Chapter VIII: Beheading of two-headed all-power
Part II: Salty-burning actuality
Friends were literally showered with corpses. Some soldiers did not even reach their enemies, as they were killed by their own forces. Excess movement or a desire to exercise ingenuity were recognised as desertion - only blunt force was acceptable. And so friends, covering behind the machine, advanced further with no problem.
— ..Can't see a thing! - Empyrean barely opened her eyes - Everything's too bright!
— Mages are trying to defeat empty shells. - Sunshine fell down in spirit for some reason - They don't even understand that those are illusions.
— Even better! - joyed doe - Too many fell already!
— We are not many. - agreed captain.
..But there are more of them than they originally thought. Warden did not flee and run away like in the past - he gathered all his relatives, his kin and all deserters, and returned back! Battle cries of a new miniature army puzzled the secret police even more.
And some soldiers even thought of flanking the bastion, but tens of years of life and training vanished at the contact with Opvliegend's bow's projectiles. Company's well-coordinated efforts allowed them to corner the black soldiers. There, neither experience helped, nor the rejected ingenuity.
— Forward! - winged mare took her weapon from the last body - We need to go up! Higher!
— There, stairs! - changelings pointed at the side.
The massacre repeat itself exactly as in the Crystal Empire. All that the hordes of trained warriors could do is, die. Only rarely that few of them could hurt one or two creatures. And that is not a miracle or luck - this is pure degradation; mental and on every other front. From which companions filled with emotions.
— ..They really are idiots! - Empyrean easily and fearlessly swung her sword.
— They.. really are idiots. - Sunshine repeated with notes of sympathy and contempt - Worse than brigands.
The situation changed at least somehow, only closer to princesses. Battle-hardened stallions and ponies were on par with revolutionaries, and evaporated their illusions with precise blows. Someone even scared the folk with their own decoys! Someone, totally familiar to the adventurer couple.
Garrote Resonance. She relentlessly cut hooved creatures in first rows with her garrote and moved around in a way, as if she consists of feathers. Companions could not predict where this pony would come out from - she frequently teleported! When will she tire? Is she like Moonrise?
Unlikely. But she managed to spread the troublemakers around the whole hall with her tricks - friends did not stand together anymore! And the strangler used this moment, taking Sunshine hostage. Both ponies stood on their hind legs, and the first horse threatened to choke the second one.
— Got you! You reall-
..Who in their right mind would talk during a battle? What Resonance had hoped for? That time will simply stop and she will be let to express herself? If ponies possessed weak power of will and unusual curiosity, then changelings certainly surpassed them in decisiveness.
Since the monologue did not even really start, when the white horse was jumped by the white bug. He pulled both ponies with him, clearly not calculating that the wire would push stronger at the friend's neck. However, insect knew, that he would win some time this way; at least a few seconds.
Even those few moments were enough, to change the outcome of events. White inquisitor simply had her neck broken, with magic. And not Moonrise did this, not Gambit, not someone of their own, but some other mage in the end of a corridor. With a sapphire body.
Revolutionaries understood without any words, that they could simply protect themselves and wait. Canterlot fighters fell one by one - all of them, quietly enough and no less elegantly, were killed by the librarian. Aristocrat did not stain herself and not even feared for her life. Like in the past time.
— Moonrise.. - she almost tried to flirt - I knew you would come for me.
— Not for you.
— I know, that deep inside you want to bestow all the worldly treasures upon me. I helped you again, even for the second time saved your-
— To the point.
— ..You are boring. - displeased horse stole another bauble from a corpse - Above, the creams of society hide, with two plump, pompous cakes. Be sweethearts and do it quickly. I want to try on a tiara already..
Regrouped revolutionaries stormed into another open hall of this labyrinth. They did not meet any resistance, but the welcoming alone made the friends quite uncomfortable. Wealthy folk were not scared, did not run anywhere - they did not even look at the company.
Aristocrats simply raised their chins up in a very arrogant manner. And they silently raised their heads higher, when they were addressed by others. These ponies have not even tried to defend, when they were openly threatened! And even when they were murdered.
— Sun, Sun! - Hersenen barely grabbed the little pony - We came here not for them.
— All of this is because of them! Others suffer because of them! - the mare bit her friend - Let me go! Let go, now!
— Let the folk judge them. - proposed Moonrise, momentarily putting every arrogant pony to sleep - Will decide themselves, what future-
— What bloody judgement?! - another orange pony stood out for the sun mare - They don't deserve to live! Are we what, going to stick to their own boundaries to fight them? Are you fucked or are you ploughed?
Companions doubted. Almost every creature expressed their thoughts about this - there needs to be a court, but not the one that exists now. Maybe the one, that they demonstrated just now? Every creature spoke! Every being offered something of their own!
— ..This is exactly what is needed! - winged pony was finally released - We always discussed everything together and came to a shared decision!
— Not everything. - reminded the second one - Those intrigues of yours you kept inside yourself for long.
Friends quarrelled with each other again! Solar pony reminded for an uncountable amount of time, that she remembers her mistakes, but that was not enough for some. Only an intervention of dragons and sorcerers reminded the arguing creatures, that they are not on a picnic.
Not to mention, that not much was left and strength should be saved for the worst. Walkings around exhausted - the castle reminded of a very real labyrinth with a one and only path upward. The amount of floors itself was not as big, but getting up to the throne room seemed like something impossible..
— They did this for a reason. - hinted changeling - Peasants came here tired. Could not say a word before meeting princesses. Were escorted away right there, near torture rooms.
— Speaking of torture.. - sniffed long-antennaed insect - ..Feeling, we are close. Very close.
Shapeshifters found the hall with their noses, hooved creatures - their ears, and the scaly beings thought of it. After everything they saw, it seemed logical for them to put the mauling chambers right before the throne room. After all, absence of moral principles and sadism lead to these predictable and completely useless designer decisions.
And arrogance with greed lead to incompetence and even more stupid decisions. At the very top, probably, only Serendipitous was left. He condemned princesses' decisions out loud - the whole defence plans were composed by only the two alicorns. They thought it was right to spread the forces around the whole castle.
Not push everyone with every inch of power, not give this burden to other inquisitors, but to hold the whole plan inside their heads, sitting far away from the action itself. Silly demigods openly insulted a more smart servant, and when revolutionaries came inside, they even turned away, like those the floor below did.
— ..Told you - should not send all forces to the border.
Whereas the mutilated stallion, oppositely, showed off with his huge neck scar, as well as inability to speak without his horn. Ah, if only just a little bit more, and this unicorn would not stand here. However, maybe this is for the best; he is unlikely to do much alone.
— Come, get over here. - stallion called others, like to a duel - Maybe you will stop me, but not the years long plan.
— Suicider. - Moonrise walked forward.
..And Gaslighter immediately tried to kill him with magic. But it took the one too much time to realise that it was a mirage. Illusions appeared one after another, and they slowly approached the shabby stallion, until the real Moonrise showed himself right before the inquisitor. Or, more accurately, below him.
Tall unicorn pierced the arrogant horse's head with his sharpened horn. All this time, the real sorcerer hid himself and protected his friends by barely noticeable, but especially effective spells. Now though, there is no need for them. No need for anything.
Princesses seemingly were not going to defend. They raised their heads higher and higher, rarely looking over the hall to hold a bigger grudge on everything and everyone, the moment their gazes fell on troublemakers. Even rarer did alicorns use spells and scream something..
But to no avail. Verstandig built a whole wall of phantoms in time, covering and protecting revolutionaries with them. Friends slowly approached the rulers, hoping to deal with everything by plan and with a real court.. When suddenly, the rebels heard, what the sisters yelled.
Simple, common words. As if they did not know how to use spells and screamed what they needed in equestrian; not even the dragonish language! Companions could not hold their laughs and positive emotions. While Sunshine could not hold her anger.
— ..Just how stupid you are! - sun horse came out from illusions and fearlessly came closer - You call yourselves princesses, but you were defeated by some bunch of.. bunch of.. us! This is outrageous!
— Shut up, you're pissing me off. - white alicorn exposed her neck - Go away, will you?
— You shut up! ..And you too! - the pony pointed at Luna with her sabre before she could say anything - You sit idly and don't do anything, not even change your poses! The free ride ended! Nobody will do anything for you now - and don't you dare raise your heads in resentment, as if we will suddenly feel ashamed and go away!
— ..You want to say, it won't be like that? - blue princess sincerely surprised - End your show, we don't like it. And report yourselves to-
— Silence! - orange horse climbed to both seats - You should be ashamed! You - not us! Absence of mind you compensate with a Necropolis of complexes..!
..And absence of powers, with something quite obvious. While the little mare raged and shouted, changelings sneaked to the rulers from behind and took platinum regalias from them. Mighty and handsome looking horses flashly turned to grey, small and plain unicorns.
Eyes are grey, hair are grey - everything is grey. They did not stand out with anything. These two mares could not highlight with cutiemarks, nor mind, nor spells - absolutely nothing. And now, they were finally stripped of which never belonged to them - characters. And the nation itself.
— You.. you-you have lost your bloody minds?! - red-eyed mare have not held back while punching their faces - You, two sluts, ruined the whole world and its lives for your silly desires! Stole artefacts and imagined you are legends!
— Ours by righ-
— You don't have any rights! You don't have a single thing! - pony realised everything that was happening - You pillaged in Londo and stole what belongs to the real aristocracy! To the houses-
— We didn't-
— Shut your mouth. - the horse mercilessly stabbed former "Celestia" and dropped her body onto the floor - And what will you say in your defence?
— Ginger-
Very soon, a second body fell. And a whole wave of condemnation came after it. Everything has ended - what purpose those two deaths served? Why did Sunshine give way to her feelings again? ..And why did friends not even try to understand the winged pony?
— They stole our future from us! - the mare stomped with her legs - This had to be done!
— Calm the fuck down!
— Why are you all talking like nothing of what's happening is fucking bothering you?! Endlessly guilting me - not criticising, but throwing shit at every opportunity! I've had enough! Will listen to myself at least once!
— ..Y-yer majesty!
The dispute was interrupted by a messenger. Another one came after him, and another.. Many stallions with urgent missives gathered in a row, awaiting princesses. But all they saw at the end of the hall - little pony, standing on her back legs and looking down at everyone. In every sense of those words.
— So where's princesses? - spoke one of them.
— We are in place of them. - continued the orange one - What do you have?
— ..The barrier's can't take it, eastern folk getting through and slicing all buglings! They ask for help!
— Earlings' more important! - another one intervened - They're alive! And they come from Grass-
— Dragons 're flyin' in! - third horse barely stood on his legs - Flyin' to us! What we do? What, if they eat us?
— ..And why do we have to suddenly help each and everyone?! - Sunshine stomped the gold surface with her wounded leg - Yellow ones haven't helped us, criticised us for versatility, and we have to save their single-sided will?! We haven't tried to develop ourselves, lived like hives - everything changes now, this instant!
The hall was filled with silence. Why did Sunshine continue to condemn those who needed help? Why did she not want to follow the promises she made? Was it all simply because the adventurers were not helped? Or did the thirst for power dim everything in an instant?
— ..You are evil! - Ommatidia spilled her emotions in her true guise, for the first time in a long while.
— This is not Sunshine that I've met. - Vice grabbed his sword.
— We have to help others! - Empyrean surprisingly took the majority's side - We are the minority! This is our goal - the one you led us to! What you doin'?!
— Hersenen, you were wrong. - Opvliegend already aimed at the little pony - She is just like all others.
Nobody could say a word more. The arrow flew straight into the orange horse, on purpose. The recent friends did not react in any way, that the winged mare was thrown into the end of the hall. But she herself did call out. Because she was not impaled by the bolt.
Gambit was pierced. The rest gathered to a pitiful and regretful wail, and all of them quickly understood their mistakes. All the anger momentarily went away, all the rage vanished; the time seemingly stopped. However, only seemingly - the bug still moved, and the messengers awaited orders.
— ..What orders? - pony rained with tears - Go away!
— Oh, the Pact.. - horned beast covered her face with her claws - I..
— You! What have you done? You killed him! You are silly!
— ..You are all silly. - creaked snowwhite insect.
The changeling did not only move - he tried to get up; he lived! Did the magical bolt not threaten the shapeshifter? It actually went straight through him - through the chest! There, Sunshine remembered one phrase that her friend once said, and guessed the rest - "Forgot how not to breathe.".
They do not need to breathe, they do not need to eat - they do not need all those organs! The insect simply could not get up due to the heavy load! The bug is magical, mythical - head is in place, and that is enough! He still thought the same, showed emotions and spoke:
— You are not listening to each other. None of you. - plated bug barely raised on his legs - You will not do better if you resent, like our enemies to our words. Sunshine tried listening to you, she tried to be strong..
— Gamby, dearie, lie down! - pony pressed against her friend and put him on the floor - You're hurt! I see your pain!
— No. No pain and no lie down. - whiskered insect quietly grudged at the arrow - Sun could not speak out. She did not want to rest. She followed what everyone wanted. You used her. You got what you did - she answered you in your language.
— You-
— Because I heard her out. I spent more time with her than anyone. I know her better than the rest does. Just let us be alone. - the bug turned to the chocolate pony - Yes, Clockwork, even better than you. You know the past Sun, I know the current one. We are all friends, but I am closer than you. Literally - too.
Adventurers forgot that they are friends. They assumed each other as something granted. They completely forgot about gratitude, that helped them all the way until reunification. Everyone forgot about it, and they remembered it at the last possible moment.
Princesses did not even know about friendship's charms. They achieved their power through insults, and fell to it also. No matter how smart advisors they owned, former rulers trusted nobody. They tried all by themselves, and it led to their demise.
— ..This is hard! - the horse wiped her tears - W-we're only ponies. We are sinful, but we are correctable! We can do better, but each of us needs sup-p-port..!
— Bravo, bravo! - someone clapped behind the friends' backs.
— And why you are- - grieving horse went instantly cold - ..You.
Him. The guest of all the honours. Discord walked back and forth, and laughed in such a way, as if he just watched a wonderful show. And the happening events did indeed look like an ordinary drama with an unusual ending. Ending, that he decided to spike with himself, for himself.
— What do you want?
— To congratulate, of course! - atmosphere filled with a celebrating mood around - You thought of the most important thing, the final frontier was passed! How are you feeling?
— ..All this time we strived for.. this, but-
— Because life isn't a fairytale! - recent decorations momentarily burned down, and the walls severely dimmed - Or you think that one decision will cha-
— Enough of those games of yours, you won't outplay us. - amber creature stepped in for the pony - We love life, and you know this. We know, that you watched us. Why are you-
— ..Why are you so serious? - the dragon lined up a smile on her face with his fingers - Saying one thing, yet another is on your face - just like a pony!
Everyone saw Discord, but nobody deep inside wanted to answer him or pay attention to him. However, the meaningless draconid managed to provoke Sunshine. He did not change his opinion in all this time, and has not differed from the past self in the eyes of those he criticised. Just like a pony. Like the friends moments prior.
— You are simply the same! - scaled beast created the same mirror, where an old peasant was seen now - I have done so much, so that others would pay attention to the sisters and their phoniness. But fools strengthened their faith - they threw away the facts! And you too!
— This.. is totally not so. - Ommatidia did not see any sense in those claims - What do you want to say?
— ..You tried convincing them, but they jumped at you! Try to convince you - the same will happen - you will believe even more in what you do! Is just exactly the same! Built some boundaries of norms and tried to push unpushable through them! - big magical hoop almost crushed every standing creature - You aren't normal, you are following the norms! Some kind of normies!
— Because there is..! - Empyrean also tried defending her friend - I mean, will be order!
— And everything will repeat!
— Smart and silly are similar in statements. - Moonrise showed two fake ponies for his example - But smart are able to find a logical explanation for absurdity. Everyone can be taught.
However, no matter how Discord tried, he could not get a serious reaction from anyone. Companions went through too much, and saw everything with their eyes - peace can be reached and thought of, and no pain, boundaries or tons of papers are needed for it. Only simple solidarity and compromises.
— Everyone is thinking the same way, yet yell that they are different. And how are you going to hammer that thought into their heads? - dragon moved miniatures of adventurers on an imaginary field - Will individually travel from hamlet to hamlet?
— Yes. - Moonrise repeated after Discord, showing a performance mirage with pleased ponies - Individual approach.
— And you won't get tired? You are already beat over the scale! - with a click of his fingers and horns, he sparked a very strong panting in everyone surrounding - And you won't look at an easy-
— There are no easy ways. - Vice gathered attention to himself with a sword strike at the marble - No point in fixing the system, if it doesn't work from the start. We will make everything from scratch. We will let everyone have a say.
Adventurers reminded the horned creature about their travels and gave him an uncountable amount of examples, that he saw himself already. And the dragon continued - as if he purposely tested and provoked the company! And he was not disappointed.
Because to some of the arguments, he could not find an answer for. Marshmallow ponies managed to find happiness, hoofgradians adapted bad life into something acceptable, Mareland survived with utter chaos around them! Deers with dragons also understood something. And that is not mentioning the adventurers themselves!
— Admirable, admirable. - red dragon sincerely impressed - ..But that is not enough.
— Why?
— Because everything's already decided with you! Look at yourselves, look closely.. - he created a giant colour palette after seeing deep confusion - Most orange of you are the most emotional! Blue - smartest! Brown ones - calm! Haven't you noticed? - Discord cut the cream wool of the brown and obedient sheep - You cannot esca-
— You are wrong. - Vice quietly laughed - Look at me.
— If everything is decided, then why are we standing here and talking with you? - solar pony aggressively tilted her head - Coincidence or not - doesn't matter! What matters is, we cannot be given experience from our birth! Only some kind of talent, and even that - rubbish! My whole family was magicians, and I? And I am shallow! Experience doesn't find itself and doesn't find others by their wishing!
— ..Discord himself lives by old principles. - Verstandig thought out loud again - Racism and coloured symbolism.. works in norms. Discord thinks in norms? Does not want to learn?
Maybe, the everywhere forgotten dragon did make ponies how they are, but they did not stay the same. They learned, developed and broke those very boundaries that everyone proudly calls the norms. Norms - are not normal. And Discord still thought and discussed by the norms.
He fell silent. It is he who tried to teach ponies and staged situations - even appeared to some lucky ones! Not without a reason did his cult appear? And now, the teacher learned from his roughly-called students. Even with qualities taken from someone or something else, one can create something completely unique.
— Variativity, is a part of nature. - Moon stirred the pot even more - Dragons know it more than anyone.
— ..Perhaps, I should observe more. Like always. - horned dragon seemingly found peace of mind - Do your thing!
