some alien tentacle, "My mistress demands a high price for obedience. They called me mad before, but I knew my place, and my mistress answered my call. She took my eye and she took my wing, boiled it away with her glory," the pegasus laughed, a shrill, mad laugh, "smoke and feathers, that's all it was, burning flesh, such a sweet, sweet fragrance, and the pain was exquisite - she took my offerings and bestowed gifts upon me. Power, glory, respect. They fear me now, Fluttershy, they fear Bubbly Grime, they fear my command of her minions, they fear my power..."

The pony was quite, quite mad, realised Fluttershy, as the grey pegasus changed tactics, stepping close to the cage so Fluttershy could smell her rancid breath, "I can give you so much, you are a pegasus after all, I can give you a place next to me, my right hoof mare, to dwell in glory in the world which is to come when my mistress ascends, when we her chosen ascend. Do you want that?"

Fluttershy shook with fear and she could barely speak, but she managed a few words, "in-in my wo-world you're the sweetest pegasus pony I know. You wouldn't hurt a fl-fly, Derpy, you may have...issues with your...eyes, and your flying, but we love you. I love you. You're the best mail-pony Ponyville has ever had." Fluttershy gulped, ears splaying low against her head, realizing what she'd said, "I don't know who you are, you're not our Derpy - you look like her, kind of, but you're not her. You're evil. You're twisted. I'll have no-nothing to do with you. Good day."

Fluttershy turned around and started sobbing softly to herself; the evil, warped mirror-image of one of her best friends, Derpy, standing there before her so full of cruelty and malice was more than she could bear, "go away, I'll never help you." said Fluttershy through her hooves.

"Oh I know," said the not-Derpy Hooves softly, "I didn't think you would, and that's not why you're here. It's really quite simple; Some ponies...just want to watch the world burn."

"Get your butts in gear you lazy mules! We've got an invasion to spring! Git on up there, in formation! I'll have your hides if you aint in position in ten seconds flat!"

There was the crack of a whip and a wail, another of the slave ponies went down under the brutal flail, he was too weak to rise and a couple of butch guard-ponies dragged him off out of sight. There were brief sounds of a struggle and then a single choked off cry, and then silence. Nopony raised so much as an ear in interest. They were a haggard lot, almost to a foal their eyes were glassy and dull, without hope. The well-fed amongst them were armoured; guards and their lackeys, making sure the masses of predominantly earth-ponies were kept in line. Pegasus ponies flitted the skies above, delivering messages, delivering swift justice, harrying stragglers. Unicorns were huddled in groups, much better fed still, intelligent, haughty - and above them all, watching with an imperial gaze, was a beautiful winged unicorn mare - or she would have been beautiful if she had allowed her countenance to show an ounce of compassion. Behind her, dotted throughout the war-camp were her flags and standards. To those who could read - the elite unicorns, a few of her chosen pegasus consorts and guards - the script spoke of honour and duty. To the rest their message was simple - Obey.

Queen Celeste surveyed her lands with disdain; with the banishment of her elder, weak sister Lunaria a thousand years ago, her rule had been cemented and complete. She had controlled day and night with an iron hoof, bestowing boons and meting out her own brand of absolute justice to her pathetic subjects on a whim, yet always total victory had eluded her. The elements of discord had been scattered in that fateful battle which had seen her triumph over her sister, and had seen her powers diminished several-fold.

Then, with the resurgance of her treacherous goody-goody sister, Celeste had been forced to search once again for that source of ancient magic which she had lost so long ago. It had taken the investigation of a wall-eyed mare of inconsequential background to discover their location, and unlock the secret to their recovery, work which she had repayed well - loyalty was useful, as far as it went, though the uppity nag oft had thoughts above her station, although Celeste had to agree, the results had been worth the effort...so far.

Celeste turned to a faceless armoured unicorn guard, "fetch my six commanders, they are relieved of whatever duties they are currently executing and are required to attend their queen. Now."

"At once, milady." said the unicorn, and hurried off in a clatter of hooves. It did not do well to keep the Queen waiting, one did not get the opportunity to do so twice.

Celeste narrowed her eyes and watched with her magic as much with sight. Her mind cast back to her latest and greatest triumph, and failure. Her favourite pupil, one Daybreak Glitter, grown arrogant of the power heaped upon her, had attempted to depose her mistress the Queen and take her place. It hadn't ended well, and the resultant visible constant lesson had spurred a new wave of loyalty and respect. Celeste smiled, her cronies had abandoned her, turning to the Queen herself and pledging their lives. She'd seen fit to reward them, tying them body, mind and soul to her. Amanita Jack, the self-appointed leader. Heartless in persuit of her own best interest, able to stand up despite her deficiency as an Earth Pony, same as her brother, Big Mouth, useful only as bully and meatshield, but even brute strength had it's uses. Weepy-Cry the pink unicorn...to be truthful, Celeste just liked to watch the despondent pink pony cut herself up over her inability to please the Queen. Everybody needed a jester to kick, even better when the jester kicks itself. Vanity the pegasus, oh yes, Vanity was a beauty, silver of tongue. The Queen kept her around purely for the ego boost, and because she, Celeste, was the most beautiful pony in all of Estrosia and she knew how much that cut at Vanity. And then there was Rainbow Crash, red pegasus stallion with the glorious rainbow mane and tail, her sometimes-consort, the brains of the bunch. Second in intellect only to her and Slice'n'Dice, who was by far the more crafty but only capable of thinking of herself. They lined up now in front of her and abased themselves. With a hearty thump that shook the plateau where they were standing, a huge, adult, purple dragon landed behind the winged unicorn queen, proferring a paw to her. She daintily hopped upon it and rose to stand on his head.

"Ah, my subjects, my worthy chosen few. All the preparations appear in order - may the hour of my glorious conquest begin?"

"My lady," answered Crash, "your troops are assembled, trained, outfitted...some may even be called soldiers where they are not squalling infants. Your armies stand ready."

"My magicians are ready," whispered Weepy-Cry, "if it pleases Your Majesty."

Celeste snorted, "if that feeble attempt at opening the gateways yesterday is anything to go by I think not, but it will have to do."

"Logistics are a go, ma'am. Food, supplies, gear...you name it, you got it."

"Then we march. I order the gateways opened; my trusted commanders you shall go first to prepare the way and my troops will follow on the morrow. Accompany Bubbly Grime and obey her commands as you obey mine, she comes now at my call." the glorious winged unicorn monarch raised her head and looked expectantly to her left.

There was a flash of light and the grey, one-eyed, one-winged pegasus appeared, having teleported in. She flew gracefully, despite one wing being made of baleful fire and the other being stumpy and slightly mis-shapen. Celeste leapt from the dragon's head and landed lightly before Bubbly Grime, and the latter bowed before her mistress. Celeste touched her horn to the pegasus' head and with another flash of light and a painful grimace from Bubbly Grime, a small pearly white horn burst from her flesh and the pegasus-unicorn seemed to fill out, her empty eye-socket glowing with a soft blue-white glimmer where her long-gone eye would be. It seemed to stare into nothingness, infinity. The other ponies found it disconcerting, and kept their heads lowered, exchanging furtive glances.

"Arise now, Bubbly Grime, I name you my first and most favoured disciple. Your mastery of the black arts has earned you a place in my pantheon, an I grant thee my mark. Winged Unicorn, few amongst the many."

Celeste turned, and clopped next to Bubbly Grime, bidding her stand and turn, she noted with cruel amusement the pain on Weepy-Cry's face at the sudden elevation of a mere pegasus, "Go now, prepare the gates, fetch my prey and spread my power to this new world. I shall go have a talk with this...Fluttershy, and see what information I can wring from her."

"At once, mistress!" the rest said in unison, though they stayed with heads bowed until the Queen had ridden her dragon away and her mad laughter no longer rung in their ears.

In another world, near a town that was still reeling from a storm the likes of which had never been seen before, Zecora was trotting out of Ponyville on her way to check up on her own hut. She prayed it hadn't been destroyed by the weather or falling branches, though well before the onset her tail had been twitching and she had locked away her most precious tomes in safety and gathered up what cantrips and curios she could before the oncoming gale against their need. On the edge of the forest itself she spied a weakly hobbling pony emerging into the meadow, carrying what appeared to be a bundle of rags in her mouth - no, thought Zecora, that's no pony, that's a unicorn, but what's missing...her horn?

Zecora stepped closer, and the pony flicked her ears back and shuddered, her painful steps halting and then reversing as she tried to back away, "Ho now, dear pony, I'm here to help, no phony!"

In a whirl of motion that caught her by surprise, a small furry form leapt from the unicorn's back and puffed itself up as large as possible between her and the unicorn, it tried to growl and failed, but for all it's slight size the sheer bravado impressed the zebra-pony, "little one, do not fear, it is help you will find when Zecora is near. Calm yourself, calm, tell me all about it."

Angel, for that is who the bunny was, backed up slowly and carefully, looking back at the blue pony for support. Wordlessly, the blue pony with the shattered horn nodded, and the bunny seemed to fall in on himself and collapse. Zecora rushed to his aid and noticed his injuries, and those of the unicorn she recognized as Trixie, for all their meeting had been brief.

"Trixie, unicorn of blue - what is it that has happened to you?" asked Zecora, trotting closer and nuzzling the unicorn softly on the face, "you've lost your horn...how?"

Trixie just wept, and the zebra found herself comforting the injured equine to the best of her abilities. Through rough sign-language, Trixie explained that she had been attacked, her horn had been shattered - she carefully unwrapped the forlorn bundle of rags wherein she had secreted the pieces to display to Zecora, who looked like she would be sick - and somehow rendered lame and unable to speak.

"We must return to Ponyville at once! Mayor Mare must hear of this most heinous attack! Who did it, can you tell me, describe them?"

Trixie glanced about, and then drew very carefully a half-moon shape in the dirt, and a rough pony-shape around it.

"Luna...no...Nightmare Moon?"

Trixie shook her head, then nodded it, then deliberately drew a cross through the shape, and drew another next to it. This one was a star-shape within a pony.

"Celestia? Wait...no...Twilight? Twilight did this?"

Trixie again nodded, and then shook her head, and drew an arrow between the two, and eventually drew a moon-shape inside her Twilight-picture.

"Twilight Sparkle has taken up the mantle of the Nightmare Princess?"

Trixie drew a crown, and Zecora blinked, "Twilight Sparkle, the Nightmare Queen? We must hurry back with all speed, we must fetch Celestia, and Luna!"

Zecora was so agitated she forgot to rhyme for a moment, and could barely contain herself enough to proffer a small bag of snuff-like herb to Trixie, "I do not usually agree with such acts, but this herb here will give you a boost, that's a fact."

Trixie looked dubiously at the small bag, then gave it a sniff, and then more of a sniff. It was like firecrackers going off in her brain. She felt like The Great and Powerful Trixie again, it was wonderful! She felt light-headed and giddy and wanted to dance. She reached her head again for another sniff but the bag was taken away very swiftly.

"Woah there, that's enough, you can get quite addicted to this stuff!"

With some begging, a little pleading, some pushing and a lot of cajoling Zecora managed to get her injured, hyperactive charge moving in the right direction. She now held Trixie's horn - in her euphoria she had ignored the bundle - and Angel the rabbit rode in Zecora's bag. She had recognized Fluttershy's pet even in his dishevelled state and vowed to heal him to the best of her abilities. Even more urgently, Celestia and Luna had to be warned.

In their mad gallop it seemed like only moments before they were entering the outskirts of Ponyville, but the trip had been rough, especially on the injured Trixie. In her doped-up state she couldn't feel it but she was pushing herself beyond tolerance, just one of the reasons Zecora frowned upon certain medicines in her collection except under exceptional circumstances, and these counted. The mysterious bag of herbs was beginning to wear off and Trixie stumbled and fell heavily into the dirt where she lay, breathing heavily, eyes white and a thick sheen of sweat matting her coat. She started to convulse, Zecora pulled up short and threw her hood back, yelling though she too was out of breath, "Spike! Spike!" she called loudly, rewarded with the pitter-patter of small draconic feet from behind her. Turning her head to see the young dragon approaching nervously, clasping his front paws together, she spoke clearly and without haste as she laid her hooves on the unicorn and attempted to stop her from biting or swallowing her lolling tongue, "quickly, I need you to fetch Princess Celestia at once, and a nurse! Trixie is injured most severely, maybe worse!"

The little dragon turned almost white at being ordered to fetch the princess - nopony fetches royalty! - but did as he was bid, pushing his way out of the crowd which had rapidly formed around the trio of exhausted animals and scurrying off to catch Celestia before she left back to Canterlot, her work done with containing and calming the storm from the night before.