Iroh in Equestria by Mr. Fire

>Be Fluttershy
>Be out in the hills and fields in the outskirts of Ponyville
>Having a peaceful walk in some fresh air after spending the day caretaking in your new animal shelter
>It's not that it was a chore, it was something you always loved
>But as you watched the waves of grass roll over the gentle slopes as they're blown by the gentle breeze, you also found the quiet moments of life to be equally as satisfying
> A bit further down the bare dirt trail, you found yourself trotting closer to the edge of the Everfree forest
>Your heart fluttered in your chest slightly, as it always did in the shadows of the intimidating dark trees, but your knowledge and love of the creatures within always comforted you
>But this time, a sudden noise startled you, freezing you in your tracks as a loud twig snap betrayed the fact you were not alone anymore
>And you knew instantly it wasn't a cute raccoon, or a harmless squirrel, nor did it make noises like a bear
>The nearby bushes at the foot of the forest began to rustle, as something larger than a pony began to move through them
>Lowering the front of your body down, crawling backwards at a snail's pace, you barred your teeth in fright
"Um... H-hello?  Who's there?"
>You wanted to move your wings, but they were clamped to your sides as a cold wave of fear shot up your spine
>The bushes stopped rustling for a moment, feeling the creature's eyes turn on you, betraying a silhouette of something completely alien looking hiding in the darkness
>Was it a timberwolf?  A manticore? Or some other creature!?  The fact you didn't know terrified you!
"Don't eat me!"
>You cried, throwing your hooves over your head in desperation
>A brief moment passes, and you hear the creature step into the open, and out in front of you
>You wait for sharp fangs, or long claws, or a stinger to claim you
>But
>Nothing happens
>After a brief moment, you look up from under a hoof, and see what appear to be the base of some sort of robe
>Looking up, you see a strange, but concerned, wrinkled face, framed by a long, spiked silver beard, reminding you of some kind of monkey or ape
>"Do not worry, little one.  I am of no threat to you."
>He put a hand on his chest.  Was it some sort of carapace?  Or armor!
>"In fact, I may need your help.  I appear to be lost, and I hope that you might be willing to help me find my way back home."
>You felt your body relax and breathing return to normal as you begin to prop yourself back to a regular stand, your head still turned away
>You felt a sort of peace radiate from him, but you still felt slightly untrusting
"Oh, um.  Yeah, I-I think I might be able t-to help you."
>"Oh then that is good news indeed."
>He bared his teeth in a wide grin, stroking his beard
  >"The Spirit World is as unpredictable as a storm in the sea.   I thought I was on the road home, but I must have made a wrong turn."
>He scanned the horizon
>"Though even in wariness, it is always fascinating to see new sights even an old man like me has never seen before.  I would even say this place feels much like the plains of the Southern Earth Kingdom!"
>He sighed, stretching his arms out and yawning
>"My journey has been so long, it may in fact be wise to rest here and enjoy this magnificent view with some tea.  ...Would you care for some, my new friend?"
>You started feeling a little more comfortable around the stranger, and turned to face him more, a hint of a smile forming on your face
"I... would love to."
>"Excellent!  Now let me just..."
>His voice trailed off as he grabbed a bag from his waist
>You could see only sadness well up in his amber eyes as he stared at the massive hole torn into the cloth satchel
>"I guess I might not have tea to share after all."
>He said with defeat
>You began to feel sorry for him, and you quickly thought up a solution
"If I may... sir... Um, I might have some tea at my place, if you don't mind."
>The sadness and defeat was immediately replaced with gratitude
>"The kindness of strangers always is one of the greatest hidden joys of life, it seems.  I would be honored."
>You turn down the trail to lead him along, sighing as the cramping in your wings finally began to cease
"It's just down this road."
>He walked beside you, stuffing the ruined satchel in his pack and sighing
>"Oh, and who can I thank for such a generous offer?"
"My name's Fluttershy."
>He only responded with that wide, welcoming smile again
"An honor to meet you, Fluttershy.  You can call me Iroh."

>As you traced your steps back home down the path, you and Iroh walk in silence for most of it, enjoying the peace
>Unusually, you notice he didn't stare at you as many other species of sentient creatures like Griffons, Yaks, or Minotaurs do
>And every time you looked up at him, you find him content in gazing over Equestria's mountains in interest
>You weren't too far from your cottage, and in a matter of minutes, you find yourself in view
>As you approach the path leading in, you gesture a visibly impressed Iroh ahead
"This is my home.  I'm sorry it's not much."
>He was unfazed by your humility
"Don't be so hard on yourself, Fluttershy.  This is a lovely home that I can already tell flourishes with life and love, and is one with the world around it.  One of the most beautiful I've ever seen."
>You blushed slightly at his words
"That is... One of the kindest things anypony has said to me.  Thank you."
>He smiled back as he continued onwards towards the cottage
>"Everyone deserves a kind compliment once in a while."
>Once inside, Iroh found a sofa to sit on, which creaked slightly under his weight
>"I apologize." He laughed slightly with an embarrassed grin, "This furniture is obviously built for a smaller man than me."
>You flash him a small smile back and turn towards the kitchen
"Oh don't worry.  It's held larger critters than you before."
>"Now I'm the one feeling humble.  Ha ha!"
>He slapped his belly as he let out a loud laugh that made you flinch
>He immediately seemed to notice and control himself quickly
>You grabbed your tea supplies and began setting them up
"Angel, would you start a fire for me please?"
>Angel's white furry ears poked out of a small hole in the wall nearby, followed by his head
>He looked at you for a moment, then towards Iroh, narrowing his eyes
>You could tell he was suspicious
"This is Iroh, Angel.  He's a friend, and we're making tea for him."
>Angel crawled out of his hiding spot and hopped slowly towards Iroh, who looked at the bunny in interest
>"And you are a very cute creature, my little friend."
>Iroh reached towards Angel, who almost immediately tried to bite him with a loud growl
>Iroh's eyes widened in surprise, as he pulled his hand away and Angel moved to the fireplace to set up the kettle
>"Although sometimes, cuteness is just as enjoyable from a distance."
>The fire was quickly lit, and as the kettle began to heat up, you sat yourself on the chair opposite of Iroh
>"Again Fluttershy, I have to thank you.  You know, for spirits, you have been very kind to me.  They tend to not like to associate with humans like me."
>You tilt your head in confusion
" Spirits?  I'm a... Um, Pony.  I don't know what this Spirit World is but is that where you came from?"
>Iroh looked up in thought, stroking his beard
>"This land did strike me as being more like my earthly home, now you mention it... But no.  The Spirit World is not my home.  Not yet, at least.  But if we aren't there, then may I ask where I am?"
>Iroh's words concerned you.  What else was in this Spirit World?  Was there more things like him?  Were they just as kind?
"We're in a place called Equestria, where ponies like me live in harmony with each other.  Nearby is a small town, called Ponyville.  I... don't know about any spirit world around here..."
>Iroh looked down, visibly looking sorrowful
>It made you hurt inside to see such sadness
"B-but I think one of my friends might know!"
>You stammered out
>He nodded back with a gentle grin
>"Then we may yet have hope.  While I am not the man to turn down the opportunity to have new experiences and meet new friends, I simply miss my family and would like to see them again soon."
>The tea kettle began to whistle as the water began to boil
>As you grabbed the not as hot handle with your teeth and set it on the coffee table nearby, you reach for your rather large collection of teas
"What kind of tea can I get you, Mr. Iroh?"
>"Do you perhaps have Jasmine?"
>You grin as you pull out a small jar of tea leaves and place it in front of him
"I hope you don't mind loose leaves.  I can't get it bagged."
>He opened the lid and smelled the contents, letting out a hearty, satisfied sigh
>"Ah, even in a place as far from home like this, there are still things that are always the same."
>With nearly expert care, he grabbed just the right amount of dried leaves from the jar and settled them in his cup, followed swiftly by the steaming hot water
>You set up your own cup of a more herbal blend, and you both wait a moment for them to steep before adding sugar to yours
>You found he liked his plain
>He took a small sip, and an expression of relief crosses his face
>"A great cup of tea is always the best blessing one can have in trying times such as these.  This is excellent tea, my friend."
"Thank you.  I... grew it myself."
>"One with a passion alongside my heart as well.  I feel we may just get along."
>He raised his tea cup and winked at you, causing you to blush again to his flattery

>When you both were done with a couple cups each, you gather the kettle and cups and take them to the sink to be washed later
"I can introduce you to my friends if you'd like now, Mr. Iroh.  One of them is named Twilight Sparkle, and she's very smart when it comes to magical portal things."
>Rubbing his belly whilst taking in the soothing effects of the tea, he nodded
>"Only if they are as hospitable as you are."
>He stood up with his trademark laughter, this time coaxing a giggle out of you as well
"This was nothing, really."
>"I disagree." He chuckled as you both walk out the door, "Where I come from, common courtesy and respect for your fellow man is a lost art.  And it is a shame, for it only brings out the best in people."
"It sounds like you come from a horrible place!"
>You gasp, fearing what kind of monsters wouldn't have tea with each other and be friends
>Iroh looks up in a sort of longing gaze
>"It is not a bad place, and deep inside all our hearts is a desire to do good.  But it is unbalanced, and the disharmony leads people to not trust one another like they once did, across nations and oceans alike.  I only hope one day, we will learn and grow from our mistakes."
>You fall quiet and you both walk in almost solemn thought for the rest of the journey into Ponyville
>It was the mid afternoon, and ponies were finishing up their shifts or bustling about the marketplace
>Until Iroh came into view of them, that is
>You stop as the town immediately quiets down to where you could hear a butterfly's wings flap
>They were all staring at the new alien creature in shock and maybe fear
>Iroh didn't seem to mind, and he raised a hand
>"Hello there, little ponies."
>He was only greeted with silence and stares
>You decide to step in front of him, raising a hoof
"Don't worry everypony!  He's just a friend of mine."
>After a while the ponies started to resume what they were doing, albeit at a more hushed tone, keeping their eyes on the new visitor whenever they could
>As you led him through the market towards Twilight's Castle, you shook your head
"I'm sorry Iroh, Ponies here... Still aren't very used to new visitors passing through."
>"It is perfectly fine, Fluttershy.  I have my own experience in quaint towns like this.  Often times, when you know everyone, strangers are even more strange and ominous."
>Raising a finger, he winked again
>"But the reward of being the stranger to win their trust is very worth the effort."
>"DID YOU SAY THERE'S A NEW GUY IN PONYVILLE AND NOPONY TOLD ME?!?!"
>The screeching, high-pitched voice echoed over the straw rooftops
"Oh no."
>You braced yourself as a pink blur zoomed past you and stopped in front of Iroh
>"Oooooh!  Hello there tall person!  What's your name?"
>Pinkie was practically levitating with how rapidly she was hopping on the ground in excitement
>Iroh blinked in surprise, then resumed smiling
>"My, you are certainly... energetic.  You can call me Iroh."
>Pinkie scratched her chin.  "You seem more like an 'Uncle' type.  Can I call you Uncle Iroh?!  Or just Uncle for short?"
>Iroh's grin faded
"Pinkie, let's not bother him too much.  He just got here, and he's lost.  I'm taking him to Twilight's so we can help him find his way back home-"
>"Usually only my nephew refers to me as such... But I would love it if you called me that."
>Iroh relaxed and resumed walking, Pinkie doing her hopping bound on his opposite side
>"Sooo, where do you come from, big guy?"
>Iroh chuckled, "Apparently a place far from here.  Getting to the Spirit World from my home is already an ordeal, but I seem to be past there now.  At least here, even so far from home, there is company here to help me back."
>"So you're lost huh?  Well, maybe when we throw you a "Welcome to Ponyville,  Let Us Help You Out" PARTY, it'll help jog your memory!"
>Iroh laughed, then shook his head, "There is no need for celebrations yet, little one.  I am still tired from traveling, but maybe once we find out where I need to go, then perhaps, I shall share my joy with you."
>"Are you KIDDING?!  Everypony needs a party!  It's the best thing, like, ever!"
>Pinkie hopped up on two legs and pawed at his chest with her forehooves, making Iroh raise his hands, but he didn't seem scared, but instead shrugged
>"Well, if you insist, I won't turn an invitation down.  But I would rather not embarrass you with my terrible dancing."
>You laugh alongside him as you reached the clearing next to Carousel Boutique, Pinkie jumping off and giggling along.
>A bell chimed in a nearby clock tower, Pinkie's smile disappearing immediately
>"Oh no!  I'm late for my shift!  But, uh, how about I have a party for you later tonight then? I swear we'll  help you find your way home by then!  And-"
>Pinkie hesitated as she noticed you glaring at her, making her visibly uncomfortable
>"... And I'll try and keep it quieter for you if you'd like, Uncle Iroh."
>"I shall be looking forward to it."
>The old man grinned as Pinkie bounded away with a smile
>Iroh immediately leaned in when the pink pony was out of sight, his expression losing its contentment, as he raised one hand to his mouth and pointed at where Pinkie left with another
>"She's certainly a handful."
>You roll your eyes slightly with a smile
"She's like that with everypony.  She get's overly excited with every newcomer."
>"I can see that." Iroh stood back up as he stared upwards and patted the bald patch of his head.
>"I also see that I must have lost my hat in the forest on the way here, that's rather unfortunate.  I would ask if there's a shop nearby, but I don't have any money."

>You glance over to the Boutique nearby and give him an optimistic smile
"My friend Rarity lives just right here.  She's a seamstress and I'm sure she'd be willing to help you out.  ...Also, she's a bit more civilized than Pinkie, and likes tea even more than me."
>"Does she now?" Iroh smiled with a tad excitement in her voice
>You found yourselves already at her door, which you knocked with your hoof a couple times
>"Come in, Darling!"
>You open the door and are greeted with the usual colorful displays of dresses and gowns Rarity was known for
>The air itself was just as inviting with a warm, floral scent wafting through the air
"Rarity?  It's Fluttershy.  I have a friend with me who needs a bit of help."
>The dressmaker pony was in another room
>By the sound of it, in the middle of rummaging through some supplies
>"Oh for sure, darling!  Any friend of Fluttershy's is a friend of mine!  Now just give me a moment, and I'll be right with you!"
>Iroh walked past a couple of clothes racks, inspecting the craftsmanship of the clothing with an amused expression
>"She sounds lovely." He whispered to you.
"Oh she is.  She's one of the fairest, most generous ponies I know."
>After a few moments, Rarity shuffled out of whatever chore she was in the middle of and stepped into the main lobby area
>"Now then, Fluttershy.  Who is this wonderful friend of you- EGAD WHAT IS THAT?!"
>Rarity's screeching stung your ears, making you wince
>You look back up to see Rarity pointing a hoof at Iroh in abject horror
>"Now let's not make hasty judgements here." Iroh wagged a finger, before patting his belly
>"At my age, this is but a symbol of a satisfied life."
>Rarity changed tone on a turn of a dime as she walked around him, "Oh I didn't mean your weight, darling.  I'm talking about these!"
>She grabbed the hem of his reddish-gray robe near his feet
>"This is pure embroidered silk!  And a very high thread count at that!  But look!  It's tattered, torn, and extremely filthy!  Oh, Mister, this won't do at all!  Not at all!"
>Iroh smiled, shaking his head.  "Please, my friend, there is no need to worry.  This is an old uniform I have travelled many miles in, and I have more at home.  I merely ask for a hat to shade this bald head from the sun."
>"A hat.  You're walking around in this fashion nightmare and you ask. for. a. hat." Rarity sighed incredulously.  "But what if you were invited to a formal event?  A get together?  A friendly afternoon picnic!?  You may travel in these clothes, but so help me, you will not be walking around this town enjoying yourself in them!"
>Mid-rant, she gathered tape measures that snaked around Iroh's form and began jotting down her measurements on a notepad at the same time
>Iroh fell silent this time, his eyes widening as he watched several objects levitate around him in dizzying speed
>After a few moments, he resumed in an even, albeit slightly more rapid tone of voice that didn't quite match his confused expression
>"Well if you insist, I feel like something green and yellow is a lovely color for this season, but please keep it simple."
"Rarity, please."
>"Oh don't worry a single bit.  You will be treated properly here, and I guarantee you will like the results.  There.  Now it should only take a few moments and I'll whip something right up!"
"Um, Rarity..."
>"Yes, Fluttershy?"
"Could he just have a hat in the meantime?"
>"And perhaps some tea?" Iroh interjected
>Rarity blinked.  "Oh my goodness, I completely forgot my manners in my fluster!  Oh silly me!"
>She ushered you and Iroh into the nearest lounging area and sat you down.
>"Now I already had a kettle heating up, so we can enjoy some tea quite shortly, heh... Now," Rarity sat herself on an opposite lounging couch, bringing a sketchpad with her to draw out her ideas "First of all, I do hope you'll forgive me, sir.  You must understand I tend to get a bit riled up in these sorts of things."
>Iroh seemed to relax slightly, but was still curiously looking at the floating pad of paper that was being scribbled on "I hold no grudge to a lady that enjoys her passion, and may I say, bolsters it with talent.  I'm no real judge of your kind's fashion choice, but I find many works here to be stunning and inspiring."
>"Oh my, thank you, you're such a gentlemen." Rarity chuckled, blushing much like you did when he complimented you and raising a hoof to her mouth.
>"And you are very generous, yourself," Iroh laughed, " You need not put such time and effort to clothe an old, tired traveler who you barely even know."
>Rarity grinned back, "But that's the thing, darling, you don't know me." She punctuated by pointing her charcoal stick at Iroh  "Fluttershy here would tell you all about the lengths I will go to make sure everyone around me is both presentable and comfortable in their own skin."
>"Then you have my respect." Iroh grinned
>A distant whistle could be heard, causing Rarity to jump up,
"Oh!  That's the kettle!"
>Her horn flickered again and the kettle levitated its way into the room
>"That is a mighty skill, you have."
>The kettle paused in mid air, "I beg your pardon?"
>"To levitate an object with such skill and finesse.  You must be a master."
>"Oh psh ffk tsh, it's nothing.  All us unicorns have this ability... Though, some are able to do it more gracefully than others." She flashed a toothy smile as the cups and tea soon followed into the room.
>"Now what may I get you?"
>"Actually, what would you recommend?" Iroh stroked his beard
>Rarity looked intrigued, "Oh you must try this.  A mint infused Oolong with my own special blend of spices.  It's sophisticated, strong, and keeps the mind sharp and ready for a long day."
>"That sounds wonderful."
>"Fluttershy?"
"I'll pass." You smiled back.
>To be honest, you weren't paying much attention to the conversation, and instead, looking around the selection of hats that Rarity had around the shop
>A wide brimmed one looked nice, causing you to slip off the couch to look at it closer while the conversation continued
>"So what is your name, my very well-mannered guest of mine?" Rarity chimed
>"You may call me Iroh.  And what is the name of such a generous and might I say beautiful lady such as yourself?"
>"Oh darling, you're making me blush, hehehe.  I'm Rarity, and it's an absolute pleasure to meet you, Iroh."

"Here, Iroh.  Try this on."
>You pass Iroh a wide brimmed hat that closely matched the dark grays of his clothes, a single golden eagle feather sticking up from the side
>You remember getting that feather for Rarity, that eagle was very kind
>He placed it on his head without question and turned towards the mirror
>He and Rarity had already finished their tea, and while Rarity was busy sowing, you found Iroh content to browse hat styles
>And you saved your favorite for last
>Iroh smiled as he inspected it
>"While it isn't what I'm used to, it will serve my purposes well.  And I rather like the look of it myself."
>You gave him a smile of approval as he smiled at himself in the mirror
>"Well I think it looks stunning too."
>You didn't notice Rarity walking up behind the both of you, but you turn to see her levitating a fresh batch of clothes
>"Our conversation about flowers and tea really inspired me, so I just had to use my absolute best in this.  Here, I'll take you to a changing room."
>Iroh followed her to the back, and after a couple minutes, he returned
>He was draped in a golden kimono- style robe, decorated by embroidered emerald silk vines and roses that framed the borders
>Looking at himself in the mirror, he gave himself a satisfactory nod as he rubbed the fabric between his fingers
>"I have to say, your craftsmanship is quite impeccable.  This is quite comfortable, and for such a quick amount of time too."
>"Only the best for such a kind individual such as yourself.  All on me."
>Rarity smiled proudly
>Iroh sighed "Your hospitality is unlike anything that I've ever seen in my world.  I am but a stranger, yet I am treated like a prince.  And your love of tea is so wonderful.  It brings a tear to my eye."
>He wiped away the tear with a hand.
"Aw, you don't have to cry."
>You patted him on the leg, being as far up as you could reasonably reach
>He looked down on you and gave another big grin
>"But I should.  My heart is warmed by such kindness, though there is one thing we are forgetting."
"What's that?"
>He reached over and grabbed the nearby hat, donning it on his head, smile widening to bare his teeth
>"I still have to ask your smart friend for directions!"
>"Then I bid you a safe journey." Rarity sang, "Your old clothes are in this satchel.  And I even repaired that tear in your tea case."
>As you led Iroh out the door, Iroh waved back
>"Thank you, Rarity.  Your name befits you in many ways.  I will share tales of your generosity throughout the worlds I travel."
>"Ta ta!" Rarity cheered back before silently closing the door behind her.
>"So kind." Iroh remarked
>You continued to walk through Ponyville, still getting strange looks now and again, but not as much, until you reach the clearing in front of Twilight's Castle
>The crystal structure gleamed in the sunlight, causing Iroh to "ooh" in awe
>"Your friend is very wealthy." Iroh whistled
"She used to be a librarian.  But after Princess Celestia made her the Princess of Friendship, she was gifted this castle."
> "Princess of Friendship, do you say?" Iroh chuckled, "I don't know if you can be any more friendlier than the ponies I've met today."
"Oh, she's wonderful."
>You stated, trotting closer to the front entrance
"She brought me and my other friends together to help save Equestria on more than one occasion.  Rarity is one of them.  You'll really like her, because she's very wise for her age."
>You reach the front door, and raise your hoof to knock, but a distant crash, sounding like breaking plates could be heard behind
>A couple bumps and bangs sounded immediately after, followed by a muffled grumbling voice
>"Trixie! Get back here, you little..."
>You look up at Iroh, who looked back at you surprised
>A moment later you heard the noises becoming dangerously close, causing you to step aside as one of the doors slammed open
>A pale blue pony with a paler blue mane leaped out from within the castle, a saddlebag at her side with some glowing potion
>"I said I'm sorry!  I just gotta borrow this potion for an act!  I'll pay her back!"
>A purple pony with a darker purple mane and teal stripe was now standing in the doorway, visibly agitated
>"You know I can't let you have that, Trixie!  You don't know the consequences of that potion!  Not to mention you gotta clean up the one you just spilled!"
>"Don't worry!  You can always just fix it before- EEP!"
>Trixie's face turned to a sly grin to panic immediately as Glimmer's horn raged in ferocious power
>"I gotta go!  TELEPORT!"
>In a flash, Trixie vanished into thin air, leaving a smoking charred spot in the grass
>"YOU'RE LUCKY WE'RE STILL FRIENDS, TRIXIE!  OR ELSE YOU'D PAY FOR THIS!"
>Glimmer shouted after her, even though she was probably already too far away to hear.
>You could see the veins bulge in her neck and everything, reminding you of her old self a bit.
>"Are you sure she's worthy of that title?" Iroh whispered in your ear
>You could only respond by glancing at him before Starlight noticed she had company, stiffening in surprise
>"Oh!  Uh... Hello there... Fluttershy.  Heheh... Was just trying to teach Trixie a bit of alchemy."
>She said her 'friend's name through clenched teeth and a sideways glare
>After a sigh, she normalized a bit
>"Anyways, who's this guy?  Is the mirror portal acting up again?"
>"Are you by chance, this 'Twilight' I've heard many things about?" Iroh asked, still a little puzzled
>You tried to speak up but Glimmer was too quick
>"Ah, no.  I'm Starlight Glimmer.  I'm Twilight Sparkle's, um, ex-student.  Graduate, maybe?...  Regardless, she's not home right now."
"Oh no, where is she?"
>You notice Glimmer's eyes shifting back into the castle repeatedly, she seemed noticeably stiffer
>"She's, uh... Off on some princess duty thing.  In Canterlot! Um... She'll be, uh, thankfully gone for the next three days."
>There was a shifting noise and a small male shout of fright could be heard deep within the castle
>Starlight turned her head to peer inside and gained an expression of horror
>"Nowifyou'llexcusemeIhavetogonowBYE!"
>Starlight leaped right back into the castle entrance "I'm coming Spike!"

>You look back up at Iroh
"This doesn't sound good!  It sounds like they need help!"
>Iroh's expression changes to a determined glare and he nods
>You push your side of the doorway open after Glimmer and feel your eyes widen in terror
>The central hallway was filled with what looked like massive, thick green vines that writhed like octopus tentacles
>The highest of which was wrapped around a small purple dragon
>"STARLIGHT!  HEEEEEeeeeEEEEeeeEEEEELLLLLP!!
>Spike screamed as he was tossed about
>"Try not to move Spike!" Starlight was positioned just outside the tentacles' reaches, her horn glowing hot
>Bright beams of light shot out from her into the mass of writhing plant matter, singing it slightly, but not apparently stopping it
>"It's not working!" She cried, as she tried switching into another spell
>Another flash of light, this time a deep purple wave, floated out
>The tentacle seemed to slow down for a moment, but then lightning shot back out, and collided with the unicorn
>Starlight went flying into the wall next to you, causing you to jump
>She shook her head, looking slightly dazed
>"It's resistant to magic!  I don't know what I can do!"
>You bite your lip in fright
>You didn't know what to do either
>It wasn't an animal, you couldn't talk to it!
>Maybe if you got Applejack to wrangle it down, or Rainbow Dash to fight it, or-
>"What's he doing?!"
>You look up from your thinking to notice Iroh wasn't next to you anymore
>Instead he was approaching the monster
"Iroh!  Don't!  You'll get hurt!"
>He raised his hands close to his chest, parallel to the ground, and inhaled
>He then breathed out his mouth, lowering his hands down
>The tentacles seemed to notice him and were quickly approaching
>Oh no!  You couldn't watch!
>No!  You couldn't let this happen!
>You try to leap towards him as he crouched down slightly, arms pulling to his side
>Suddenly he growled and extended his hands forwards
>And your vision was filled with blinding orange light, your face burning with radiant heat
>You screech to a halt on the smooth floor just behind him
>Was that... Fire?!
>You could see Starlight's jaw hit the ground out of the corner of your eye just as yours did
>The wall of flame consumed everything in front of Iroh to the point you could not even see the monster anymore
>The crystal walls reflected the orange and yellow glow, giving the entire room a harsh lighting, and reflecting the roaring noise of the fireball to a nearly deafening level
>In only a few seconds, however, the fire dissipated, and Iroh straightened up in his stance, sighing
>When your eyes adjusted, in place of the plant monster was only... a black pile of ashes
>You stared in sheer awe and fear for a moment, before shaking your head when you notice something was missing
>Wait, where was Spike!?
>"No!  Spike!" Glimmer seemed to have the same thought
>Suddenly a pile of ash near the back quivered, and two green eyes suddenly opened from within
>"Whoa!  That was crazy!" The little dragon cheered in surprise
>Oh, he's fine
>Your heart fluttered again, and you felt light headed
>Oh, hello floor.  Nice to meet you.
>You blacked out

>The first thing you notice is someone was cradling you in their arms
>You felt warm, you didn't want to move
>It was comfortable here
>But your head hurt
>What happened, anyways?
>You remember orange, and yellow
>And writhing darkness and...
>and...
"SPIKE!"
>You shot up, breathing heavily, your heart racing
>"Careful, Fluttershy.  You need to rest."
>Iroh's soothing voice was right next to you
>Your blurry vision focused to tell you he was holding you in his arms almost like a child
>But it wasn't soothing!
>He created that fire!
>And almost burnt Spike to a crisp!
>Well, he's a dragon, and they can't be burnt, but still!
>You struggle out of the man's grasp, fluttering your wings to get him to let go
"No!  Get away from me!"
>You screamed at him, floating up into the air above him
>Iroh only looked at you in concern, while you notice Spike and Starlight standing nearby
>"Everything is alright." Iroh tried to calm you down, raising his hands passively, "There is no need to fear."
"No need to fear?  You never told me you could... You could do THAT!"
>You pointed at the blackened portion of the castle the tentacled monster previously occupied
>Iroh simply shrugged, "To be perfectly honest, I thought I couldn't either.  I normally cannot bend in the Spirit World, but here, I apparently can.  I apologize for frightening you, dear Fluttershy.  I never meant to-"
"Frighten me?  You could have scorched my friend!  You... You could have burned this whole castle down!"
>Iroh looked down solemnly and silently
>"Fluttershy, I'm fine!  It's okay!" Spike interrupted.  "I might not be able to be burnt, but I somehow didn't even feel the heat of the fire!  It was really weird."
>Starlight nodded, standing more on the opposite side of the ashes.  "The banners aren't even scorched at all!  How did you do that?"
>Iroh was still silent, his arms hanging limply at his sides
>You could feel a deep sorrow emanating from him that made your stomach drop
"I-Iroh?"
>"There are... many things I regret, my dear Fluttershy."
>His voice had lowered to a tone that reflected an age and wariness you never heard from him before
>"And there are many who will never forgive me for possessing this power, and for what I have done with it."
>He raised his head up to look at you, you could see nothing but humility in his eyes
>"But to defend my family and friends, I have spent many years mastering it.  I have learned much, and I swear, from the bottom of my heart, that I never meant you or your friends harm, especially after being shown the kindness and love from here and everyone I have met.  I am sorry I did not tell you sooner, but I just hope that you can forgive me for scaring you, my friend."
>You felt yourself lowering down to the ground in front of him, still intimidated by the man and his new power
>He could fry you in an instant if he wanted
>But you kicked yourself internally for not thinking about the danger an alien thing like him could have towards you!
>But he was so nice...
>But he burned your face a bit, just by being close to him!
>But it didn't burn anything else...
>Your head hurt, and you crossed your hooves as you couldn't find the words to say, but Iroh seemed to have gotten some message and hung his head, defeated
>"It seems I may have overstayed my welcome.  I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day, Fluttershy, Starlight, and Spike.   And again, I am sorry."
>He began to turn towards the door
"W-wait!"
>Iroh paused as you walked up to him
"I didn't say I wanted you to leave...  The fire just... Scares me."
>You looked away, and a few seconds later, you feel a hand gently land on your shoulder
>You flinch slightly, but there was no searing pain or burning like you half-expected
>"It is a thing to be feared, as it is a thing to be respected and loved.  Fire may burn wild, but it also breathes life into the world, and into our hearts.  And when controlled, it works, it comforts, and it creates, just as much as it destroys."
>"I've... never heard someone talk about fire like that before." Spike spoke up, curious as he stepped up towards Iroh
>"Your scales remind me of a very young dragon, little one.  But I never knew one that could talk." Iroh raised an eyebrow.
>"That's because I am one." Spike twiddled his claws, slightly bashful, "Albeit, a very small, young dragon."
>"Then I'll let you in on a little secret." Iroh leaned close to him, "Everything I know about my power comes from Dragons.  Two, very old and wise dragons who are very good friends of mine.  And in your eyes, and in the company you keep, I see the potential in you to be a great dragon as well."
>"R-really?"  Spike looked up, hopeful
>"I know so."
>Your head cocked to the side
>You were so confused
>Dragons, teaching people that fire is not for destroying?
>Without talking to them?
>The dragons you remember are harsh, and brutish, and violent...
>But Spike showed they can be compassionate and have emotions just like ponies
>Where did Iroh come from, you wonder?
>"Your little speech... It kind of reminds me of myself."
>Starlight approached from behind, looking a bit dejected herself
>Iroh turned to see her, as she looked away ashamed
>"I consider myself one of the strongest Unicorns in Equestria.  But most of my life I... I've used it for bad things.  I enforced my will on other ponies with my magic and sometimes... I don't feel worthy of it.  But back there, I couldn't do it, and that fire... That was incredible.  I can't even make an incineration spell that powerful myself, and I feel like now I have much more to learn."
>Iroh nodded his head
>"You kind of remind me of a nephew of mine, actually.  He's hot-headed, short-tempered, and for much of his life, sought power to right the wrongs that was done to him in his youth, and restore his honor."
>The words visibly stung Starlight, as it brought up bad memories
>Iroh smiled at her still, "However, through the thick and thin, he always had a good heart, and strong will.  And in the end, even though he fell many, many, many times... When presented with a final opportunity to redeem himself, and use his powers to protect the world from evil, to my greatest relief, he found the right path, and became one of the greatest men I have ever known."
>Glimmer looked back at him, a slight smile forming on her face.  It looked like she needed to hear that.
>Iroh turned back to you, smiling hopefully
>"I still hope you can forgive me, then, Fluttershy.  I promise to not use my bending unless in the most dire of circumstances, if it comforts you."
>You stare at him in the eyes, seeing only honesty and humility staring back
>It made you pity him as much as make you feel loved and trusting
"I forgive you."
>You reach around him in a hug, which he returned gently
>"Haha, all this drama has made me quite thirsty.  How about we calm down with another cup of tea?" Iroh laughed
>Starlight and Spike both vocalized in agreement
"I would love it."

>The doors to Twilight's castle opened as you and Iroh stroll out into the afternoon air
>"It has been a pleasure to talk with you, Starlight Glimmer, you have a great journey ahead of you."
>The purple unicorn gave a wary, but hopeful smile
>The discussion between them that you witnessed was deep and personal on levels you never expected
>It made your heart ache for her several times, even though you still had your reservations
>You hoped the wet spots from Starlight sobbing into Iroh's robes would dry out before Rarity saw them again
>"It was... Amazing.  I've never opened up so much to anyone.  Not even Twilight!"
>"Telling a secret to a stranger is often more easy than to a friend.  However, the burden of holding onto it being lifted is required if you need to seek change within yourself."
>She wiped another coming tear as Iroh turned to Spike
>"And you, my dear Spike, should never underestimate your value and importance to Twilight.  By how you describe her, she loves you very much."
>Iroh then gained a cheeky smile,
>"And with diligence, I'm sure your journey in romance may prove fruitful."
>He finished with a wink, enticing a bashful blush from the little guy
>After waving farewell, you left as they closed the door behind you
>You came up with a plan to stay the night and then tomorrow take the train up to Canterlot
>"In all this talking and tea, I've become quite famished.  I hope your food is as delectable as your tea, Fluttershy."
>Iroh's stomach groaned in agreement
"Pinkie should have her party set up soon.  There should be food there."
>"Oh right, Pinkie..."
>Iroh said with slight apprehension
>You try to give your friend a comforting smile
"Don't worry too much.  I know Pinkie very well, and she always makes exceptions for friends.  If you want it relaxed, she'll make it relaxed."
>You hoped
>You turn down the road, and lead Iroh to Sugarcube Corner
>After a moment, the sweet-looking shop came into view
>"Colorful." Iroh remarked curiously
>The smell of the bakery's goods began hitting your nostrils with the all too familiar scent you were used to
>Fresh vanilla, caramelized sugar, gingerbread, and oats
>Iroh was practically drooling as he sped up pace
>"But the smell is even more divine!"
>You follow him enthusiastically
>Iroh almost broke down the door with the energy of him slamming it open
>"Hey!  You came!"
>Pinkie yelled out cheerfully with her hooves over her head
>It took a moment for you to get in a position that you could see inside
>The decorations were vibrant, but minimal considering Pinkie's other parties
>The only other attendees were Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and...
>Ooh!  Maud was here too!
>A table on the far side was packed with food, however
>That was a constant
>Pinkie tapped her hooves together
>"I was going to make this party a little bit more exciting, buuuut, everypony I invited said no except my close friends...  And my sister!  So I guess I had no choice."
>She presented the full table, which you noticed also had plates and seating
>"Aaaaand since it's about supper time, we all decided to make it a dinner party and pitch in with a lot of our own favorite foods!"
>Iroh was grinning ear to ear as his stomach rumbled once more
>"I would have it no other way.  Now!  Let us feast, my friends!"
>A few of the ponies cheered in response and in a few minutes, all of them were gathered at the table, including you
>While Pinkie put on some good upbeat music, Applejack spoke up
>"Rarity's been tellin' us quite a bit about ya, Mr. Iroh!"
>Applejack poured herself some cider from a large jug
>"Yeah!  You look and sound much cooler in person!" Scootaloo shouted out,
>"Told ya."
>Sweetie Belle gave her a light punch
>"It seems my charming good looks have made quite a stir then."
>Applejack chuckled as she plated some apple pie for herself
>"Rarity says you're nice and honest.  Bein' honest myself, can't deny I like somepony who tells it like it is."
>Rarity began to divide up some daffodil sandwiches between you and her, while Iroh inspected a fork curiously, as if he's hadn't seen one before
>"Honesty is a hard virtue to uphold, but one of the most rewarding if you know when it is appropriate."
>"Y'all sayin that it's good to lie?"
>Applejack raised an eyebrow inquisitively while you showed Iroh how to use the utensil
>He seemed to pick it up quickly and began exploring a plate of rolls
"To lie with intent to deceive is wrong... But many are sadly not ready to accept or hear the truth.  And being too honest can lead to harm, instead of help."
>Applejack seemed troubled for a moment as she chewed down some apple pie
>Iroh resumed eating, letting out a "Mmm..." in satisfaction as he consumed a pastry
>"Well I won't argue with ya on that.  But I'd reckon you can't lie about those delicious apple fritters!"
>"Indeed, I cannot." He said, his mouth full.  "Sweet and succulent.  Very delicious indeed."

>A few minutes pass, and Maud looked up from her food
>There were two full plates in front of her
>One for her
>And one for her pet rock, Boulder
>"You sound very poetic.  I write poems myself."
>Iroh stroked his beard in interest while several ponies at the table, including you began subtly shaking their heads in warning
>"I would love to hear some!"
>Applejack and Rainbow Dash facehooved as subtly as they could, Rarity and Sweetie Belle shared a sigh, while Pinkie gained an enthusiastic grin
>Maud blinked slowly, then cleared her throat
>"It's about rocks...  They're all about rocks."
>You braced yourself as you turned your attention down towards your food, trying not to pay attention
>"Gray, barren, and cold.  Rough or smoothed by wave.  Through times new and old.  Stable, and facets safe.  You are my heart, so bold."
>The dull monotone voice rapped your eardrums, both soothing yet annoying you
>You didn't want to look at Iroh's expression, but you dared a peek out of curiosity
>He wiped a tear as he clasped his hands together.
>Oh no!  Maud made him cry in pain!
>"It's so... So..."
>Was he going to insult her?  Firebend at her in anger?!
>Please don't hurt her feelings, Iroh!
>"It's so beautiful!"
>Everypony did a double take
>"So heartfelt and full of love!  It stirs my heart!"
>Maud's only reaction was a blink and slightly raising her head
>It didn't seem like much of a reaction, but Pinkie started tearing up too
>"Aw Maud, don't cry!  Look how happy she is!"
>"I have never heard words so kind about my work.  Thank you.  I have over 10,000 more."
>You bared your teeth in fright as Iroh exclaimed in excitement
>"I would love to-"
"Anyways!"
>You hear a few sighs of relief as you interrupted just in time
"Rainbow Dash! Um, how was... how was training today?"
>The sporty pony looked at you in confusion before getting your hint
>"Oh!  Um, uh, it was... Fine?"
>Iroh seemed to be distracted from Maud enough to engage in the conversation
>"And what do you train in, colorful one?"
>Dash looked a little insulted in Iroh not knowing about her
>"I'm Rainbow Dash.  I'm one of the top flyers in Equestria, and a Wonderbolt!"
>"Oh?  And what are the Wonderbolts?"
>You could hear her jaw smack the floor hard enough to bounce back shut
>"You... Don't know who the Wonderbolts are?!  Did you live under a rock or something?  They're, like, the best athletic flying squad, ever!  We do performances, athletic stuff, autographs, you know.  Cool things."
>Dash was slowly rising up into the air as she boasted, floating belly up with her forelegs crossed behind her head
>"So a performer!  An excellent, and thrilling career.  But be careful of your pride, as it leads to arrogance and unwillingness to learn."
>You stifled a chuckle as Dash stopped rising, opening her eyes in confusion
>"Ain't that the truth." Applejack made a sly grin and rolled her eyes
>"Watch your mouth, Applejack." Rainbow Dash huffed
>"Rainbow Dash, Applejack, please.  Not at the table."  Rarity interjected
>"I'm not that proud!" Dash grumbled,
>"Pride in one's own accomplishments is not always bad." Iroh corrected, "But arrogance and stubbornness is a dangerous path.  The humility to admit your defeats will always correct your course."
>Dash sat back down, slightly troubled as she thought about Iroh's words
>Iroh then suddenly coughed when he took a bite of food and spat it out, alerting you
"Oh no!  Are you alright, Iroh?"
>He wiped his mouth as he took a second look at a sandwich
>"I am fine.  Although, unfortunately, I find I may not be able to eat some of this food.  Humans like me do not eat flowers, even if some do make for great tea."
>"Oh my, Darling, I apologize!  I never knew!"
>"It is quite alright, my dear Rarity." Iroh reached for more of Applejack's food, "At least some of this is edible, and again I say, quite good."
>"Heh, no matter who you are, apples are always a great thing to eat!" Applejack smiled proudly
>"Or cakes!  He seems to like those too!" Pinkie smiles
"That's good to take note of."
>You smiled.
>The dinner went on rather quietly for the remainder, the only conversation after was some conversation between the Cutie Mark Crusaders and some passing comments of adoration from Iroh about their deeds
>Soon, the sun fell from the sky, and it was time to turn in
>"Thank you Pinkie for this gathering.  It was great to get to know you all."
>You gave Iroh a warm smile
"Here, Iroh.  I'll lead you back to my house.  I have a guest room you can stay in."
>"Lead the way my friend."
--000---
>You are Luna
>Princess of the Night
>Walker of Dreams
>And tonight was just like every other night
>You traveled the realm of dreams like usual, watching over your little ponies astheir fantasies unfolded before you
>Yet in the ponies of Ponyville, among the close friends of Twilight, you sense something different this night
>There was presence you never felt before, a new world of dreams belonging to a new individual that emanated an aura of peace and yet... sadness
>But you could not pinpoint it, for some reason
>You dwelled on it and decided to search there to see the source of this interesting feeling
>A sensation of falling came over you as you closed your eyes, and just as quickly, found yourself in a dream
>Of soaring clouds and high structures in the heavens, ponies darting about within
>A rainbow streak zipped between the pillars of white, gaining the astonishment of the onlooking crowds
>Rainbow Dash flew with unnatural speed and accuracy in her new Wonderbolts uniform, a wide grin on her face as she looked on proudly
>Too proudly
>A chill sidewind blew her off course, and you only watched from a distance as she fell
>A great crash followed, tumbling on the clouds
>She shook her head and looked back in horror
>Her wings had fallen off
>She teared up and collapsed on the ground
>"I should have listened to him!" She grieved in peril
>You raised your eyebrow and decided to intervene
"Listened to who, my little pony?"
>Rainbow Dash looked up through wet eyes, "P-Princess?  Is... This a dream?"
"I am here, Rainbow.  Tell me, what is wrong?"
>The mare sniffed, looking back as her wings were restored in a blink of an eye
>She gave them a flap to make sure
>"I was too proud, and I fell.  He told me that it would happen."
"Who did?"
>"The man Fluttershy brought home with her. "
>You cocked your head
"Where did she find him?  Who is he?"
>"I don't know.  You can ask her."
>Rainbow Dash had cleared her tears up as a book popped up floating in front of her
>"I will learn to control my pride!" She chanted to herself as some sort of mantra, her mind passing into the dream state once more
>She dashed off before you could stop her, leaving you confused
>A man, she said?
>It troubled you
>Then it was perhaps time to try with another
>You let yourself sink into the clouds, enveloping yourself in white
>You came out the other side, except, it wasn't cloud, but an ocean of whipped cream
>Sweetness assaulted all your senses as you found yourself in the disgustingly familiar chaos of a Pinkie Pie dream
>You looked around, swimming in the thick substance
>There were islands of gingerbread that protruded in the distant horizon, but closer was a classical pirate ship, made of edible confectionaries, of course
>You floated yourself out of the cream and with a thought, traversed the white ocean to the ship
>You were greeted by a small crocodile in a pirate getup, vacant eye staring blankly at you with the other concealed by an eyepatch
>"Ahoy, Luna!"
>You looked up to see the ever-energetic pink pony atop the crow's nest of the ship, an unusually long telescope reached from her to mere inches from your muzzle
"Greetings Pinkie Pie!  How is your dream tonight?"
>"As delicious as ever!" She shouted back, aiming the telescope back towards the horizon
>"Do you know of a 'man' whom travelled with Fluttershy earlier today?"
>The telescope vanished in a puff of smoke
>"Oh that guy!  Yeah, he's really nice!...  But he doesn't like big parties.  But that's okay, he made Maud happy and I love him!"
>She summoned a balloon which she used to slow her fall down to meet you face to face
"Who is he?"
>"Oh he's... SWELL!"
>You wince as Pinkie screams the last word and runs away towards the wheel
"What do you mea-"
>Your voice was drowned out by a great roar
>You turn to see the cream ocean create a gigantic wave that was about to swallow the ship
"Oh.  That swell."
>The wave crashes down on you, feeling yourself tumble and spin erratically
>Eventually through the barrier of dreams and flying out of a spooled rug being unfurled
>You land on a carpeted floor, and you raise a hoof to your head to make the room stop spinning
>"Oh my goodness!  Princess, I didn't know you could fit in there!"
"Mhhmmmuuhh...?"
>Was all you could really let out
>Pinkie's dreams always seemed to end with you feeling sick in some way.
>Your vision returned to see the white dressmaker, Rarity in front of you
>In the middle of what seemed to be a very large and beautiful robe of cloth that reflected light in ways that didn't exist
>But it was for something that walked on two legs?
>Rarity helped you on your hooves as you shook the motion sickness out of you one last time
>"Are you alright?" Rarity asked, concerned
"I am fine.  But I have come seeking a new individual in Ponyville.  I sense his dream."
>Rarity perked up
>"Oh you mean Fluttershy's new friend!  Oh my, he's quite the character he is!  Look at this robe I designed for him!"
"It's... lovely.  But I need to know who he is, and why he's here."
>"Oh don't be so suspicious of him, Princess."
>Rarity tsked tsked at you,
>"Iroh is a wonderful man whose manners shine above all others.  Truly a respectable gentleman."
>Iroh?
>Interesting name.
>"But if you want to see for yourself, you can travel over to Fluttershy's dream.  Or maybe even his.  Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do!"
>Rarity let herself become enveloped by the dream state again and resumed her work, ignoring your presence
>You huffed,
>If you're going to find out whomever this "I-Row" is, you'll need to make sure he is not a threat
>You concentrated on the barrier between dreams and stepped out of Rarity's workroom
>A fresh summer breeze awaited you on the other side
>Green foliage filled the land and many small critters surrounded you
>Fluttershy was on a hill nearby, overlooking a vast forest contently
>You decide to watch from a distance to let the dream play out
>As experience told you, always be prepared for unexpected things immediately entering a dream
>"Concentrate, Fluttershy!  You got this!"
>You cock your head as she sat on her haunches, looking down at something
>Soon, a light flickered from in front of her, which you could not see
>"I'm doing it!  I... I'm doing it!"
>She raised her forelegs to reveal a small flame levitating between them
>It floated out from between her hooves and into the air around her, flying like a small bug
>"Where do you think you're going little guy?" Fluttershy cooed as the tiny spark began to float away towards a grove of trees
>You followed distantly as the spark jumped between branches, setting them alight
>Fluttershy was swift to put the small fires with her hooves, gaining a worried expression
>"Now now... We need to be careful.  You don't want to set the whole forest on fire, do you?"
>The mote of flame continued to move swiftly, this time lighting fewer branches to gain speed
>It was rather difficult to keep a tail on Fluttershy, but you followed her enough to see them both at a clearing
>"Fire is life, just like everything else around us.  You can create, as well as burn."
>The mote responded with a flicker, then a flare, causing Fluttershy to shield herself with an arm
>"No, warmth and light.  Burning only destroys!"
>The flame then sparked and fizzled, moving closer to Fluttershy
>It caught again in her hooves
>"Are you ready now?" She smiled at it
>After a moment, she took a stance, and took a long breath
>She then projected out her hooves and the fire expanded outwards in a tremendous wave
>Fluttershy's face lit up, illuminated by the flame and by a sense of joy as the fire seemed to consume everything within it
>But when she brought her hooves back, the fire dissipated, and the forest was left intact
>Fluttershy cheered in triumph as the little fire danced around her
>"We did it!  We did it!  I know you could!"
>You were soon alerted to the smell of smoke
>Which seemed to reach Fluttershy soon after
>"Wait, what's going on?"
>The sky began to glow a dark orange as she floated upwards
>In but a moment, she lets out a scream
>You fly up to examine what was going on, to see the yellow pony stare helplessly into the horizon
>You turn to witness the forest in the distance completely consumed by fire, burning the entire world down
>Fluttershy began to break down and cry as the little flame fizzled away
>You have seen enough
>You summoned forth a cool wind that swept over the forest
>The fires vanished under a wave of shadow as the sun was blocked out by the moon
>The trees regained their green, and the burnt wood repaired
>Fireflies floated out of the gaps between the trees in this artificial night
>Fluttershy looked around, confused
"Do not fret, Fluttershy.  I am here."
>She turned to you, and sighed in relief,
>"This is... a dream?  Oh, it is.  Hello, Luna."
"I've heard you gained a new friend?"
>Fluttershy looked down, seemingly ashamed about something
>"I... I did."
"I have heard interesting things about him from your other friends.  Tell me, who is he?"
>She shyfully looked away
>"I... Found him in the forest, in the outskirts of Ponyville.  He was lost, and is looking for a way home."
"And his home wasn't in the Everfree Forest where you found him?"
>"He's from a place I've never heard about, and he traveled through a land of spirits to get here."
>Land of spirits?
>You've never heard of such a thing.
>Either way, there is one last piece of the puzzle to solve
>"But before you go to him, Luna."
>Fluttershy reached to you, stopping your turn
>"He has been nothing but nice and kind.  Don't scare him away."
>You only nod slowly as you leave Fluttershy to her dream
>This man you will have to judge by yourself
>As Fluttershy lost lucidity, enveloped in a much more stable dream that you bestowed, you walk down into the forest
>The barriers between dreams dissolved as you walked through the trunks of trees
>The leaves began to fall like rain
>Enveloping your vision as the winds blew them about you
>The forest vanished from view, and you found yourself at the base of a small hill
>The afternoon sun was low and red
>And the smell of ichor saturated the air
>The hairs of your midnight coat stood on end
>This was the scene of a battle
>A terrible battle full of death
>A great pillar of smoke rose into the sky from somewhere beyond the hill
>At the top, stood a single tree
>And at the base of it was a figure that you could not discern from this distance
>You approach cautiously and silently
>As you get close, you identify the figure as a bipedal creature
>Much like an ape, short and stout
>But dressed in armor
>And as such you disguised yourself so as not to interrupt his dream
>To see how this played out
>You may just learn something about where he comes from
>He was kneeling at a stone altar at the base of the tree
>Adorned with what looked like a red and gold helmet with a flame motif
>Looking past the scene, you gasp as you see the source of the great column of smoke in the distance
>A great wall lay before you, taller than any structure you could comprehend, and longer than the eye could see
>And a great hole was rent into it
>The barren fields at its base was littered with the wreckage of a great battle
>A scene of tragedy unparalleled in another world
>The kneeling man broke the solemn silence as he came into earshot
>"Even in the eve of victory... I now face my greatest defeat."
>You notice tears flowing down his face as he looked towards the sky
>Grief dominated his expression
>"I cannot continue on without you, my son."
>Your vision began to blur as the dream began to shift
> The scenery around you shifted as ink in water, losing all form
>Until it rebuilt itself, and you found yourself in another place
>You were in a garden
>A masterfully constructed one at that
>Framed by buildings of a very neat and beautifully simplistic wood architecture
>The man was in front of you again, standing at the base of a set of stairs
>Another man, taller and far more imposing stood over him
>"Have you no remorse?" the first pleaded
>The taller figure hissed, venom oozing from his voice
>"I hold no sympathy for a weakling who abandoned our greatest effort towards victory."
>"You cannot simply take the throne for yourself, my dear brother.  If you head down that path, you will fall to greed, and become blind in ambition."
>The tall man turned towards a doorway, only pausing for one final remark
>"Father will be the one to decide that, Iroh."
>The pink blossoms of the garden trees began to fall around you, as clouds obscured the sun
>Darkness enveloped your vision as the petals consumed all around you
>Only breaking when you found yourself in a new scene
>You were among a crowd of these creatures, that paid you no heed
>A stadium of some sort, bearing tall banners of crimson fire motifs and great torches
>The man from before - Iroh, was it? - Stood in front of you
>A raised platform stood in the middle of the crowd, holding two more of these men
>One was the taller brother from before, now bare chested, but still clothed around his lower extremities
>And what appeared to be a younger one in front of him, bowing in submission
>"Rise and FIGHT, Prince Zuko!" The tall man growled
>"I won't fight you!" Zuko pleaded
>The man walked up slowly to the young prince, a deep scowl of disappointment on his face
>"You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher."
>Iroh turned his head away as the man raised a fist and brought it down in front of the boy
>A wave of fire materialized out of thin air, it seemed to you, and consumed Zuko's face
>He screamed in agony, sending chills down your spine as the person next to Iroh grinned in sadistic glee
>What world was this, filled with hatred, death and pain?
>How could a man born in this place be one of such admiration, as Fluttershy's friend's told you?
>You asked yourself that and more as the scene dissolved again
>You were at a bay, lined with many ships of massive design
>Many were made of blackened metal, featuring great smoke stacks and lights
>Vessels of war
>And past you walked that young Zuko, face wrapped in bandages, and a fierce determination and anger crossing his expression
>Behind him, Iroh followed.  Noticeably older and wracked with concern.
>"You don't have to come with me, Uncle.  This is something I need to do myself!"
>Zuko paused in his stride and looked down as Iroh reached forwards and grasped his nephew's shoulder
>"There is no honor in banishing one's own son, my dear nephew.  And there is no honor in me abandoning you."
>"You have a place here.  You're a general.  You should be regaining what honor you lost in Ba Sing Se."
>Zuko looked back, face beginning to crack with concern for his relative
>"At this point, I need not affiliate myself with no one but myself and my desires.  And my desire right now is to ensure any more of my family is not lost.  You are all I truly have left."
>Zuko looked at his uncle with his one good eye, and gave a slight smile
>"I'm glad you're coming.  Now the Avatar will stand no chance against us!"
>Zuko turned back towards the ship, leaving the old Iroh behind
>Iroh's face darkened as he looked back to the massive structures lining the bay
>"Yes... The Avatar."
>Everyone else in the bay began to vanish away
>Leaving only you and Iroh left
>The dream filled with silence
>"You are a new sight to me."
>You  finally notice Iroh staring directly at you
>You thought you had your dream cloak, but it seems it may have faltered in your lapse of concentration!
"You can see me?"
>Iroh replied evenly and focused
>"Many nights I have this same dream;  It features my greatest regrets, and my lowest moments, laid out before me.  But you..."
>The old man paused
>then after a moment, smiled warily
>"Are a new and welcome sight."
>Your surroundings began to bleed away again, this time, Iroh's image remaining consistent
>Like a painting, the world reformed itself to one of a large city, much like before.  The wall, now reformed and whole, lined the horizon.
>You found yourselves on a hill overlooking many buildings
>A late afternoon, like before, but peace filled the clean air
>And was that a picnic blanket laid out beneath you?
>With a hot kettle and cups of tea?
>"Fluttershy told me of one of her kind who can see into their dreams."
>Iroh poured himself some tea into a small cup, then offered you it
>Tentatively, you take it
>"I want to ask, what do you think of mine?"
>You sit in confused silence for a moment
>Do you dare be honest?
>You feared the potential of this man, knowing what a dark place his world was
>And by appearance, a former royal of that world at that
>Iroh seemed to read your mind, and his smile faded
>"You are afraid of me."
>You blinked and pulled back slightly in shock
"I- I do not mean to-"
>"It is quite alright, if you do fear me."
>Iroh looked into his cup
>"I could have become just like them.  Cruel, proud, and greedy.  My family is ruthless, and chaotic, and had inflicted great pains upon my world."
>He looked towards the city wall, a tone of despair filling his voice
>"And I almost had succeeded in following their footsteps myself.  But that day, when my beloved son, Lu Ten, passed away, I realized a great truth that shook me to my core.   How could I live, knowing I have ripped a thousand more sons from their fathers, and daughters from their mothers?"
>Iroh turned back to you, painfully holding back tears
>"It was this grief that made me leave my home and a war that I no longer cared to fight, content in wandering the world for years with my young nephew, a pillar of support that would always be there when he needed it.  It was the least I could do, being one of the few things left I still loved in this world."
>You too found yourself staring into the tea, which dimly reflected the stars appearing in the sky
"Yet you abandoned your throne?  You denied yourself the chance to stop the war from a seat of power and seek atonement?"
>Iroh looked down again
>"Yes, I could have ruled my nation.  But would my nation live to see their ruler abandon a war they fought for a hundred years with surrender?  Would other nations forgive us?  And would I forgive myself for abandoning the last of those I love to the dangers of the world alone?  There are many questions I ask myself, but no, I am certain I could not rule."
>You found his resolve to be inspiring, and rather pitiful
>A ruler-to-be, to cast power for someone he loved
"If only I was as wise."
>Iroh straightened up, sipping his tea in intrigue
>"I too am a ruler, and I found myself and all I had done overshadowed by my family.  I loved my sister, but in the end, I found myself envious, and I tried to take her power for myself."
>Iroh thought for a moment, then seemed to regain a smile,
>"But that you still are in power still tells me she forgave you, and gave you another chance."
"I was banished for a thousand years."
>"Oh."
>He looked off to the side, slightly embarrassed,
>You mirrored his actions, rubbing a foreleg
>"But upon my return, she did forgive me...  After I was defeated, again.  My lust for power took hold of me, and I became something I'm not, and if it were not for Twilight and her friends, I would have faced an even worse fate."
>Iroh nodded his head.
>"Then you probably fear you are not worthy of such forgiveness?"
>You couldn't answer, the very thought of the possibilities stung you
>Iroh continued
>"In this life, we all have the potential to do good, or evil, and yet, no matter who you are and what you've done, you always have the choice to change course, and make a different decision.  Who you are today does not necessarily reflect who you were in the past, because you have learned from mistakes your former self made."
>You looked back up towards the old man, his sage advice a soothing balm on your aching heart
"I've always considered my sister a fool for forgiving me so easily, fearing one day that I may turn again and betray her, but... Your words help me see her reasoning.  It gives me... faith in myself."
>The sun set behind you, covering the world in a peaceful blanket of stars and darkness
>You sipped your tea
>It was cold now, but you didn't care as you chuckled
"Funny, I came here looking for information about you, and I end up learning more about myself."
>Iroh laughed back, "It is indeed interesting how we all can learn from each other's mistakes.
>You wiped an eye and gave him a warm smile
>The dream began to collapse, as you feel the morning approach
>As the stars began falling from the sky, and the lights of the city extinguished, Iroh waved
>"I hope we'll meet again soon."
>And just as quickly, you found yourself on the Canterlot balcony, as daylight began peeping over the horizon
>You turn around, and decide to head down to the dining area
>Where Celestia was surely preparing a meal for the both of you
>Today, you felt like keeping her company this fine morning

>Be Fluttershy
>You awakened to the sounds of birds making their morning calls
>And the warmth of sunlight on your face
>A beautiful morning as always
>You even smelt the warm scent of berries and fruit and...
>Cooked pastries?
>You prop yourself up in your bed, to see a table set at the foot of it
>On it was plated quite a colorful display of foods
>A raspberry soup and fresh bread roll, adorned with a flower salad, among other various sides, and even some tea!
"Oh my!"
>You raise a hoof to your face as you gasp
>This was a nice surprise
>You spent your time eating your breakfast in bed quietly
> some things were prepared differently than you would, but it was delicious nonetheless
>Even some things were spiced differently than you were used to, giving them an interesting taste
>When you couldn't eat anymore, you let some of the birds into your room to finish the scraps, knowing they'd help carry in the dishes for you in return
>You head down the stairs, noticing Iroh wasn't in the guest room as you passed it
>He wasn't in the main room either
>In fact, there wasn't much of a trace
>Oh no!  You hope he didn't just leave without you!
>What if he got lost again!
"Iroh?  Iroh are you here?"
>You fly about, making sure he wasn't anywhere indoors
>You felt your heart clench in fear as you slam out the front door
"Iroh?  Iroh?!"
>"Do not worry, Fluttershy.  I am here."
>You turn around to see the old man watering your flowers
>"I hope you do not mind me using your garden to prepare your breakfast."
"Oh, I... I don't mind at all."
>You floated down to meet him, he gave you a smile
>"You had many plants with ripe fruit, and I only thought it be appropriate for me to return some of your great hospitality."
>You felt yourself calm down and you gave him a relieved smile back
"You never had to, but the breakfast was delicious.  Thank you so much."
>Iroh laughed,
>"Usually, my cooking isn't something to be considered praiseworthy, but I guess plants are easier.  I will keep note of this for next time."
>He resumed watering the flowers as you turned around
"Well, I'll be getting ready.  The next train should be leaving in..."
>You check a clock indoors through one of your windows
"An hour from now.  Plenty of time."
>"I'll be waiting."  Iroh nodded
>You hummed to yourself happily as you left Iroh to finish the gardenwork and you to gather some of your things
>You opened the door and started heading back up to your room, but a voice stopped you cold
>"Ah, Fluttershy!  There you are.  I've been waiting ages for this little get together we've planned!"

"O-oh... H-hello, Discord."
>You try to force a smile as you slowly turn to your new guest
>The draconequus was spread out on your sofa, donned in a hawaiian shirt and sunglasses, with a suitcase next to him
>"Honestly, Fluttershy, did you really forget about our trip in the countryside?  I'm disappointed in you."
"Oh, no... I- I didn't forget."
>You try to laugh it off as Discord lowers his sunglasses then smiles, slithering through the air up to wrap an arm around you
>"Perfect!  Then we're off!"
"Um... Not so fast."
>You push yourself out of his grasp with a hoof, feeling yourself sweat
"Um, Discord?  Do you think we can maybe um, if it's alright with you... postpone for a little bit?"
>"POSTPONE?!"
>Discord exclaimed incredulously
>"Why ever would I have to postpone the one time you're available for us to have some nice bonding time together?"
>You shift your eyes, retreating back a step
"S-something came up."
>Discord folded his arms and harrumphed
>"Well consider me insulted.  Dissing your extra special friend just over a simple issue.  It's like you don't like me at all-"
>He gasped, making an exaggerated puppy-dog stare
>In fact, his face transformed to a more puppy-like appearance to amplify the effect
>"You... don't like me anymore?"
>You sighed,
"No, Discord, I do like you, it's just-"
>"Then it's settled then!"
>He picked you up with a little twirl and placed you on the ground in the middle of your cottage.
>"We'll just take care of this itty bitty annoying problem together and then we'll be off!  Now, whatever do you need help with, my dear Fluttershy?"
>He disappeared from view and towards Angel, who found himself in a mini hospital bed and a thermometer in his mouth
>"Is Angel down with the dust bunny fever again?"
"No. I-"
>Discord was already on the other side of the cottage
>"Need your laundry pressed and folded?"
"No, not that-"
>He swung a net over you, wearing a safari outfit
>"Need to hunt down a particularly exotic beast?"
>He and the net disappeared, appearing again in midair, giggling as the room suddenly filled with flying books
>"Oh no, don't tell me!  Twilight accidentally brought all her books to life and you need help catching them all-"
"DISCORD!"
>The books fell limp around him as he cowered under your shout
"This is a really, really important matter that I have to attend to and I know we've been preparing for this hike for a while, but I have to go to Canterlot and help somebody important right now and..."
>You trail off as Discord looked down, obviously dejected
"No, I didn't mean-"
>"No no, it's perfectly fine, Fluttershy.  I... can see that your mind's on other matters.  I'm sorry I went through the trouble of opening up just a little bit of free time to enjoy our friendship, but your "heroic duties" take precedence of course."
>You fly up and push his long face up to look at you
"Don't take it that way.  Please, I know this is so sudden, but I promise you, as soon as I'm done, I'll come right back and we can have this hike together.  I'll even make you an extra batch of your favorite foods to take with us.  Deal?"
>Discord slowly regained a smile
>"Oh Fluttershy, you know exactly what to say to pull my leg.  Alright, deal.  You go do whatever it is you need to do and I'll be right here waiting for you."
>You gave Discord a reassuring pat on the shoulder as you fly back down
"Thank you.  Again, I'm so sorry, but I'll be looking forwards to it."
>Just then, you heard a voice behind you
>"I am ready to go, Fluttershy.  We should not miss that train."
>Discord, or rather, his head, turned in place to see Iroh, who looked surprised
>"I did not expect we would have additional company."
>Discord's body adjusted to match his head as he gave the old man a suspicious glare
>"Oh, no, mister.  I was just leaving.  Fluttershy and I are rather close pals, don't you know?"
>Iroh gave a warm smile and a bow
>"Anyone worthy of Fluttershy's friendship are friends to me.  I won't take much of her time, I am merely trying to find my way ho-"
>"Yes, yes, that's all good of her and all."
>Discord rolled his eyes as he walked past, turning around once he stepped outside
>You saw his eyes narrow and a tinge of venom spike in his voice as he brought his paw up to snap
>"I hope you have a safe journey."
>With a snap, and a flash, he was gone.
>Iroh turned to you, confused again
>"Who was that?"
"Oh, that's Discord.  He's... different."
>"He seemed rather polite."
"He can get jealous sometimes, but he shouldn't be bothering us too much."
>Iroh shrugged as you walked past him
"Anyways, we need to get to the train station before it's too late!"
>"Lead the way."

>In a short while, you were able to get on the train in time
>Iroh seemed rather impressed by the train itself and how it worked
>It surprised you, since you were so used to it, you never really thought about it
>Oh the things we take for granted sometimes
>Regardless, you were both well on your way up to Canterlot to meet with Twilight
>You had stopped by her castle once more so Spike could send a letter beforehand to make sure that she had fair warning
>You didn't want to barge in on any serious royal business now
>Iroh was meanwhile admiring the view from the mountainside trail as you gained altitude
>"I am growing rather fond of your country.  It is vast and plentiful."
>You looked out as well to see Ponyville, framed by the vast Everfree Forest and beyond backed by tall, rolling mountains
"I fell in love the moment I laid eyes on it."
>You admitted
"I was so alone up in the clouds, I only had Rainbow Dash as a friend, and I could barely fly..."
>You sighed as the painful memories of childhood flashed by you
"But all it took was a fall to find this place."
>"That is a very beautiful way of putting it."
>Iroh winked again
>"Sometimes, the things that help us the most don't require great quests or long adventures.  More often, you discover they were under your nose the entire time."
"Oh, if I had a bit for every time that happened with me and my friends..."
>You share a hearty laugh with him as Canterlot started coming more into view
>The white stone walls and golden spires began to glint in the reflected sunlight, dazzling the inside of the train car with bits of its golden prismatic reflections
>Iroh took in the sights with awe
>"I have seen many great sights, and been through many cities.  Yet I count this among one of the most beautiful yet."
"Just to warn you, Iroh... The city is full of, um, very aristocratic sorts.  They tend to look down on ponies outside... At least, when Rarity isn't accompanying me."
>Iroh laughed, a bit harder than last time
>"Ah, in my home world, I actually run a tea shop in the upper level of the biggest city.  And I know their type well enough to know, that no matter who they are, the wealthiest king can enjoy a good cup of tea just as much as the poorest man."
"Oh I didn't know you ran a tea shop.  It must be a very nice place."
>"If you find yourself on my side of the Spirit World one day, perhaps I can show you around."
>You smiled, but inside you hurt as you recalled what he said about his world and the people within
>You don't think you could last long in a place like that, especially one where people throw fire everywhere!
>But under Iroh's protection... Perhaps you'd feel safe.
"Maybe one day..."
>The marble gates of the city came into view, and soon, you passed through into Equestria's capital.
---000---
>You are Discord
>And you
>Are infuriated
>As you watched the train depart from its quaint little station off to Celestia's private aristocratic resort, aka, Canterlot, you twiddled your paw and claw
>This, ugh, 'Iroh' was cramping your style something fierce
>The way she talked, and walked with him
>Preferring treating him to a little tour of the pretty model castle dangling off a cliff to your special hike which you meticulously planned for days on end
>Well, perhaps on your part
>But you digress
>Any one of her friends could have happily accompanied Iroh up instead of her
>Didn't she know she had plans?
>You huffed
>Of course your only true friend in this despicable, downtrodden mudpit you call a town is now being competed for like some prize
>And you underestimated your opponent
>Not anymore
>You snap your fingers, and without a moment's notice, you were ahead of them
>You nearly gag under the bright glint of the marble walls of Canterlot and its gaudy archetecture
>You had half a mind to give it a little flair
>But your mission was one of stealth, and you cannot hold off an agitated Swan Princess and her little purple duckling and execute your flawless plan at the same time
>Mental note: Somehow trick Twilight and Celestia into turning each other into water fowl
>That would be priceless
>Back to boring old reality
>You watch as the train is already pulling into the Canterlot station
>That pesky Twilight won't notice a little bit of timeline bending now, would she?
>Disguising yourself above the crowd of ponies as a bird, you watch with hawkish vision as your friend and newfound foe step off the train
>Many of the ponies throughout the station exclaimed in alarm at the alien face standing above them
>As per course for the aristocrats
>"He's a friend of mine!" Fluttershy rather adorably pleaded with the guard sizing up the old man
>You half expected, half hoped really, for him to get arrested, but the Element of Harmony Seal of Approval™ seemed to win out again this time
>Drats
>The old man started being led by the yellow pegasus directly up to the palace
>You needed to detour them
>And you knew just the way
>Teleporting ahead again, you morphed yourself to the visage of a regular run of the mill royal guard valiant enough so as even Shining Armor couldn't criticize your shining armor
>It's the details that count, you know
>Scratching up your throat to match the more raspy, war-wary voice of a soldier well into his years, you start off towards the group
>You reach a nice, full gallop to get yourself into a sweat and meet the troublesome two head on, gaining a sense of urgency
"Miss Fluttershy!  I have urgent word from Princess Twilight Sparkle!"
>The yellow pegasus gasped
>"Oh my!  What's going on?"
>You feign gasping for breath for a minute to savor the moment
"Luna and Celestia had ventured down into the caves beneath Canterlot earlier today, and they haven't returned! Princess Twilight requested you to come to the cave entrance immediately!"
>She looked up at Iroh, who gained a sense of silent concern
>"Oh no, that's not good at all! Where are the caves?"
>Hook, line and sinker!
>You pointed a hoof down a completely not suspicious dark alleyway
>It was actually quite hard not to break out into laughter
"Head down that road towards the mountainside. You'll see her eventually. Good luck."
>Fluttershy nodded, and pulled the hem of Iroh's robe as they started galloping down
>"I'm coming, Twilight! Stay close to me, Iroh!"
>The old man seemed to barely stay behind her
>"Try not to go too fast, Fluttershy! I do not wish for you to tire out, and besides, my old legs cannot keep up anymore!"
>Fortunately for you, and unfortunately for them, they did not see you hardly containing your gleeful grin as they passed out of view
>Knowing nopony was looking towards you now, you turned around as a fresh set of dark indigo bangs bob in front of your violet eyes
>In Twilight's annoyingly nasaly, do-gooder-voice, you cackle
"Don't worry, my dearest Fluttershy. I'll be waiting."

>You are Fluttershy
>And with Iroh, you were practically flying through the back alleys of the City of Canterlot
>Fueled by your concern for your friends and even more, the very rulers of Equestria themselves, you flap your wings as hard as you dare
>The waning voice of Iroh behind you was drowned  out by the flapping of your wings as you zipped between houses and past the occasional pony
>Soon, there was a light that appeared before you
>A few seconds later, you flew out of the alleyway into a small clearing against the very cliffs of the mountain Canterlot was built on
>Some of the buildings around you fused into the very rock, digging even deeper to increase their use
>But the other side of the courtyard was a massive, ornately painted door, built into the very mountainside
>You instantly knew where it lead by the ominous glow seeping between the small opening between the frame
>It was slightly ajar, and you smiled as you saw a familiar face standing in front of it
"Oh Twilight!  There you are!"
>Twilight lit up with a relieved sigh
>"Oh Fluttershy!  You're a sight for sore eyes!"
>You dove into a hug, making the tired alicorn make a small "oof" from the impact
>After a moment, Twilight looked around,
>"So, where's that friend, guy you told me about?"
>You look back at the alley to see your elderly friend missing
> You completely forgot about Iroh!
>Gasping you turn to Twilight
"Oh my goodness!  I think I may have flown ahead of him!"
>Twilight didn't seem too fazed by this news as she wrapped a hoof around you
>"Don't worry too much him.  I'm sure he'll be along."
"You sure?  He's kind of old and doesn't know the city very well."
>"I'll send a couple more guards to help him get here.  Now, we need to hurry.  I'm really worried about Celestia and Luna."
"Oh, yes!  We need to help them!"
>You look back to see a couple guard ponies gallop into the city to fetch your friend
>You hoped he wasn't too lost
>You both entered the entryway to the Caves with apprehension
>As you prayed for Iroh in your heart, you looked up
>The caves were dark and damp ahead, with massive crystal lamps guiding you further in
>The eerie magenta lighting sent shivers up your spine
"A-are you sure this is safe Twilight?"
>"I've been in these caves countless times, Fluttershy.  There's nothing scary about them."
"Then... Why are the Princesses missing?"
>"That's what worries me.  We're going to have to find that out."
"And you think we can save them?  What if they really are in trouble?  Do we need to get our friends?"
>"No!"
>She brought a hoof to her mouth in surprise, and cleared her throat
>"Um, I mean, no.  I've explored these caves top to bottom, heh, I really don't think there's anything in here that can hurt us too badly.  And besides, you have me here!"
>She gives you an awkward smile, which surprisingly was comforting
"Alright then.  Let's go.  I don't really want to put Iroh in danger either."
>With a confident smile from your friend, you both descend into the darkness
>"I was thinking the exact same thing."

>You are Discord
>2.0
>Cloning techniques never failed you, of course
>Though obviously you were the superior clone,
>The other had the boring task of stalling Fluttershy in those sparkly caves
>You, on the other claw, would be having some fun
>With our new visitor of course
>You snaked over and under stone like water as you closed in on your completely unaware target
>Soon, he came into view
>And the first thing you notice is
>How rather contently he walked, considering how alone he was
>Not even the ponies would come out to greet him, instead hiding themselves behind their shuttered windows
>He never showed any outward fear as he hummed along
>He sighed to himself
>"Well, I cannot keep up with her.  But this city is too beautiful not to sight see.  She will wait for me, I know."
>Well at least you could applaud him for his faith.
>But you knew she was already long gone.
>And in a moment, your soon to be victim paused at a crossroad and said the words you had been perfectly waiting for
>"I cannot see the mountain even from here.  Where to go now?"
>You took your opportunity and trotted out from the shadows in all your glory
>Even though all he saw was a small gray colt and a pale blue mane
>Self esteem always looks better from within
>Iroh took your presence as a delight, however and lowered down to a crouch
>"Hello there, little one.  May I ask you for some directions?"
>You feign a timid stutter as you shy away
"Uh, s-sure."
>"Have you seen a yellow winged pony with a pink mane?  She was heading to the caves and I lost track of her."
"Oh, yeah.  I-I saw her."
>You turn around and lead towards a side alley
>Away from windows and prying eyes
"She went this way.  F-follow me."
>He began following you without question
>Perfection only befitting of yourself and your master schemes
>As the ambient lighting began to fade under the shadows of buildings and the last window passed by
"Just a little farther..."
>"It is getting rather dark.  I cannot see far."
"Don't worry, it gets lighter just around this corner..."
>He stepped too far
>The darkness surrounded him
>And consumed him before he could even react
>The air shimmered around you as reality peeled back
>You let your features regain their chaotic splendor before Iroh as he twirled about, wrapped up in energies he frankly could not comprehend
>Those pitiful humans never had an appreciation for the supernatural anyways
>And before anypony knew it, you were standing before a caged old man
>The world around you shifted and melted in various psychedelic colors
>"What is this?  Where... Am I?"
>The man looked up at you slowly as he realized the little colt was replaced by your handsome visage
>"And who are you?"
>Something about the lack of fear or intimidation in his voice irked you slightly, but you regained your act hopefully before he noticed
"Welcome, my friend, to the Realm of Chaos!  I am your humble host, Discord: Spirit of disharmony and all things dysfunctional."
>You punctuated your introduction with bubbles that came forth from behind you
>the bubbles stopped in mid air, and grew bat wings, opening up into eyeballs
>They fluttered around for a moment before flying off
>You bask in the moment for but a moment, hopefully it would be pierced by a plea of mercy, a cry for help as your new pet discovers his frailty beneath your powers
>Within reason of course, you don't want to get stoned again
>But there was nothing
>Looking down, you see him in his cage, one of the eyeball bubbles perched delicately on his finger
>He was... Smiling?
>The eyeball noticed you and flapped off as it should
>"Spirit of Chaos, it is an honor to meet you."
>He bowed slightly at you
>You raise an eyebrow curiously
>This was certainly something new that you've never seen before, but you would not let it dismay you
"Oh the honor is entirely mine."
>You hiss, as your body slinks around and through his cage, like a serpent
>A forked tongue slithered past your one fang close to his ear
"Unfortunately for you, you stepped into the wrong alleyway.  And into the wrong friendship."
> "And by which friend do you speak of, great spirit?  Please, I never meant any disrespect."
>Bargaining!  Something you can finally build off of!
"Well, there maybe something that you could do..."
>You disappear from his view
>Dramatic pause for effect...
>You appear in front of his face in a flash, eyes glowing with rage
"Stay.  Away.  From.  Fluttershy."
>The smile on the old man faded
>Oh, here come the sweet pleas, the bargains, the cries of agon-
>"I deeply apologize for my transgressions, spirit. "
>You almost choke on your own train of thought crashing down your body
"I beg your pardon?"
>"If it is within your capacity to forgive me, then have mercy.  If it angers you so, I will never speak to her again."
>There was a seriousness in his voice that set you on edge.
"You'd... Do that.  For me?  Just like that?"
>Iroh sat down in a cross legged pattern
>"It would pain me so... But at my age, and my experience, the will of the great spirits is something not to be trifled with."
>You sit there and blink for a moment
>You couldn't believe it was that easy
>But another thing he said made your heart leap in triump
>Admitting your authority
>You make an exasperated sigh
"Well FINALLY, someone around here actually appreciates my work!"
>You fold your arms, turning away
"Not like those princesses..."
>there was a moment of silence, broken only by the lightbulb sandwhiches cawing in the far distance.
>Finally you hear him behind you, in a soft voice
>"You care for Fluttershy, don't you?"
>Your limbs hung limply as you sagged down
"She's the only creature I've ever truly called a friend; she cares about me."
>It hurt to admit your emotions to a stranger
>And that pain reminded you of why you trapped him
>Frankly, it made a flare of rage spark and you couldn't bear to hear more
>You turn about on a hoof and reach in the cage, poking the man in the chest
"And you cannot interfere anymore."
>You snap your fingers, and left Iroh to his prison

>You were Discord
>1.0
>The better Discord
>The one that had the opportunity to hang out with your best friend, Fluttershy
>Not the other, lesser Discord,
>Who had to do all the boring dirty business
>Who else would pass up on this chance of all chances for this alone time
>Sure, it wasn't the hike
>And she didn't exactly know she was hanging out with you and not that purple bookworm
>But it's the thought that counts
>The cave before you descended deeper, with tall but scarce lamp posts leading the way
>After the changeling invasion and all the horrifically boring stories the princesses had to tell about it, the place was recently converted to a common tourist trap
>With a stone walkway and decor, even Celestia forbid, tours
>'Oh, here's the point where Twilight and Cadance did their little song and dance with each other blah blah blah'
>It made you gag
>"Oh Twilight?  Are you alright?  You're coughing!"
"Oh, it's fine!"
>You waved your girly little hoof in front of your face
"It's just dusty here, that's all."
>You give your friend a smile
>Finally, you made it to the lowest point that the cave tour guides would normally lead the innocent little baby aristocrats that can't go too far away from their daycare employees
>Off the nice smooth path you stepped, leading your yellow compadre deeper into the depths of the cave
>"Oh, we're going into... *gulp* there?"
"The caves go much farther than this Fluttershy, and I don't think they're anywhere near the entrance.  Don't worry, you'll be safe if you're with me."
>She timidly crouch-walked to your side
>Oh she was adorable when she did that
>"O-okay."
>You led her down into the darker recesses between the sharp crystalline walls
>This place was a maze
>You knew it like the back of your claw
>It's not like Celestia had you put here in storage collecting dust like an old knick knack for a couple centuries or anything
>Walking in silence for but a few more moments, you sensed a presence nearby
>Ah, your lesser self has returned,
>Time to see if the dastardly deed was done to your specifications
"Stay here, Fluttershy.  I think I see something."
>She stays put as you walk ahead and go around a corner to see your duplicate
"Well?"
>You kept your voice as low as possible
>Your other half didn't seem pleased
>"He's... Certainly an interesting individual.  But he's not going to worry us for now."
"You seem agitated."
>"You can see for yourself.  Trade?"
>You roll your eyes as you revert to your normal, chaotic self
"Fine."
>2.0 squeed in excitement as his form was replaced with the insufferable visage of a purple bookhorse
>At least you weren't the one having to feign being her anymore
>As "Twilight" walked back around the corner, telling Fluttershy it was just a rat, you turn about and snap your fingers
>Time to see what the hubbub is about.

>Ah, your chaotic home was always a sight for sore eyes!
>You always felt so natural here in your own realm of chaos
>With the birds singing in the trees
>The weight of gravity bearing you down
>The sun on your-
>...
"Now that can't be right..."
>You turn about you.  Your own little corner of your realm seemed much more normal than normal!
>And that's not normal at all!
>You stomp over to your prisoner, who was just a ways away
>Still in a cage, somehow
"YOU!  EXPLAIN!"
>"Back so soon?"
>Iroh seemed expectant
>Seated oh so peacefully with his legs crossed like some hippie!
>Why ever did Fluttershy always go for these sorts of characters anyhow?
"What are you doing to my realm?"
>Iroh looked around him, and scratched his head
>"To be perfectly honest, I don't know myself.  I only wished for but some peace and quiet, after those dancing horns wouldn't stop playing.  I mean, I love the horn myself, but-"
"Your attempts to feign ignorance is cute and all, but I'll only ask again one more time,"
>You were face to wrinkly face to him
"Whatever you're doing, stop it."
>You noticed the landscape around you dissolve away slowly, back to its natural chaotic form
>"I mean no ill will towards you, great spirit.  I already agreed to your demands, but I humbly ask one favor of you, so as I can never bother you again."
>You pull yourself back, and silently, and impatiently wait for him to continue
>"I am not of your world.  Nor of the ponies world.  I only request, because you know so much, that you may point me to the way home.  Or at least to the Spirit World I came from."
>You roll your eyes
"And think that somehow I know anything about this this so-called "Spirit World" of yours?"
>"This place feels much like it.  It is turbulent and unpredictable, much like the Spirit World.  I feel it's energy to be close, and being a Spirit such as yourself, you should too."
>Now this was starting to become quite irritating.
"It isn't your place to tell me what I should or shouldn't know.  I'm Discord! I know more than anyone or anything on this Celestia-forsaken world!"
>"You truly don't know anything, until you come to realize that you do not know everything."
"And now come the proverbs.  Ugh, I'm done with this.  Stop changing my world."
>You snap your fingers, and off you went again.

>You are Fluttershy
>And it's starting to become rather scary and dark down here
>Under Canterlot, you were surrounded by sharp, jagged crystal formations of all kinds
>Rarity might find this place pretty
>But it was almost entirely absent of life, sans you and your friend Twilight
>Which unnerved you deeply
>But what was unnerving you even more,
>Was that Twilight was getting more agitated and acting more strange by the second
>She would grumble to herself, run ahead, fall behind
>A few times she would run ahead or to some side passage, saying she sees something
>Only to return a few seconds later and say it was nothing.
>You could swear you could hear her talking to herself, but when you asked, she snapped back
>"It was an echo."
>This was making you very worried about her
>Could you rely on her to get you back out of this maze of a cavern
>Would Iroh come in after you?
>Oh, you hope he didn't get lost!
>You were so sorry
>You wanted to go back and apologize right now
>But Twilight and the Princess' safety is what's important now
>...
>But was she?
>"Oh, was that Luna's mane I just saw!  I'll run ahead and see if it-"
"Twilight!  Stop!"
>She froze as your command reverberated down the cave walls
>"W-what's wrong, Fluttershy?"
>You stomp up in front of her, looking her in the eyes
"There's something about this that I don't like, Twilight.  How you're acting.  I can tell, something's wrong."
>She shifted her eyes a bit
>Was she sweating?
>"I was... I don't really know what you mean.  I mean, I'm just so worried about Celestia."
"Well, what I think is it's this cave.  I see you chasing things that don't exist, talking to voices that aren't there.  It's driving you crazy!  Could it be a thing that only affects Alicorns, maybe?"
>Twilight looked away for a moment
>"No, I don't think so.  I should be fine, let me-"
"No, Twilight."
>You pressed a hoof on Twilight's chest
>Why did the fur's texture feel strange to you?
"From a friend to another, I can see that this is affecting you and I don't want you to get lost too.  You can go back up and I..."
>You turn and look deeper into the spooky cave
>Feeling your little heart pattering in anxiety,  you took a big gulp
" I-I'll stay down here and keep looking.  This cave can't go on forever and... C-Celestia and Luna can't b-be too far ahead, right?"
>You give Twilight an encouraging smile and chuckle nerviously
>She stared at you, rather angrily, for a few seconds
>Was she going to be angry at you?
>Finally, she sighed, looking down
>"I guess you're right.  I can't hold up this facade anymore."
"You'll be alright, Twilight.  Go back up and get Iroh and send him after me, after that, you can get everypony else if we don't come back out.  I care for you too much to see you in this kind of danger."
>You could see Twilight hold off tears for a moment
>"You're such a good friend, Fluttershy."
>You don't know if the cave was messing with the sound, but her voice seemed a tad deeper than usual, but it regained its usual pitch
>"I'll go back up.  Just, be safe, alright?"
>She patted your shoulder, and gave you a hug, before galloping back up towards the outside world
>You already felt your legs begin to quake as you turned back towards the cave
>Taking a breath as Twilight's hoofsteps faded out of sound, you step forwards
"You can do this Fluttershy... There's... No big, evil, mean creatures that lurk down here.  Twilight told you that."
>You gulp again
"That she knows of!"
>There was a sudden clacking noise!
"EEP!"
>You freeze in terror and glue your eyes shut and your ears to the side of your head
>Waiting
>Waiting...
>For nothing
>You dare peep to see you're alone
>And look around only to realize you kicked a pebble
"This is going to take longer than I thought... Oh, Iroh, I miss you already."

>Be Discord
>The full Discord, no clones here
>The irritated Discord, puzzled by circumstance
>That now has a rather confounding problem
>Concerning Friendship
>You sat yourself on a crystaline boulder once out of earshot of Fluttershy
>You could practically hear Twilight Sparkle mockingly laugh at you
>So loud in fact, it was like she was laughing in your ear
>Oh, she was.
>You had grown a second head screaming your conscience at you
>You grab the cancerous purple tumor by the muzzle and yank it off cleanly, proofing it away without a second thought
>Silencing the noise enough for you to concentrate
>How were you going to fix this?
>You almost had broke your cover in front of Fluttershy because she was too darn touching
>But you couldn't bear to betray her trust right at that heartfelt moment
>Even you weren't that cold
>But she was so determined to press on
>The cave wasn't infinite, but massive
>A simple pony like her would be lost for months in such a labyrinth
>And you couldn't do that to her, after such a act of bravery for a friend
>Even if it wasn't towards you...
>So do you play it off?
>Pretend to be those Princesses and pretend to be found trapped in some mental trickery?
>Fluttershy would be applauded as a hero
>Until the real Princesses find out
>Then you're nothing but a liar
>You cross your arms in frustration
>You hated the other option
>Telling the truth
>Saying sorry
>Not like you've done it before, and Fluttershy's come back
>But would she tolerate you stringing out another friend for your own sake?
>Envy is a cruel mistress
>You should know, you tried to date her a couple times
>But this wasn't related to the matter at hand
>You grumble to yourself,
>You had to take action before Fluttershy finds herself at the bottom of a pit
>You needed answers
>And perhaps a little birdie in a cage would sing one for you.
>Snapping your fingers, off to the chaotic realm you went
>And upon seeing your prisoner, you see he has kept his tranquil radiance to the borders of his little pen
>He had stopped replying to you after the 20th or so check up
>Though you weren't counting
>His back turned to you, still meditating
>You had said things to him
>In rage,
>In sadness
>As your feelings fluctuated and Fluttershy began to notice
>The little sayings and proverbs were nothing on their own,
>But together, strung like some deadly rope, had weight
>And your words had waned in strength and freqency
>Until this time, you had no more to say
>You sat yourself down on a stool just a few feet away
>Looking down at nothing at all
>The concern in Fluttershy's eyes being the only thing you could really see
>You sighed
>And remained silent, for once
>Listening, for something
>Anything
>It seemed like hours.  Days.  Perhaps years.
>Time was no object to you or this realm
>Yet not a word was spoken
>Just the sounds of chaos around you
>Comforting you
>Until an event that could have shattered the universe itself woke you from your concentration
>"I find it funny..."
>Iroh chuckled to himself,
>"That I am to teach a great spirit patience.  Oh what great wonders life brings before me even at my age."
>The old man shifted to face you, his face, not bearing anger, resentment, or even ire
>But joy
>"Though at your years, I am but a newborn."
>You took another breath
"Well when it comes to social matters, I find myself in the same boat.  Friendship really is a, well new thing for me."
>Iroh raised his eyebrows in interest
"And I was hoping... Well... Fluttershy seems to get along with you so well, and her friends, and everything, and I just have to wonder..."
>You visibly strain as you tried to force the words out of your mouth, but they stuck like glue
"Am I... Not... Rrrgh... Comp-at-ib-le?"
>You fell limp in front of Iroh after sounding out the troublesome syllables
>Admitting your fears is much more difficult than lying, that's for sure
>Iroh still stared, making you cower under possible judgment
>You, Discord
>Cowering
>This was a sight for sore eyes for sure
>But you couldn't help but tap talon and claw together in an anxious tick
"I mean, I just feel like we're in two different realms.  I'm a Spirit of Chaos.  She's quite literally an Element of Harmony.  Sure, she appreciates my shenanigans, and I love her adorableness little quirks myself, but, I just have to ask... Why me?"
>Iroh responded without any hesitation
>"I do not feel you are in any position to doubt your compatibility with Fluttershy, Discord."
"Say what?"
>"How about I explain to you in the form of a game?  I am sure one such as yourself would appreciate such a challenge."
"A game?  Fine.  I do admit, I am rather skilled in quite the variety.  Which is it?  Chess, checkers?  Candy Land? Clue?  Ohh! I love a good game of Battleship!"
>Large pieces and decorations of the various games materialized around you as you explained them, with hope he would pick your favorite
>Iroh looked on with interest but shook his head
>"Not exactly.  For this, we will play one of my games.  Could you perhaps make a round flat table for us?  And something to mark it?"
"Oh, fine."
>The game pieces vanished as you irritatingly snapped your fingers
>The front bars of Iroh's cage vanished as a stone table about a foot high raised up in front of him
>A stick of charcoal appeared, which Iroh took with thanks
>Carefully, he created a grid of lines across it, scoring a diamond in the stone around the center
>Finally, he produced two small sacks
>Handing one to you, you rummage through it to discover small coin-like tokens, decorated with vague flower patterns
>You were honestly unimpressed so far, but you continued to listen
>"For countless generations, my people were founded on a principle that the energies of the world required to be in harmony and balance with each other to survive and thrive.  The various peoples and nations bearing them, then, would depend on an Avatar, who possessed the very ancient spirit of Harmony, to restore this balance."
>Iroh procured a final token, bearing the image of a white lotus, and showed it to you
>"With harmony, comes strength and power over darkness.  And I represent an order that believes it."
>Iroh turned the token around, and looked at the blank side, taking a very serious visage and tone that made you stiffen in attention
>"But there came a day that revealed to me that some do not agree with this practice.  They believe true harmony cannot be maintained, and eventually atrophy shall rein supreme.  All will collapse to anarchy and chaos with time."
"Well whoever they are, they certainly seem like my sorts of people."
>Iroh took a breath, and pressed his thumb into the stone piece
>You felt your folded arms slack to your sides as you see the surface began to glow, and a pattern appeared
>"However, it was on that day, I discovered a rather fascinating truth."
>He showed you the other side of the coin, bearing a rather ornate pattern of another lotus, glowing red from the heat he somehow produced from nowhere
>Now he had your full, unabridged attention
>The glowing subsided as Iroh placed the token, white side up, on the board
>"This is a game about creating harmonies and disharmonies.  You can focus on either side, but to master this game, you must embrace the creation and relationship of both."
>Iroh proceeded to explain the relationships of the various pieces and how to create a 'harmony' by lining up pieces, and creating 'disharmonies' for your opponent by obstructing them, and the various other pieces and their functions
>It all seemed quite tedious to you, but you were not one to be seen a fool, and even the most complex games were no match for you
>Finally, he finished, and asked if you had understood and memorized what he said
>You nodded, obviously, and smugly
>This old man knew nothing about what was coming
>Iroh cracked his knuckles comically
>"Alright then.  Let us begin."

>You are Fluttershy
>And you are
>Gulp...
>Lost
>So foolish, Fluttershy
>To go out alone into this cave
>You couldn't even find your way back out from here, you thought
>As you had gone further into the darkness, the caves became ever more narrow and twisting
>Your eyes kept playing tricks on you as the reflective surfaces of the crystal duplicated your image at random angles
>Was were all those ponies you?
>Staring ahead, so afraid and on the verge of tears?
>Oh, this was even worse than that hall of mirrors Pinkie toured you through at that circus!
>You took a few steps more
>Still no noise or any sign of life down here
>Not even a little spider or worm to keep you company
>It made you feel cold
>This place was so desolate
>So alien
>No wonder it was used as a prison
>Nopony would look for somepony down here
>Including you
>You go down another passageway
>Was this the way you went before?
>You couldn't tell
>The crystals were all so similar
>Another crossroads
>Should you try to head back?
>It's no use getting lost too
>No
>You caught yourself
>Twilight trusted you, and you planned on seeking those princesses out
>If you get lost too, then you can say you did your best
>And that's what matters
>Right?
>You took the right path
>You didn't know why, but you thought you could smell...
>Something down there...
>Was there something up ahead?
>You quickened your pace,
>The only new sense you've experienced for a long time!
>Even though it was getting darker to the point where you could barely see your muzzle in front of your face
>The scent was good, and fresh, like flowers or grass
>Was it a clearing?  A way out?
>Oh you hoped soooOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!
>You felt the ground beneath your hooves suddenly vanish
>And butterflies flap wildly in your stomach as weightlessness overcame you
>Your wings reflexively spread out and caught you
>The lighting in here was terrible, but you could see you were over a deep chasm
>As you carefully fly yourself over to the opposite side of the pit, you sigh your held breath
"Oh my, I have to be more careful!  That would have been a very bad fall!"
>The smell was very intense and enticing now
>You had to continue on!
>Maybe that's where the Princesses were!
>You trot down the path again, making sure to pay more attention to your surroundings
>Could you hear...
>Yes!  Running water!
>You were at a full gallop now
>Where there's water, there's life!
>There's plants!
>Animals!
>Bugs!
>You skid as you turn a corner and look down the narrow cave passage
>Light!  At the end of the tunnel!
>You bound ahead, welcoming the fresh air
>You let out a deep sigh as you jump out into the open, eyes closed because you were so unaccustomed to the light now
>Regardless of your blindness, you collapse as you felt grass beneath you again
>You savored it
>No more crystals!  No more stone!
>You didn't know how much you missed them until now!
>But it was all...
>Alright...
>Why is the light suddenly gone?
>You open your eyes, finally
>And your heart stopped

>You slammed your limbs down on the stone table in agitation
>What lay before you was what would look to any ordinary soul, a chaotic arrangement of flower tiles
>But you knew chaos
>And it was nothing of the sort
>You glared at your opponent
>It had been an unending trial of confusion and surprise for even a being as ancient and well worn as yourself
>You, Discord
>Spirit of Disharmony
>Master of trickery
>Have been bested!
>By a mere mortal!
>Many times even!
>And this wasn't even some showy test involving golden fiddles and brimstone
>Every play you attempted
>Every strategy you thought to see through
>He seemed to pull a solution from nowhere and gain more points and block your pieces
>He was raising chaos against YOU!
>And you did not like that
"Best 20 out of 25!"
>Iroh gave you a smug look that made your eye twitch as you began to growl
>"No matter how many times you may attempt to beat me, you cannot win."
"Well of course I can't win!"
>You bared your teeth
"I can't win playing a game you invented so you never lose!"
>Iroh didn't respond verbally, but instead reached forwards and grabbed one of your pieces
>He slowly moved it to another place on the board
>"You are wrong in that this game is not fair.  You have proven yourself excellent in creating disharmony in your opponent, and have come very close to victory more often than not, but you see not where harmony could exist."
>Your eyes widened and you felt your breath leave as the board opened up almost like a flower in that single move
>creating a perfectly intertwining array of harmonic board pieces
>"Even when you keep it close at heart."
>You studied the complex arrangement in confusion for a moment
>How could you have missed such a crucial move every time?
>You were really that close to victory, but chose to instead go for the attack instead of in your own defense
>You slowly  began to realize something
>He had been creating this scenario for you
>Opening himself up to all these traps
>And you took them every time
>He was...
>Playing you for a FOOL!
>The heat of your rage was quite literally melting the board and its pieces beneath you
>But Iroh didn't flinch away from the molten rock
"I'm done playing these foolish games!  And I don't think I should be taking spiritual advice from a mere mortal such as yourself."
>You stood up and crossed your arms again
>Iroh was silent for a few moments, but he spoke up
>"In most matters, I am not any man to teach a spirit it's own responsibilities.  Indeed, many are content to never bear cares nor fears in their own worlds, never to meet anything real or know what it is like to be physical.  But you are involved in the physical world.  With Fluttershy."
>Your arms fell limp again, and you sighed,
>The anger slipping out of your grasp like some leaky balloon when you thought of her
"She's the only reason I'm still not a garden ornament collecting pigeon droppings right now."
>"And because of that, and because you are her friend, you bear a responsibility to her well being."
>You look back to Iroh, who smiled
>"She is lucky to have a friend who cares so much about her, and with such great power to protect her as you do."
>You look down at your disfigured self
>Your mismatched animal parts and unsymmetrical stature that made you...
>You
>And you wondered deeply, from things she had said
>How she appreciates your chaotic self and your vision, despite being so... normal.
"And you really think... That if I work to improve just our relationship and not caring about disrupting her friendships with others... That she might see that?  Because, I still see myself as a spirit of pure Chaos.  incompatible with her world."
>Iroh nodded
>"Remember when I said Harmony and Disharmony are two sides of the same coin?  Just because they are opposing forces, does not mean they are always in conflict.  In fact, they create their own special kind of harmony in a way.  One that is too pure may become too trusting and too honest, vulnerable to the trickery of those around them.  And one can be too enveloped in chaos to know structure, and creation."
>He was changing the world around him again, but this time you allowed it as the rubbled table and even the metal bars before you spread out beneath both of you
>It stopped as it formed a massive flat circular platform and cooled to a smooth black rock finish
>Soon, a pattern began to glow from within the hard material
>And you suddenly found yourself in one side of a curious symbol, half white, half black, with two dots of the opposing colors on either side.
>"Harmony and Disharmony.  Positive and Negative.  Light and dark.  Sun and Moon.  Yin and Yang.  One cannot know one side without the other to compare it to."
>Iroh stood up, finally, even though you still stood well over the fat old man
"Well that's all well and good, but I still don't really get your point."
>He completely threw you off guard with his next question
>"Tell me, Discord.  Do you know what chaos is?"
>You scoffed at the appalling question
"Do I know what chao- Bahahahahahaha!  Oh you cannot be serious!"
>Iroh raised an eyebrow that prodded you to demonstrate
>You thought of the most chaotic things imaginable as they built up around you
>Cakes built upside down!
>Lightbulbs that suck light!
>Inside out fruit!  Solids you can swim in and gasses that you eat with a fork!
>Unnatural colors
>Unnatural sounds sights and smells
>Your fantasy land, manifest before you
>Oh how beautiful!
>Surrounding you
>Except the symbol beneath you remained unchanged
>And Iroh didn't seem to take notice
>"And do you believe what you created was chaos?  Things corrupted against their natural order?"
"Do you have a problem with that?"
>"Not at all.  But I have to ask then this question: How could you create something chaotic without first knowing what isn't chaotic."
>You blinked
"I... Never thought of it like that."
>"Thus you must realize that you, yourself, despite being a spirit of chaos, are capable of not just compassion and friendship, but can indeed find balance within your own life and relationship with the very things you may have believed were against you.  You are more than just Discord, a being of calamity.  You have the potential to harmonize with order and nature just as much as Fluttershy and anyone else in her world can learn to understand and harmonize with you."
>He held his arms out
>"And when these energies finally know balance with each other instead of cancelling each other out..."
>Twisting them in a circular motion, you stood in literal shock as bolts of electricity began to jump out from his fingertips
>After performing a little dance, he pointed straight above his head
>Cracking the air with a massive bolt of lightning that ascended deep into the heavens
>The display making your own fantasy land dissolve around you to nothing as the light faded
>"You will become stronger than you ever will be.  As yourself."
>You stood with your jaw agape for the first time
>You hadn't just been beaten
>But schooled
>Claws and Paws down, no more chips on the table
>Your best hand failed and the house of cards that consisted of your reality came crashing down on the top of your horned head
>By a man.
>And it was...
>Liberating
>You had always considered your status of friendship, even if subconsciously, a form of punishment
>Of restriction
>A lapdog to the Princesses to call up at will
>Indeed, what Tirek said to you that night had stung deep
>Freedom was what your heart truly desired
>Freedom to be you
>And you realized
>It was under your very beard the whole time
"I... can't believe it."
>You grasp your head, it was beginning to hurt with such a powerful realization
"I can't believe an old human bested me at my own game!"
>Iroh, for the first time, busted out into pure belly laughter
>"Oh how my nephew and his friends will love this story!  A silly old man like me teaching a spirit his place in the world.  Even I couldn't have come up with a story that fantastic!"
>Iroh wiped his eye, his voice losing its elation
>"Oh... How I miss them so.  But alas, I am still your prisoner, and still at your mercy, Discord.
>As he said this, the symbol beneath you began to fade to nothing, and the bars reappeared again surrounding him.
>"You are free to choose my fate."
>You blinked as Iroh sat himself down again
>You were beginning to think he was going to trick you to let him go as well
>He might as well have
>You were in the palm of his hand the entire time
>But at this point, you bore no more ill will
>You could see why Fluttershy liked to be around him
>He dealt with interpersonal problems much better than any 'Princess of Friendship'
>You should just crown him and tell Twilight she's been replaced...
>Speaking of which
"Oh, I've been lying all this time to Fluttershy.  How is she going to forgive me after this?"
>"We both need her forgiveness.  I fear I am partially to blame for upsetting you."
"Well then, we can do it together."
>You reach forwards and open the cage normally, a little red carpet unfurling itself to let your prisoner free
>Iroh bowed and followed you out with a big grin as a portal to the caves opened before you
>Time to rescue a little lost filly!

>Taking your new companion back into reality, you find yourself at the entrance to the cave system
>You would have came back to the spot you originally left Fluttershy, but you knew that she'd be too far ahead to find in that laberynth
>You mean, you COULD, but knowing the cave system so well
>And knowing Fluttershy enough to know what kind of sense of direction she has
>Of course you knew a shortcut
>Except that shortcut was now blocked by a couple of sparkly maned stiltwalkers glaring you down
>And a rather provoked pudgy purple pony princess that looked ready to pounce you.
>"Discord."
>Celestia greeted you with no welcome in her otherwise sickeningly-sweet tone
>The only sign you had to tell the royal was royally irked
>Her little uppity sister stepped forwards, steel tongued and dagger eyed
>"Would you kindly shed a light on the reason why a castle guard approached us a few minutes ago to inform us "Princess Twilight Sparkle" was escorting you and her friend Fluttershy to the Crystal Catacombs, while Twilight was in still front of us having a conversation?"
>You embarrassingly twiddled your fingers while Twilight spoke up
>"And why that guard thought the Princesses were trapped in said catacombs?"
"Well, heh, it's a rather long story."
>Luna leaned to the side to look behind you, noticing who you were traveling with
>She let out a gasp in surprise
>"You?!"
>"Hello there, I did not think we'd meet in person so soon."
>Iroh waved back as if greeting an old friend
>Twilight looked back and forth between Iroh and Luna
>"You... Know him?"
>"I met him in a dream last night.  He's... a friend.  At least I think."
>Celestia raised an eyebrow
>"And what are you doing with Discord?"
>Iroh stepped ahead of you, opening his arms submissively
>"There is no need for hostility here.  In fact, I believe he owes all of you an apology, as do I for Fluttershy."
>The princesses all looked up at you expectantly, if a bit suspiciously
>No slithering out of this sticky situation, you told yourself
"I... Am... S-..."
>Still just as hard as last time
>You found yourself stretching and twisting your body in unnatural ways just to force the words up your throat
"Sssorrry.
>The rest came much easier this time, however, as you found yourself defiantly folding your arms and looking away
>"Truly I am.  I suppose I let my jealousy get the better of me."
>Twilight didn't seem impressed
>"And that led to you leading Fluttershy into a dangerous cave?"
"Well I only wanted to distract her while I disposed of this guy, but... Wait, did you say dangerous?"
>The Princesses looked at each other with worry
>"That's why I had originally called Twilight over to Canterlot."
>Celestia admitted.
>"There was some strange magical phenomenon reported by a couple of tour guides, and we were consulting with Twilight for her magical knowledge."
"And Fluttershy hasn't come out yet?"
>Twilight looked visibly irritated, while the other two were even more concerned
>"We were hoping she was with you."
>You shrugged
"I got a bit distracted."
>Twilight stepped forwards, gritting her teeth
>"So she's in there all alone?!"
"Well I say just be glad that Iroh here knocked enough sense into me to go back for her.  Otherwise he'd be floating around somewhere between dimensions by now."
>Twilight shuddered as you coiled around the little Princess, squeezing her by the cheeks
"Besides, I know those caves like the back of my paw.  And I know Fluttershy well enough to know exactly where she would go."
>Twilight feebly attempted to push you away with a hoof
>"And, oof... Where would that be?"
"There's a big opening to the outside world once you go deep enough.  With not a spider or fly to peep down there, she'd be completely drawn to it like a moth to a flame!"
>Twilight looked away, annoyed
>"Well, yes, that's where'd she probably go, but-"
"And I happen to know a shortcut!"
>You wagged your talon finger in a matter-of-factly sort of way in front of her muzzle
>Twilight's glare made her appear as if she was debating on biting said finger off
>"Discord, I mean not to come across as upset, but that magical anomaly is very unpredictable.  Maybe dangerous.  We need to get in there to make sure that Twilight's friend is safe."
>You turn to Celestia, regaining your smug grin
"Well I'll be stoned, Celestia, that was perhaps the most intelligent thing I've seen you say in years."
>You pause as you notice her unamused glare, followed by Luna, Twilight, AND even Iroh.
"Oh tough crowd.  I was AGREEING with you for pete's sake!  Can we just be on our way now, please?  I believe I've had enough shame over my beautiful head for today."
>You slid off towards the cave, pulling down a vacant wall like a zipper to create another doorway
"This way to Fluttershy."
>The Princesses didn't seem so keen on joining you
>However, Iroh volunteered himself rather quickly
>"I have talked long enough with Discord to know his care for Fluttershy is purely genuine, and I must go to make sure she is safe."
>He passed by you into the entrance, while Luna looked down in thought
>"I trust Iroh's judgement.  And sometimes, magical threats must be confronted head on."
>She began to walk in behind Iroh
>"Wait."
>Celestia stepped up to her
>"I cannot stand by and let you go in alone.  We'll do this together."
>Luna nodded confidently and the two sisters walked past you together.
>Twilight remained
"You coming?"
>She obviously didn't trust you, but she sighed
>"I don't know this Iroh, or what he said to you.  But I care for my friend, and I trust the Princesses judgement.  I won't live with myself if anything bad happens to them."
>Twilight began trotting past you
>"You better not be leading us into some sort of trap."
>You look off to the side regretfully
"Well, just between you and me, I have thought of it once or twice."
>After receiving a very incredulous look, you wave her off
"But that Iroh character made me realize something about myself that I never thought, and, well, I can say for certain that I'm genuinely here to help you and Fluttershy.  Even if I like pushing your buttons now and again."
>Twilight didn't respond much more than another sideways glance as she passed by you
>Following her into the hole in the wall, you let it rezip itself as you find yourselves at the top of a large pit
>A path gently sloped around the pit wall, leading down into darkness
>Luna looked down the hole in confusion
>"I've been in these caves several times, but I've never seen this passageway."
"Well, when you're moved around as storage in this cave for 276 years, you tend to get a lay of the land, per se."
>Luna looked at Celestia
>"276 years?"
>Celestia looked a little bit embarrassed
>"I was renovating the royal garden one year and I forgot about him."
"In all honesty, I could have kissed you the day you brought me out into the outside world.  Heck, I could have forgiven you on the spot and swore to do no more evil.  It gets so boooring in here when you have nothing to do after all.  But I got over it."
>After a quite synchronized rolling of the eyes by both Princesses, you led them down deeper into the depths of the shaft
>Iroh looked around
>"The air smells fresher than I thought it would."
>Celestia nodded
>"Discord is right in that there is a natural opening that leads out into the cliffs below the city.  If my memory serves me correctly, this passage will lead us more directly to it."
>You turn around, and give her a grin
"You know, Celestia, it's rather nice having a bunch of Princesses save the day this time.  Usually you send Twilight and her friends to do everything, and frankly it's been getting stale."
>"It's not like we have a choice."
>Twilight grumbled
"A ruler ought to show what they're made of and take responsibility, at least occasionally."
>If Celestia or Luna had thoughts, they didn't visibly show it
>After a few minutes of silence, you could finally see light emanating from somewhere below
>Twilight gasped
>"I can see something!"
>A few more minutes of walking led you out into a massive cavity in the earth
>Waterfalls lined a massive hole to the outside sky
>Pillars of crystals were broken up by various plants and trees growing between them in soil brought in by the wind
>It was rather scenic for pony folk, but it was a sight you had seen a thousand times, every inch of it explored from your limited view as a statue
>And yet, you could tell there was something different about this place
>"Finally!  Fresh air!  I was starting to hate all that crystal."
>Luna turned to Twilight looking for further explanation for her outburst
>"Do I need to remind you me and my sister-in-law were trapped in here while my brother was having the love sucked out of him by Chrysalis?  This cave has bad memories."
>As you looked down over the edge while Twilight explained herself, you noticed something
>You felt a chill of cold run down your spine as your supernatural senses began to scream in panic at what you possibly glimpsed
"Wait... No... That can't be!"
>"What do you mean Dis-"
>You had already snapped your finger all the way down to the ground level, leaving the ponies and human high up the long path down the side of the cave
>But that didn't matter to you now
>As you now stood before a large growth in the earth
>Tentacle-like vines wrapped themselves around trees, leading deep into the center of a massive twisted core that towered even over you
>Between the cords that made up the wall of the plant, you thought you saw a glimpse of a pink mane, but it closed and tightened quickly when it sensed your presence
>Tentacles raised up in the ground around you, getting ready to strangle
"Oh no you don't."
>You snapped your fingers
>And...
>Nothing
>You snapped them again!
>Why weren't the vines disintegrating to nothing like you wanted?!
>You jumped out of the way before the vines could subdue you
>Levitating yourself up above them you growled
"Looks like I'll have to do this the old fashioned way!"
>A long sword appeared in one paw while the rest of your body was donned in shining armor
>You blew a trumpet of war, and descended upon your foe with valor and vigor
>The sword sliced through the plant matter like butter as they approached you
>They could not touch you!
>Not for stealing your precious little friend!
>But as you kept going, only more vines took their place
>Soon they redoubled their efforts, and you found yourself falling back, unable to keep up
>You turn back to see the Princesses having flown down to meet you
>Luna looked confused
>"Why aren't you destroying them with your magic, Discord?"
"I don't know!  They're immune like that blasted Changeling rock!"
>You duck under a large tentacle swing
"And every time I cut one down, two more grow in its place!"
>Twilight flew past you, horn blazing hot
>Beams fired forth and yet it simply glanced off like water off a duckling's back
>"I can't hurt them either!"
>You all retreated back as Iroh finally caught up, breathing heavily
>"I'm getting too old for this..."
>Celestia and Luna put up shields in front of you and Twilight, blocking the advancing vines
>They impacted on the prismatic wall with force, causing visible strain on the Princesses' faces
>But it gave you enough time for the both of you to get to a safe place
>"What are these things?"
 >Twilight panted, energy all spent in her laser attacks
>Iroh had caught his breath and stood up
>"I've seen this plant before.  I encountered it in Ponyville, in that castle."
>"In my castle!?"
>"I can help you, but I have to warn you all to stand back."
>Having seen this man's strange abilities before, you actually could believe it
>But before you could, you blocked him
"Wait!  No!  Fluttershy's in there!"
>The Princesses looked at you in horror, while Iroh looked on in concern
>After a moment in thought, Iroh took a breath and crouched down
>He laid a hand on the ground and stayed curiously still for a few moments
>"Then we have to fight our way to the core.  It's tentacles will not harm us from within."
"How do you know that?"
>Iroh gave you a confident smile,
>"There are many things you can learn if you simply listen... Now, get behind me!"
>You followed the old man's words, which was enough to prompt the other princesses to reluctantly line up behind you
>Iroh took a low stance, and took more breaths
>In
>Out
>Finally, he swung forth his fists in front of him
>And large bursts of fire sprung out as if out of a dragon's mouth
>You couldn't see the princesses, but you heard their gasps as Iroh pushed forth with his flame attacks, burning away a hole in the vine's defenses
>"Now! Move!"
>You all galloped your way in as he fired another rapid burst ahead, and some to the sides
>You brought your sword out and cut a few tentacles breaking through and trying to grab him from behind
>Celestia and Luna shielded each other from the back, and Twilight still had enough energy to fend off a few tentacles of their own
>A few steps in, you finally reached the wall that the tentacles originated from
>Chopping downwards like a knife, the plant matter burned away like tissue paper
>You could see the mass of tentacles closing in behind all of you, prompting you to swiftly gather in through the quickly healing opening
>Soon enough, you had all made it in safely
>And the plant wall closed shut behind you

>Twilight was the first to exclaim in horror
"W-what is that?!"
>You would have chastised her for overreacting, but in this circumstance, she was quite justified
>Insomuch as to make you utter a girly scream as well and completely forget you have some sort of fire mage in your party
>What lay before you was a complex mishmash of vine tendrils holding up a large blistered core
>And in each of the large pustules floated comatose ponies
>Including...
>"Fluttershy!"
>Twilight was already up against the leafy core, separated by a thin but tough membrane
>The yellow filly was suspended in some kind of liquid, eyes closed as if asleep
>"We have to get her out of there!"
>Twilight feeble attempts at punching it open with hooves, and even a few prods of her less than razor sharp horn were inadequate to puncturing the barrier
>"It's not budging."
>Luna stepped forth and tried cutting at it with her magic, but again, it proved resilient
>She then turned to look at you
>"You wouldn't happen to have that sword would you?
"What this old thin-"
 >Before you could even say anything more, Twilight had already wrestled your weapon out of your grip and began hacking at it
>The sac split in a very disgusting pop, dumping it's contents below, which you happened to be standing
>You were still able to get through the muck and grab the small pony in your arms
>Despite being slick with some sort of fluid
>She was still warm...
>But strangely she didn't open her eyes, or even flinch
"Fluttershy?"
>You gave her a little shake, but no response came
"It's me.  Discord.  Your friend?  Are you there?"
>Nothing but silence came back at you
>It took a moment for you to realize Celestia was peering over your shoulder
>"She's still alive, but she looks unconscious.  Those plants might have done something to her."
>Twilight was inspecting other pods
>"There are other ponies here too!  Could it be those disappearances?"
>Celestia nodded solemnly back
>"I'm afraid so.  But until we can figure out what we're dealing with, I don't know how we can treat them, or move them out of here."
>"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I know exactly what they've done."
>Iroh stepped around you to get a look at Fluttershy, pressing the back of his hand against her forehead
>His words were cool and commanding, even if gentle
>"I only realized now where these vines are from."
>He looked up at the plant core.
>"They are from the Spirit World, which I passed through to get here."
>"A world of spirits?"
>Luna looked at Iroh, then Celestia confused while Twilight looked at her comatose friend in dismay
>"Whatever that is, I've never read anything about it."
>Iroh scratched his beard, this time with a serious air about him
>"Hmm.  The Spirit World is usually separated from the physical world.  Even among my own, the prospect of seeing it with your own eyes is but a tall tale.  But when it appears, it appears in areas where nature is in severe imbalance, and the spirits are angry."
>You harrumphed
"So great, do I have to go and grab Tree Hugger then and have her softly neigh this overgrown garden to sleep?"
>Iroh shook his head
>"There is only one way to stop them, and wake up Fluttershy."
>Iroh turned to the Princesses, who were looking at him axiously
>"Her body may be here, but her spirit is gone.  Trapped and held hostage by the very angry spiritual energy that created this rift."
>"What are you saying?"
>Iroh looked you all in the eyes, seemingly regretting already what he was about to say
>"We have to go to the Spirit World.  Together.  And rescue Fluttershy from an eternal prison."
>He glanced at the poor filly with sorrow
>"Otherwise... She may never wake up."

>You were the first to scratch your head in confusion, albeit, needing to grow a new limb as your other two were occupied
"But I thought you told me you didn't know where that Spirit World thing is?"
>Iroh nodded
>"I did say that.  But these vines grow where the energy of both worlds converge to one.  That may be why I stumbled in this world in the first place."
>Twilight looked around at the walls surrounding all of them
>"Well I don't see an entrance anywhere around here."
>"You cannot enter it by physical means.  You must transcend the ethereal plane of this world, by meditation and focus."
>You rolled your eyes
"Oh now I'm really starting to regret not bringing Tree Hugger."
>Luna sat down by Iroh
>"That sounds similar to how I am able to go into my own realm of dreams.  I will go with you."
>Celestia nodded with a hopeful smile.
>"I will go to.  I have experience travelling to new realms, and quite honestly, I've been yearning for another adventure."
>Twilight joined in, sitting between them.  "And I guess you can't count me out.  This may be an interesting experience to catalog, and besides.  This is Fluttershy, my friend.  She'd do the same for me."
>Then, everypony turned to you
>You looked down at the resting pony in your arms
"Well of course I'd do it for Fluttershy.  Besides, it would only be boring just sitting here while you 'meditated' and all that, wouldn't it?"
>You gently placed the pony down in front of the group and sat yourself down
>You look at Iroh with a slightly insecure grin
"Though perhaps, you could sort of show us what to do?  I'm not very good at this sort of thing."
>Iroh took on a countenance that emanated peace and understanding, much like an ancient master
>Seriously though, it was long past the point you were doubting he was the sort of human you were used to seeing
>"All you need to meditate is time, and patience.  Gather around and sit with me."
>After they formed a ring, Fluttershy in the center, you sat yourself opposite of Iroh
>You felt yourself twitch in anxiety, something screaming within you how against your character it was
>But you remembered what Iroh said about balancing chaos with order or whatever and you hoped it would work
>"Take a deep breath, and close your eyes."
>Deep down you didn't think this would really work, but you played along
>You could hear the Princesses sigh as they also followed the instructions
>You already feared this may bore you to sleep instead of send you anywhere
>"Clear your mind.  Focus on your breath...  Feel yourself and the energy flowing around you."
>You tried to concentrate, but all you saw was blackness
>"I... can feel the magical energy.  It's... like my horn, but... Different."
>Twilight muttered, curiously
>"Open your mind.  Let that energy flow into you."
>You tried to follow, but you could barely feel anything
>Something on the edge of your mind
>"Fall through the borders of this world.  Let yourself flow with the energy into it.  Follow the vines, and you will reach your destination."
>What was this old geezer babbling about now?
>What energy?
>What vines?
>You strain your mind, and bare your teeth, trying to focus
"I can't see anything! What are you talking about?"
>You waited for a response
>But there was none
>You waited, perhaps they were too 'focused' to pay attention
>And waited
>Finally, you dared a peek
>The Princesses and Iroh were sitting, as motionless as the spiritually captive Fluttershy before you
"Hello?  I think I need some help here."
>They didn't respond to you, remaining in that eerie coma-like state
>You lean forwards to Celestia and wave a claw in front of her face
"Is anypony home?"
>You look at the others, they were the same way
>Do you dare?
>Oh you couldn't resist a chance like this
"Boop."
>Touching the long snout of Celestia in such a playful way would have been an instant banishment for sure
>And she didn't even move
"Alright, you can stop playing this game now, Princesses, I'm quite confused here!"
>They were as good as dead by how little they reacted
"Iroh!  What's the meaning of this?"
>The old man was just as vegetative
>You felt your heart stop
>He was actually right
>They actually were gone
>And they left you behind
>Alone
>And now you were stuck in a mass of angry plants
>With a bunch of bodies with their souls off in some other dimension
>Bodies that belong to some of the most powerful ponies in Equestria
>No matter what you made of it
>This did not look good

>You are Luna
>And this was an experience you've never felt before
>You had followed Iroh's voice, into the depths of your mind
>And you felt that energy you never even realized was around you
>You didn't know if it was from the vines, but it was so strong
>And you indeed followed it
>To the end
>You took a breath, and smelled...
>Fresh air
>Not in a cave or in the belly of a plant
>But fresh air
>And your ears heard grass rubbing against itself in a soft gentle breeze
>Slowly, you opened your eyes
>You were in a grassy landscape that had contours only you would see in a dream
>Were you dreaming?
>Did you somehow fall asleep?
>You looked at your hooves
>And felt what energy was in your horn
>The magic of your dream spell was not active
>Even though the trees around you shifted in shape randomly and in fractalish ways
>Or were they trees?
>On closer inspection, they were lillypads... Suspended in the air by tall shafts of their roots
>Jagged mountains of unnatural hues loomed above the fields
>And flowers of strange shapes and colors broke the even green of the grass
>But one thing that stood out to you most
>Was that nopony else was with you
"H- hello?  Celestia?  Twilight?  Iroh?  Discord?"
>Where did they go?
>Were you the only one that made it?
>Surely not, Iroh was the one leading you
>You sighed
>You must remain vigilant
>They may have been separated in crossing over
>You took another look at your surroundings
>So alien, yet so peaceful
>Chaotic, yet harmonious
>There was an energy here, more ancient and primal than anything in Equestria
>A powerful energy that made you feel as small and insignificant as a fly to the stars in the heavens
>But that will not deter you from your mission!
>You stood yourself up and began galloping towards a thicket of more normal looking trees
> That you swore wasn't there before
>But for some reason, you felt the darkness under the thicket of the tree canopy will provide you the clues you seek
>Only if you could get there
>You had been running towards it for a while now
>And it didn't seem to get closer
>The lillypad-trees were passing by you
>But the world appeared to be stretching
>You wanted to go to the forest!
>Something inside was screaming you needed to!
>But it was moving away from you!
>You flap your wings and try to see if it was the ground itself playing a trick on you
>But somehow  you couldn't catch the air
>Something was not right
>Skidding to a halt, you catch your breath
>The forest was just as far away from you as you had began
>But the landscape had changed
>Now the grass glowed an eerie amber red
>And the lillies were without pad
>You look back at your wings and gave them another flap
>The magic that held you aloft in the air didn't respond
>Gasping, you try to utter a spell through your horn
>A thought focused into being by your magical appendage
>Burn the grass around you!
>But it did not respond to your wishes
>You felt your eyes widen with shock
>You tried again, this time straining
>Envisioning the entire field on fire!
>But not even a spark
"Magic is useless here!"
>You shakily breathed after straining a bit too hard
>You looked again at that forest
>And felt that call that came from within
>But why couldn't you go there?
>Was this world itself tricking your mind?
>Like an uncontrollable fever dream
>You knew the dangers if such a thing became reality
>Remembering the effects on a psyche it can pose
>You need control of yourself
>You turned your head away from the forest, and denied its call
>Instead, heading towards a mountain in the opposite direction
>Its barren, rocky peak was obscured by twisting clouds
>Was it reflecting a greenish light, or were they glowing from within?
>You could not tell, but this time, as you approached, you did so with caution and awareness
>Not to give into instincts that told you were going the wrong way
>But to your conscious self
>And to your surprise, and relief, after a few minutes of walking
>The mountain stayed where it was, and let you approach
>In fact, you found yourself already at the base
>You look at the ground in confusion
>That cannot be right.
>It looked at least several miles away!
>But looking up the rather naked slopes protruding from the grassland, you felt you had passed a test of some sort
>And the call of the forest ebbed away
>There was no call leading up this mountain, but you could discern from your mind
>Something wanted you here, now you bested its trap
>Was it the first of many, however?
>Cautiously, you trotted up the face of the mountain into the clouds
>Again, the journey seemingly take either less or more time between obstacles than you thought it would take
>Logic was absent of this world
>You twitched a smile thinking of Twilight and her reaction to such a place
>But you were used to the nonsensical realms of a pony's dreams
>Or even the dreams of something greater
>You ascended deeper into the concealing wall of clouds, which basked everything in a grayish-green light
>The hairs of your coat were practically standing on end
>Whether by anticipation, by the energy, or by fear, you could not tell
>But it was important you kept your breathing steady
>And your mind focused and lucid
>For this place, like a dream, yearned to rip your mind away and trap it in its own instincts and desires
>You will not give it that pleasure
>But you did let out a yelp as you attempted to step up to the next ledge, only to find your hoof meet air
>Instead, it went downward to a platform that leveled off cleanly
>You looked ahead, and could see the opening to a deep cave carved in the cliffside
>This time your instincts were telling you NOT to go in there
>You looked at either direction
>the mountain jutted at a sheer vertical wall in all directions
>No more climbing up from here
>But forwards
>Despite every inch of your body telling you that it would lead to your doom
>You felt drops of sweat run down your tensed neck and locked legs
>And your jaw quivered beneath tightly sealed lips
>Why were you so afraid?
>There was nothing rather special about this cave your conscious mind could discern
>And no noise, scent, or sound could tell you of whatever lurked within
>But somehow, because you knew you had to, your body tried to refute
>You would not let this world play your mind as some fool!
>Your will is stronger than that of your body!
>You chant that mantra to yourself mentally as you continued, very slowly onwards
>Forcing your forehoof ahead
>And placed it before you
>Step one
>Hindleg followed
>Step two
>Step three
>Step four
>And soon, you were forcing yourself into this cave
>Against your heart's desire

L-----T

>You are Twilight
>And this was
>Illogical
>Unexplainable
>Outright...
>Beautiful
>A twisted rainforest towered over you
>Branches intertwined in patterns reminiscent of mathematical figures of infinity
>Exaggerations of the repeating sequences that make up all of nature
>Spirals, helixes, fractals, and more
>No natural thing was this perfect
>It inspired you and brought a sense of awe you've never experienced before
>You wished you could take a sample home
>But you had quickly come to realize that neither your horn or wings worked
>It frustrated you, but you could tell there was something archaic and ancient about this place
>Transcending pony magic by eons, possibly
>Places like these can make magic useless, you knew from study
>So you'd just have to hoof it, you sighed
>Which begs the question
>How far did the Princesses, Discord and Iroh go from you?
>You woke up at the base of one of these tall trees
>And there was nopony in sight
>You had been looking around for them for what seemed like hours now
>But this place seemed to go on forever
>You finally stopped, looking deep into a puddle of stagnant water in front of you
>You were still you, at least
"I can't do this alone.  I need knowledge of this place."
>You felt a breeze of wind flow through the trees as if in response
>Something told you to look ahead
>You gasped as the forest began passing AROUND you!
>As if you were watching the world itself reel away
>Wood cracked and groaned as all the trees even moved out of your line of sight
>And then you found yourself on a thick branch high above the forest floor
>Your old pony sense of heights began to take hold, when you realized you were without wings
>Making you let out a little 'eep!'
>But after a while of breathing exercises to calm yourself down, you again look to where the branch led
>Was that... A building?!
>Upside down, hanging as if caught in the leafy canopy and tangled masses of vines
>But it was so massive!
>Made of fine sandstone and of a bulky architecture, it reminded you of some Saddle Arabian designs
>That couldn't be right...
>But the branch led straight into one of the windows
>And at the end of it, you could see a small creature sitting there, staring at you
>It looked like... a gray fox!
>Finally, some semblance of life
>Perhaps the animal would lead you to Fluttershy!
>You trotted very carefully on the branch to the gigantic structure
>And as you approached, the fox disappeared into its dark recesses
"Hey!  Wait!"
>You trot a little bit faster, almost slipping on the smoothed wood
>You let out your held breath in relief when you jumped into the safety of the building
>Waiting a moment for your heart to slow down, you finally took a breath and looked around when your eyes adjusted
>No
>This couldn't be
>A very wide smile began to form on your face
>A library?!
>This structure was massive on the outside, and you were only in a side wing
>Oh you hoped this entire building was what you thought it was
>But where did that little fox go?
>You galloped around the massive shelves of tomes that went seemingly endlessly
>You wanted to pull out a few and browse, but you held yourself back
>You didn't even know what section you were in
>Or what cataloging system this other world may use
>Oh but they were tempting
>Were they even written in your language?
>Did it have maps of far off lands and of distant worlds?
>How exciting!
>But as you followed the greenish lighting that was ahead, you gasped as you saw another great sight
>A small guard wall separated you from a massive square shaped pit, seemingly endlessly going both up and down,
>broken by bridges between the occasional level
>The book shelves extended in all directions from the massive column-shaped hub, with stairs you could see spiraling just outside the pillared interior
>The architecture of this place was magnificent
>So much knowledge, in a dimension you never even knew
"Oh this place is amazing!"
>"It is amazing.  And it is forbidden."
>You froze at the echoing voice that boomed over you
>It sounded right above you
>You slowly tilted your head up, letting an audible gulp escape your throat
>You saw an upside down visage of what looked like
>An owl?
>A massive owl!
>"Mortal beings are not welcome here."
>The owl's voice was wispy yet demanding and strong, giving a chilling sense of etheral ability
>You turn about and bow your head slightly, trying to smile back
"He- hello there.  I'm just... Um, passing through?"
>The owl looked unamused
>"That's what they all say."
>He then tilted his head
>"But I cannot help but wonder, I can sense you are not a spirit, but you are also not a human."
"My name's Twilight Sparkle.  I'm no spirit, but a Pony, from Equestria.  And, well, I know I probably shouldn't be here, but I couldn't help but be fascinated with this magnificent library of yours, Mr. Owl, sir."
>"I have not heard of any such place."
>The owl straightened up, revealing it's imposing height even more, as his unnatural draped wings scraped behind on the ground like a cloak
>"But in my experience, mortals such as yourself, regardless of form, do not know boundaries and exploit whatever loophole they must to gain advantage over another.  How can I know you are to be trusted?  What purpose do you have here, and what do you wish to learn?"
>You cowered slightly beneath his rushed, aggravated tone
"I'm not sure what you mean, but I've never used my knowledge for evil, if that's what you're saying.  I used to live in a library myself, sir, and, well, I would be browsing through this collection for eons if I could, but right now, I'm just looking for a friend and I want to know where I am and where to go."
>The owl stared you down, his face leaning dangerously close to yours
>"You love libraries and knowledge, but you do not know where you are?"
>He said in an unconvinced tone
>"You are in Wan Shi Tong's Library, the greatest wealth of knowledge in both spiritual and physical worlds.  And I am Wan Shi Tong, he who knows ten thousand things!"
>He raised his wings outwards, filling your vision only with his pitch black feathers
>You raise a hoof in front of your head defensively
"Wan Shi Tong, what could I do to allow safe passage through your library, and maybe find a map of this Spirit World?"
>"You truly are lost."
>The owl sighed, then looked to the side
>"There are no maps of the Spirit World.  It is constantly shifting; changing shape and form according to the energy of the universe and the spirits that dwell within.  But I will make a deal with you."
>He lowered his head back down towards you
>"I see you have no intent of ill will so far.  You may browse my collection and perhaps you may find information that could assist you if it means you will leave.  On two conditions."
>You lowered yourself down
"Yes, anything."
>"You will honor this promise of not seeking, or learning about weaponry, war, battle, or any other information for the intent of harm and destruction.  Nor will you destroy or damage any of my collection."
>You nodded, simple enough
>"And, you will tell me what this 'Equestria' is and where I may obtain information about it."
>Oh
>This was going to take a while.

T----C

>You are Princess Celestia
>And you were confused
>Your sister, Discord, Twilight, and that strange man all had left you behind
>Or did you somehow end up separated crossing over?
>In all your experience in dimensional travel, you had never seen an issue like this
>You took a breath
>You hated being alone
>And this alien landscape, devoid of any life, was not much help either
>The horizon was filled with jagged outcroppings of rock, as far as the eye could see
>The edges of the black stone were like knives and
 >Was it night?  Was it midday?
>You could not tell
>There was no stars, sun, or moon above to see the time
>You couldn't even use your own magic to feel if there was
>Or your wings to see farther ahead
"It's been a long time since I've adventured alone like this."
>You complained to yourself
"I just need to remember to keep my bearings true, and... Not let the fact I don't have anypony to talk to bother me."
>You took a deep breath
"I can do this.  I just need to keep moving."
>But in what direction, you wondered?
>Despite the ruggedness of the landscape, it was still so uniform
>The sky seemed slightly brighter in that direction...
>Maybe there was something there?
>You tried to take a step down the small rocky perch you were on, but your hoof almost immediately slipped away beneath you
>You let out a yelp as the rest of your body followed down the slippery slope
>Your golden horseshoes clanked against the smoothed rock face trying to find purchase, but there was no ledge to grab on to
>You hit the small valley below with a thud, landing right on your haunches
"Mmh, now I remember why I don't travel often."
>You rub your flank momentarily and stand yourself up, sighing
"And there I go talking to myself again."
>Such is the case when you're not alone for most of your long life
>You often forgot that there were those who were alone like this for as long as they could remember
>You began to carefully ascend the next slope, finding the lowest incline so as you wouldn't slip again
"Oh, poor Luna...  All alone in a place like this."
>She had been really opening up to you the past day
>She had taken time off her sleep schedule to be with you, offering support and guidance to your daily political affairs, and you in turn offering advice for leadership
>It was a rare experience that you had quickly grown to love, and you hoped you could spend extra time with her in turn
>You made it to the next peak, just as tall, barren, and sharp as the thousands more around you
>This time, however, you made it down this one without too much stumbling
>Though the prospect of another mountain was doubly as tiresome
>This was too labor intensive
>You noticed, however, that the valleys between the peaks ran a slightly curved  line to either side of you
>Were these mountains... in a spiral formation?
"Well I guess following this would be better than falling down a slope again..."
>You briskly walk down the path that seemed to lead toward the brighter section of sky
>And for several minutes you walked down the road
>Each rocky precipice around you so similar you thought you were going nowhere
>But strangely the lighting started to change as you went on
>You didn't think you travelled that far
>But there seemed to be a color change in the sky
>Finally, a tear in the sky began to open up in the distance
"Those were just clouds?"
>You risk another hairy climb up a mountain to get a look
>And to your surprise, there was more than just more rocks!
>The formations WERE in fact, spiraling inwards
>To a center point that was right in front of you
>The clouds opened up above, like the eye of a great hurricane
>Allowing an emerald green light from above to bathe a very uniform circle of land
>That was far smoother than the mountains around, yet still peppered with sharp ridges and winding streams of water that also follow the pattern
>Two glowing masses of what appeared to be ice were on either side, the focal points of the spiraling ground
>And in the center between them, lay a massive, dead tree
>Its wood frayed and twisted, betraying ancient origins
>And it appeared to have a great hole wrent into its side
>Or by the strange designs you could barely make out
>Was it an eye?
>You gasped at the sight
>You felt something was off about this place, but in reality, what wasn't strange?
>There was nowhere else to go, you resigned to yourself
>So you might as well explore
>Sliding down the much more gentle slopes here, you felt relieved that the stone gave way to sand
>You felt surprised how thankful you were to touch something softer than hard stone, and something not nearly as slippery
>Passing a couple more obstacles, you found yourself within the great circular valley
>The air was still here, devoid of sound and wind
>And yet the clouds spiraled gently up above to an evenly lit sky
>No stars or sun to guide you from what you could see
>But that tree was the thing that put you on edge the most
>Was it... watching you?
>When you looked back at it, it seemed to take notice
>The bright diamond shaped iris looking into your very soul
>Surrounded by swirling patterns and blackness
>Emanating a deep red aura
>"You there!"
>You stiffened up as a great voice boomed across the valley
>The very land seemed to move around you, as the jagged precipices of rock went by you without warning
>And suddenly, without knowing how, you found yourself at the base of the tree
>From this vantage point, you could see it wasn't an eye, but some shimmering being, similar to a kite
>What appeared to be its eye looked down upon you as it's voice, powerful and deep, yet somehow, pleading, boomed around you
>"You must help me.  Please!"

C------L
>The cave lay open before you
>Imposing, and ominous
>But you kept moving forwards
>And honestly, it got easier every step
>Even though there still was that nagging feeling that what you were doing was wrong
>You hopefully wouldn't find out why
>Soon enough the sky above you was obscured by stone
>But it wasn't too dark
>There were sparse crystals that glowed an ethereal blue light
>But other than that, there were no immediate features about this cave
>No stalactite or stalagmite lining the smooth rock walls
>No noise of dripping water, smell of musty decay and mold
>It was as sterile in here as the face of the mountainside
>And that unnerved you as much as the strange feeling that was eating away at your insides
>The cave descended gradually and straight
>But there still was nothing to be seen that would otherwise tell you were in danger
>But it was getting cold
>Very quickly
>Every step you made seemed to drop the ambient temperature by several degrees
>Soon you could see your own breath
>Which didn't help your shivering
>Your sweat chilling you down to the bone
>You continued deeper, and deeper in
>Gaining enough courage finally, you struggle to call out into the darkness
"H- Hello?  Anypony there?"
>Your words, cracked and strained from a dry throat, echoed back several times
>There was no response
>Soon, the combination of claustrophobia, cold, and the unnatural fear began to overwhelm you
>Why were you still moving forwards?
>There's nothing in this cave
>Nothing to tell you why you shouldn't be here, except for some otherworldly feeling
>Turn back
>No, you won't
>Turn back
>You made it this far, you will not give whatever otherworldly being your weakness
>Turn back!
>Step forwards, Luna
>One hoof at a time
>Your will cannot be broken
>You are Luna!
>Princess of the Night!
>Ruler of Dreams!
>Illogical fears fled before you!
>They could not best-
>What was that?!
>A small gasp escaped your mouth as a breeze passed by you, leading deeper into the cave
>So gentle, that it would otherwise have passed you by had your nerves not been on fire
>But it was accompanied with a sound...
>That was more living than just the wind
>It broke your will just enough for you to turn your head, slowly
>And before you could even see fully what was behind you,
>The cold chill of fear prickled up your spine
>Out of the corner of your eye, you saw it
>Something you could not tell
>But it loomed over you a great deal
>Blocking the dim light of the cave entrance still in view
>You cursed yourself internally when you never thought to think you may have been followed
>You felt your muscles stiffen, your wings lock in preparation for whatever this new threat was
>You must face it!
>But why was every fiber of your being telling you NOT to look at it?
>Curse this place and it's strange manipulations!
>You bare your teeth in strain, your face contorting to a grimace
>You slowly step around to face this unknown foe
>Your eyes reflexively closed before you could get a good look at it
>Beads of sweat dripped down your forehead as you forced your eyes open
>You were looking down
>It was hard to tell in the low light
>But you could make out white hooves, clad in metal
"Oh thank goodness, Celestia.  It's you!"
>You look up
>And your jaw fell slack
>Those were not the eyes of your sister
>But pupils as candle flame
>And sclera dark as blood
>Razor sharp teeth bared themselves as mane turned to flame
>"Hello.  Sister."
L------T
"And that's the very abridged history of Equestria.  As far as I remember."
>You give the owl an awkward smile, a bit out of breath
>Wan Shi Tong looked down on you, his dark eyes reflecting the tone of frustration that filled his voice in his occasional questioning
>He hadn't enjoyed your explanation much, calling out your claims of history as false
>Even though many of his foxes had gathered around to listen
>They at least seemed entertained by your storytelling
>Which made you feel at least slightly justified in your orating abilities
>But how could he think it's false?
>You know many of the iconic, historical characters personally!
>"And... That's it?"
"Y-yep!  That's the gist of it!"
>You gave him another smile, and stepped slightly back
>Finally he snapped with the voice that shook sand from the cracked stone ceiling above
>"That does not make sense!  None of it does!"
>He flapped his gigantic wings, creating a hurricane of gusting wind around you
>"There cannot be beings who control the movement of the heavens!  I know the spirits of the moon and sun myself!  There is no such thing as 'magical rainbows' and 'elements of friendship', or any such power that can defeat evil so easily!  This is a childish fantasy, that I have no time for!"
"You bit your hoof as you cowered down beneath him
>Was his neck stretching out?
>Twice his body length
>Now that was horrifying
>And it looked like he was about to eat you!
"Please, Wan Shi Tong!  I don't know what to say to make you believe!"
>"You have no evidence.  Only fact will prove you right!"
>Facts...
>Evidence...
>Your eyes widen with glee as you came to a magnificent conclusion!
"Wait!  I know how to prove it to you!  To prove it all of it!"
>His beak stopped mere inches above you
>"You better not be stalling me."
>You edge out from beneath his gigantic head, feeling sweat starting to run down your neck
"I'm not, I swear."
>You brushed yourself off as you stood to full stance, trying to pull off a smile
"What if I told you there were some of those 'characters' in my story were not just real, but we could see them right now?"
>Wan Shi Tong slowly, and thankfully started retracting his unnaturally long neck to something more akin to normal
>"And they are here, in the Spirit World?  Which ones?"
"Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Discord."
>Wan Shi Tong tilted his head
>"That being of chaos is with you?  To chase you or cause torment, no doubt."
>You rubbed a forehoof on the other, looking off to the side
"He's...Actually a friend of ours now.  It's kind of another long story, and he's still a bit of a jerk, but one of my friends got to know him really well and after a few mistakes and a betrayal, he ended up siding with us."
>Wan Shi Tong let out an audible sigh of, was it disappointment?  Anger?
>He slapped his face with the hem of his wing
>Yeah, disbelief
>"I suppose you cannot be persuaded otherwise.  Alright.  Despite your 'story' to be more worthy to hold within my fictional section, I'll concede to you some foxes to help seek out your friends.  If you can prove their existence, I shall grant you the rights to my library."
>Your eyes lit up like stars as you moved to hug him
"Oh thank you, Wan Shi Tong, thank you!"
>"Please, do not touch me.  Or else I will eat you anyways."
>You cleared your throat and took a step back
>Three silvery foxes walked up to you, sniffing, while the rest retreated
>The library owl made a last harrumph before flapping his wings again, flying deep into the recesses of the structure
"What kind of worms have been eating that guy's books."
>You rolled your eyes to match the sarcastic, but cheery tone
"Well, now that's out of the way... Um... Hi there!"
>The foxes tilted their heads curiously at you
"Oh... Fluttershy is so much better at communicating with animals than I am."
>You turn away and think for a bit
>Do they even speak your language?
>Only one way to find out
>And they have to have seen something strange
"Have you seen anything that looks kind of like a really tall snake, with the head of a goat, a bat wing, a bird wing, two claws, a lion paw, and an ox hoof?  Oh and he has two different kinds of horn!"
>The foxes looked at each other, then whined as they turned back to you
>You let out another sigh
>Well that didn't work
>You tapped your chin
"Hmm... What if they haven't seen Discord yet?"
>You leaned down to them again
"Or maybe have you seen something that looks like me?  She's yellow.  Has very long pink hair.  And wings like I do!"
>You spoke slowly with emphasis on the details
>Pleaseworkpleaseworkpleaseworkplease
>One of the foxes perked up, and turned about
>The other two followed, and then waited for you to catch up
>Yes!
>Now we're getting somewhere!

T-------C

>The great creature within the tree stared you down with his unblinking eye
>You couldn't otherwise tell it was in distress except from his desperate, pleading tone
>And he begged again
>"Please... You must..."
>You take a wary step back
>His voice shook with despair
>"End my torment."
"Who... are you?"
>The being answered without hesitation
>"I am the lord of this world.  I was unjustly revolted against and trapped within this foul prison built to torture me."
>You take another step back
>You held pity for this poor creature
>And he very well could be right,
>But this situation just became too volatile for you to intervene, and you did not wish to act unless you knew the consequences
"I... I'm sorry.  I don't think I can help you."
>The creature seemed to look down in a solemn loss of spirit
>"Only someone who is not of this world can release me.  Do you not care for a spirit in dire need?"
>You look down, unable to answer
>Your heart ached to see such a thing
>But you knew you shouldn't
>You of all ponies knew the consequences of meddling with the politics of another world
>And this was no different
>You turned away, and began to walk
>You would have to seek help elsewhere
>"No...Wait!"
>The spirit seemed to have condensed every ounce of agony in his being into the word
>"You are the only face I have seen in nearly ten thousand years... Please, do not leave me!"
>Did he say ten thousand years?
>Your mind flashed to Luna
>The torment you inflicted with even one thousand years
>And not just to her
>This made things quite more difficult than you expected
>The thought crossed your mind,
>What if you were led here by purpose?
>You had stopped in your tracks
>"Even if you were to provide company.  It is so lonely in this place."
>Curse your kind heart and contrite spirit
>You found yourself turning around and approaching the tree
"I believe I can spare at least a few minutes."
>His sigh of relief was the greatest you had ever heard in your life
>"Thank you, little one.  You lift a great burden upon me just by your kindness."
>Little one?
>You giggled slightly at the name
>"And what do you find so funny?"
"I'm sorry, it's been very long since somepony has ever called me 'little one."
>You sobered up your tone,
"I too know what it is like to live over a millennia of torment.  It is certainly not easy."
>"Then you must know what my suffering is like.  Why then will you not help me?"
>You sat on your haunches
"A thousand years ago, my sister turned against me, and I had no choice but to banish her.  I sent her to the moon, for one thousand years.  It may have been torment for her, but I argue it was me who it hurt the most."
>"You made the right choice to banish her."
>You turned back to the spirit when you sensed a tinge of anger in his voice
>"For I am the great spirit, Vaatu, and I too am part of a pair.  My counterpart, Raava, fought me for another ten millennia before this past ten thousand.   Countless lifetimes, we battled, her trying to subdue me to nothing!  And eventually, I would have won, if it wasn't for a rebellious human, meddling in the affairs of spirits, working against his own kind."
>The earth rumbled as his voice grew ever more with malice and hatred
>You felt a primal fear edging in your chest, an ancient anger awakening before you
>"Raava poisoned the mind of the human to combine her power with his, creating an unholy fusion that separated our worlds apart!  Breaking the cycle of balance, of nature, and then ruling herself over the humans like a god!"
>Vaatu trembled as his tentacles slammed on the inside of the barrier
>"You must release me!  You know the consequences of eternal judgement, help me seek revenge, as you did against your sister!"
>Your heart stopped
>And you realized why this spirit was trapped for so long
>Your eyes narrowed, and your voice began growing some bite
"You didn't let me finish my story."
>The spirit seemed to recoil at your striking change of tone
"Those thousand years passed, and my sister was finally defeated.  Broken before me, I could have done anything.  I could have sought revenge, scolded her, or kept her out of my sight..."
>You took a breath to calm yourself
"But I forgave her instead.  And through that forgiveness, we're together again.  I can see why you're in this prison, Vaatu.  You seek revenge, and destruction.  And I can only hear venom and pain in your intent, despite how sweet you may claim it to be."
>There was a deep rumbling coming from within the tree
"I'm sorry, but I cannot help you.  It is neither my duty, nor my desire."
>"Then by doing so, you are just as weak as Raava is... Weak, like when you decided to banish your sister instead of destroying her!"
>You raised your eyebrows as his tone changed to a very personal one
>"You know of what I speak.  Even in this cage, I am not blind to partial truth.  You and I both know you hold great power.  Use it.  Help me rightfully claim back this land, and will show unto you my benevolence!"
>You took a couple steps back
>The tone of voice...
>Reminded you of that one dream
>Vicious, primal, seething with venom and carnal rage
>A memory that shook you to your core, and you did not like it
>"So you still refuse my offer?"
>There was an even longer pause of silence
>You could only stare up at the great spirit with fear as tendrils of shadow seemed to shift around you
>"So be it."

C-------L

>You stepped away from this apparition
>Both in fear and to avoid the sheer heat that was filling the cavern by her presence
"You are not real.  You cannot be real!"
>The fiery alicorn made a chirpy, unstable laugh of glee
>"Oh I AM quite real, my dear sister.  And you know what this means."
>You take a defensive stance, your lip twitching into a snarl
>"This place as taught me many things in such a short time.  And I've found the true error of my ways."
>Her mouth split into an uncannily large smile as that voice that sounded so eerily similar to that pony you loved gained a snarling, venomous growl to her words
>"You're no longer important to me, and there's no better place to dispose of you, than a place no pony else can get to."
>Her eyes glowed as she inhaled
>You knew what came next and dove to the side desperately as a searing hot blast of fire roared through where you had just stood
>You stumbled past the alicorn towards the exit, knowing in these cramped quarters, without your magic or flight, you were helpless
>"Just try to run, Luna!  You are nothing without your powers!"
>You felt the fire at your back, biting at your hindlegs and tail as the glistening smooth walls of the cave around you began to light up, reflecting the hell manifesting itself behind you
>The very air shimmered from heat as the light became blinding, greater than that which came from outside
>Only a few more feet...
>The ground trembled from the size of the attack...
>Your instincts screamed for you to move your legs faster than they ever have before
>You were going to die!
>A few more steps...
>The ground beneath you began to tremble
>You were burning hot, and already drenched in foaming sweat
>Move, Luna!  Move!
>You dove to the side
>As a white hot beam of light shot out of the cave entrance
>The end of your tail scarred black as it had not moved out of the way
>You scrambled away on your back, trying to move away from the blistering incalescence
>Never has the power of light been so terrifying
>So awful
>And it was out for your blood
>The light ebbed away, but the inside of the cave still glowed intensely from within, like as the inside of a hot furnace
>Teeth bared in terror, dripping head to hoof in your persperation, you dared not let that beast know you survived
>Trembling legs carried you to the edge of the mountain slope
>And weakened from effort, you braced yourself as you could not find the strength to simply run down the bare face, and you fell into a breakneck tumble
>All the way to the bottom
>Every time you hit a small ledge, every small rock, felt like a sledgehammer against you as you continued down
>You felt a snap, as a wing dislocated
>But you had no time to cry out, as you kept on being pummeled by the very earth
>Finally the terrain evened out, and you slid to a slow and grueling stop
>Your ears rang, and your chest heaved as throbs of pain shook you throughout your body
>But either fortunately, or unfortunately, your natural resilience seems to have accompanied you to this now-accursed place
>Aside from your wing, your limbs remained intact and functional
>Though shaky and clumsy
>But you knew, deep inside, they would serve you to the end
>Because the moment they stopped, you would die
>You pushed yourself to your hooves, and stumbled a bit in effort to keep yourself up
>You turned your head back to see the peak of the mountain incased in flame
>A force of nature itself was in pursuit
>And now you had to outrace her
>You pushed yourself, to flee
>With all your might
>And you found life again flow through you as you bounded through the field as a rabbit by the wolves
>You did not care if the world itself would try and slow you down
>You did not care if your body began to fall apart around you
>You would make it to that forest
>You would hide
>It was the only way to survive
>The clouds above thickened as the storm surrounding the mountain began to spread
>Lightning lit the skies in stark hues, and thunder boomed as a great war drum
>A drum that led your haste march of desperation
>The smell of smoke burned in your nostrils as a constant reminder not to look back
>The trees, they lay before you
>And your heart flittered in joy as you realized you WERE getting closer!
>The branches of the knarled forest opened themselves before you, like arms awaiting to embrace you
>Their shade will provide you with shelter from the day
>And you were almost there
>Except you tumbled to a halt as the grassy plain before you erupted into flames
>Skidding in the dirt on your broken wing, you let out a loud gasp in pain
>You forced your eyes to open, and pushed yourself off the ground
>The fire formed a wide circle
>Consuming the grass, and filling the air with a toxic smoke
>You instinctively raised a hoof to block your nose as you coughed the foul substance out of your lungs
>The fires behind you split, as that mare... Daybreaker, calmly walked to you
>She bore no sign of wear or exhaustion
>"You know, it's always the chase that's the fun part of something like this.  Even though it'll eventually lead to you surrendering to your fate, it's always best to make the excitement last."
"Why are you doing this, Celestia?  This isn't you!  You know this, deep in your soul, you know!"
>Daybreaker raised a hoof to her chest, her smile not fading
>"That's quite heartfelt, but unfortunately, Celestia isn't here right now."
>You looked back to see the flames encroaching behind you, forcing you to step towards the fiery creature
>"Aw, come on, don't be scared.  It'll all be over before you know it."
>Your heart was threatening to tear itself out of your chest
>You felt your muscles tense instinctively, and you made a decision
>You could choose to be defeated now, to succumb to your maddened sister so easily
>Or you can live another day
>You took one last, smoke filled breath
"I just hope you can forgive me for this, sister."
>You shout a hoarse yell as you pivot on your forehoof
>You reared your hind legs up, and then sprung your metal-clad hooves directly into that toothy grin
>And the hit connected with a resounding CRACK
>Daybreaker let out a primal cry in rage and pain as you leapt for your life through the burning fire
>You felt fur singe, and smelt burning mane as your skin screamed as you did from the pain
>But as soon as you hit clear cool air, you had the energy to roll into the grass to put out the small fires that had clung to you
>And as soon as you were put out, you ran into the depths of the forest
>You felt yourself meld into the darkness beneath the trees, as you heard that voice growl behind you
>"You cannot hide in there forever!  This world and our world will burn, and one day, you cannot outrun my light!"
>You cared not about that
>You still had to run
>To escape
>And you kept going for as long as your hooves would carry you
>You dared not count how long you ran
>Nor how far
>But eventually
>After some time had passed
>You felt your leg give out
>And you fell into a pile of leaves
>Adrenaline wracking your body, you clamored into a cove nestled in the roots of a large tree
>Shuddering as the pains of your efforts began to catch up to you
>And the sheer emotional burden you had now hanging over you
>You balled your legs under your torso
>And you cried
>Until you couldn't cry anymore, and your world became dark

-------------

"Oh Discord!  Please, save us!"
>Luna's limp body mouthed, as she dramatically lay a hoof over her head
>Moved by the myriad of puppet strings and controls you skillfully manipulated in your grasp
>You moved yourself to fill the acting role
>Donning the shining armor of a valiant and noble knight
"Fear not princesses!  I am here to save thee!"
>Disembodied vines, also levitated by the power of puppetry, wiggled their way between you and your damsels in distress!
>You let out a "Hyah!" as a cheap wooden sword in your grasp knocked the flimsy plants away with no effort
"Oh Discord!  You're so brave and strong!"
>You make Celestia mouth along with your girly imitation as she gently grabbed hold of you
>The limelight focused on the pair of you
>And rose petals began to fall
"Oh anything for you, my princess."
>And the curtain fell
>The crowd erupted into applause
>And by crowd, you mean Discord, Discord, Discord, Iroh, Fluttershy, and a Twilight who let out a snore as a glob of drool slipped out the edge of her open mouth, despite her hooves being made to clap together
>The actors, including the Princesses, the rather dashing puppeteer, and even the vines all assembled as the curtain lifted again, and you all took a bow, earning yourself a standing ovation
>You caught a bouquet even
"Oh thank you, thank you.  You're too kind!  Thank you!"
>You look at the bouquet with longing, then felt your smile began to fade
>Same with the spectacle around you
>Until you were back in that same dark viney prison
>No longer attached to strings, the Princesses slumped over like rag dolls
>Your audience disappeared, and Twilight and Iroh began to lean against each other
>Not that any of them cared
>They were as comatose as that one dull pony's pet rock
>What was her name?  It rhymed with mud.
"Oh who am I kidding?"
>You sat yourself down and sighed
>You've been at this for hours now
>Gradually becoming more comfortable with using the Princesses' bodies as playthings
>Not like they were using them anyhow
>And it was entertaining at first,
>But now boredom began to set in, and you realized how lonely you were
>And it wasn't like you could go out and fetch some help to babysit these helpless horses and human while you figured this spirit thing out
>Those vines were still quite agitated with you all being cooped up in their heart
>You wondered why
>You wanted to try and "meditate" on this,
>But even that route has proved to you many times already that this wouldn't be as fruitful to you as it has been to your sleeping friends
>Forcing you to just sit here and be alone with a bunch of bodies in a place nopony would even think to look for
"Isn't that right Twilight?"
>You grab the purple ponies head with some magic and have her nod a confirmation
>You roll your eyes as you drop her and hang your head in your arms
>Now what?
>"What is that thing?"
>You perk up as you heard a gruff voice
>A feminine, but steely voice replied
>"I'm not sure, but I'm certain it has something to do with the princesses!  Stay close and follow my lead!"
>"Yes, Captain!"
>Ooh!  Rescuers!
>You clasped your claws delightfully!
>But wait, you didn't recognize that new voice
>You heard the vines rustle violently around you as the ponies engaged the monster
>Metal clashed with stalk as by the sound of things, they actually put up quite the fight
>She didn't sound like one of Twilight's friends, as far as you could remember
>Though speaking of
>You turn and see the pile of bodies haphazardly strewn across the ground
>You better clean this up whoever your savior was, was actually good at her job!
>You grab Twilight and Iroh and lean them against each other like they were before
>Good two down already, no biggie
>My goodness, were they making a racket out there!
>You drag the lunar princess up onto her hindquarters and leaned her against the big stem thing that used to hold Fluttershy
>The yellow pony in question you daintily placed back in the now dry hollow in the vine that burst blister left behind, now that you were convinced it wouldn't swallow her up again
"Now for you, my Princess..."
>You paused when you heard the cacophony outside fall silent
>"I think that's the last of them... Let's cut this thing open and see what's inside, shall we?"
>Hooking your arms under hers, you desperately attempted to drag Celestia to the vine next to her sister, straining from the weight
"You know, Twilight keeps mentioning you need to drop the cake, and now I see why!"
>"Was that a voice?  Somepony's inside there!... Give me that sword, cadet!"
>You were almost at the point to plop the Princess on the vine before you were blinded by a sudden burst of light as the plant walls around you were torn asunder
>A tall, lean shadow blocked some of it, and it took a moment of blinking before you could adjust to the sharp change in lighting
>Your new visitor looked at the scene before her with confusion and shock
"Ah, well if it isn't the new Captain of the Guard."
>Luna leaned forwards and fell face-first into the dirt behind you
>"Discord."
>Tempest Shadow looked at you in a rather unamused, and rather disappointed glare, one scarred eyebrow raised
>Honestly, this new arrival was a bit of a downer to your celebrations
>After goody-four-shoes Shining Armor got dragged up North, the Royal Guard had been quite in a state of disarray as of late
>Easy pickings to mess with,
>Or simply to get to the Princesses without much issue
>But this new pony came in with a lot to prove, and she found your antics much less enjoyable than you thought they were
>So the Royal Guard has become quite air-tight as of late under her direction
"Now, this isn't what it looks like!"
>"So,"
>Tempest donned her 'intimidation' voice that Twilight's friends had told you quite a bit about
>"Would you mind telling me why, after searching these caves for hours, I come across a giant vine monster that has injured three of my soldiers, and I break it open to see the Princesses, Fluttershy, Twilight, and some... "
>She looked at Iroh inquisitively
>"Somebody... unconscious and being dragged around by you, as if you were going to dispose of them?"
>You rolled your eyes
"Well way to profile someone, officer.  Just because I may happen to be some "Spirit of Chaos", doesn't necessarily imply that I'm the automatic culprit in all this!"
>You raised your hands in defense, then folded them
>Even though that meant dropping the sun-sized fatso to the ground without a care
>Tempest didn't seem to like that as she pointed that broke weapon of a horn a tad closer
>Her face began to contort in frustration
>You try and wave it off with a smile
"In all honesty, Ms. Berrytwist,"
>You snorted at mentioning her bubbly real name
>Her eye twitched in response
"They did this to themselves.  They're off in some spiritual journey mumbo jumbo, and you have to count yourself lucky that I'm somehow not able to attend, so you have somepony around to explain all of this."
>Tempest glared at you silently for a few more seconds, before sighing, stepping through the hole she sliced
>"You know, Discord, I never liked you.  Not since we first met."
>Oh you distinctly remember that meeting
>She was much more timid and shy back then
>A little broken toy in the dollhouse that took a while to fit in
>And she was such a fun thing to embarrass on quite a number of occasions that made you happy she remembered them so fondly
>"And if I had the foresight to have saved one of the Storm King's petrifaction orbs for future use?"
>She stepped up to you and grabbed the fur of your breast with a swift and surprisingly strong hoof
>She lowered her voice as she went close to you, hatred dripping from her tongue
>"By now, I would have been stuffing one down your throat."
>You couldn't help but smugly grin back, poking her back in the chest
"But of course you can't do anything without Twilight and her friends to magic me away, let's not forget that."
>"Mmmmph!"
>She growled as she tossed you aside, turning away
"But even still, you forget that I'm a friend of theirs too.  And as you've probably heard, I wouldn't do ANYTHING to dear Fluttershy, and she's just as much in a sleepy state as the rest of them!"
>You sighed
"That's actually the reason we're here.  She got trapped in this other "Spirit World" dimension you can only somehow travel to by some mental spiritual mumbo-jumbo, and somehow this old man was able to lead the Princesses there to save her, and not me."
>"Well then you aren't a very good 'Spirit' are you, Discord?"
>Now that one hurt, Fizzlepop
>"Gather the Princesses and her unconscious companions.  Gently.  Take them back to the castle as discretely as possible and see if can figure out if they were cursed in some way."
>You moved to get yourself up, but Tempest was in front of you again
>By Luna's Glittery Tail she was quick
>"And you, are coming with me.  We need to have a little chat."
"You can interrogate me all you want madam, but I swear I am innocent of this crime!"
>You hold out your arms to her, already handcuffed
>She gave you that tired, unamused stare as she glanced at the overly loose cuffs
>"Well, I guess it's better you come willingly.  I'm not really in the mood to take you the hard way."
"Trust me, had I not been on a lovely vacation enjoying the beach, and had Fluttershy not told me explicitly to stay away from Canterlot for ANY reason because Twilight knew I was going to crash that Friendship Festival of hers, you'd know how 'hard' I can actually be in defense of my friends."
>Vacation...
>It reminded you of a few tangents in your head that connected to another and another...
>until...
"Wait a minute..."
>You tugged on your beard for a moment before a literal lightbulb illuminated the spot over your head
"AHA!  THATS IT!"
>The cuffs vanished off your arms as you leapt over Tempest
>"And where do you think you're going!?"
>You waved at her as you opened a door between worlds
"It was fun to have a nice chat and all, but I think I may have found a way to go and bring back those souls for you!  Have fun babysitting some bodies!"
>You cupped a claw over your mouth as you loudly whisper
"They're quite fun to play puppets with.  You should try it sometime."
>You slammed the door, and off you went to see if your gut was correct
>Or else there would be no more tea and cucumber sandwiches for him, no sir!

-------------

>You let out a gasp as beasts, glowing in hues of violet began to coalesce before you seemingly from wisps of shadow
>The creatures took different forms that seemed to barely hold together
>Some standing on four legs, others on two
>Glowing patterns of gold and red zig zagged across their bodies
>You lowered your horn and raised your wings instinctively, although it was a useless gesture
>"If you will not help me willingly, I will have to make you by force!"
>You stepped back as the unnatural creatures seemed to barely cling to reality, their edges blurring and their motions jerky
"You said I was the only face you've seen for thousands of years? What is this?"
>"The first NEW face.  There are spirits here still loyal to me, and they shall make you serve me."
"I will do no such thing!"
>"We will see."
>You turn on your hooves to make a quick escape, hoping your legs can carry you as effectively as wings
>There was only a blur as one of the creatures moved with otherworldly speed in front of you
>Your surprise gave way to the furrowed brow of focus as the spirit immediately reached forwards to attack you
>Diving to the side and rolling, you sully your white coat and mane with the dirt of this world as it shook from the impact of the spirit's attack
>That fist was much larger than it initially seemed
>You tried to pull yourself up as another spirit lunged over you
>You were barely able to duck beneath the falling claws grasping towards your wings
>You let out a shout in strain as you again, barely dodge the strike
>"You cannot escape."
>The spirit taunted from his prison
>"You will come to me, whether or not you will it."
>Another spirit approached, dead set on capturing you
>While you found yourself quickly surrounded
>You had wished that you would not need to resort to violence, but...
>As far as you knew, you were the only one free
>Who knows if Twilight and the others were in just as much of a pickle as you were
>Sometimes, drastic measures need to be taken, even for somepony as yourself
>You take a quick breath
>And pivot on a forehoof and lash out with one behind, with all the might and strength you could muster
>The impact wracked your entire body head to tail and jittered your teeth
>Ow...
>That wasn't something you were used to
>You tried to pull your rear leg back to the ground
>But you noticed it wasn't budging
>Oh no
>The spirit had coalesced itself around your limb, and you felt yourself be lifted off the ground effortlessly by the creature
>Flinging you over it's head as some toy doll
>And into the ground behind it
>It has been a long time since you have taken a blow that powerful
>And it surprised you how little it hurt
>Perhaps it was shock, but your mind was too dazed by the strike to tell
>You immediately felt sorry for Twilight, you had failed her once again
>You led yourself into this, it was your own fault
>And you had no more energy to get back up regardless
>You await the spirit to finish you off, or drag you to your new foe to be his tool of destruction
>You were comfortable with the thought that at least you could resist his tortures
>He couldn't force you to release him if you didn't know how
>However, you started coming to in but a moment
>Awareness of everything came back to you slowly
>Your body shocked you awake as a fresh wave of pain flowed through you like a violent solar flare
>And... There was something moving in front of you
>Instead of shadowy violets and blues, you saw...
>Bright golds and whites
>Like the mellow and pure light of a spring morning
>A deep ringing sound permeating the air around you
>You try and focus your eyes with a few blinks and lifted your head off the ground
>A figure, obscured by the light, stood before you
>On two legs, tall and broad
>Was it that human from before?
>A hand placed on the chest of one of the spirits, which now glowed in that same gold color you first saw
>And seemed far more relaxed
>The other spirits around you seemed to have gained that ethereal, peaceful light
>Finally, the man lowered his arm and bowed his rather rounded head
>A deep, raspy voice, wary of both age and the world bid them
>"Go in peace.  Be free, and no longer agents of the darkness."
>"You!"
>The dark sprit accused, quite angrily at the man, who responded just as calmly as before
>"You're not claiming another soul, today, Vaatu.  Not as long as I, nor my line hold breath."
>Slowly, the man turned around as the spirits began to wander off, away, dissolving into the distance rapidly like embers in a dying fire
>No longer blinded by light, you blinked as you adjusted
>The man was now walking towards you
>Caped in the many colors of the autumn leaves that flowed in the gentle breeze
>Reaching down with a curiously patterned hand, he offered it before you, as if waiting for you to grab it
>"Here, let me help you."
>Looking into his silver eyes beneath a similarly patterned head, you saw nothing but compassion and sorrow
>The kind only gained from a life full of trial and ordeal
>Tentatively you reach a hoof out and lay it on his outstretched appendage,
>In which he responded only by a smile, and a swift tug to your hooves
>"You will not defy me again, Avatar!  She is my property, like the rest of this and your worlds!  And the time shall come where I will be freed.  And on that day, you shall atone for disrupting MY order!"
>As you regain your footing, the man turned back to the tree
>"The time will come when we will face each other to end this, Vaatu.   But this day, you failed.  No innocent lives shall be lost to you as long as I have something to say about it."
>He turned back after a sigh and gave you a solemn smile
>"Come with me.  Let's get out of this place."
>You glance at the tree, and then slowly follow the tall man, still a slight bit dazed and confused but he seemed far less troublesome
>You walk in silence for a moment, still processing what had occurred
>Finally, you gained the courage to address your unusually dressed savior
"Thank you for rescuing me, sir.  May I ask, who are you?"
>You were only able to get out of your mouth,
>He certainly was not the human that travelled with you to this place
>As far as you could tell anyway
>The man responded with a small nod
>"The name's Aang.  Pleasure to meet you."

------------

>You knew not how long you slept
>But you did not care
>Nor did you want to move from your little hole
>Away from the world
>Away from the fire that awaited you outside
>Your entire body ached
>And you shivered from the cold
>However, at least you could not hear the roaring heat
>Or see that blinding light
>Or that shrill laughter
>Why, sister?
>Why would she betray you?
>What did she see that poisoned her mind so quickly?
>And why was she so powerful?
>You let out a couple more sobs and another shudder
>You, a Princess of Equestria, shamed to such a low standard so quickly
>Cowering beneath a tree in a far off land
>This was how it ended for you
>It felt appropriate
>Deep inside, you knew that you had lost all worth when you abandoned your own responsibility and attempted to claim another's
>And then you gain your biggest defeat when your sister does the exact same
>Only better
>Tis karma, really
>And despite forgiveness, the laws of justice must come due eventually
>And now you must sleep again
>Even if it meant never waking up
>It'd be better than facing her
>But just then, a sudden sound made your eyes snap open
>Crunching leaves
>Breaking twigs
>Your muscles began to tense
>No!
>She was coming!
>Perhaps if you stayed absolutely still, she would pass you by
>At least grant you this small mercy to die in peace!
>The sounds came slowly closer
>The trees around began to reflect a pale yellow light
>Unblinking, you stared from the shadows
>You held your breath, too injured to even prepare to fight
>Every step the invader took felt like another thousand years between them
>Even your heart, beating in desperation to try and escape your chest, felt so slow
>You have never experienced fear like this before
>Images of your life together with your sister flashed through your mind, as vivid as day
>The little pranks that you played
>The trick organ
>The loving embraces she gave when you were sad
>A shadow fell over you
>And you realized you had been found before you even noticed
>A single, sandaled foot slowly stepped before your nose
>The foot of an old man
>You slowly turned your gaze upwards
>And felt tears run down your face as the best feeling of relief you've ever known came over you
>Iroh slowly knelt down over you
>"Oh my, you seem hurt, little one.  What has happened to you?"
>You could not control yourself as you reached forth with a tired hoof and grabbed onto his robes
>Pulling your entire self up to bury your head in his shoulder
>You began sobbing again
"Oh thank the stars and all that is good!"
>Iroh grunted as he bore your weight
>"Well, I guess it was too soon to call you little one.  Heh...Why are you sad?"
>Your voice was slightly muffled by the cloth and your lumped throat
"You're the only friendly face I have seen in this accursed land since we've arrived!  Tell me!  Tell me you do not suffer the same curse!"
>"Curse?  What curse?"
>Iroh looked at you with visible worry
>You took a moment to calm yourself, your legs were still so weak and barely were able to bear your weight
>You sniffed to clear your running snout, you were such a mess
"My sister... Something came over her and she... She turned on me."
>You pause and turn your head when you thought you heard a sound
>Your ears twitched and strained, trying desperately to know if Daybreaker approaches
"We cannot stay here.  You've endangered yourself just by finding me.  Even now she's hunting me... She will burn this entire forest down to do so!"
>You tried to move, but you found Iroh's grip to be impressively strong, keeping you in place
>"Now now, Luna, there is no need to fear, and no need to flee.  You are hurt, and you cannot go out alone."
>His eyes burned in wisdom and intent, giving you confidence in his words
>"You will be safe here with me."
>The edges of your mind still tugged you towards the pits of panic and fear, but just the gaze and the firm hold helped you regain at least a bit of your senses
>Your blinked away another wave of tears and slowly nodded
>"Now, let us sit, and we can talk about this in detail.  There is no need to hurry, especially in this place."
>He reached back behind him
>"And besides."
>He gave you a wide grin as he produced a small satchel
>"I was able to find some tea!"
>You looked at the bag, and at him
>Here you were, cowering for your life, and this man, still barely knowing you
>Offers to simply sit down with you and share some tea to calm you, with no regard for the looming danger
>Daybreaker may still be about,
>And she may find you
>But finally you felt a smile start to return to you
>Letting yourself sit back down, relieving your limbs of duty, you sighed
"I'd... I'd enjoy some."
>"Good, good."
>Iroh also happened to have a primitive kettle and teacups at the ready
>As he sparked together a couple rocks, you tried to shuffle yourself against a pile of leaves and dirt
>Something more comfortable than the bare bark of the tree
>You winced as your wing protested in pain
>As a fire began to spring to life, you wondered why he resorted to such methods
>Were his magical abilities with fire lost as well?
>Iroh sat himself down across from you, tending to the fire nonchalantly
>"So tell me, what is this curse?  And how has it affected your sister?"
>You look off to the side, mournfully
"She has let her own power take control of her... She is no longer that gentle, quiet ruler you saw before, but now a beast of doom.  Her body is wreathed in the hottest flames from the belly of the sun;  She revels in control, in destruction, and in tyrany.  She won't rest until she sees me burn and the sun forever stays in the sky!"
>Iroh slowly raised an eyebrow as you tried to control your breathing again
>Those candle-lit eyes burned in your mind like a fresh branding
"I thought we had no magic in this place.  I cannot fly nor use my horn like in Equestria, but she said she learned something that must have given her powers back.  Whatever price she paid, whatever she learned, something put her over that edge."
>Iroh began to look away, so you reached a hoof out to him, desperation in your voice
"This isn't her!  My sister would NEVER do this against me!  Not now... Not after we were becoming so close."
>You felt another pang of anguish in your heart as Iroh's calm demeanor seemed to falter for but a moment
>"Then we will need to talk to her, won't we?"
"T- Talk!?"
>Iroh nodded as he began portioning out tea leaves
>"Many things we are afraid of we need to confront one day.  It is better to do it soon, because if those fears fester in your heart, they set and harden.  Becoming far more difficult to conquer on your own."
>You felt your jaw slacken as you started with utmost confusion and astonishment at the man
>You shook your head
"She can burn this very forest to the ground!  She melted the very mountain top I met her!  She almost... she... "
>You trailed off as you rubbed your broken wing
"H-how are you thinking she can simply be negotiated with?!"
>There was a suspicious twinkle in Iroh's eyes as he began pouring the boiling water
>"Because I know she will listen.  As you listen to me now."
>Your jaw tensed up as he offered you a fresh cup of tea
>"Now please, drink, Princess.  You will feel all the better after this."
>He winked
"I promise you.  This is one of my favorite blends."

-----------

>You trotted merrily through dense foliage as your guides led you deeper into this extradimensional jungle
>Glowing plants and fungi with exaggerated features lit the dark crevices of every tree and stone
>Giving you confidence that the way before you would be illuminated even in the darkest of nights
>And it was all so fascinating!
>Oh you wish you had a scroll with you to document this!
>Or Spike...
>He would probably enjoy some of this nature
>He may have had problems back there with the creepy spirit owl
>But that's what you were there for
>The three silvery foxes, their mute silver standing out against the vibrant greens and earthy browns, stopped for a moment and looked around
>Sniffing the air
>Perhaps for a threat?  Finding their way?
"What is it?  Did you guys find something?"
>It felt a bit pointless to ask,"
>You don't know if they understood you like they would to a pony like Fluttershy
>If they would understand her at all
>But they did look at you for a moment, seemingly understanding
>And then continued on in a slightly different direction
>As you followed, you tried to peer through the canopy above to see if you could perceive the location of a sun
>The sky was lit in an emerald green glow, as if it was day, but there was little in terms of direct shadow that would betray a point-source of light
>Everything just seemed to be illuminated by everything
>And that irritated you
>You had no concept of night or day, or time
>What you would give to at least have something to base how long you were walking on
>The foxes led you up a small group of boulders, a quaint little waterfall bubbling around a tree's massive, exposed roots off to the side
>You stumbled a bit, hopping boulder to boulder, but you were able to keep up barely
"Ugh, for once I'm wishing I had wings again."
>You looked at the now useless feathery appendages hanging off your sides
>They were now more of a burden than before, weighing you down and making your walk a tad clumsier
>But however, you found you could spread them to balance over narrow passages, such as when slack lining a thick vine however far back
>You guessed it wasn't too much of a drawback then
>But it made you worry about the Princesses and their safety here in this world
>Hopefully they were having a much better time than you were
>The foxes whined as you approached the top of the small precipice, looking ahead with anxiety
"What is it, boy?  You found something?"
>You climbed over the edge and galloped over to the side of your small guides
>The rainforest around you suddenly ended a few feet in front of you, leading down into what you could only describe as the peaks of a mountain range
>Pillars of stone peaked over an ocean of fog for hundreds of feet, dotted sparsely by spare trees
>Like some twisted islands in some ethereal ocean
>A long string of rocky platforms led from where you were standing, like a winding path that led past where you could see
>You looked to the foxes for confirmation, who pointed their noses down the path
"You want me to go... there?"
>The foxes then slowly backed away
"W- wait!  Where are you going!?"
>Before you could turn around, the small spirits bolted away down the way you came
"You haven't shown me to Fluttershy yet!"
>You sighed
>"Ohh... Of course that owl's servants would just abandon me like that."
>Looking down the path they pointed you to, though
>You noticed it did lead somewhere
"Or did they just not want to go down this road?  Why?"
>"Really, you don't know?"
>You screamed at the new voice, almost falling over yourself
"Who's there?!"
>"Geez lady, calm down!"
>Looking around frantically, you couldn't find anything hiding amongst the trunks of the trees
>"Ugh, I'm up here, you idiot."
>You slowly raised your head to look towards the canopy
>Among the branches lay what seemed to be a Lemur of some sort
>Except much more massive
>His legs and arms lanky and built to stand upright, much like that Capper cat you had met recently
"Oh... Sorry, you startled me."
>The lemur looked irritated
>"And you startled ME you purple horn blower!  I was enjoying a quite lovely nap up here, but you came along and interrupted it, thank you very much!"
>You gave him a slight scowl in return
" Well I don't really like your tone, mister."
>He shrugged
>"Eh, fine by me.  You smelled of human, so I was going to warn you about the Face Stealing Spirit up ahead, but I can see you are in no mood to be bothered."
"Fin- Wait, Face Stealer!?"
>"Just saying."
>You stepped up to be more below him as he folded his arms and rolled away from you
"Um, I would actually like to know about that spirit, um... please?"
>He responded back in an arrogant tone,
>"Not until you apologize!"
"Apologize?"
>He turned his head so he could look at you
>"For being a stinky, purple loudmouth that likes interrupting innocent spirits that are sleeping!"
"I... Wha?"
>You look at the creature in disbelief
>"I'm waiting."
>You look down at pout
>It was a tad hurtful to your own pride to let such a strange thing best you
>But you really didn't have much choice in the matter, did you?
"I'mrrstinkerpurplludmthblah blah blah..."
>You grumbled as he raised a hand to his oversized ear
>"I'm sorry, I didn't hear that."
>You shut your eyes
"I'm a stinky purple loudmouth that likes waking up spirits from naps..."
>"Louder please, I haven't been able to hear well in the past few thousand years."
>You bared your teeth at him in a snarl at his smugness
"I said I'm a stinky purple loudmouth that likes waking up spirits from their oh so wonderful naps!"
>"Thaaats more like it!"
>The lemur grinned ear to ear as he hopped out of his little hammock in the branches and landed deftly before you
>"See?  Isn't that better?"
>You rolled your eyes
>At least the owl wasn't this annoying
"Now will you tell me what this Face Stealer is?"
>"Oh I will.  But first, my agitated violet one, where do you think you're going if you're heading to that place of all places?!"
>He pointed accusingly down the path, boding it's ill fate
"I... I'm looking for a friend.  I'm not from here and-"
>"So you ARE from somewhere else."
>He scratched his chin amusingly
>"I could smell you weren't a spirit.  Stinky, like a human, but at least it's somewhat more pleasant.  Not that I don't like humans like I used to, but I could never get over that scent."
>You shook your head
>"I'm looking for someone that looks like me.  Except she's yellow, and has longer pink hair.  Wan Shi Tong's foxes pointed me in this direction and-"
>"Wan Shi Tong?  That old hoot would say anything to keep grubby mortal hand- uh, hooves, away from his books.  But that doesn't sound good if his foxes pointed you to this neck of the woods."
"That's what I want to know.  What is down there?"
>The lemur's visage gained a somber tone
>"A spirit even more ancient than I am.  His name is Koh.  I haven't seen him myself, but he will steal the face of anyone who goes and sees him...  Except!"
>He raised a finger to punctuate
>"If you show no emotion, he cannot steal it.  And I can see why many don't come back when I talked with the few people who survived.  He sounds absolutely disgusting!"
>You look down in doubt and somewhat horrified
"How... How can something steal a face?!"
>The lemur shrugged again
>"You're telling me!  As you can see I haven't had the guts to go down there and see it myself, but after seeing what I've seen, you don't question it.  I'm too old for adventures anyways."
>You look down the path again, now realizing why it seemed so ominous before
"And what happens if she went down here and got her face stolen?  Is there anything I can do?
>The lemur responded in turn while moving to sit down at the base of a tree
>"As far as I know, he's never given back a face he's taken.  Not even the Avatar could wrestle it out of him.  But Koh is a very intelligent... thing.  He'll listen and answer your questions as long as you keep them as straight as your dumbfounded expression."
>Your heart began to race slightly as you imagined Fluttershy possibly going down this path unaware
>You couldn't abandon her now
>Not after risking so much for her already
>And besides,
>She'd do the same for you
>You nodded to the lemur politely
"Thank you, mister.  I'll take that advice to heart."
>You began hopping down the stone steps leading into the misty realm below
>The lemur shouted after you when he realized what you were doing
>"You're just as crazy as the rest of them!  But good luck you smelly thing!"
>You barely heard him huff as he walked away
>"I miss Wan..."

-------------------------

>You don't know how you got up here
>You stood atop a great peak, overlooking a twisted landscape that was more alien than anything you've ever seen
>Some overgrown with life, others barren as the moon
>Trees that mimicked plants of water, and inorganic stones that mimicked the fractaline patterns of life
>Clouds whirled above in abstract forms and abandon
>And the sunless sky glowed in ethereal colors you never could imagine a sky could possess
>You only remember taking Aang's offered hand in hoof
>And immediately after the world seemed to zip past you, even though you were standing still
>And you found yourself in this place literally seconds later
"Where are we?"
>Aang rested himself on a small boulder as you turned to him
>"A place that is safe from unwanted eyes.  The Spirit World is filled with many spirits, and their intents may vary, as you've seen."
"You're the first friendly face I have seen in this place, so far."
>You bowed your head slightly
"Even then, I have nothing to prove to me you aren't a friend."
>Aang gained a slight, understanding smile
>"You are very wise, and rightfully so.  But it's always best to give strangers a chance."
>Aang looked over his shoulder towards where you came from, only a  hint of the twisting mountain range could be seen in the horizon
>"Vaatu.  He is a very ancient spirit.  Older than all of history.  Even trapped, he still is very dangerous."
>He turned back to you
>"You're lucky I found you as soon as I did."
>You broke eye contact, slightly shamed at your loss
"He was to try and use me as a tool to escape his prison.  Though I do not know how successful he would be."
>"And it's best for both of us we will never find out.  But that is behind us now.  We are safe from him here."
>Aang's posture relaxed slightly, crossing his legs and resting his hands in his lap
>"Now may I ask, what were you doing so close to the Spirit Portals?  Usually spirits never wander that close to them unless they serve Vaatu."
"I...  Don't know how I got there.  But I'm sorry to say, I am no spirit."
>Aang's face changed to mild shock
"Not a spirit?  But... Hmm, that might explain why Vaatu wanted you."
>He scratched his beard, the one thing that betrayed his age despite his youthful face and demeanor
>"But I've never seen something like you before.  You aren't human, so what are you then?"
>You found yourself sitting down across from him finally as you felt yourself relaxed
>You felt he was friendly enough to open more
"I... am Princess Celestia.  I come from another world to this one, Equestria, which I rule over with my sister, Luna."
>Aang bowed his head respectfully almost immediately as a polite gesture
>"My apologies then, Princess...  I didn't realize I was in the presence of royalty."
>He forced a small smile from his flattery
>"I take it then that you don't know where we are?"
>Your silence confirmed his question to which he nodded
>"You are in the Spirit World.  An ethereal realm that is energetically connected to my own.  And I guess you could say I'm also one of it's important figureheads;  I'm the Avatar.  The bridge between this world and mine, but I don't necessarily rule any nation or people.  Merely my task is to restore balance."
>You cocked your head looking the young man over
"So I assume you are immortal then?  Vaatu seemed to recognize you as if you were the one who imprisoned him."
>Aang smiled, shaking his head
>"No, I'm mortal like the rest of my people.  But the Avatar line transcends every generation, and one of my past lives, Wan, was the person who not only imprisoned Vaatu, but separated both the world of Men from the world of Spirits."
>He repositioned his posture, arms falling to his sides as he closed his eyes and took a meditative breath
>His arrow-style tattoos around his body began to glow
>And a pattern, mirroring that of the designs on Vaatu, appeared across his torso
>You let out a small gasp
>"So you are that Raava he spoke of.  His counterpart."
>The glowing subsided
>"Vaatu is the spirit that represents Darkness and Destruction.  Raava is the spirit of Order and Light.  And she dwells within me."
>You chuckled at the familiarity
"I understand you then.  I know what it means to be tasked with upholding order and harmony.  It was my purpose, for a time."
>Your voice slowly faded to solemnity as memories marched through your mind again, that image of her vanishing a scar etched within the deepest and most familiar recesses of your mind
"What I learned then and know now is that the sacrifices of preserving balance can be a greater weight than all the world."
>The smile on Aang's face slowly vanished again, his eyes reflecting he was deep in his own thoughts and memories
>But before he could speak, you played him off with a smile
"But I digress.  You're probably wondering how somepony like me is in this place, aren't you?"
>Aang seemed to snap out of it
>"Why, yes... That was going to be my next question."
>You sighed
>"One of my ponies, one who I and many others hold dear, had her soul kidnapped and taken here, to this place.  Me, my sister, and two others came looking for her, but we got separated somehow crossing over."
>Aang looked worried,
>"That is terrible.  I'm sorry you've had to go through this.  Pardon me asking, but how did you get here, specifically?"
"A form of meditation."
>Aang looked even more worried, which began to seed within your own heart as well
>"And how long have you been here?"
"At this point, I am unsure.  It could have been hours.  There is no day or night to guide my way."
>Aang looked at you with a terribly serious glare of concern
>"It's just what I feared then... Celestia, as much as it pains me to ask you to betray a lost friend, I request that you need to leave this place as soon as you can."
>You were taken aback by his sudden bluntness, raising a hoof in front of you by instinct
"E-excuse me?"
>His tone remained even and burdened with urgency as he continued,
>"The Spirit World is a dangerous place to traverse, as you are now nothing but a soul separated from your body.  If you or your friends remain here for too long, you all may become trapped here, never to return."
>You felt yourself stiffen up as a cold wave of reality sparked beneath your skin like lightning
>You were just a spirit?
>Suppose it is why this realm is called the Spirit World...
>You felt a pit in your stomach
>Not for you
>But your friends
>Also unaware of this danger, and possibly alone themselves, wandering into unknown dangers
>But did Iroh know as well?
>He never warned you of this
>But he also didn't warn of the sudden separation
>Were you foolish to let Discord persuade you to trusting him so quickly?
>You barely knew the man either
>Did Aang know?
>As if sensing the question, Aang continued
>"Who taught you how to come here, may I ask?"
>You perked up, snapping out of your worried thoughts
>But you hesitated, slightly
>Fearful of what Aang's relationship to the man may be
"...Someone like yourself.  He came from your world to ours by accident.  His name was Iroh."
>Aang's jaw fell open slightly as he raised his eyebrows in alarm
>"You found Iroh?  He's here?"
>He said breathlessly
"Yes... Is he someone you know?"
>Aang nodded, regaining a slight smirk
>"Know him?  I'm here searching for him."
>You raised your eyebrows in turn
>"I thought he might have been trapped here himself, but you say he made it to your world?"
>You nodded
"However, I am not sure how.  I barely even met him before he led us here to rescue our friend."
>Aang then brushed his flowing robes off as he stood
>"Well then.  It seems our paths have fortunately aligned, and through my help, we may be able to accomplish both of our tasks before time runs out."
>He offered you his hand again
>"And besides, you've given me an idea of where we may be able to at least find at least one of your friends."

--------------------

>You looked down into the steaming russet brown fluid
>You were not much a fan of tea, yourself
>It only reminded you of the days courting with the first founders of Equestria
>And the astringent, bitter cup of Princess Platinum's personal recipe wasn't something you really enjoyed partaking of
>Much like her personality, to be quite honest
>Such simpler times
>But Iroh is someone you did not want to offend
>Not now
>Not wanting to risk losing your only friend for whoever knows how far
>You bit the inside of your cheek as you down the concoction as quickly as possible
>And in just a few seconds, ou put down your empty teacup
>That was...
>Actually very much needed
>Granted, you may have burned yourself slightly from drinking too fast
>And the stinging on your tongue dulled the complex flavors of the drink that you were barely able to pick out
>But the warmth that almost immediately radiated from within your stomach seemed to mend your fraying mind for now
>And the mulled flavors that reminded you of some of your favorite flowers, and the crisp aftertaste of mint accumulating in the back of your throat were helping you slowly, but surely regain your ability to think clearly
>The worries and fears that nibbled on the corners of your mind seemed to ebb away
>replaced by a calm alertness that kicked you for panicking and abandoning your reason to your lowest instincts
>Iroh seemed to notice your relief
>"Feel better?"
"M-  Mhmm..."
>You slowly replied as you nodded
>"Good.  Good.  Nothing like a simple and soothing cup of tea to clear the mind."
>He looked around you suspiciously, and then seemed to breathe a sigh of relief himself, which you found odd
>But you did not question it as you continued in silence
>After a moment of some much sought peace, you felt the memories of what had recently transpired play before your very eyes
>Instead of being visions of fear and doom, however, you reviewed them with great mourning sorrow
>You laid your weary head on the ground, letting your mind swim in the thoughts
>How could she?
>Your sister, to betray you so easily
>There were no signs of her disdain
>No clues to her simmering anger and wrath
>Or were there?
>Is this how Celestia felt?
>To have not noticed the suffering of a sibling in terrible need?
>She said she had suffered terribly when you were away
>But you understand now
>Because now you were definitely the lesser, this being a punishment of your own iniquity
>Your eyes closed as you tried to fight back tears
"Celestia... My sister, my dear beloved sister... I am so sorry."
>The words hurt as they passed the lump in your throat
>After a moment of sniffing back the sobs, you jolted as you felt something touch you
>You looked up to see Iroh looking down over you with an understanding smile
>His hand gently petting down your soiled mane atop your head
>The comforting presence brought even more warmth to your heart than even the tea
>And you flashed him a smile in return
>"Loss is but a part of life."
>He whispered, as though they bore the weight of his own memories of a past long gone
>"And it is our duty to honor them, by carrying on, and preserving that which they stood for.  And to pass the love that they gave you... to others."
>You looked down as the words rang in your ears like the somber toll of a bell
>The honesty of them as hammer blows to your very soul
"That's what she would have told me."
>And edging on your mind, opposite of those fears and worries
>Came another thought
>The truth that you questioned your ability to accept and confront
>But you knew you would eternally suffer for it should you refuse
>You took a breath
"No."
>If she bore this burden,
>Than with Equestria as your witness,
>You would bear it as well
>Iroh moved his hand away as you tried to move your hooves beneath you
"I will not stand by..."
>You grunted as your legs were forced to work for you once more
>Your eyes focused ahead as determination filled your being
"And let the name of the Royal Sisters be so easily besmirched.  I understand now, my sister."
>Tears welled up from both the torrent of emotions within you, and the pain of your broken body pleading for you to cease
>But you would not let it's cries reach your ears
>Not until you accomplish what you were setting out
"I understand why you carried on.  Why you fought for our land in both our names.  Why... You tried to save me still in the end."
>You took a shaky step forwards and turned to Iroh who was gaining an encouraging grin
"It is time I repaid the favor.  I must confront my sister."
>"Now that is what I was hoping to hear."
>Iroh gathered the rest of the tea supplies and kicked out the fire before accompanying your side
>He let you lean on him for support as you both slowly, but surely you began your painful walk among the forest
>You didn't care if Daybreaker would incinerate you
>You didn't care if Twilight and Fluttershy were lost in his realm forever
>You didn't even care for Equestria
>For as of now, Celestia's welfare was on your mind
>You knew what power she possessed, and she would not stop until everything bowed to her, or was burned to ash
>And if you could not bring her to heel
>Than the lives of everypony, and everything you know and love may be considered forfeit
>And as you stumbled onwards, carried on by your companion
>You noticed that despite everything,
>That acceptance calmed you
"Should anything... Happen to me."
>Iroh turned his head to hear you
"Please, don't needlessly harm yourself to save me.  Enough pain has been caused in my account."
>Iroh smiled
>"This is a task that you must face yourself.   But that does not mean we cannot enjoy each other's company until that moment."
>You put your head against his side, feeling weak
"Indeed.  But may I ask, Iroh..."
>"Hmm?"
"You seem awfully calm, despite my warnings and fears.  We walk to our doom with reckless abandon and yet you smile as if we are strolling through a park on a summers eve."
>Iroh responded with a chuckle
>"You know, you are very poetic, even in strife.  But in the face of the greatest of terrors, if even one man is strong and decides to hope instead of give into fear, than others may find it easier to follow."
"Then... Thank you, Iroh.  You are a good friend."
>He responded with a silent nod before you looked ahead
>You walked for a few minutes more, letting the pats of your desynced steps be the calm rhythm that you both followed
>Perhaps like as a dance, of friends spending their last few minutes together
>And you wished you could extend it to a thousand years more
>But soon enough, even that timeless thing came to a sobering end
>The woods were beginning to clear up, and the pungent sting of smoke filled your nostrils
"She's close..."
>You pushed yourself off Iroh and clumsily forced yourself onto your four hooves
"You need not be beside me past this point.  I can go from here."
>Iroh gave you an understanding look and stepped back to let you continue ahead
>You did not expect to see his face again
>And in your heart, you felt so grateful that he helped you here
>Turning your head forwards, the woods ahead concealed an angry orange glow in the distance
>The white flakes of ash began to fall, as silently as snow
>And the waves of heat flowed over your skin
>You took a step
>Then another
>And into the furnace you slowly marched
>To your doom

---------------------

>You were starting to get tired as you hopped from stone pillar to stone pillar
>This was more difficult than you thought it'd be
>Some of the gaps were rather large
>And it took some chanting of Pinkie's infamous "Hop, Skip, And Jump" song to push you to leap the gaps
>How appropriate you sang that to yourself to save the pony it was intended for
>It's cheery melody brought some warmth to your heart in this rather imposing place
>The alien landscape, while exaggerated, seemed to go on endlessly before you
>The bare rock and sparse trees pushing over the sea of mist below you was like some image from a dream
>You let out a slight gasp as a hoof slipped jumping between two steps, causing a few pebbles to tumble into the nothing below
>You wondered how far of a drop that was
>You silently cursed your lack of flight
>That was one avenue of curiosity that would remain undiscovered, to your disdain
>But there were things you sort of wished you weren't going to discover that lay before you
>But for the sake of your friends, you had to face it nonetheless
>You followed the path, hop by skip by jump, around a curve and another mountain
>Then you saw it
>Your ears reared back in instinctual caution as before you lay a massive, dead tree that stood atop a small rocky mound
>The roots of the tree opened up into a cave that led deep down into the foreboding unknown
>Except you did know what lay inside there
>A spirit that steals your face
>How preposterous of a claim
>But in a world of talking owls, bipedal lemurs, and upside down libraries in the jungle
>You did not want to try to take a gamble here
>You cautiously and slowly made your way towards the opening
>Freezing in terror as something moved at the edge of your vision
>Your eyes darted to the source,
>And you about collapsed when only found a hummingbird
"Oh... Whew.  Just a... a..."
>A hummingbird that had no beak.
>Or eyes
>Flying in circles because it had no more senses
>A bead of sweat found its way down your muzzle as you realized the danger of your situation
>Was this really worth it Twilight?
>You thought of Fluttershy
>What if she did have her face stolen?
>What if he steals yours?!
>You stop yourself
>Calm down, Twilight
>You took some of Cadance's breathing exercises to slow your racing heart
"No.  I must clear my mind."
>You took another breath, and let the muscles of your face relax
>You looked on, replacing the dark thoughts in your head with the peaceful pastures of Equestria
>Picnics with your friends
>The happy memories of being with them through thick and thin
>They will cheer you on, even a world apart
"No emotion.  No fear.  I can do this."
>You carefully trod ahead and onto the final platform
>The rock gave way to a sandy texture as it descended deeper into the pit beneath its woody enclosure
>You allow yourself one last gulp before locking your face in place, hoping to Celestia - wherever she was - that it'd hold
>Continuing through into the dark depths of the cave, you cautiously looked around
>The light dimmed considerably quickly, no natural lighting other than what filtered in through the tiny gaps between the roots and the surface
>The knarled roots of the tree above clung to the walls, but some bulbous branches hung at awkward angles, giving the sides of the cave too much of an organic feel
>As if anything in here could reach and snatch you up in an instant
>But you did not let that concern bury itself too deep in your mind as you stared ahead
>Was that something shifting?
>Don't let it bother you
>But something did move!
>You are safe as long as you don't react
>It was above you, Twilight!
>You take a breath and slowly look up
>And you could swear your heart skipped a beat as you strained to keep your face from even twitching
>As a face, much like the individual Fluttershy brought with her, was mere inches away from yours
>Except bereft of all hair, and exaggerated colored skin
>Pale as the moon, darkened eyes, and lips as red as blood
>But you couldn't see what it was attatched to, just a bulky mass filled the rest of your vision
>Your jaw clenched as much as you dared as the face smiled
>"Well hello there.  I did not expect a visitor."
>It took a moment for you to even collect your thoughts enough to speak
"Hello..."
>Koh's face moved to the side, revealing his full body
>You had to clench your stomach to avoid yourself wretching at the sight
>The face was the head of what appeared to be a massive arthropod of sorts
>Somewhat like a centipede, but with a bulkier torso
>You hoped dearly he didn't seem to notice your jaw quiver slightly at the sight
>He didn't seem to notice it
>"My, it seems I've found yet another new face for my collection.  You certainly are a unique one."
>The ancient spirit chuckled
>With stunning speed, the massive creature then whirled and darted in front of you
>His face now bearing the image of a blue-skinned, red eyed, and saber-toothed caricature of what he was, again almost directly pressing it against your snout
>But he was able to stop suddenly only an inch away
>You did not show it, but you seriously wanted to scream
>"So... What brings someone such as you to my humble abode?"
>Your jaw was cramping from how hardly set it was, that it took effort to open it
"I'm here... looking for a friend.  She may have passed by here."
>Koh tilted his... head, and smirked
>"You know, I do believe I saw a face something like yours.  Was it..."
>The carapace around the face closed like an eyelid, alongside an equally disgusting sound
>"This one?"
>The carapace opened up to reveal a face
>That made your stomach sink lower than you thought it could
>You almost lost it
>Because before you
>Was Fluttershy's face
>Framed by her long pink mane
>Smirking at you in a calm yet horrifying smugness
>Despite it being your friend's face
>You could immediately tell her eyes were not her own
>That calm gentle kindness did not radiate from them
>And that was the one thing that you could hold on that prevented you from letting that scream building up within you from escaping
>Not. Even. A. Whimper.
>Because you knew that would only land your face joining hers
"Y- Yes."
>Was all you were able to mutter.
>Fortunately, he didn't seem to count vocal emotion by his laughter
>"It seems that troubles you.  It's unfortunate to see someone you love ripped away.  I bear the scars as punishment for doing it before."
>Koh made Fluttershy's face roll her eyes
>You felt a pang of anger for making it do something so unlike her
>"But it is the way of life, is it not?  Those who are not careful will find themselves prey of those greater."
>You were almost shaking
>By sorrow or anger, you couldn't tell
>But it was getting quite hard for you to not begin to shed tears
>You felt your ear twitch involuntarily,
>Koh seemed to take notice, but thankfully didn't pursue it
"Is... Is there any way for me to get her face back, Mr. Koh?"
>Koh laughed again, this time, less sinisterly
>"Mr. Koh.'  I have not ever encountered a name like that.  But I digress... No.  An item of my collection is not something I merely give away."
>You didn't think he would
>But you still had to try,
>There had to be some way
"Please.  Is there any way, anything I can do that would persuade you otherwise?"
>"And may I ask what you imply?"
"A... Trade?"
>You gulped silently
>"A trade?"
>Why did you say that
>Oh sweet Celestia why did you say that?!
>He turned away, silently thinking
>You ground your teeth together
>Your heart was leaping out of your chest
>Your throat felt so knotted you could barely breathe
>Your legs were made of jelly, and your stomach of lead
>This was wracking every nerve that was telling you to move, to do SOMETHING
>You couldn't help but make a gasping sniff as the emotions began to get to you
>No!  Nonononononononon!
>You relaxed your face and set your jaw again
>This time clenching every muscle in your body
>Because all of a sudden there was a humming bird's beak, sharp as a needle, but as large as a sword, almost touching your wide open eye
>Koh studied you for what could have been forever, by how long it seemed
>Black, souless eyes of something more ancient than you stared deep into your soul
>This was it, you resigned
>This was where he would steal both your faces for all eternity
>And you wouldn't be able to see your friends ever again
>You gently closed your eyes
>"A trade... I can accept a trade."
>You open your eyes again, noticing his face was back to its original state
"Really?"
>You tried to conceal your emotion
>"If you are willing, I would require something very unique.  Something only you could give."
"Name it.  And I'll... I'll bring it to you."
>You gulped at the implications
>He smiled in a terrifying grin
>"Your face."
>You were afraid he'd say that.
>You had to think quickly, he seemed like he was ready to come and rip it off right there
"And how will I know you will honor the deal?"
>"Bring your friend's body back, and I will honor it."
>You choked slightly as you realized that Fluttershy's faceless body may be wandering around helplessly
>Or even worse, fallen into whatever was below those clouds
>This was worse than you ever imagined!
>"Oh, do not be so sad, my friend.  She is quite alright."
>How could he tell you were sad?
>Oh no.
>OH NO!
>You made a face!
>You showed you were worried
>You braced yourself to have your head mutilated!
>But... Why wasn't he going at you?
>He was actually slithering backwards, away from you, not even looking at you in careless abandon
>"And you no longer have to worry about concealing your emotions.  You've already surrendered your face to me."
>His face switched to that of a person who had a beard much like Fluttershy's friend
>"I am a fair spirit, and as such, I will grant you this freedom.  Use what emotions you have... While you still can."
>You felt yourself heave as tears began to well up, repressed emotions exploding out
>"Let it all out.  In all these years, I miss seeing the pain.  The fear.  The hatred.  All so... mmm, vivid emotions to see."
>Koh's voice was deceptively calm and even, smooth and cold like ice
>And it sickened you
>Finally, you were able to glare at him with all the sorrow and rage you felt
>If only you had magic...
>But Koh continued regardless of your wordless threats, seemingly unaffected by the pain he's caused you
>"Your friend is not in danger, but in the care of one of my friends.  In the canyon to the north, you will find a fog.  The Fog of Lost Souls.  You will find your friend in there."
>He slowly crawled up to you, regaining Fluttershy's stolen features
>"If you are able to bring her body back, I will restore your friend's face.  But if the fog claims you, then you will be it's prize, and your friend will be mine."
>You took a few steps back, quivering in fear
>"I bid you the best of luck.  I await your return."
>You were already galloping as fast as you could out of there as he crawled into the crevices of the ceiling
>You made it out of the tree in record time, and collapsed under the weight of your own stress
>What the hay were you doing, Twilight?
>Surrendering yourself like that?!
>Did you just make a deal that you knew you shouldn't make?!
>Stop crying and think, darn it!
>You couldn't
>You just could only think of your friend being lost forever if you failed
>Of your other friend's faces when they realized you both could be gone forever
>It was something you never wanted to happen
>But somehow you just agreed to it!
>What would Celestia think of you now?!

-------------------------

>You had taken Aang's hand again, and you found yourself on the precipice of another mountain range
>But unlike the sharp razor peaks of the Spirit Portals,
>These mountains took on an unnatural shape
>Curling over themselves, like the claws of a great beast
>And in the midst of them, in a deep canyon carved into the very earth
>Was a mist that seemed out of place
>You then noticed the claw-like mountains were pointed inwards towards the feature
>Were they there then to hold it?
>Or contain it?
>You finally nodded to it to ask
"What's in there?"
>Aang seemed to make a troubled sigh
>He bore an unfortunate gaunt of sorrow as he gaze upon this place
>He must have had history here
>"This is the Fog of Lost Souls."
>He paused as he took a breath
>"Spirits will take mortal outsiders to this place if they are disturbed, they use it as a prison of sorts.  Perhaps your friend may be here."
>You stepped forwards, looking over the cliff that led into the deep mist below
>But you noticed the slopes to the side were gentle enough to climb with ease
"How can a mist be a prison?  There are no walls or guards that I can see."
>Without a skipped beat, Aang continued
>"This mist is a sentient being, and it uses your own worst fears against you.  If you succumb to it, you will be trapped in an eternal nightmare of your own making."
>You felt a chill raise up your spine as you took a step back
>"Your mind becomes it's own prison."
>That indeed was worse than walls
"And we're to simply walk in and find her?"
>"If you desire it enough, then yes.  That is what you must do."
>You looked down, noting the deafening silence when neither were talking
>You hated silence
>You made a deep breath, and then steeled yourself
>Ponies counted on you
>You, Celestia
>And even though you were unused to adventures, you knew you had the ability to tackle this task
"I've conquered my fears once.  And I can do so again."
>Aang nodded.
>"I will wait for you here then."
>You straightened up in surprise
"Wait, you won't come with me?"
>Aang shook his head
>You look at him in confusion and he gave you an awkward smile, his voice actually losing some seriousness
>"It's really confusing, I know.  But if I went in, it would not let you find who you sought.  Only those who were seeking us both may appear, and I know from experience, Iroh is not in that fog."
>He scratched the back of his bald head
>"And it's probably angry at me because the mist no longer has an effect on me.  Not after completing my Avatar training."
>He relaxed and gave you a confident smile
>"But I have faith in you.  Focus on who you are, who you're seeking, and why you are here, and you will be fine."
"Who I am... Who I am seeking... Why am I here."
>You echoed back, in deep thought to dissect every question and find the core of every answer you could say
>You turn back towards the mist
>Now much more foreboding than it was before
>Instead of peaceful clouds
>You saw illusion, deception, and blindness
>You took a few breaths, noticing the sky
>Tinged with reds and violets, like a late sunset
>Though there was no source of the light, it comforted you
>You rehearsed your new mantra within your mind
>You are Celestia
>Princess of Equestria
>You were here to save Fluttershy
>Friend to you and Princess Twilight
>You nodded to yourself
>Effective, simple, and easy
>You gave Aang one last glance
>You dearly hoped you could trust him
>But sometimes, sacrifices must be made
>Over the precipice you walked
>And soon, your vision was consumed by white
>You felt no immediate effect
>You chanted your mantra to yourself
"I am Celestia."
>You continued onwards as the ground leveled out completely
"Princess of Equestria"
>Y our breathing had quickened a bit, but you still felt you.
"I am here to rescue Fluttershy, friend to me and Twilight."
>You wondered how Twilight would fare in this sort of situation
>A challenge to be sure, if Aang was correct
>You always made note to just simply walk the way you came if you wanted to leave
>Or to just keep going forwards until you hit the other side
>That sounded simple enough
"I am Celestia"
>Your mantra and your will still felt unchanged
"Princess of Equestria."
>You could barely see through this blasted fog
"I am here to rescue Fluttershy, friend to me and Twilight"
>Honestly, you felt a bit silly reciting it to yourself
>So far there was no difference to any other fog
>But you maintained it, perhaps it could be defending you against a sneaking insanity
>You internally chuckled at the thought, reminding you of when Twilight's friends had 'episodes' of their own
"I am Celestia."
"And a failure."
>You perked your ears as you heard that answer
"Who's there?"
>Only silence responded
"Okay..."
>You slowed your pace down a bit, perhaps you were going too quickly
"I am Princess of Equestria"
"Princess of nothing."
>Goodness, was that...
>Yourself?
>You shook your head
>It couldn't be coming from your own mouth,
>You were in control
"I am here... To rescue Fluttershy."
"But you'll abandon them in their time of need... As you always have."
>You held a hoof to your mouth to stem the flow of horrible words, pausing a moment before continuing
"And when I do fail, Twilight will pull through regardless."
>You felt good about that reassured statement, but the reply was instant
"Is that what you tell yourself?"
>You countered with your rehearsed answer
"I only hold back so she may learn for herself."
"And what if she fails?"
"She will not fail!"
>You stomped your hoof in the ground
>This was getting annoying
"I am Celestia, Princess of Equestria!"
"The true and only princess, right?"
>You were stunned at the retort, at which it continued in its smug tone
"The superior, because you mercilessly cut down the one threat to your power after ignoring her for years."
"You be quiet."
"And how long before you find Twilight a threat too?"
"I said be quiet!"
>You noticed the mist take on a strange shade of blue
>Was it starting to become night time?
>You did not care
>You had to get out of this place
>You held your head briefly as it throbbed
>Something was seriously wrong here
>Why were you saying such terrible things?
>Why were they, or you, or... whoever was making you angry?
"No, I am Princess Celestia of Equestria... I am here for...  For..."
>Who were you protecting?
>Why were you here?
>Why did you want to just run away?
"Really, Celestia, who are you?"
>You look up towards the sky in tears as the voice, YOUR voice mocked you shamelessly
"Who do you think you are, deeming yourself royalty when you drop as a fly at the first sign of trouble?"
"I... I..."
"Face it, Princess.  You're just an unnecessary weight;  A burden to those around you and invite nothing but agony and suffering."
"I'm not..."
"If you give up now... no pony will miss you."
>You collapsed and lay on your stomach
>You could not shake it
>You could not argue against it
>The words, true as an arrow, pierced your heart
>The mist around you seemed to coalesce
>And you felt a pit in your stomach as you realized why it had changed color
>Slender, black legs clad in metal that reflected the moonlight stood in front of you came out from the mist
>Which turned out to be an extension of a nebulous mane
"No... Nightmare Moon!"
>You gasped the words as you turned your gaze up towards the dark reflection of your sister
>She scowled down at you in disgust
>"Such a high standing pony only minutes ago, reduced to this."
>She leaned down to you, raising her eyebrows
>"So how does it feel?  To be rubbed into the dirt?  To be regarded as worthless?"
>You knew instantly what she implied, and you couldn't hold back your sobs
>There were no words that you could say
>No comforts you could give
>You knew it was your fault
>And Nightmare Moon seemed satisfied by the answer
>"Tell me, Celestia.  Who are  you?  Truly?"
>You could not answer
>You did not know what would come out of your mouth anymore
>But the question echoed itself so loudly, you could practically hear it
>In more than one voice, a chorus of the words reverberated around
>"Who are you?  Who are you?  Who are you?"
>You hold your hooves over your eyes as you curled up in the dirt
>Where you rightfully belonged
"I am nothing."
>You sat there in your misery
>It was true
>All of it was true
>And you couldn't bear it anymore to lie to yourself
>You felt yourself shrink
>Your hair lost its magical flow, fading to a peachy pink that tussled about your head in waves
>Your legs felt so short and stubby beneath you
>Your wings lost their strength, and you felt so weak
>You looked down on yourself
>You were reduced to nothing but a child
>A filly that was lost and couldn't bear the burden of rule
>As you should be
>"Yes.  You are right.  You are nothing."
>You pause in your wallowing to glare up at the dark visage
>Of course she'd gloat about it
>"At least, now you are, but..."
"W- What do you mean?"
>Nightmare Moon's lip twitched, baring part of her fanged teeth
>"You know what I speak of.  You are weak only by choice.  Even if you have the ability, the strength to solve your own problems, you do not accept that side of yourself; That which yearns for more."
>She said in an accusing, yet strangely calm tone
>And you did know of what she talked of
>And the implications of what she was encouraging you to do was terrifying
"That is not me...  She is not a part of me!"
>The nightmare snarled as she flared her pitchy wings
>"And you harm yourself by your arrogance to not accept who you truly are!"
>You cowered under her shadow
>You were alone, and in an alien world
>And defenseless against such a scary foe
>Curling up in a ball, you did not want to face your fears
>You did not want to know what it meant to hold power anymore
>You'd rather relive your childhood
>Go back to being a filly that lived under another ruler
>Live a normal life
>Free of responsibility
>Free of consequence
>You sobbed into your hooves
>Waiting for Nightmare Moon to eat you, as that old folk tail once said
>So... why isn't she?
>Instead you felt a hoof reach under your chin, and force your head up to look at her
>She was... Smiling.
>"Tia..."
>You stared deep into her eyes
>Instead of hatred, and malice
>They reflected compassion and love for once
>You looked away, knowing that possibility had always hung in the dark corners of your mind
>A possibility you did not want to acknowledge
>You sniffed
"I just don't want to harm anypony."
>Her answer was calm yet tolled like a bell
>"What use is power, if it cannot be used to protect those you love?"
>You shivered
>"You must embrace it, Tia.  Embrace who you are."
>You didn't answer, not looking her in the eyes
>You did not want to surrender to what you wanted
>What you envied
>"Do you think that when Twilight defeated me, that I simply vanished?  Leaving that oh so innocent Luna?"
>You turned your gaze back to her
>It was a thought that you had stowed away, deep in the recesses of your mind
>One you never wished would come to light
>"Like the moon has a dark side as well as a light, my dear sister, we are but two halves of a same whole.  I am nothing.  Nothing, without Luna.  And she is nothing without me."
>She tilted her head
>"Until the day that she surrenders and dances no longer.  I shall forever be unyielding, but the mind is a fickle thing, that wanes and waxes."
>Nightmare Moon withdrew her hoof and began to step away
>"Or... you can remain here, for eternity.  Banished from your own kingdom for me to rule alone.  It's rather fitting, isn't it?"
>She chuckled lightly, then it faded as she regained a serious tone
 But you know you can stop it.  You know the steps.  You know your partner."
>You begin to panic as the she began to back away, deeper into the fog
"Wait... Wait!  No!  Don't go!  Sister!  Sister please!"
>The color of the mist began to fade to white
>Nightmare Moon's words echoed as all visage of her faded away
" Now dance, little one.  Dance in your beloved sunlight, and see the morning rise!"
>You found your outstretched hoof reaching into total blankness
>You were alone again
>A filly lost in the dark
>You felt tears well up again
>Then you looked at your hooves
>Was she right?
>Were you really just hiding your own abilities because you were afraid?
>Afraid of yourself?
>You looked ahead at the featureless blankness that hung over you
>You had the power
>You could do this
>You were not Daybreaker, and she was not you
>But together...
"I am... Celestia."
>You slowly get onto you little hooves
>You felt it
>That warmth within you, bubbling in your chest
>You stayed away from it for so long
>You never realized how cold you had been
"I... Am Celestia!"
>You closed your eyes as you heard what sounded like wind blow around you
>Your voice changed in pitch
>You felt tall, you felt strong
"Princess of Equestria, sister and counterpart to Luna."
>Your mane prickled as it came to life
>Then was consumed in fire
"Shepard of the Sun.  Guardian of Equestria and all it stands for."
>You opened your wings, and raised a hoof in a display of power
"And with my power, I shall protect those who I hold dear.  For I am Princess Celestia, and this fog shall no longer have power over me!"
>You raised your head and stamped a hoof in defiance!
>And with it, the fog...
>Lifted!
>You opened your eyes as you saw the clouds depart
>Leaving you in the center of a barren valley
>Many men, much like Aang, stood, dazed in their own nightmares
>You wished for their release, but you knew deep in your heart that they were already far gone
>And there was only one that was reserved here for you
>You saw her form, crumpled, and pitiful, much like you had been
>Cowering in the dirt, and shielding her face
>You gathered the poor filly in a hoof, and with a few flaps of your wings, carried her away from this foul place
>There was something off about her, but you decided it should wait
>The fog already was beginning to descend, consuming the lost and resuming their torment
>You found Aang right where he was, giving you a hopeful, yet surprised smile
>Landing, you let out a breath as the fires in your mane vanished, and you resumed who you once were
>Except now you felt...
>Perhaps for the first time in your entire long life...
>Whole.

-----------------

>You coughed as another cloud of smoke washed over you
>It was a difficult path through the forest fire
>The sky had grown black with the soot of the burning foliage
>And everything was bathed in the deep burnt orange light
>The temperature gradually increased to where your body was desperately sweating
>Only to have every drop be whisked away by another wave of heat
>Your legs burned as the fire
>Your wing throbbed
>You could barely breathe
>But you continued, with images of your friends renewed in your mind with every throng of pain
>Visions of them danced amongst the glowing embers falling through the air
>Twilight and her friends celebrating Nightmare Night alongside you
>Laughing in each other's company
>Your sister holding you close on those stormy nights
>Iroh, encouraging you onwards to your destiny
>You stared onwards towards them, longingly
>But you believed truly they were a faded memory
>Not to be seen again
>Your gaze turned past them towards the flames that surrounded you
>Even here, they behaved oddly
>Curling and spiraling like tentacles of a creature in the deepest of oceans
>Burning brightly with hues of scarlet and amber
>You felt yourself get lost in them as they licked the trunks of the barren trees
>How soon would it be before they too claimed you as food?
>To have you end up as nothing but the ashes flying in the wind?
>You shook yourself
>No
>As you still drew breath
>They would not have the chance
>You sighed and continued, slowly onwards
>It was only getting hotter and the air was only getting thicker
>You began to wheeze as the dark ashes began to clog your throat and drain it of all moisture
>You were a Princess of Equestria
>A little smoke...
>A little fire cannot hurt you
>You let out a scream as a loud crack sounded above you,
>And a flaming branch fell to the side almost crushing you beneath it if you didn't jump out of the way in time
>You leaned against a tree trunk as you felt your strength waver
>If only you had your magic...
>To breathe a gasp of fresh air, if for but a second
>You hacked and coughed as it stung your lungs
>But even though your body screamed for oxygen, for rest,
>You pushed yourself back to your hooves by some unknown will
>The day was not done
>The sun had not set
>And you would either sleep upon the coming of night,
>Or not at all
>As if by providence to your declaration, you noticed a small path open up in the fires in front of you
>And the edge of the forest came into view
>Even though you knew what lay beyond, the promise of open air, of space from the fires compelled you onwards
>And even though you stumbled slightly, you quickened your pace
>A few harrowing steps at a time
>Burnt foliage crumbled beneath your now blackened hooves as you desperately pushed yourself away from the unbearable heat
>Until finally, you gasped as you breached the forest wall
>You collapsed to your knees as you feebly tried to clear the soot out of you
>Your chest hurt as fresher air filled them, making you wince, but then relax
>The air was still not pure, but here, the smoke and heat was not reflected back to the ground
>But it was then you noticed the distinct lack of grass in front of your lowered face
>Just more cracked dirt
>Dry as a bone
>Slowly turning your head back up to the horizon, you felt your eyes widen with fear
>Nothing
>As far as the eye could see
>The grass fields
>The lillypad trees
>The red flowers
>...Gone
>Burned away to nothing but an endless field of dust
>And before you was the cause of it
>She stood facing away from you
>The very ground beneath her glowed red beneath her hooves, hot by her presence alone
>The very air shimmered as you winced away from the warmth radiating from her
>The flames of her mane wisped with abandon in the winds
>Finally, seemingly to take notice, her head slowly to look at your collapsed form with glee
>A low chuckle came out of her bared fangs for teeth
>"Welcome back, Sister."
>You slowly slid your hooves beneath you, and with renewed strength, stood to face her
>It was absolutely silent apart from the cracking of the fires around you, and the howling of the wind
>The world was burning
>And yet here you were, face to face with the thing that was the source
>As Daybreaker turned the rest of her body towards you, she giggled smugly
>"My my, even after burning you out you still have some fight in you.  Consider me impressed."
>You didn't care to answer this time, instead staring those incandescent eyes down
>You knew, somewhere in there was something other than this hellspawn
>This demon that possessed your Sister's body would not scare you down
>You took a step towards her in defiance even, but she did not shirk away
>"How cute.  You still think you can face me?"
>You took another, to answer
>Unwavering, unyielding
>And in response, her smile began to fade just a touch
>"So be it then.  Hahaha... Go on.  I'll even let you have the first shot."
>You stepped a few more, every inch closer increasingly unbearable from the sheer scorching calidity radiating from her body
>She stuck out her chest slightly, opening herself up to you
>"Give it your all... Don't hold back.  It'll be your last chance."
>You felt tears in your eyes as they began to sting against the heat
>It was like you were standing over a bonfire
>Raising a shaky, ash-dirtied hoof, you reached towards her
>Your sister's smile grew wider in anticipation
>Finally you closed your eyes, and leaned forwards
>Wrapping your hooves around her scorching hot neck
>You wanted to scream
>She felt like she was made of glowing hot iron!
>But you held on anyway, and embraced her with all the love and hope you had in your dying body
>You couldn't tell, but it felt like your mane had caught fire just like hers
>Daybreaker stood there, most likely stunned, as she did not move
>"What... What is the meaning of this?!"
>Your throat was as gravelly as a mountain, but you were able to choke out only a few words.
"I... Love you."
>She did not respond
>You may have been burning to death
>You may have been consumed in searing pain,
>And perhaps doomed this and other worlds
>But at least, you knew deep down, in your heart
>You had the chance to hit her where no physical weapon could
>And perhaps have said a final goodbye to the sister you loved dearly deep down within her
>You felt so tired
>So weak
>And soon, you felt your fried arms give out
>And you fell off to the side
>Into the dirt, that would consume you
>...
>...
>Wait,
>No?
>Two arms had stopped your fall
>And held you close
>Arms that did not burn, or radiate heat
>And even though you knew you were dying
>Slowly, you opened your eyes
>The sky was blue, and clear
>There wasn't a sign of smoke, fire, or anything dark
>And the wind carried with it notes of grass and floral melodies that soothed your aching chest
>And the first face you saw
>Was of Celestia's
>Her pastel mane catching the abstract light in wonderful, colorful ways
>It was her at her best
>And she looked at you in her caring, nurturing smile
>And even though sometimes she teased you about it,
>You knew right now, she was watching over you as a mother to a foal
>You relaxed as you welcomed it this time
"I always believed in you."
>You felt her caress your quite possibly disfigured face softly
>Strangely, it did not hurt, nothing did
>"I know you did.  And thank you."
>You weakly smiled back, but then you looked at her in confusion as the question you asked yourself came back to you
"If I... may ask... Why?"
>Celestia's smile faded as she knew what you implied
>"In this place, your greatest desires, and your greatest fears can manifest before you, and be as real as I am to you."
>She leaned close to your ear, lowering her voice to a gentle whisper
>"And in the end, even when all hope is lost... You alone believed you still could make a difference."
>She leaned back, smiling joyfully
>You felt satisfied
>You had done it
>You saved everypony
>Even if it meant sacrificing yourself
>And she seemed to know your time was growing short, so she continued, more solemnly
>"And because you have made that difference.  Because you chose not to act in hatred, or violence, you now know what it means to truly sacrifice yourself in the sake of love and friendship...  Like I did for you so long ago."
>You felt a tear drip down your scarred face, emotion weakly welling up from your broken body
>"And through that sacrifice, my sister, you have grown more powerful and wise than you have ever been before."
>The sky began to grow dark
>But not in a foreboding, ominous way
>But a peaceful, gentle transition
>As if dusk was finally coming to this world
>Announcing the day's end,
>And the time for you to pass to the night
>But Celestia seemed to have other plans as the edges of her began to gray
>And then flake off, to float away in the wind
>Was she...
>Turning to ash?
>"Now, Luna, it is time for you to rise.  Rise up like the bright moon over a winter's eve.  Take hold of the destiny  you now have the power to shape for yourself.  For you have now earned your place as Princess of Equestria..."
>You felt yourself lowered to the ground
>You were able to move your legs again!
>Celestia herself seemed to allow one tear to fall down her own face, graying as it mixed with the ashes
>"And I can never be more proud."
>You felt life slowly ebb its way into you
>Filling you with strength
>With power
>You gasped as your lungs filled to their full capacity, unlike ever before
>Tingling waved through your body as they regained function and blistered, charred coat and skin were instantly healed
>You looked over yourself briefly
>The scars or signs of what had transpired were gone
>You look back at your sister, which was literally disintegrating before you
>And finally you realized what was happening
"No.  No!  Wait!"
>You tried to grasp at her with your hooves
>But her body gave way like scorched paper
>Only turning to a cloud of dust within your grasp
>And float away in the wind briefly after
>You sat there, alone
>In absolute disbelief of what had transpired
>Jaw quivering in shock
>You flinched as a hand slowly wrapped itself on your shoulder
>One that you immediately could tell was Iroh's
"She's... gone..."
>You couldn't believe you were saying those words, and not her over you
>And despite expecting a torrent of questions, emotions, and fears to fill up within you
>You only felt numb
>Which was the most terrible thing you could have felt
>But Iroh's response, frankly was even more shocking
>"Do not worry, Luna.  She is actually not gone."
>You immediately turned to him seeking whatever he meant
>Does it mean that she needed to be rescued as well?
>Was there hope of restoring her?
>Or was this some metaphorical thing that you frankly could not bear to hear?
>He stared off into the distance with a calm smile
>"Even in the face of absolute danger, you followed your heart and acted in love."
>He turned to look at you
>"You did very well.  You faced your deepest, darkest fears and nightmares, and in part, the things of yourself you did not wish to face, but in the end, you either will have to face them eventually, or they will consume you."
>You slightly tilt your head in confusion
"Wh- what do you mean?"
>"Even though she may have felt real, remember what she told you about the nature of this place."
>You thought a moment, those words echoing within your mind as clear as day
>You stared at him incredulously as you came to a conclusion
"You... You mean she... wasn't real? "
>Iroh continued to smile,
>But that just made you
>Angry!
>You squirmed away from under him and felt yourself shake
"That wasn't my sister?  How?!  She was burning everything, my wing was broken- you saw it!"
>You point a hoof accusingly at him
>How dare he...
>How dare he trick you like this!
>To trap you in a nightmare that could have had you killed!
>His response, however, was calm
>"I did.  And it was as real to me as it was to you."
"Then if this place builds off your emotions then, why did you not help!?"
>You were fuming
>This world put you through terror
>Through horror
>Through pain both physical and emotional
>And he was brushing it off like it was everyday business
>Not even the worst of nightmares break a pony down like this!
>"Because it was your fear alone, and it was up to you to defeat it."
>He walked up to you, kneeling and putting a hand around your neck, gently
>"And you have grown stronger because of it.  Would you have made that sacrifice, that noble deed, if you had known it were but an illusion?"
>You wanted to scream at him, tell him he was wrong
>But deep in your heart, you knew the truth of his words
>"And sometimes, the best way to solve your own problems,"
>Iroh continued with a somber tone
>"Is to help someone else."
>You felt your heaving chest lighten as you looked down
>It was both painful, and even a bit insulting you had been duped
>But this test proved at least one thing
>You were not just Nightmare Moon, and liable to fall down that road of malice and betrayal
>You were willing to sacrifice yourself
>For your sister
>Even if it meant you destroyed yourself in the process
>Instead of turning to the darkness again
>And it filled you with hope
>With love
>Not just towards her
>But towards yourself
>Even the parts that you may not like
>You could only answer by leaning in and grasping Iroh in the same embrace you had given the burning visage of your nightmare
>But this time there was no pain
>He returned the embrace just as hard
>And together, in a field in the middle of who knows were
>You could say, for the first time in your life
>You truly felt as if you belonged

-------------------------

>You grunted as you clambered over another rocky precipice
>Only stopping mid way to suppress a couple of sobs
>Only to be replaced by a yelp as loose rocks slipped beneath your travel-dirtied hooves as you sniffed down your misery
>Leading you to tumble down the jagged stone face down the other side
>You landed squarely on your flank, only adding insult to injury
>Or a more appropriate phrase would be injury to insult.
>Rubbing your hindquarters you sigh
>This was terrible
>Either you face your demise at the hands of a mysterious fog that claims lost souls
>Or
>You lose your face to some gigantic alien arthropod monstrosity
>If something else in this world doesn't claim you first
>All at the slight chance of saving one of your friends
>This took all your will and effort to continue
>You could run from all this, yes
>Take your chances with this place and somehow find a way back to Equestria
>But what would your friends think of you?
>What about the Princesses?
>However, I don't think they would agree to you throwing your life away so easily
>Even Starlight's nagging voice echoed in your head
>Asking you why you would do something so foolish and on a whim?
>Does friendship really mean that much to you?
>Would even Fluttershy approve once she realized what happened to you for saving her?
>You wouldn't doubt she'd be the most opposed
>You choked down a couple more hard breaths as a fresh wave of tears flowed down your still intact cheeks
>No point in staining them now if they're to be forever abused by some monster as some mask
>You passed through a couple more ridges, ducking under a stone archway
>You could see foliage in the distance
>You wondered if you could spite Koh somehow
>Perhaps fall intentionally on one of these sharp rocks
>Scar up your face like Captain Tempest
>Ironic how she once went on a tirade of how more alike you were than you thought
>At least you'd be handing over a damaged product to that spirit
>It'd be something at least for ensnaring you in such a dark ultimatum
>Your surroundings began to dramatically as the air began to become increasingly humid
>You reeled your hoof back as it landed in a scummy puddle
>You noticed you were now in an overgrown swamp, with tall straight trees and gnarled roots providing pathways for you to cross between the small, relatively dry patches of land before you
>At least it wasn't sharp rocks
>But your coat prickled and stood on end as you imagined what could possibly lurk beneath those waters
>Forget the crocodilians of your homeland, if by what you've seen so far could be used as a reference,
>You certainly don't want to know what happens if you took a swim
>Cautiously, you balanced over a root bridge as you began thinking to yourself again
>Sure you could spite Koh, but what if the Princesses decide to act?
>Could they rescue you as well?
>You imagined your friends debating over the possibility of a rescue in your sake
>Could they, combined, be able to match an ancient sprit in this place that strips you of your power?
>Or would this world separate them like you were, and one by one, consume them?
>What if the Princesses already were in the same state as you?!
>This place was a deathtrap to ponies
>Why did you agree to come here in the first place?
>And why did you all come and abandon Equestria?
>Without rulers...
>Without leaders...
"You're an idiot.  You're an idiot, Twilight!"
>"Will you take your self-loathing somewhere else, please!  I am trying to meditate here!"
>You jumped at the sudden voice
>You soon spotted a small stone arch with a pedestal beneath, and on it was a white furred, robed monkey
>He glared at you angrily before closing his eyes and assuming a meditative pose
>You lowered your ears as you felt slightly embarrassed
"Sorry... Just passing through.  But if it's okay if I ask... Do you know where I can find the Lost-"
>"OOOOHHMMMM!!!"
>He 'meditated' loudly to drown your words out
>You sighed
"Forget I asked."
>You looked down as you began to slowly continue your march to your demise
>Until you heard the monkey let out a shout and a splash as he fell into the mud
>"Now, now.  That's no way to treat a lady that's asking for directions."
>You straightened up at the voice
>No, it couldn't be!
>You jerk your head towards the clamor to see a familiar brown draconequus twisted over the stone arch, wagging a talon at the now filthy monkey monk
"Discord!  Is that really you?!  Oh please let this not be some sort of Spirit trick!"
>You couldn't help but run over to him in excitement
>The first friendly face you've seen yet!
>Even if it was Discord, it was a sight for sore eyes
>And he seemed to appreciate your enthusiasm by smugly touching his chest with a dignified pose
>"Indeed, Twilight, it is me!  No illusions, tricks or even ill intent to be seen, at least, nothing that is of my own."
>You let out a huge sigh of relief
>It was at least comforting to have SOME company
>And you'd rather have your ears talked off by Discord's pompous attitude than be alone for however longer you're still walking
"Well I'm just grateful to see you.  You can't believe how crazy it's been."
>"Oh I do not doubt it.  You weren't easy to track, but I can sense your adorable purple attitude anywhere and..."
>Discord trailed off and looked to either side
>"Beg your pardon, but where is everybody else?"
"Um, what?"
>"Your friends.  The Princesses, Iroh, you know?  Why are you alone?"
"Wait, you're alone too?!"
>Discord put his claws on his hips and wagged his head arrogantly
>"Well I'm SORRY I fell behind the pack on the way here.  You cannot blame me, this spiritual muck is quite difficult."
>You flashed him a confused look before widening your eyes as you realized that your fears were in fact true
"Oh no..."
>Discord raised an eyebrow
"That means that we all could have been separated from each other!"
>Discord slithered off of his perch as his face grew the nose of a bloodhound
>In all honesty, you could consider it an improvement
>"Well if I can find one dreary Princess in this place, I can find a few more!  Let's go!"
>He began to fly off into the canopy
>You wondered how he was able to do that when you couldn't access your wings or magic
>But he was leaving quickly so you jumped forwards shouting
"Wait!"
>There was an audible screech from some unknown source as he crumpled in on himself, his torso slowing down faster than the rest of his body
"I... I can't."
>He was immediately back to your side
>"What do you mean you can't?  You're Twilight Sparkle, you can do anything, isn't that right?"
>He said with a tad bit of sarcasm, but you ignored it
"I can't use my wings, or my horn here for some reason.  I can't fly anywhere."
>Discord seemed a tad surprised, but he adapted quickly
>"Well then, if that's all there is, then hop on!"
>A saddle appeared on his back, in perfect pony size
>You shook your head again
"There's another thing... I can't come with you."
>He frowned and then teleported in front of you, standing and reverted to normal
>Hands on hips again, he eyed you suspiciously
>"Alright, Sparkle, what's going on here?  It isn't like you to refuse to go on an adventure to save your oh so precious pony friends."
>You looked up at him with sorrow, which seemed to weaken his confrontational aura
"That's just it, Discord... I... I might know where Fluttershy is."
>Discord's eyes popped open in surprise as he picked you up in glee
>"Well why didn't you say so!  Let's find her first, and then we can find the rest of the Princesses!"
>He donned a superhero costume, pointing into the distance enthusiastically, but by glancing at your expression, he deduced your intention before you were able to correct him
>After huffing he eyed you suspiciously, by stretching his eye out to see you closer
>"And now I'm getting the distinct impression that you're not going to be very cooperative.  Alright, Sparkle, what gives?"
>You sighed
"I'm on my way to find Fluttershy, but I don't know if you really want to see her."
>Discord scoffed
>"And why in the world would I ever want to abandon my precious little butter ball?!"
"A monstrous spirit, one of the most ancient in this entire world, sent me to go and fetch her... Most of her."
>"Most?"
"She had ran into him earlier, and stole... um, her face.  And he said he'd restore it, in exchange for mine."
>For once in your life, Discord gained an expression that you didn't think he'd make
>Absolute abject shock
>"What."
"It's strange, I know, but he won't accept any other wa-"
>You found yourself jerked upwards as he held you close
>"You will do no such thing."
>You blinked at him
>And even more, at the sudden dead serious tone
>His entire countainance had changed
>Was the world beginning to grow dark?
>Were his eyes... glowing red!?
>"And would you kindly tell me whosoever decided to even think of defiling Fluttershy and where he may reside?"
>His voice was remarkably calm, despite his snarling
>His anger was quite literally distorting the world around him
>The trees suddenly were becoming thorny and gained a malicious air
>Was this anger just from Fluttershy being harmed?
>Did he care so much that he actually was using his powers for purpose instead of random gags?
>The implications terrified you even more than Koh
>It took a moment for you to even begin to speak, starting to stutter in fear before this unholy interrogation
"He- he's back the way I came, past the jagged ro- rock formations and across the s-skipping stone path!  He's-  eep!"
>You squeaked as he began to squeeze you tighter and tighter
>You thought at first he was angry at you, but then he seemed to notice he was harming you and backed off
>You gasped as you were allowed air
>"He's... *cough* Under a tree.  His name is K-Koh... *phew* And he's dangerous!  You can't show any emotion in his presence, or he'll steal your face too!"
>You tensed as you felt weightlessness come over you as he dropped you to the soft boggy ground all of a sudden
>At least the landing here wasn't nearly as bad
>"Oh, he will be getting more than just some emotion."
>He turned around, but then looked back down at you, his voice gaining an air of commanding prowess that made you even feel smaller under him
>"You will fetch Fluttershy's body, and when you do, do so carefully.  I don't want another hair of her's out of place by the time I'm done with my business."
>You stared with your jaw slack as he began marching off in the direction you pointed
>His eyes were closed, and you don't know if he was looking where he was going, but he ran into a branch
>...Which he subsequently walked through as if it was made of dust, and burning a perfect Discord-shaped void where he passed through it, glowing white hot
>So this was what happened if he was serious
>Alright Celestia, now your reasons for keeping him around as a weapon are starting to make sense
>But before he came back to make sure you were on your mission, you straightened up, trotting in place
>What direction were you supposed to go again!
>You see something move nearby
>Oh yes!  The monkey in the mud
>You dashed to his side, he was apparently as intimidated as you are by that display
>After helping him up, and brushing a bit of dirt off his now brown robe, you berate him with questions
"No time.  Fog of Lost Souls.  Where?"
>Blankly staring ahead, probably a mixture of confused and terrified, he silently pointed in a general direction
"Thank you sir!"
>You rushed off
>And for once, you hoped the best for Discord
>Forget the anger of the patient mare
>This was the wrath of an apathetic god

------------------

>You were Discord
>And you
>were
>apoplectic
>How DARE he?
>How dare any creature, big or small, thought it fit to even think of taking a piece of Fluttershy
>And seriously?
>Face stealing?
>This creature must be hideous
>One of the oldest tricks in the book when it comes to creatures driven by envy
>How absolutely pathetic
>You never appreciated those sorts anyway
>Such a cowardly method of appeasing your own selfish desires
>They irritated you before, and now you see truly how low they can go
>You swept aside a giant boulder as if it was cotton
>In fact, it was
>But it was not for any sort of pun, or joke
>It was by sheer necessity
>As it was necessary for the tree roots before you to weave themselves into a bridge
>But of course, there was no need
>If you wanted, you could just teleport there and be done with it
>But what sport was there in squashing a bug like that for such an egregious error?
>No, if it made it out of this alive, somehow
>You would ensure it would never harm another like it did Fluttershy again
>You wanted it to FEAR you
>And the world would proclaim your arrival
>The swamp finally opened up to a rocky field of small stone peaks
>With an earth shaking rumble, they parted like a crowd to their king
>At least this place seemed to recognize your greatness
>And your chaotic majesty was only exemplified and empowered in turn
>Oh it felt good to be on top again, yes sir
>The clouds, the winds, the earth
>All bending to your will
>No pony or foe to reel you in
>In fact, in your eyes, you were saving a pony this way
>Through this peculiar way of benevolence
>The rocks dropped off into a cloudy assortment of rocky peaks
>The clouds both above and below were darkened, blowing about from your anger
>But they were wise to stay out of your way
>Not wanting to be bothered by the skipping stones that led you off to some unknown, a rocky pillar unrooted itself and floated to you
>Stepping on, you held your arms behind your back as you calmly let it guide you to your foe
>Despite everything, what surprised you was how collected you were about this
>This wasn't like that adventure with Starlight, Trixie and the timid little bug
>Heading off in valiant joy to undertake an adventure to save your precious Fluttershy
>You knew Chrysalis' methods
>You knew Fluttershy was relatively fine
>But you still were offended and angered by her being kidnapped
>And the tricks those insolent insects pulled on you...
>With that magic stone, and that twisted trap by surrounding you with visages of her
>You would not let your guard down that easily this time
>And you had vowed the mistake of taking Fluttershy would be the very last thing any prospective villain would do
>Even arriving late as you had, you knew you could make this right
>Right by everypony, and right by yourself
>The stone platform you stood on made it's stop only a short while later as it approached a great, dead tree
>It reminded you of a twisted version of Twilight's old library home
>Another terrible lapse of judgement in your part
>You teased Twilight, sure
>She had the best reactions to your antics, after all
>But you did truly feel sorry for the loss of her home
>As well as sorry for the pain that entire ordeal put on poor Fluttershy
>You would never forgive Tirek for such an injustice to both yourself and your friends
>But you would do right by them past that point, you had sworn
>First of all by refusing any villanous offers
>Friendship truly was magic,
>To somehow both rein you in
>And be your key to liberation
>You walked into the darkness beneath the tree
>Something massive skittered within, but that did not bother you
>You did not heed Twilight's warning, however
>And kept your face in a deep scowl
>Face, or no face, he would see your anger manifest
>And sure enough, a creature as ugly as you expected, crawled from the ceiling
>Even though the very earth trembled from your intimidating atmosphere, as it should, the creature seemed to not bear any mind to it
>"My, another face.  It must be my lucky day."
>You look up at the thing as a human face, with darkened eyes and rosy lips smiled from the thing's head
"Koh, I presume."
>"In the flesh."
>You glare at the creature as it seemed to only increase its excitement
>Baited by the expression of hatred on your face
"I am only here for one thing, and one thing only,"
>Koh softly laughed as his face morphed to that of a demon
>"Unfortunately, you are not in a position to negotiate."
>There was a blur as the mouth of the face split open unnaturally wide and filled your vision
>Your sight went black
>And your hearing went as well
>But that didn't bother you
>You spawned new eyes, and new ears instantaneously
>A new face stood on your head,
>And the first thing you saw was your old one, being worn by the now mildly surprised spirit
"I want Fluttershy's face.  And if you give it up now, I will let you-"
>Koh responded before you could finish, swiping your new face off just as quickly
>You responded by materializing a balloon that inflated itself, held by one of your claws
>You sighed as you glanced at your featureless head
>Your senses now based on a floating ball of rubber with a scowling face drawn in marker
"Then I see we'll have to do this the hard way."
>Koh was now visibly shocked by this development, but he seemed all the more determined as he switched to the face you were after
>Fluttershy made an arrogant little smirk that made your blood boil
>"Interesting.  I have met many with more than one face, but you seem not so keen on losing them.  I wonder how many you have before I run out..."
>Your face balloon popped as Koh snatched that one too
>Only to be replaced by a hundred more that floated from behind you
>From multiple viewpoints, you saw Fluttershy's stolen features look around in confusion
>With unwavering ferocity, Koh consumed the balloons with speed that would make a mortal scream in terror
>You were impressed, at least, by his perseverance
>He was indeed an ancient one
>But you were still going to need to teach this youngster a lesson
>Finally Koh seemed to resort to violence, jumping on your faceless form as more balloons replaced the old ones
>Gaining the face of some unnamed beast, he began tearing you apart
"Unfortunately for you, my jealous little jitterbug, you unknowingly stole the property of a friend of mine."
>He was pushed away as candy cane spikes sprouted from the ground, scraping the giant spirit's carapace and forcing him to retreat
"And I am not the sort of spirit a pathetic loner such as yourself you haunt in their dreams as some unnamed threat.  In fact, you should be saying that about me."
>Koh responded with only laughter, gaining even more merit for his lack of fear
>His 'head' began to split, creating the space for and opening many more faces
>Soon, the entire front of his body was covered in the visages of many creatures and people, all contorted in anger
>A wave of shadowy magic emanated from him, sucking all of your balloons into every gaping maw
>Consuming more and  more faces and replacing them with your own
>You let him take every single one
>And then further let him tear into your body, his massive predatory form easily ripping you limb from limb
>Until finally, the cave fell quiet, as you looked on from afar, one last eyeball among a pile of random body parts
>Koh, slightly winded, boomed in a terrible voice
>"I am more than just the nightmare in your dreams.  I am more than just a legend!"
"I disagree."
>The spirit's face changed immediately to shock, as the very rocks and branches began to morph around him
>Growing eyes and faces of their own
>Tens grew to hundreds
>Then to thousands
>All mocking him
>All laughing
>Frantically looking about at the eyes staring down at him
>He consumed still, trying to get as many, but everywhere he went, more grew in his place
>"What is the meaning of this?!"
>You continued as your body began to reshape itself, the army of voices echoing like some terrible voice of a god
"For you see, Koh.  You may be scary, but I am something far beyond you.  I am Discord.  Spirit of Chaos."
>Koh backed into a corner, switching to Fluttershy's face again in defence
>And you pursued with your newly reformed body, just as handsome and beautiful as it was before
>You raised Fluttershy's chin with a delicate claw as you grinned evilly
"And Chaos...  Has no face."
>Finally Fluttershy's face gained an expression that was far more familiar to her features
>Fear

---------------------

>You galloped full speed through the dense foliage of the swamp
>Creatures and spirits that sometimes resembled animals, and sometimes resembled things you couldn't imagine darted past you
>Even large things, like a bear-like creature, and a wolf taller than any of the trees were moving away from whatever was going on behind you
>You don't know what was going on back there, but Discord was certainly causing a riot
>And everything that lived in this world seemed to know it
>A dark, twisting storm grew from wherever Koh was, grasping tendrils of cloud snaking as they claimed more of the sky that you could see through the leaves above
>The air and ground vibrated in a dull thunder as something massive impacted the ground very far away
>Only looking back briefly to see if you could find the cause, only to find darkened swamp behind you
>At last though, you felt your hooves land in something that didn't splash as you continued on and the soil began to dry
>You looked back ahead to see the plants start to spread
>And the spirit creatures around you seemed to vanish into thin air, leaving you alone
>You didn't really care for that right now, however
>There was a more pressing matter at hoof
>Oh you hoped that monkey wasn't too dazed to give you the wrong direction
>Past the foliage, you started to see sharp stony peaks again, although thinner, and redder than before
>Sticking up almost like fingers of a gigantic claw
>Later on, you could see them start to aim more inwards
>As if the claw was grasping something from within
>The terrain started to rise up in a gentle slope, straining your legs under the extra effort
>Feeling a bit of sweat bead down your forehead, you persevered
>C'mon, Twilight!  Don't fail Fluttershy now!
>However, you still had that fog to deal with...
>Sure, Discord may be dueling it out, god to god
>But that wouldn't save you from whatever horrors that other spirit had
>And who knows what would happen if you lost yourself to that?
>Would Discord come and claim you from it too?
>You recalled that battle you had with Tirek
>Where you held no restraint
>You couldn't exactly recall if it was mostly anger, or fear, or in defense of your friends
>But that feeling of raw power, rushing through you
>That feeling of letting loose, and watching the very earth around you crumble with literally no effort
>That could be what was happening in the distance, and what may come for you next
>Would he somehow miss and take you or Fluttershy out by mistake?
>Even worse
>Would the fog thing try and use you both as a defense?
>You only encountered one "ancient spirit" from this place, and you are already extremely wary of their power
>How can you even "hit" something as intangible as a fog?
>Reminded you of Discord in a sense
>But at least, you could hope he was on your side for good this time
>You didn't want to admit that risk of letting him handle things on his own
>But it was always there
>And you found yourself his biggest critic
>Is that why he goes after you so much?
>Making your life miserable?
>Because you're such an easy target?
>You shook your head of such thoughts as the surrounding terrain began to become increasingly barren and foreboding
>Something lurked in these peaks that already set your coat crawling
>Your ears slowly retreated back as you slowed your pace
>You felt as if there was something ahead
>Something powerful
>But you couldn't see it
>There was another several tens of feet to go before you hit the top of the plateau
>You went from a trot to a slow walk as you silently crept up the last stretch of path in front of you
>It was dead quiet
>And despite the lack of foliage, lack of any apparent life
>You felt in your heart there was something just over that ridge
>Something that felt familiar
>And yet not familiar
>But before you could reach it, you stopped dead
>A bright light shone down on you from just beyond it, nearly blinding you
>You reflexively raised a hoof to cover your eyes as the light warmed everything around it
>You let out a yell as you tried to open your eyes, but the brilliant white brightness stung them
"Agh!  Who... Who's there?!"
>There was no reply
>But over a few seconds, you felt your eyes adjust a bit
>They at least could open
>You tried to peer past your arm to see what the source of this incandescence was
>It hurt, but you could make out two figures
>One brighter than the other
>You cautiously kept going closer, realizing they didn't seem to see you
>You thought it'd burn you, but you noticed that as you did, the light began to fade

>Soon, you were only a few feet away as the light all but disappeared
>A male voice sighed
>"I'm so sorry.  I cannot undo this sort of thing."
>A very familiar voice, one that made your heart instantly leap, responded, with an equally mournful, but determined voice
>"This cannot end this way.  I won't let it."
>You leaped forwards, a large smile on your face
"CELESTIA!"
>The princess gasped and stiffened as she saw you just cross the ridge
>Even though she was visibly shaken, she immediately gained a smile of relief
>"Twilight, is that really you?"
>You galloped into her arms, making her grunt from the impact
>You melted in her warm embrace as she hugged you back
"It is!  Oh it really is!  Oh I'm so happy to see you're alright!"
>You couldn't help but make a few laughing sobs
>Even in this dark time, you could always find comfort with your mentor
>And you don't know what was different about this time, but you could sense a strength from her that you never felt before
>"As am I to see you alright."
>She cooed back, wrapping a hoof around your back
>The male voice, coming from the figure you frankly had ignored to this point, stepped in after a few seconds of silent hugging
>"I take it this is one of your lost friends?"
>You turned your head to see a human, but this time, it wasn't Iroh
>Bald, but bearded, and robed in vibrant reds, yellows and browns
>And even stranger were the arrow patterns on his hands and head
>Were they tattoos or some sort of tribal art?
>Celestia moved away from the embrace, which slightly stung your heart, but you allowed it
>"Twilight, this is Aang.  He's the Avatar, a representative of both man and spirit in this place."
>Aang smiled and clashed his hands together in a peculiar way in front of his chest, before bowing at the waist
>You cautiously, and a bit sheepishly bowed back, still rather untrusting of anything new this world had to offer
>But if Celestia felt comfortable around him...
"It's... A pleasure to meet you too.  I'm Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia's studen- I mean former student."
>However, as you bowed, you noticed something at Aang's feet
>A heap of yellow and pink
>You gasped and abandoned all formalities as you jumped towards it
"Fluttershy!"
>"Twilight, wait..."
>You didn't heed Celestia's warnings as Aang moved aside to let you see the shivering creature
>Celestia probably didn't expect you to know why Fluttershy was concealing her face, but you wanted to see for yourself
>You stopped yourself as you stood over the body, before gently touching her shoulder
>Fluttershy reacted to the touch and looked up at you
>With a featureless head
>Even though you expected it, it made your blood run cold
>And you found yourself gasping and stepping back regardless
>Celestia was already at your side, her voice filled with sorrow
>"We have tried everything within our power.  A foul magic has taken her-"
"I know."
>You responded back, prompting Aang and Celestia both to look at you with surprise
"I just wanted to see it for myself... Even though I already know where her face is."
>Aang stepped forwards immediately
>"You saw it?  But that would mean,"
"I met him, yes.  And I was somehow able to get out without him stealing my face yet, but not without him forcing me to make a deal."
>Celestia turned towards you full face, concern etched in her gaze
>"What deal?"
"He... He wanted my face in exchange for hers.  But he let me go to bring Fluttershy's body to him first.  That's why I'm still able to see and talk."
>Aang sat on a nearby rock as he shook his head
>"Koh is an ancient and wise spirit, and trickery is a powerful weapon of his.  I would expect nothing less from something as vile as him."
>Celestia flashed him a worried glare
>You gulped down as you looked over the ridge beyond your mentor
>A thick fog filled a gigantic crevice
>You gulped as you realized what it was
"You... You rescued her from there?"
>Celestia then looked down back at you
>There was a different emotion in her eyes than you were used to
>But she feigned a smile as she raised a hoof to your face
>"This place as shown me many things about myself I had not dared to confront.  And sometimes, even I must make sacrifices."
>You cocked your head slightly as you attempted to interpret what she meant, but you could deduce that yes, she did free Fluttershy from that strange prison
>And what she encountered in it must have been absolutely awful
>At least that was one burden you did not have to face
>You sighed
"Well, if that's already done, we might have hope."
>The high princess looked at you inquisitively
"Because I forgot to mention... On my way here, I ran into Discord.  And he's..."
>You looked up at the swirling storm in the distance, punctuating the middle of your sentence with another round of thunder
"He's not happy about Fluttershy."
>Celestia's face went blank as Aang looked between you in worried confusion
>"I'm not liking the sound of this...  Discord is another of your friends?"
>Celestia took a deep breath and sighed, still staring ahead
>"You could say that.  But unlike me, he is more of a force of nature than a single being.  In my world, a spirit of Chaos."
>Aang scratched his beard in astonishment
>"Befriending a spirit of Chaos.  Sounds like a fun time."
>You rolled your eyes at his sarcasm
>At least you thought it was
>But Celestia continued, ignoring it
>"He normally does not go into any situation with any serious desire, only doing that which pleases and entertains him... but Fluttershy, according to what Twilight as told me, had formed a very deep bond with him."
>You nodded
"And I can be pretty sure, this he's very serious."
>Celestia looked at Aang, then you, a very foreboding tone in her voice
>"Few know the true extent of his power except for me and my sister... I only imagined of what danger his powers could be if he focused them in only my darkest of nightmares.  His friendship with Fluttershy may have unlocked it."
>Aang stood back up, gaining a determined expression
>"Then we have no time to lose!  He is probably dueling with Koh as we speak, and if my knowledge of spiritual matters are accurate, it's probably going to get ugly."
>You hesitantly nodded and gulped
>You really were going to have to go back there
>And by the looks of what was going on, it wouldn't be as inviting
>And even worse
"Do we have to walk all the way back there."
>Aang gave you a comforting smile in return
>"Not this time, my friend."
>You noticed Celestia's horn glow brilliantly as she levitated Fluttershy's quivering form to her back
"You can use magic?!"
>Celestia nodded, looking away with a tinge of shyness
>"I didn't before, but in the fog, I had unlocked something within myself that allowed me to escape, and this, I suppose, was an additional benefit."
>Aang extended his hand outwards
>"When you are ready, touch my hand.  Time is of the essence."
>Celestia followed his instructions as soon as Fluttershy was secure on her
>You looked over at Celestia, who encouraged you with a nod
>You don't know how holding hands could get you there faster, but timidly you touched his hand with your hoof, next to your golden-clad mentor's.
>Aang closed his eyes
>Then the strange arrow patterns on him began to glow!
>And then suddenly the world reeled around you, making you instantly queasy

------------------------

>You and Iroh walked together through a peaceful little grove
>The trees around you embraced the soft light of the world
>And little spirits danced between the knotted trunks and showering of new blossom petals that floated down from the once barren branches
>The forest you had once cowered in was now alive with wonder and joy
>Now you could truly understand the beauty of this place
>Such vibrancy
>Such peace
>And Iroh seemed to appreciate it as well as he beamed
>"Even though this forest may become dark and dreary when you are scared and afraid, when you love yourself, it reflects it and blooms back just as beautiful."
>You laughed, but there was a tinge of sorrow within your voice as you looked away
"Well I wouldn't quite say I fully love myself..."
>Iroh lowered his head, in playful disbelief
>"But you forgave your sister, and in turn, forgave yourself.  You cannot love anyone without willingness to move on from mistakes, no matter how large or small.  And you cannot love anyone, without first loving yourself."
>You blushed bashfully
"I suppose you are right."
>Your smile held for a few seconds, but then began to fade
"Now I only hope my sister can see the same in me."
>Iroh sighed, but not in tension, but relaxation, breathing in the beautiful nature around you both
>"What she may think of you, is entirely in her own right to decide."
>You thought deeply about your sister
>What she had accomplished in your absence
>Her power over you and her unwillingness to listen so long ago
>But when you had returned, she herself had become different
>Wiser, stronger
>And most of all, she listened to you
>And once alone together for the first time in over a thousand years, she collapsed on you, sobbing, and begging for your forgiveness
>It was a memory that you shant ever forget
>You felt your features relax, and you nodded
"I know she loves me, and perhaps wishes that I wasn't so hard on myself."
>You felt a hand on the nape of your neck as Iroh nodded back
>"Then what you have learned today will be a welcome sight in her eyes.  And who knows, perhaps she is learning important lessons for herself.  This world has a peculiar way of making you see deep inside yourself, and come to terms with who you are."
>You had not thought of that
>What if they were also separated like you were from everypony else?
>Alone to face their own inner demons and fears
>You turned back to Iroh
"Have you no inner strife to settle in this place?  I see nothing but peace around you."
>Iroh's smile sobered only a touch
>"My life has been long, and I have seen and felt many things.  One of the greatest lessons that I have learned through all my years, is that peace of mind can overcome even the greatest of challenges."
>You cocked your head slightly
"But you have faced them?"
>Iroh closed his eyes
>"Let us just say, this is not the first time I have travelled to this world."
>You looked forwards again, slightly confused, but impressed nonetheless
"Your wisdom impresses me... Even though I can attest to hundreds of years of life - well over a thousand counting my banishment - I feel as but a filly compared to you."
>Iroh laughed
>"No matter what age we are, we always are learning.  Even I learned many things from my trip here.  Such as a world beyond the Spirit World!  And besides..."
>You raise an eyebrow
>"The benefit of seeing the world through youthful eyes is the curiosity and enthusiasm you have in the world.  An old man can look at a boulder, and only expect boring mud and bugs beneath it.  But a child, he sees adventure.  Discovery.  The possibility of treasure possibly being tucked away under that rock."
>You narrowed your eyes at him, a playful smile on your face
"So you're calling me a child then?"
>"Even if you are, I've known children far wiser than old men."
>There was a slight pain in his voice you could not pinpiont
>But before you could pursue it, there was a distant rumble
>You looked into the sky, and saw it began to darken
>The air bode something strange, and the forest began to quiet down
>Iroh's face wrinkled with concern, seeming to sense something was wrong as well
>You flapped your now and thankfully fully functioning wings to get a better vantage
>You gasped at the sight beyond the horizon
>"What do you see?"
>Iroh called up to you
"A massive wall of black.  A great storm is brewing."
>You landed back in front of Iroh and looked back in the direction of the storm with apprehension
"We should turn around.  It may be upon us in mere minutes if we stay here!"
>"No."
>Iroh shocked you with his answer
>"That is no regular storm."
"Are you suggesting we head into it?"
>Iroh nodded, prodding an even more confused look from you
>"If this spirit world reacts to its inhabitants, there is a great disturbance that is occurring.  You may be able to find your lost friends there."
>You straightened up
>Iroh had a point
>If your experience here was anything to go by...
>You sighed, then nodded
"Then let us not delay."
>You turned your back to Iroh and spread your wings
"Hop on, I will carry you."
>Iroh changed his expression again suddenly to one of anxiety, leaning to the side as he judged your height
>"Are... you sure?  I mean, I don't wish to insult myself but I may be a bit too much of a burden."
>He bashfully smiled while patting his belly
>You flashed a confident, toothy grin as you chuckled
>I have borne manticores and fought with dragons.  I can carry a man."
>Iroh shrugged, and then cautiously clambered onto your back
>You let out a slight 'oof' as his weight came down onto you
>Well he wasn't wrong about being on the heavy side
>But you could still carry him, even fly
>If for a short while
>With a bit of a struggle, and some extra flapping, you were able to achieve enough lift to get up off the ground, and eventually up into the sky
>The storm wall stood before you, daunting
>The clouds were dyed a sickly green, and violet shards of lightning danced between the wind-smoothed rifts of the structure
>Above, tendrils of icy cloud spread high into the atmosphere
>You recalled your detailed ancient lessons of flight under Commander Hurricane, and his lectures of the dangers of untamed storms
>'Fly with the wind, not against it,' he had warned
>'But the updraft can carry you higher than you can survive, so height control is essential!'
>So as you glided closer to the base of the storm, you steeled yourself for the wind to hit you
>You noticed Iroh gripping your mane rather tightly
"You don't need to hold on to me that hard, you know."
>He replied shakily
>"I am not used to flying on something so small"
"Relax, I will not let you fall.  Besides... you're hurting me."
>He seemed to loosen his grip slightly from your complaint, and that satisfied you enough
>But soon, your vision began to darken as you descended into shadow
>You felt for the first signs of wind, to turn into it
>Preparing to glide with it to spiral into the center
>But as you descended deeper and deeper beneath the storm clouds, feeling the world darken to a dusk-like state, you found no wind
"Where... is the storm?"
>Iroh seemed a tad more comfortable in these doldrums to sit up more
>"Hmm..."
>You felt him looking around
>"Perhaps the storm comes not from above, but below us.  This storm does not intend to harm us, or the inhabitants of this world."
"How could a storm 'want' anything?  How-"
>You caught yourself, realizing where you are
"Oh, right."
>Iroh continued onwards, just as serious
>"This is a warning... A warning to stay away from whatever turmoil is at the center."
"And yet we fly straight towards it."
>"You marched to what you thought was certain death an hour ago, did you not?"
>Iroh had a tinge of slyness to his voice that made you scowl and think of throwing him off
>Instead, you changed the subject slightly
"If that turmoil involves my friends, and maybe my REAL sister, I'll gladly fly through the harshest of dangers."
>"Then that is where we are going."
>The forest below you opened up into a massive swirling pit of rocks and sharp stone peaks as the lightning above you intensified
>A deep rumbling permeated the air around you as you could feel you were getting close to the source of this unusual weather
>You felt your muscles tense in apprehension for what could lay before you
>If what you were capable of in your visions were as dangerous as they were, you only wondered what some of the darkest nightmares of Twilight, Celestia, or moonlight forbid, Discord would manifest
>But you soon would get a clue as you passed by another tall mountain and beheld a sight that made your jaw fall slack
>A large stone plateau stood tall above a whirlpool of clouds both above and below
>And on top of the rock was a deep depression dug into it
>Ringed about with great splinters of broken wood
>And in the center, something moved so fast, you could only discern a blur
>It was only that when you got closer, you could see the blur in the center were two serpentine figures swirling about each other
>At speeds you thought no regular thing could move
>You kept your distance as you noticed debris flying about nearby that betrayed a whirlwind ahead
>From what you could see, the beings impacted each other with tremendous might, shaking the air with their power
>What manner of creatures could cause this clamor?
>As you thought this, you noticed something head towards you and were barely able to duck out of the way
>Was that...
>A cow?!
>"mmmooooOOOOOOOOOOOooooooo
>The bovine flailed helplessly as it zoomed past you in some unseen gale
>Looking around, you noticed the debris consisted of unusual
"We must landI  It's getting too dangerous here!"
>"There's a small ridge down below!"
>Iroh pointed out
>Able to see his hand with the corner of your eye, you followed it to a small precipice to your left
"Hold on!"
>You shouted out as you took a dive
>You could swear your eyes were playing tricks on you, but you thought you could see something on the mountain face
>Then you realized what you saw
>And you felt your eyes snap open in surprise

--------------

>You raised a hoof to your head to steady yourself
>You still did not like that way of travel
>And judging by Twilight running over to the edge of the nearby cliff, she did not take kindly to it either
>After shaking the dizziness out of your head, you took note of your new surroundings
>It was dark and stormy, and a brisk wind cut past you, tugging on your wispy mane
>Storm clouds swirled both above, and just below the rather narrow precipice you were all perched on
>The few trees clinging to the peaks of stone that stood as towers to face this whirlwind were stripped barren
>And in the center of it all, a great battle took place between two figures that moved so swiftly you could not discern where one ended and another began
>You were in the middle of studying this situation and how best to approach, when a distant and distinct voice broke your train of thought
>"Sister!"
>You immediately stiffened and open your wings in surprise
>You looked around, not finding the voice
>It could not be...
>"Celestia!"
>You finally gazed up, and felt your breath leave you
"Luna!"
>Your dear sister was gliding down from the sky, apparently buffeted by the winds
>She bore someone on her back, making her flight unsteady and making her face scrunched in strain
>Was that the man from before that was riding her?
>Regardless, Luna's descent was terribly swift, to the point where she almost crashed and her joints buckled on the impact with the ground
>But you did not even allow her to recover when you ran to her
>Iroh only barely had enough time to dismount your sister by the time you threw your arms around her, almost picking her up off the ground with your strength
"Thank goodness you're alright!"
>Luna seemed to unusually stiffen from the contact, but after a moment, you felt her hooves wrap around your neck just as tightly
>"Oh... It's you.  It really is you!  It's I that's relieved that you're alright!"
>You felt a slight tinge of worry at your sister's words
>What experience did she have here that would make her doubt who you were?
>You'd press it at a later time, though
>You had a sister to comfort
"Yes, it's really me, sister."
>You whispered back, despite Luna almost strangling you
"And we shall not part again."
>Luna did not reply, but you could feel the slight wetness of tears on your shoulder
>Eventually after a moment, and some thunder to remind you of where you were, you pulled back to see her gazing up at you with watery eyes
>"There's so much I need to tell you!"
>You nodded
"As do I.  But we shall discuss this in another time.  More pressing matters are at hoof."
>You turned back to the conflict the storm swirled around
>Flashes of multicolored light seemed to emanate from massive blows and energetic manifestations
>In a sort of ironic sense, it reminded you of some of the light shows from one of Pinkie Pie's more intense parties
>Just then, you noticed Aang seemed to be having a reunion of his own
>"Iroh!  You're alright!  Are you hurt in any way?"
>The old man laughed
>"Do not worry, young Avatar, I am very well.  This past journey has been both exhilarating and enlightening."
>Aang sighed in relief, putting a hand on Iroh's shoulder
>"I expected as much."
>Aang laughed,
"But it was not just me that was concerned.  I, quite literally, had to convince Zuko to remain behind.  He needed to realize his duties as Firelord are more important."
>"As they should be."
>Iroh nodded in agreement
>"You are emulating Katara's kindness and wisdom more every day."
>As Aang seemed to bashfully scratch the back of his head, Twilight approached the two, finished with her business and wiping her scowling mouth with her fetlock
>"Well, it seems we're all reunited.  That's a bit comforting..."
>Luna nodded,
>"That we are, Twilight, except..."
>Iroh seemed to notice why Luna trailed off when she looked past you at Fluttershy's broken form
>Your heart held another pang of sorrow as Luna's eyes widened, and the old man rushed to the yellow pony's side
>"Oh no..."
>Iroh muttered as he held Fluttershy's faceless head
>His face bore a great sorrow that made your heart ache
>You had already felt he was very bonded to Fluttershy, and it pained him as much as you when you discovered her face had been stolen
>Iroh touched his forehead with the identity-less pony's
>"I am sorry, little one."
>Luna looked on behind him in dismay while Twilight looked away
>Aang sighed, confirming Iroh's fear
>"She ran into Koh, the face stealing spirit."
>But Twilight stepped backwards as she noticed something
>"But, um, well I don't think we'll be needing to deal with that for long..."
>You turned to see what was going on with the fight
>The swirling brawl seemed to have slowed
>You saw Discord, standing what appeared to be a massive centipede-like creature
>Enraged
>And with a snarl, he lifted up his arms, producing a gigantic fly swatter
>"Time to squash this insolent bug!"
>The creature flailed it's legs helplessly, it's carapace damaged in several spots
>What seemed to be thousands upon thousands of faces, bleeding from their eyes and mouths, screamed from within the gaps in it's armor
>It was a horrifying sight that froze you, and you could only watch as the lord of chaos prepared to rain down a final blow
>He brought down the swatter and...
>He stopped
>Then you noticed that someone stood between the two
>It was Aang
>The others gasped in surprise when they noticed he had teleported between them as well
>His mastery of this world was astounding
>"Enough."
>Aang declared, his arms spread out wide
>Discord brought his hands to his hips, staring him up and down
>"And who are YOU to interrupt ME?"
>There was a growling rumble beneath Discord's voice, oozing with power and malice
>You knew as a weapon, he was strong
>But you never felt someone like him would think to concentrate his might
>There was a pause before Aang answered
>"I am Avatar Aang.  I am the bridge between my world and this world."
>Discord huffed
>"Well my apologies, Mr. Avatar."
>Discord said in an overly sarcastic snarl while raising his eyebrows
>"But this is business between my world and this one.  I don't believe this matter falls under your jurisdiction."
>Aang still stood strong
>But then a wheezing, grinding laugh came from the downed creature behind Aang
>"How ironic, that the very man who saves me once attempted to destroy me."
>You found the courage to step forwards to get a closer look, as well as Luna and Twilight
>Aang turned around to Koh, his face serious
>"No, Koh.  You will be spared, but you are not free.  You will surrender the face you have stolen."
>The spirit wheezed as it towered over the man
>"You will have to slay me, then, young Avatar.  You know I will never yield a prize that I have claimed!"
>Aang pointed an accusing finger at Koh
>"You have disrupted the balance of this world by taking something that does not belong here.  You will return what you have stolen."
>"You lecture me about balance..."
>Koh spat at the man
>"When you allowed others from another world here?  It is not my fault this world is out of balance, Avatar."
>Discord seemed to be affected by the conversation, relaxing his features as if he realized something
>You saw Twilight zoom past you
>Wait, was she able to fly as well?
>You raised out a hoof after her, but she seemed to catch herself in the wind
>Soon, she skid to a halt on the rock face, flaring her wings
>"But it isn't his fault!"
>She protested, causing Koh to reel back
>"And what do you know of the matters of this world, creature?"
>Twilight stared him down as she continued
>You admired her bravery
>"I don't know much about this world, but through some strange phenomenon, this realm has been leaking into mine, and one such breach claimed my friend without her consent. "
>You and Luna shared a look at each other
>She nodded at you, determined
>And you responded with an understanding smile as you both took off and landed next to Twilight
>Making sure to take Iroh and Fluttershy with you
>You were appalled by Koh now you were able to see him close
>The front of his body opened up like a great maw, surrounded by thousands of faces staring down at you and your sister
>All surrounding a central face, which what you could only assume was a human skull, bloodied and gored
>"And one thing that you should know about my world, is that friends will stand for each other, no matter what the cost is."
>The multitude of faces on the creature snarled at her, ready to lunge, but you stood in front of Twilight to defend her
>You dug deep into yourself, and felt your inherent magic flow into you
>It was a sensation that you were unused to, but strangely, familiar as the energy filled every cell of your being
>Your mane ignited, and the crater was illuminated by your light
>You could sense the others stepping back from the radiant warmth that filled the air as golden fire wreathed your form
>Your voice like a trumpet, yet gentle as the ocean, echoing across the rocky faces abroad, you faced the face stealer
"In my time here, I faced the greatest of fears:  My inability to stand for others, and further my inability to stand for myself.  Now, I realize the importance of what it is to fight for another's cause, even risking your own self for it."
>Luna then stepped up next to you, giving you a warm smile
>"And I have faced the terrors of my deepest nightmares as well.  But through it, I have also found what it means to bestow mercy, and love, which grants hope to even those in their darkest of moments."
>You gave your sister a loving look as even her features seemed to grow more vibrant, her mane more nebulous
>But you knew deep in your heart, she was still herself
>In fact, you would argue, more sure of herself than ever before in her life
>Twilight filled in between you two, gaining confidence
>"We know what it takes to sacrifice for a friend, and often times, 'balance' can only be restored through it."
>You saw Iroh, standing on the sidelines with the faceless Fluttershy, give an approving nod
>Koh seemed to be unable to decide what to do as his many eyes darted between you
>Hissing as he slithered backwards, only to bump into his previous opponent
>Discord cracked his knuckles
>"And do you want to know what I've learned?"
>He stepped forwards, making Koh move away more towards you until he couldn't bear your radiance
>"I've learned that friendship can do some pretty magical things.  Even I, an untamable force of nature such as chaos, can be restrained and balanced by something as simple as a friend.  A friend you so happen to have taken from me."
>Aang stepped in, between your group
>"Give up, Koh.  You are outnumbered, and outmatched.  There may be an imbalance created by these inhabitants of another world, but they, as well as I, are moving to repair it."
>Koh turned to him
>"Talk of petty fellowships and justice and mercy get you nowhere.  The powers of the spirits are beyond you, human, and you will not get what you seek from me!"
>Aang scowled, stepping forwards
>"For the sake of all of our worlds, Koh, you will yield!"
>Koh screamed as he swung his blade-like legs at the man so quickly they were but blurs
>But somehow Aang anticipated it, and in rather graceful move, he ducked beneath it and then leaped to the side
>As graceful as a dance
>The colorful robes around him framing and accentuating every move
>And in but a second, Aang had his hand touching the bare skull of Koh's main face
>You and Luna glanced at each other before you stepped in to assist
>Grasping several legs with your magic, as did she
>Twilight's horn sparked to life as she too, weighed the beast down
>And with a snap of the fingers, Discord took down his massive tail with an exaggerated bear trap, a satisfied smirk on his face as he did so
>Aang scowled as he placed another hand on the bottom lip of the spirit
>"Then you give me no choice but to take it by force."
>Koh growled back as the Avatar's eyes and tattoos glowed with brilliant ferocity
>Your vision was consumed by the light, even outshining your incandescence, and prompting others to shield their eyes
>There was a massive shift in the energy around you as a tone, what could only be described as a ringing, vibrated the air
>You could swear something floated past you towards where Iroh and Fluttershy were standing, but you could not see it
>And soon, after a few seconds, the light faded, and Aang stepped back
>The ancient spirit collapsed, sighing as he fell unconscious
>The Avatar looked up, and sighed
>"It is done."
>With great expectation, you all let your grasp on Koh loose, and looked towards Iroh and Fluttershy
>He was crouched over her form, conceiling your view
>Feeling the fire in your mane dissipate, you, Twilight, and Luna ran over to her side
>Iroh had his back towards you as you approached, so you still could not see
>But then
>"*COUGH* *COUGH*"
>Fluttershy wheezed as she breathed fresh air again
>You looked around Iroh to see Fluttershy, now completely whole
>Rubbing her now fully intact face, with her hooves
>She opened her sea green eyes, slightly dazed
>"Wha... What happened?"
>"Fluttershy!"
>Discord practically leapt on her, hugging her tightly
>You and Luna shared another glance as Iroh gave a deep sigh of relief
>Twilight beamed, and Aang walked up from behind, peace radiating from him
>"Where am I?  Why is everypony so happy?"
>Iroh responded with heartfelt joy
>"You are safe now, Fluttershy.  And it is time for us go home."

----------------


>You are Fluttershy
>At least, you hope you are
>After everything that happened, you quite didn't know how you're making it back home in just one piece
>You had been taken to a strange world by creepy plant tentacles
>You had been chased by strange creatures that you've never seen before, and somehow didn't want to talk to you
>And then you found yourself in a small cave, beneath a tree
>And the last thing you could remember was a gigantic centipede with the face kind of like Iroh's...
>Smiling at you
>And then you woke up in the arms of Iroh, surrounded by Twilight, and the Princesses, and another man
>They said that creature had taken your face
>That sounds really gross and scary
>But why do you not remember it?
>And... how were they able to put it back on?
>You absent-mindedly rubbed your cheek again as you exited out of a nearby forest
>Before all of you was a great grassy plain dotted about with red wildflowers
>With lillypads that instead of floating in water, hung tall in the air like trees
>A great barren mountain framed the scene with stark contrast with vibrant red rock
>You gasped at the sight
>Iroh wasn't lying when he said this place could be very beautiful
>Aang, the other human, that was apparently some sort of authority for his world, stepped ahead
>"I can sense the boundaries between worlds are weakened here.  This place will be good."
>You stepped forwards cautiously into the grass, your legs still weak from the strange way of transport Aang had carried you all through this world
>You moved so quickly from spot to spot, you could understand why Twilight felt so sick after it
>Iroh took a breath and exhaled gently
>"This is one of my favorite spots in the Spirit World...  Do not mention this to my nephew yet, but I may retire here, one day."
>Aang looked at Iroh with a raised eyebrow, but said nothing of it
>You had gathered together in a clearing in the grass, a patch of dirt that allowed you all to see the ground
>"So,"
>Luna spoke up, walking beside Iroh closely
>They seem to have formed a good friendship with each other
"When we head back, you are sure the Spirit Vines shall depart from our land as well?"
>Aang nodded
>"By wandering into your world, by whatever means he did so, Iroh had created a rift between worlds.  The spiritual energy of this world had begun to leak into yours.  But I believe, that by restoring everyone to their proper places, the rifts will close, and balance will be restored."
>Twilight scratched her chin
>"An imbalance between dimensions... Of course!  But what would have caused Iroh to wander to our world so easily?"
>Iroh shrugged
>"To this day, it is still a wonder.  I merely saw a break in the trees, and I stepped through it."
>Discord opened his eyes in shock, then slapped his head in frustration
>"Doh, I knew it!"
>Everypony- or, rather, everybody, turned to him
>He deflated slightly, a tad embarrassed
>"When you all...er, did your little 'spiritual journey' thing, I couldn't really follow along.  So I had to find another way.  It so happens, that I left open a back door between dimensions while looking around for some unique party favors."
>Luna raised an eyebrow
>"Party favors?"
>Discord put his hands on his sides and bobbed his head with sass
>"Well it was going to be a surprise for Fluttershy when we went on our little nature expedition, but the old man here threw a wrench into those plans."
>Twilight shook her head and facehoofed
>"And you left that door open?  Seriously?"
>"A lesson well learned."
>Iroh chuckled while Discord folded his arms and playfully sneered
>"And I can do without your patronizing, I did close it, however."
>Aang nodded again
>"Good.  Then all we have to do then is part ways and send you to your rightful home."
>You looked up at Iroh fearfully upon realizing what that meant
"Does... Does that really mean..."
>Iroh looked down at you with a mournful smile
>"It does, my friend."
>You stood up on your hind legs, leaning on his chest
"But... I-I don't want you to leave just yet!  I only feel like I just met you!"
>"As have I, little Fluttershy."
>Iroh embraced you to support you, gratitude saturating his words
>"But even in these fleeting moments, do not be sad.  The memories our experiences together will be something I will embrace forever."
>You felt tears begin to flow as your throat choked up
>"And besides,"
>Iroh separated the embrace only to look at you
>"Fate may allow us to cross paths again one day."
>You sniffed down another sob as you wiped an eye
>You were able to still at least give him a smile, which he returned with a beaming grin that warmed your heart
>Discord did a shy little smile, but Aang shot him a glare that made him look away
>"Perhaps."
>Aang interjected, still occasionally glancing at the chaotic spirit,
>"But now it is too uncertain.  The boundary between worlds has been wounded, and requires time to heal."
>Iroh nodded, then reached into his pocket
>He did not reveal what was on it, but he took one of your hooves in hand, and placed the object within
>It was small, hard and slightly angular
>He moved his hand away to reveal a small octagonal stone chip
>An ornate decoration of a white lotus filled it
>As Iroh began to step away, he bowed
>"It has only been an honor, my little Fluttershy.  You are one of the best souls I have ever had the great opportunity to meet."
>You looked at him longingly, feeling your heart rip
>Aang's expression remained gaunt, but a smile curved his lips as he too bowed
>"Unfortunately, our farewells must short.  The longer you remain in this world, your bodies in your world wastes away, and the chances of returning grows slimmer by the second.  But it was a definite honor to meet you all, only showing that there are things even I, in all my training and experience of my past lives, have yet to learn."
>You gulped by the seriousness of his tone as you felt Twilight's wing drape over your shoulder
>Celestia did so to Twilight, as Luna did to her
>You felt another, friendly hand contact with your wing
>Discord, now standing beside you, gave an encouraging nod
>Luna even sounded a tad choked up when she smiled at Aang
>"It certainly has been a journey... For all of us.  Thank you, for this great experience."
>The Princesses bowed in unison, followed immediately by Twilight
>After exchanging a glance, you bowed to Iroh
>And Discord immediately after
>Iroh bowed again, respectfully, his smile never leaving
>And as he did, you could see a single tear well up in his eye when Aang pressed his fists together
>His strange arrow tattoos and eyes began to glow white
>Slowly, the light grew, and grew
>And soon, it consumed all...
>...
>You gasped as you shot up from a soft bed
>You were drenched in cold sweat,
>And your little lungs desperately worked to suck in as much air as you heaved
>As if you woke from a deep nightmare, that scared you awake
>But the first thing that struck you immediately after, was this was not your bed
>Nor your cottage on the outskirts of Ponyville
>But rather, a large room of golden stone, framed by royally ornate banners of blues and violets that depicted the constellations of the sky under a tall, vaulted ceiling
>You also noticed how stiff and achy your body was
>Like you hadn't moved for days
>Your head throbbed, and strangely, you really needed to use the bathroom
>You heard other gasps to your sides as the others came to
>You turned to see Celestia, Luna, and Twilight sit up from beds similar to yours
>Nurse ponies stepped back and yelped in alarm at the sight of what you could only imagine were ponies rising from the dead
>Guards at the doors gasped in awe, as Twilight moaned, rubbing her forehead
>"What happened?..."
>She let out a large "OOF!" when a pink mass screamed and tackled her
>"OH THANK CELESTIA, YOU'RE ALRIGHT!"
>You noticed there were more ponies in the room than you thought
>The rest of your friends were here
>Rarity and Rainbow Dash looked disheveled, as if they stayed up several days
>But their eyes lit up as if they had all the energy in the world as they dashed to both of your sides
>Luna moaned, rubbing an eye, then chuckled
>"I was not aware your name was used as an expression, sister."
>Celestia only gave a tired smile as she propped herself on the head of her bed while Applejack, leaning on a nearby barrel actually catching up on her rest, stirred awake from the comotion
>"Now what's all this darn hubub abou-  By golly!  They're back!"
>She too joined Rainbow, Rarity, and Pinkie at both your bedsides
>Discord flashed into being immediately after, seemingly unfazed
>"Oh drat, I seem to have come a bit late."
>You chuckled along with your friends, their jokes and stories of waiting around, waiting for you all to wake up, and their arguments among them
>But they even stopped a moment, as the fast clops of metal hooves came rushing in from a nearby hall
>"Out of my way, I need to see this for myself, Lieutenant!"
>You found Fizzlepop, that rather scary pony that almost took Equestria a short while ago, in full armor, come in.
>She looked at you all in surprise, and then relief as she gave out held breath
>But you felt all the commotion drain away slowly when you turned to the other side and realized something was missing
>There was one bed left, next to yours
>And it was empty
>Yet bore the signs of something being in it
>Or rather, someone
>You felt your heart tear again, as you realized who it belonged to
>But then, you noticed something
>You looked down at your forehoof, and turned it around
>And you smiled
>For in your hoof, still
>Lay a small stone lotus tile

The End.

...........(\()/)............

EPILOGUE
>Angel's food bowl filled with a very vivid salad of various veggies and greens
"Alright now, this should be enough food.  I hope you won't be too upset about my little trip."
>The white rabbit glared at you, arms folded
>In a squeaky voice, he grumbled his protests at you
>Your brow furrowed as you shook your head at the language
"I'll only be gone for a couple of days, Angel.  You can certainly watch over the cottage for me for that long."
>Angel harrumphed at you as he turned away
>"No, it won't be like last time."
>The bunny held his scowl for a moment before grumbling something again, and hopping off
>You sighed
>You swear he'd never be satisfied
>But that can wait, he's handled it before, you reassured yourself
>You looked over your small little saddlebag
>All the supplies for a quaint little picnic were all packed inside and ready to go
>Tea, tablecloth, sandwhiches...
>You smiled giddily for what it was for
>You picked it up in your mouth and began to rush out the door
>But right before you did, you stopped yourself when you realized you forgot something
>Setting down the saddlebag for but a moment, you flew up the stairs to your room
>On a little shelf by the bedside, you picked up a tiny item
>Blowing the dust off of it, you held it close
>Your lucky little lotus tile was just as pristine as the day you got it
>And you say lucky, because Discord had been teaching you a lovely game that Iroh had actually taught him that used this little piece
>And while Discord was not very surprisingly tough as an opponent, you got the hang of it rather quickly
>And quicker than you thought, you found yourself on equal footing with him
>The game being very reminiscent of arranging a flower garden and balancing colors
>And the white lotus was the centerpiece that brought it all together
>Oh, you were so excited, this was going to be a great surprise!
>Bringing the tile oh so carefully back downstairs, you stowed it away in the saddlebag and properly donned it
>You fluttered out the door, to see Discord waiting for you
"Okay, all set!"
>Discord clasped his claws in glee, donning a vacationesque outfit;
>The tropical button up and cheesy sunglasses with a tourist backpack made him look characteristically more silly than he usually was
>But the zany appearance made you smile nonetheless
>"Perfect!  I hear the spirit world is lovely at this time of year!"
>You raised an eyebrow at him as he zipped the very fabric of the universe open as if it was a coat
"This is the first time we're going back together.  How do you know what it's like?"
>"Because it will be fair weather when I come with you."
>The regal voice sounded beside you and made you slightly jump
>Princess Luna raised a hoof to her mouth in surprise
>"Oh, my apologies.  I didn't mean to scare you."
>You giggle and wave her off when you recover
"Don't worry about it.  You're all prepared too?"
>Luna boasted a pair of very ornate saddlebags embroidered with a silver moon
>"Indeed I am.  I am glad you and Discord have arranged this, Fluttershy.  I... I've missed him very much."
>You give a warm smile in return as the portal to another realm opened
>And this time, there won't be any bodies left behind
>And no left open doors to bleed the contents of their world into this one
>With an affirmative nod, you and Luna as a pair travelled into the portal, followed soon by Discord
>And you found yourself in a familiar sight
>At the edge of a twisted forest, with tall grass and wildflowers
>Little orbs of light danced about the stalks, joyfully singing a little song
>The sky glowed a beautiful deep blue, and the world breathed in lively energy
>You let out a long sigh as the anticipation finally left you, letting you relax
>And your heart bubbled in joy as you saw a new sight in the field before you
>A wooden pagoda stood out, as the only artificial structure you have seen in this place
>A large table extended in front of it, and seated, was who you were waiting to see for almost a year
>It took so long for this arrangement to happen,
>Involving little messages deposited through Discord's help to make sure it wouldn't cause too much damage,
>But eventually, you were able to figure things out and arrange a meeting
>And it led to this moment, of you running ahead of the group to see him
>He was significantly older, perhaps your worlds were different in how time passed
>But he seemed happy nonetheless to see you
>You dropped the saddlebags right at the table as Iroh embraced you in a hug, laughing merrily
"Oh, I've missed you so much!"
>"As have I, my dear Fluttershy.  You have not aged a day since we last met."
>His voice sounded a tad more frail, but you did not let that mind you as you laughed
>The others caught up and shared their greetings with him as well, and soon, you were setting up the table with him
>And soon, tea was being poured and small talk dominated the table
>Iroh raised an inquisitive eyebrow when you showed him the lotus tile you had kept with you the whole time
>"So, Discord mentioned to me that you now play Pai Sho?"
>You nodded cheerfully
>Iroh then gained a competitive sparkle in his eye as he produced a wooden board from beneath the table
>Discord seemed apprehensive, but Luna looked on with interest
>"Then, my dear friend, would you give me the honor of a game?"
>You chuckled, then sighed merrily as you fished out a bag of your own pieces
>You placed  your lucky lotus tile on the board, starting off your time-tested strategy
"Your move."
(\()/)