Chapter 26
Spike wasn't sure when he woke up, nor when he passed out. His eyes felt heavy, like when you just woke up, but he also felt very dizzy. He also felt himself laying on something soft and, was someone holding his hand? He forced himself to open his eyes and the first thing he saw was a purple blur.
"Spike you're awake!" The blur said in Twilight's voice. Spike tried to raise his paws but they felt heavy.
"Twilight?" Spike wearily asked, his vision was getting better but the room was still swaying.
"Oh thank goodness you're awake" another voice said. Was that Princess Luna? The same voice the coughed a little. "We mean, we were worried for you" Luna said more formally.
"Ugh, where am I?" Spike asked, he could see clearly now that he was in a small room laying on a bed. Twilight was holding his hand and Princess Luna was standing near the corner.
"Do not worry about that Spike, you'll need to rest" Luna said, Spike no longer felt dizzy.
"She's right Spike, you've been unconscious for a whole 4 minutes 22 seconds, you need to rest" Twilight agreed. Figures she was counting.
"But I feel great now" Spike said as he sat up, he found that he could easily move himself again.
"Be that as it may, we cannot risk you wearing yourself out again" Luna said.
"Seriously, I don't feel anything wrong anymore" Spike said, he felt as great as before.
"And you 'didn't feel anything wrong' before you started the healing" Twilight pointed out. Spike scratched his head.
"I guess you're right" Spike admitted.
"Rest up Spike, we will go consult Discord too see if what has happened is normal" Luna said as she headed out the door.
"Don't worry Spike, I'll stay here, I know how much you're afraid of being alone" Twilight said.
"That was when I was a baby!" Spike yelled in embarrassment.
"You're still a baby dragon" Twilight pointed out.
"That's in pony years!" Spike tried.
"You can never be too sure Spike, it seems like only yesterday that you asked me to install a night light for you" Twilight said with a smile.
"GAH!" Spike yelled as he stuffed his head under a pillow.
"So you three said we're going to the Everfree Forest correct?" Discord asked from his cotton candy cloud that was floating above them.
"Yup, we're going get our cutie marks here" Sweetie Belle cheered, stepping over a stump.
"Well not until we actually find him" Scootaloo pointed out, looking around. There were dark trees surrounding them and the forest echoed with wild life and wind so they couldn't really hear very far.
"Did you three actually plan out how you'll find this pony?" Discord asked, pretending to read a comic book.
"Well… not really" Scootaloo admitted.
"'Ah guess we'll just keep walkin' till he shows" Applebloom thought out loud.
"What if the big bad Timberwolves find you first?" Discord joked.
"Oh that won't be a problem" Sweetie nonchalantly said.
"Yeah, we can totally take them on!" Scootaloo added as she kicked her hoof for emphasis.
"'Ah don't think we can" Applebloom replied.
"Besides, Discord will protect us" Sweetie Belle added. Discord laughed.
"And how are you sure of that?" Discord joked.
"Because, you're a good guy" Sweetie Belle chimed. Discord quickly teleported down to her eye level.
"Mind repeating that?" Discord asked in a dark tone, making both Applebloom and Scootaloo freeze in terror.
"You're a big softy" Sweetie Belle responded with a smile, not fazed at all. To Sweetie Belle that was a compliment, but to Discord, it was one of the biggest insult anyone could give him. Discord tried his best anger face, but Sweetie Belle wasn't fazed at all. He sighed and teleported back to his cloud.
"Whatever" Discord grumpily said, shoving his face into the comic book. Both Applebloom and Scootaloo stared at Sweetie Belle in amazement.
"Wow Sweetie Belle" Scootaloo said.
"What?" She asked, having no idea what just happened.
"Weren't you scared?" Applebloom asked.
"Why would I be scared of Discord?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"GAH!" Discord yelled in disappointment.
BWAHAHAHHAHA!
Shut up!
The Spirit of Chaos was just showed up by a filly! That's hilarious!
I said shut up!
Whatever, just hurry up and spook them out of the forest.
It's not that simple, they'll know if I disappear.
That unicorn is troublesome huh? I sure hope you can handle her.
Will you let that go!?
You're lucky I can't gossip to anything else but you.
Yeah, 'lucky' me.
Figure something out, or I'll grow impatient.
Then you'll know how I feel.
Good point.
I'll think of something, but now when you're bugging me.
Who knows, maybe I'll give you an idea, like killing them?
Killing isn't enjoyable and you know it.
It taste bland, but it sure does fill up my appetite.
Just wait, I'll spook some local ponies.
You better or I'll find some new toys to play with.
"Really? You'd do that for me?" Pinkie asked in astonishment.
"Of course, it'll be easy" Derpy responded with a smile.
"Oh thank you thank you thank you!" Pinkie thanked as she hugged her tightly.
"It's alright, I'm a mailpony so getting the word out should be easy" Derpy responded.
"Just you wait, I'll throw you the biggest birthday party of your life next time!" Pinkie announced.
"With lots of muffins?" Derpy asked with a hopeful smile.
"Of course!" Pinkie said as she broke from their hug. Derpy was smiling brightly.
"Thanks, now if you'll excuse me I need to deliver the rest of these letter" Derpy said as she started flapping her wings.
"Okie Dokie, bye!" Pinkie said as Derpy flew away. Pinkie turned around with a big smile and immediately bumped into someone.
"Oh I'm sorry! *GASP* You!" Pinkie immediately went when she realized who she bumped into.
"Yes, you're Pinkie right?" she asked.
"Yes, and you're Trixie!" Pinkie yelled.
"Correction, I'm the 'Great and Powerful Trixie'" Trixie corrected as she adjusted her hat.
"You're not taking my mouth this time!" Pinkie yelled as she covered her mouth. Trixie shook her head.
"Relax, Trixie wishes no harm upon you" Trixie said as she lowered Pinkie's hooves.
"Yeah right!" Pinkie worryingly said. Trixie sighed.
"Trixie wasn't thinking normally because of the Alicorn Amulet, Trixie had no reason to capture Ponyville" Trixie clarified. Pinkie calmed down a bit.
"You promise you won't take my mouth?" Pinkie asked.
"Trixie promises" Trixie responded.
"Pinkie Promise" Pinkie instructed.
"Cross Trixie's heart, hope to fl-" Trixie started.
"You can't say 'Trixie's heart', you need to say 'my heart'!" Pinkie yelled in annoyance.
"Trixie understands, *AHEM* cross MY heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye" Trixie said again and did all the motions. Pinkie then smiled.
"Thanks!" Pinkie cheered. Trixie was a bit stunned on her sudden change in attitude.
"Right, Trixie has a favor to ask of you" Trixie started.
"Anything for a friend!" Pinkie said with a smile. Trixie arched an eyebrow.
"Friend?" Trixie asked.
"Yup! Or at least I hope we can be friends! Is that ok with you?" Pinkie asked.
"Um, I guess- *AHEM* Trixie finds this suitable" Trixie formally said.
"YAY!" Pinkie cheered as she pounced Trixie in a hug. Strangely Trixie didn't feel like shoving her off.
"Right, anyway as being Trixie's friend, Trixie must ask you for a favor" Trixie said again.
"Sure, what is it?" Pinkie asked as she broke from the hug.
"As you remember, Trixie has a 'reputation' here in Ponyville" Trixie said.
"Right, the 'Great and Powerful Trixie' right?" Pinkie asked.
"No, Trixie means her other reputation" Trixie said.
"Oh right" Pinkie said.
"Trixie wants to know how to earn the forgiveness of these ponies" Trixie asked.
"Really? Why?" Pinkie asked, curious why Trixie suddenly cared this time.
"Trixie believes she might've been unfair towards everypony here and Trixie wants to make sure she has no enemies" Trixie stated simply.
"So… you feel guilty?" Pinkie asked.
"Please, Trixie feels no guilt" Trixie lied as again adjusted her hat. Pinkie smiled brightly.
"Don't you worry Trixie, I'll make sure you're the most loved pony in Ponyville!" Pinkie announced as she put her hoof on Trixie's shoulder.
"And in exchange?" Trixie asked.
"Exchange?" Pinkie asked.
"Trixie wants to know what you want in exchange for your help" Trixie clarified. Pinkie giggled.
"Friends help friends just because they want to silly" Pinkie giggled as she twirled Trixie's hat.
"Careful with Trixie's hat!" Trixie flinched as she caught the hat.
"Sorry, anyway if I'm going to help you, you'll need to get me a trombone!" Pinkie cheered.
"A trombone?" Trixie asked.
"Yes!" Pinkie yelled.
"C'mon Fluttershy! I could pull off that spell in my sleep!" Screwball harshly said as Fluttershy again failed to levitate the pebble.
"I'm sorry" she whispered.
"Sorry won't cut it, nor will it lift that pebble, try again!" Screwball instructed.
"Yes ma'am" Fluttershy sighed as she turned to the pebble again and began focusing. Screwball, as much as she hated to admit it, knew that this method of teaching wasn't working on Fluttershy, sadly she couldn't teach her just as Discord had taught her.
"Why does she get special treatment?" Screwball thought. She was friends with Discord, she got through the magic amplifier faster (and easier) than Screwball, Discord probably liked her more than Screwball, she's an element of harmony (which is probably a bad thing), and now she's learning to use magic. Screwball was definitely jealous, but she refused to accept it.
"Oh I just can't do it!" Fluttershy sighed loudly as her magical glow faded away. Screwball shook her head, how did Fluttershy even get past the spell amplifier stage? When Screwball thought that, she knew what to do.
"Look at yourself! I was so sure that you were a tough pony and here you are giving up!" Screwball bitterly said as she turned away from Fluttershy.
"It's just that-" Fluttershy began as she looked down.
"You're weak right?" Screwball finished.
"Huh?" Fluttershy asked and jerked her head up.
"I thought you were so determined to prove that you were just as tough as everypony else and now you can't even lift up a pebble!" Screwball yelled without turning around.
"I am tough" Fluttershy said, looking a bit mad.
"Doesn't seem like it to me" Screwball responded.
"I am!" Fluttershy (somewhat) yelled.
"Sure" Screwball sarcastically said.
"I'm tough!" Fluttershy yelled louder, looking madder than before. Screwball turned to Fluttershy.
"Prove it!" Screwball yelled back.
"I will!" Fluttershy yelled as she turned back to the pebble and focused again.
"That should do it" Screwball thought as she started looking around, where did her parasprite go? Maybe the little guy was already causing trouble somewhere. Wait, it's still a little bug, someone could easily squash it. She needed to find him.
"Almost. Got it." Fluttershy mumbled, still looking mad.
"Maybe he went inside" Screwball thought, where did Fluttershy's parasprite go to? Screwball turned around and (on cue) Fluttershy's glow began lifting the pebble slowly, then it dropped quickly.
"See –huff- I did it" Fluttershy gasped, she felt drained.
"Good work, now we move on to rocks" Screwball said with a smile. Fluttershy wiped off her sweat.
"Discord, what in Equestria are you doing?" Fluttershy thought.
"This is taking forever!" Scootaloo yelled.
"Ah' don't think he's showing up" Applebloom added as she sat down.
"Great, another bust" Scootaloo sighed as she sat next to Applebloom.
"C'mon girls, we can find him if we keep looking" Sweetie Belle tried.
"I thought you ponies were very motivated" Discord taunted as his cloud lowered to their level.
"Easy for you to say, you aren't even walking, my hooves are killing me" Scootaloo said as she rubbed her hoof.
"Mine too" Applebloom agreed. Discord laughed.
"I thought farmponies had high endurance" Discord asked.
"'Ah ain't prepared to walk on walk on twigs and branches all day!" Applebloom protested.
"Bottom line is, you girls don't want to walk anymore?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Pretty much" Scootaloo said. Sweetie Belle then turned to Discord.
"Can we ride on your cloud?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"I'm not taxi service" Discord said as he shook his head.
"Please?" Sweetie Belle tried.
"Still not going to work" Discord said as he laid back on his cloud.
"Please?" Applebloom tried along with Sweetie Belle.
"Not going to work" Discord said.
"Face it girls, Discord isn't strong enough to lift all of us" Scootaloo said as she stood up again.
"Pardon?" Discord asked.
"It's ok, lifting three fillies must be hard work" Scootaloo said as she shook her head. Discord looked mad.
"Oh yeah? Well guess what! It's not going to work either." Discord suddenly sang as his mad face vanished and was replaced with a playful smile. He knew what Scootaloo was trying to do
"Aww c'mon, just give us a lift!" Scootaloo begged.
"Nope" Discord said as he made the cloud turn him around. Applebloom got an idea.
"Say Sweetie Belle, can I ask you something?" Applebloom started.
"Sure" Sweetie Belle responded.
"Why do you like Discord?" Applebloom asked. One of Discord's ears perked up higher so he could listen.
"Well, he reminds me of a cat!" Sweetie Belle said.
"A cat?" Applebloom and Scootaloo asked.
"Yeah, he looks so fluffy and his lion paw looks adorable!" Sweetie Belle clarified. Discord coughed a little.
"Um… alright, what else" Applebloom asked.
"Hmmm. Oh, he also came along with us to protect us so he has a kind heart" Sweetie Belle responded. Discord made a grunt sound as if he was punched.
"Anything else?' Applebloom asked, seeing her plan was working.
"Yeah, Fluttershy tells me all the time about how kind Discord is" Sweetie Belle said, Discord then covered his ears.
"Really?" Scootaloo asked.
"Yup, whenever I ask Fluttershy she always has a big smile on her face, in fact I think that Fluttershy li-" Sweetie Belle started.
"Alright fine! Just stop!" Discord yelled.
"Yes!" Scootaloo cheered as she hopped on Discord's cloud.
"Fine! Fine! I yield!" Discord yelled as he covered his hears and shut his eyes.
"Um… we did stop" Applebloom said as she stepped on the cloud also.
"Stop what?" Sweetie Belle asked, jumping into the cloud.
"We believe he is referring to us" a voice said from behind them. They turned.
"Princess Luna?" they went.
"Hello everypony and Discord" Luna greeted.
"GAH! Make it stop!" Discord yelled.
"Are you ok?" Sweetie Belle asked as she tugged on Discord's tail.
"Worry not, we're just filling his head with undesirable images" Luna explained as her horn stopped glowing.
"Finally!" Discord yelled in relief as he rubbed his head, as if he just had an intense headache.
"Why were you doing that?" Scootaloo asked.
"We saw how stubborn Discord was being, we thought we'd teach him a lesson" Luna said with a smile.
"Yeah, I'm the jerk" Discord sarcastically said as he continued rubbing his head.
"That is what it appeared to be" Luna agreed as she walked over to Discord.
"Why are you even here LuLu?" Discord asked.
"That is of no importance, why are you taking these three fillies to the Everfree Forest?" Luna asked.
"Because I want to eat them somewhere where nobody can hear them" Discord joked as he put on a bib, making Sweetie Belle laugh.
"We asked him to help us find a bandit" Scootaloo clarified.
"Bandit?" Luna asked.
"Haven't you heard LuLu?" Discord asked, finally taking his hands off his head.
"We haven't" Luna responded. Discord wondered if Luna knew what the plan was.
"There's this rumor going around about how there's a pony in the Everfree forest who was stealing from any pony he saw and we wanted to catch him" Applebloom said.
"Why would you three be concerned about those matters?" Luna asked.
"We were hoping to get our Cutie Marks on bounty hunters" Sweetie Belle responded. Luna didn't look convinced then turned to Discord, who put his hands up as if Luna was pointing a weapon at him.
"Hey I'm just here as security, they brought me into this" Discord said.
"You three shouldn't be here, it's dangerous in the Everfree Forest" Luna said.
"That's why we brought Discord, he'll protect us" Sweetie Belle brightly said as she hugged Discord's paw. The only reason Discord didn't swat her away was because Luna was there, and secretly Discord loved children, why else would he call Screwball his daughter if he didn't want one?
"You believe Discord will come to your rescue if needed?" Luna asked as she eyed Discord suspiciously.
"Erm…" both Applebloom and Scootaloo went.
"Yup!" Sweetie Belle said brightly. Luna thought a little.
"Alright, then we are sure we have nothing to worry about" Luna said with a smile as she turned to leave.
"Hold up, you aren't worried?" Scootaloo asked.
"We believe Discord won't cause harm" Luna said as she walked away from them into the forest, then out of sight. Discord gagged a little.
"All this 'faith' is making me sick" Discord joked, summoning a thermostat then eating it.
"We're did she go anyway?" Scootaloo asked.
"Beats me" Discord said as the cloud began lifting them up.
"Um… how high are we going?" Applebloom asked, looking down as they flew above the trees.
"As high as I feel like, you might want to hold on to something" Discord joked as the cloud came to a halt.
"Is this safe?" Scootaloo asked.
"Trixie isn't sure this is the safest method of travel?" Trixie yelled, gripping the cloud as hard as she could.
"Don't worry, I'm a professional! Do you see your cart?" Pinkie asked, making the cloud go faster.
"Shouldn't be too far!" Trixie yelled, having her eyes closed and head down.
"Oh! There it is!" Pinkie yelled when she spotted it. Trixie barely held on when the cloud suddenly stopped.
"Oh thank Celestia" Trixie thought out loud as the cloud slowly lowered down to ground level.
"C'mon, we're going to need that trombone!" Pinkie said as she hopped of her cloud.
"Where did you even acquire a cotton candy cloud?" Trixie asked as she carefully stepped off.
"My friend Dizzy made it for me, he even made it self-regenerate" Pinkie said as she took a bite of it. "Mwuant Shome?" Pinkie asked with her mouth full.
"Erm… Trixie will pass" Trixie said as she turned to her cart and walked in. Trixie thought Pinkie was talking about Twilight, who else could perform such high level magic?
"Do you have your trombone?" Pinkie asked.
"Of course, Trixie is always prepared" Trixie said as she stepped off with a trombone.
"Yay! Now all we need is fireworks!" Pinkie said with a smile as she took the trombone.
"You're in luck, Trixie always has fireworks for her shows" Trixie said as she stepped in again.
"What about confetti?" Pinkie called.
"Of course, oh right!" Trixie suddenly went.
"What?" Pinkie asked as Trixie stepped off with a box.
"Trixie almost forgot, Trixie has a delivery for you" Trixie said as she reached into the box.
"Oh! Who is it from!?" Pinkie asked excitingly.
"Take a guess" Trixie joked as she pulled out a small rock. Pinkie hopped over and grabbed the rock.
"Ooooooooh It's from my mom and dad!" Pinkie said as she turned the rocket around, revealing a series of dots and dashes. Trixie wondered how Pinkie could read it.
"Well Trixie will load the fireworks and confetti into the cloud" Trixie said as she levitated the box onto the cloud.
"Thanks you soooo much!" Pinkie cheered as she hugged Trixie, who at this point was more used to it.
"It was just a box" Trixie annoyingly said.
"No, I mean thanks for helping my parents at the rock farm!" Pinkie clarified as she broke from their hug.
"Oh please, Trixie doesn't deserve recognition for that" Trixie said, she doesn't love working at a rock farm but they pay well and were nice enough.
"They say you've been a huge help, even when my sister Maud got sick you decided to do her work for her" Pinkie said with a smile. There couldn't have been more than 20 dots and dashes on the rock yet somehow Pinkie read all that.
"It was the honorable thing to do" Trixie said as she smiled proudly, as if she just received a medal.
"I'm just glad that somepony is helping my family back at the rock farm" Pinkie said as she hopped back on the cloud.
"Glad Trixie is being recognized for her work" Trixie said as she stepped on the cloud. If Pinkie had any doubt in Trixie, it was quickly erased.
I have a plan! The plan includes Trixie, Fluttershy's magic, and the voice in Discord's head. Don't worry, you'll figure out eventually what it is. Although, I'm having trouble thinking of his name because obviously the voice has a name.
Update: I got a lot on my schedule next week, the next chapter might be shorter or take longer but I'll try to keep up.