Chapter 12

"Um… what just happened?" Applejack asked as Twilight undid the streamers that were holding her in place.

"I don't know" Twilight replied, she had helped Rarity out already. Both Pinkie and Rainbow's heads were planted on the ground and they looked unconscious. In fact, if they didn't know better, they would've assumed they're dead.

"Are they ok?" Fluttershy asked, looking down at the unconscious pink earth pony. It was so weird seeing her so still when she was usually so active, even when asleep she'd roll around a little.

"Don't worry Fluttershy, I see them breathing. Still, we should prepare ourselves for when they wake up." Twilight said.

"Of course, we don't want them tying us up again" Rarity agreed, dusting off the dirt on her mane that she got when she was tied up.

"So what do we do?" Applejack asked.

"First things first, we need to tie them up so when they wake up I can use the spell and-" Twilight started but was immediately halted when Rainbow, still lying on the ground, began quickly flapping her wings and she sprang up into the air in a split second.

"Eep!" Fluttershy cried as she jumped back. Twilight and Applejack wasted no time in quickly preparing herself for another struggle, as Twilight's horn began to glow and Applejack quickly grabbed a hold of a streamer to use as a lasso. Rainbow Dash had her eyes shut and rubbed her forehead with a hoof.

"Ugh, much better" Rainbow sighed, shaking her head and finally opening her. Both Twilight and Applejack were on guard at this point, she would swoop down at any moment now and try to pin them again.

Twilight and Applejack jumped at the noise of what sounded like snoring followed by the squealing sounds of Rarity and Fluttershy. Twilight alternated her eyes between Rainbow Dash and Pinkie, who was still on the floor and snoring.

"Is… she asleep?" Fluttershy asked. Rainbow Dash, noticing how over the edge Twilight and Applejack were, smiled sheepishly as she slowly landed in front of them, the response she got was both of them backing up slightly with fierce looks in their eyes.

"It's alright girls, I'm fine" Rainbow Dash tried, Applejack didn't budge but Twilight looked a bit less tense.

"Be careful girls, this may be another one of her tricks" Rarity said, looking more scared than sure of herself. Rainbow Dash frowned.

"What do you mean tricks? I don't trick! I'm just awesome!" Rainbow retorted. Twilight, Applejack, and Rarity all looked annoyed by her comment.

"Yup, she's fine now" Applejack said, sounding annoyed.

"W-What about Pinkie?" Fluttershy asked. As if on cue, Pinkie just snored loudly and whimpered a little like a dog having a nightmare.

"Somethin' tells me she's fine too" Applejack sighed. Rainbow Dash was relieved for she was worried they'd still attack her or something.

"I don't get it, did the spell wear off?" Twilight asked. Spells can wear off, but Twilight knew little to nothing about chaos magic.

"I don't know, I just don't have the urge to capture you all anymore" Rainbow said. Pinkie snored again, as if agreeing with Rainbow.

"Why question it? This turned out splendid for us." Rarity said.

"Not yet, I still need to beat Discord's face" Rainbow determinedly said as she threw a few practice punches in the air.

"Right. But where in Equestria can he be?" Applejack asked.

"I might be able to find him with a magic detection spell, but who knows if it works on chaos magic" Twilight thought out loud.

"No harm in trying" Rarity said. Twilight wanted to disagree. She knew very well this could just lead them to somepony else. Heck it could even be a trap set up by Discord. But they didn't have time.

Twilight took a deep breath and focused her horn on the spell. Her horn began glowing slightly as it began searching for powerful magic. She ignored all the signs of unicorns nearby and tried her best to find Chaos magic. Suddenly it clicked for Twilight.

"I think I found him!" Twilight declared with a smile.

I didn't think this through. I didn't think this through. I didn't think this through.

Disk thought to himself as he continued forward. So he decided to help Cord? Now what? He guessed he would not have helped him anyways but he expected to get an idea of what to do. Not that it mattered anyways. It wasn't like he had any friends to turn to.

Disk decided to sit on the nearest bench, since he didn't want to summon any chairs, and relax a bit. No point on panicking over the past. He did what he did and now there's no turning back. For sure if they capture him, they'll turn him back to stone for his betrayal.

"Discord?" A voice called out. Disk tensed up at the sound of this voice. Celestia.

"Oh my apologies, Disk, I did not mean to startle you." He heard Celestia say as she walked into view. She looked as calm as ever if not slightly worried. She must've known she startled him and called him Discord, which he didn't mind too much.

"…Hi?" Disk went, not sure if he should run or ignore her.

"Mind if I sit with you?" Celestia asked. Disk wanted to say yes he'd definitely mind. Of course her being there would make him uncomfortable. Heck the only reason he didn't teleport away at the sound of her was because of his discomfort with chaos magic. He wanted to tell her to leave him alone.

"No I don't" Disk lied. Celestia wasted no time in sitting on the bench. Well not sitting but more like laying on it. This sort of reminded Disk of how cats would lay down.

For a few minutes they just sat there. Disk occasionally looked over at her but she just idly looked ahead of her as if she was watching television. Disk wanted to think to himself, but he couldn't knowing Celestia was there. After what seemed like an eternity Celestia finally broke the silence.

"May I ask you something?" Celestia asked.

"…Sure?" Disk replied.

"You see, I was busy attending to Screwball when you three were talking." Celestia began. Disk didn't realize it but Celestia really didn't hear much of their conversation. Even if she did begin listening after a while it was likely Screwball cut them off soon afterwards.

"What exactly where you three speaking of?" Celestia asked.

"Nothing" Disk replied too quickly.

"Really? It seemed to make you very distressed when I looked over." Celestia countered.

"Well it doesn't matter. You really should be going after Cord and not me. I've done nothing wrong." Disk said. Celestia looked a bit worried now.

"I never said you did something wrong Disk. Is that what Cord told you?" Celestia asked. Disk really wished he didn't let her sit with him.

"No. It was just sort of obvious I guess." Disk replied with a harsh chuckle at the end.

"How so?" Celestia asked.

"How so? How NOT so 'Princess'?" Disk asked, adding emphasize to the word Princess before continuing.

"Ever since that blasted spell was placed on me, I've been feeling nothing but emptiness and regret over a life that I feel like I never did. Fluttershy acts like she wanted to help me but it's obvious she's just as scared of me as everyone else is. The only reason I'll eventually be turned back to stone is because I'll be punished for something the other half of me is probably doing right now! How is it fair I'm being punished and judged for something I DIDN'T DO!?" Disk's voice got steadily higher as he rambled on.

Celestia was taken back from this. She knew Discord was subtle, even when he was full, but she never thought of him to hold back his thoughts like this. This was more damaging than she feared. Before Celestia could add anything she was cut off by him sighing loudly.

"I guess what I'm saying is. I don't want to be the Spirit of Chaos anymore. I don't want to be the villain of the story anymore. I just… I just want to live peacefully for once." Disk concluded.

"Discord…" Celestia trailed off. Was this just Disk feeling like this? Was it Discord feeling like this the whole time?

"Disk. I know everypony can be a little harsh to judge you, especially considering your past, but that does not mean you can give up. That is the reason we decided to reform you in the first place. Luna and I wanted to give you a chance, regardless of what everypony would think about it. You think any of the royal guards agreed to us releasing you? Of course not, but we went ahead and did it anyways." Celestia replied.

He didn't think of that. He assumed Celestia just enforced her Princess status and ignored their opinions.

"I'm not going to lie Disk, we will eventually put you two back together. If Cord's evil spirit is stronger than your spirit Disk then we may very well be forced to imprison you once more, but I assure you that Luna and I will find a way." Celestia added.

This didn't help ease Disk's mind. He could just spend the remainder of his life running and hoping he'd find a place he could stay, but even then that wasn't such a great plan. Well it beat being turned to stone.

He could go back to his old life and possibly remain that way forever. Just go back to being hated. But this time it was different. He had a chance. A chance at redemption. A chance to finally have the life he always, yet secretly, wanted. It might be a very small chance but it was a chance none the less. Was it worth it?

"I know this is a very tough decision for you Disk. I'll give you a few minutes to think about it. Just come to me when you've decided." Celestia said as she stood back up.

Disk was sure she was bluffing. Why would she let him go when she had him? To Disk's surprise Celestia kept her word as she headed off into the direction she (probably) came from. She really was giving him the option.

Don't, she only wants your downfall

Cord's voice rang through Disk's mind.

If she cared, why did she help you get imprisoned?

Disk tried his best to ignore these thoughts but he couldn't keep his mind from wandering. What Cord had told him earlier was true, maybe a bit exaggerated but true. None of them really cared right? They only-

Please Discord, I'm really worried

Disk then remembered Fluttershy. She seemed genuine enough. Surely she couldn't lie to him like that right?

I promise it'll become clear

Screwball's voice reassured him. She claimed to be his daughter but was that really true? Her magic seemed to be similar to his so he just assumed she wasn't lying. Looking back he wished he finished the book. It might've cleared things up.

You're the spirit of chaos, what else do you need to be doing?

The voice rang in his head. He still didn't know who's voice that was nor what did it do. He hasn't heard from it but frankly he was too smart to try and talk to it again.

One thing was for sure: Everyone wanted the spell off of him. Everyone except for the actual Discords. The voice wanted it off him, Screwball and Fluttershy wanted to undo it, Celestia and Luna wanted to undo it, heck he might even go as far as to say Twilight herself regretted the spell.

Maybe it was the spell talking, maybe it was the fact that he was just tired and wanted to oblige, but he decided. Why fight against it when everypony is against you? It really was no different from before, everyone wanted something he didn't want and was punished for going against it.

So he might as well just give up. Again.

"Discord!" A familiar voice yelled out in a hostile way.

Disk was snapped back to reality as he looked up to the voice. It was Twilight Sparkle.

I'm sort-of suffering from a mixture of writer's block, schoolwork, and laziness. Sorry about that!

Anyways, the words finally came flying to me again as I revisited earlier chapters. (Man I wrote badly and probably still do xD) At least I made progress with my writing right?

So just in case you forgot: Twilight and the other 5 don't know about Discord being split into two beings. So some misunderstandings is sure to come! :D