Elements of Disharmony part 12

>Your coat flapped slightly in the wind.
>Your hat was tilted against the wind, for fear of it being blown away.
>Your hands were stuffed into your warm pockets.
>It looked cliché as all get-out, but that was fine by you.
>It was windy on the train station platform and you had no intent of freezing while waiting.
>Just a few yards away, the Pony Express slowly pulled into the station, its breaks screaming.
>You pull your hats brim down some, keeping the sun out of your eyes.
>There is a hiss of steam and pressure, as the breaks finally clamp down, and the train stops.
>In moments, the doors are open and ponies are filing out, most happy to have reached their destination.
>It’s not hard to spot your targets, six special ponies with whom you were both intimately familiar with, but were not aqainted with.
>You begin to approach them, weaving through the light crowd towards the six.
>”Hey, Rarity. Who’s that?”
>You clear your throat preparing to speak.
“Good Morning, ladies.”
>You tip your hat to the six ponies, smiling gently.
>You’ve gotten a little bit better with the idea that they aren’t exactly the same, but it still unnerved you to no end.
>You missed your friends.
>Seeing these other versions, only…
>You force yourself to keep smiling.
“I hope you don’t mind my rather sudden appearance, I know you just got off the train, but a friend of yours wanted me to come by. Check up on you.”
>badpokerface.jpg
>Twilight looks at you with a confused expression
>”Huh? I’m sorry, I’m not sure we’ve been introduced.”
>Oh you bucking dipshit.
”Oh, I’m very sorry. The name’s…”
>You catch yourself
“-Shermanator, I’m a friend of Anonymous.”
>Good job, memory, perfect save.

>Applejack smiles weakly
>”Any friend of that rascal is a friend of ours. Pleasure to meet’cha.”
>Wait.
“Chro- I mean Anon’s a Rascal?”
>The six ponies scoff, and roll their eyes
>Holy Hockey, what the hay?
>”’Course he is, Silly Billy! He’s always there for everyponies Birthdays, even if he never sticks around for the parties…”
>Pinkie Pie frowns and paws at the ground slightly.
>”Yeah, and he’s always eager to help about about the town, though ah’ll admit he ain’t exactly the strongest a’ ponies.”
>You chuckle a bit at that.
>The small jab overrides your immediate shock that the standoffish, almost rude recluse was such a jitterbug.
>Well, maybe not the life of the party, but was friendly to the ponies.
>You wonder if he knows how to shake a bone on the dancefloor.
>”He’s been surprisingly helpful with my business as well, he knows so many big and important ponies…”
>Rarity smiles, before extending a hoof.
>”The name is Rarity, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Shermanator.”
>In a chorus, the other five add their own names into the pot.
>Yeah, they might not be the same, but you still felt relaxed around them.
>And, look at that, Fluttershy and Applejack weren’t eyeing you with Criminal Intent!
“But uh, yes. Anon wanted me to make sure you got in alright. He also wanted some help back at his tower.”
>Twilight looks enthusiastic, the others less-so.
>”Eh, I’ll pass. It’s been a long ride. I’ll come’round later, if he needs me.”
>Rainbow is off at a lazy hover, and you frown.
>”Well, I do need to get back and check on Angel. I mean, if he won’t mind too much. I should be able to come by later, though!”
>One by one, the ponies give excuses and move off.

>Thankfully, they seem interested in coming by at some point.
>Atleast you’d have the Picnic of yours.
>With a shrug, you head back to the tower.
>The walk is uneventful, and lets you enjoy the cool spring air.
>You crack open the door to your new hope, to be greeted to the sounds of a massive crash.
>Slowly, you look down at your feet, and see a red-eyed Sorcerer laying on his back, staring at the hole in the ceiling he just made.
“Uhm… You alright dude?”
>He gives a brief answer.
>”No.”
>Informative.
“What the hay happened?”
>Alright, seriously, spill the beans hooplehead.
>”In a moment of laxity, I acted on Impulse and I…”
>He actually chokes back a sob.
>Something did an emotional number on him for his stoic nature to be so heavily broken.
>”… I destroyed the Library.”
>niggawat.jpeg
>You blink
>And again.
>Alright, he had an explanation for this, you were sure.
“Okay, you’re not irrational. What, did you make a demon, or something?”
>”I lost self control when I realized that the Lich had..”
>He becomes quiet.
>None of this hockey!
>You grab his pauldron and jerk him.
“Listen here, you. I don’t care what’s gotten into you, but just wallowing here isn’t going to fix anything! Get on your feet, right now. We have work to do.”
>You roughly punch him in the chin with your left fist, enough to shock him out of his train of thought.
“You won’t get home just sitting here, and six of Chron’s friends are going to be over to help us out. Now get your head out of your flank, and lets get to work.”
>Something you said stirs within him, and you can see his eyes harden.

>He says nothing, but rises, shards of rock and dust flying off of his armor like water off the hull of a ship.
>Damn, that was fairly articulate.
>In either event, you help your new friend up the steps.
>Whatever that Lich did to send him into such a state must have been severe.
>You can see a familiar spark in his eyes, one you had seen in yourself out of the reflection of a knife-blade.
>That was not a place you wished to go again.
>For the next four hours, you got in the way of Sorcerer as he scoured the Library for more information.
>He had memorized a lot of what he had read, and had transcribed what he could remember as best he could.
>You were still taking stabs in the dark, though, even you could see that.
>And then, you heard the most wonderful sound.
>”Hello? Anon? Sherm? Anyone home?”
>Buck Yeah Twilight Sparkle!
“I’ll get it. You keep looking.”
>You head downstairs hurridly, and find the six ponies waiting.
>They look up at you expectantly, but their spirits seem to die a little when they find that you are not, in fact, Chronicler.
“I’m glad you girls could come by, we need some help.”
>Pinkie Pie tilts her head in confusion.
>”Oh, wow, really? What can we do?”
>She’s already bounding up the stairs, and you can’t help but chuckle a little bit.
“C’mon, there’s one other guy you need to meet. We need your help.”
>As you climb the stairs, you explain your current situation.
>There was some sort of accident, and now whatever the Lich had planned was burned.
>You needed their help, as they understood this stuff, to try and continue your quest.

>”So…”
>An hour had passed, with books everywhere.
>It was amazing how willing they were to help out.
>Even Rainbow Dash, for all her distaste for reading, was atleast doing a few things here or there while complaining about the boredom.
>Twilight was peering over the top of a mound of open books.
>”What kind stuff are you guys doing? I know Anonymous was trying to fix the Elements of Harmony when he left.”
>You look at your wrist, at the Element you had gained.
”Really? Whatever happened, did a number on them.”
>Twilight goes wide-eyed at your Bracer, her mouth dropping open.
>”Oh my stars! What happened? Is that one of the Elements?”
>You nod
“Apperantly, they’ve been.. Reversed. They now embody the opposites of what they used to. For example, this became the opposite of Magic.”
>You show her the small gem on the bracer, and she shakes her head slightly.
>”I.. I don’t…”
>The Sorcerer finally speaks up.
>”We need to figure out a way to gather the rest of the vessels for these corrupted Elements. Whatever the Lich was planning, it obviously is our best shot.”
>Rainbow Dash, unoccupied as she is, catches Sorcerer’s slip of the tongue.
>”Wait, what do you mean ‘Was’?”
>Before anything else can happen, Twilight Sparkle shoots upwards.
>”I know how to do this!”
>Aw Buck yeah, get there Twilight.
>All eyes on the purple Unicorn now, as she trots confidently up the tower, levitating the book along with her.
>Confused, you all follow her.
>She eventually comes to the roof, barren of all but the scourch marks of the, apperantly extreme, fight Sorcerer had.
>Rainbow Shudders, eyeing a particular place on a spinneret.

>”Can we get this over with? It’s creepy up here.”
>You smirk
“What, the proud Rainbow Dash scared of a little hights?”
>You’re rewarded with an indignant ‘harumph’, and a punch to the shin, which sends you hopping away.
>Not a good call.
>”So, ya mind tellin’ us just what you’re doin’, Twilight?”
>Twilight smiles, and produced a folded up note from the book she held.
>”My dearest Twilight Sparkle. If you are reading this, then one of two conditions have occurred. I am either unable to commit to the furthering of my duties as protector, or I am away and cannot continue at present time.”
>She looks up at you.
>”Inclosed within is a trans-dimensional scroll which will allow you to communicate with me in the latter case.”
>Damn, that was easy.
>”Seems that crafty varmit knew just where to hide it too!”
>You have to admit, that was kinda impressive.
>You crack your knuckles.
“Well, that’s simple. How do we use it?”
>”I.. Uhm..”
>She flips the paper around telekinetically.
>”I’m not sure.”
>The Sorcerer seems to nod, before trudging off back downstairs.
>”Hey, where’s he headed?! Big guy, we need your help up here! Oh buck it, I’m going after him.”
>You move to stop Rainbow Dash, where there is a flash of light, and the Sorcerer re-appears again.
>He’s holding a gray pendant this time, however, with three Balloons on it.
>”We use this. Twilight, I want you to cast the spell on this medallion.”
>You have a feeling something’s gonna happen.
>And it’s gonna be big.
>You begin to back away, but Twilight has another idea.

>”Okay. Shermanator, go stand over there with him. This is going to be short, and I’m not entirely certain what will happen afterwords.”
>You gulp.
>You look up at the Sorcerer.
”Twilight, what if you end up just blowing us up?”
>Sorcerer answers you.
>”That’s a risk we need to take. Do it, Twilight.”
>You feel a rough grip on your wrist, and look up at Twilight, as her eyes are consumed by light.
>With a massive surge of power through your body, you feel like you’re being peeled apart, atom by atom, unfathomably slow, but impossibly quickly.
>With a scream from a voicebox no longer whole, you are flung across the AEther with a thunder-clap of magic.
>You only hoped that, whoever you were looking for, this Medallion would lead you to them.
>With a rough crash, you feel yourself become whole again.
>Rubbing your eyes, you look up into the clear sky.
>Good, you were still alive.
>Slowly rising, you shake your head.
“Hey, Sorc, you good?”
>You hear a slight groan.
>”I’ll be fine.”
>With a nod, you finally decide to take stock of your surroundings.
“Uhm. Sorc?”
>You look out at the massive pines and skyward mountains.
“Where in the wide world of Equestria are we?”
>This Element of Sorrow was not going to be an easy find, was he?


And that is where we end tonight. The quest begins to hunt down the Element of Sorrow, and the Anon who embodies it. Will the quest go just a̢s̤̼͖̜̝̹̕ ̘̺̞͓p̺̼l̙̖̞̠a̙͉̯̼͇ṉ̺͕͎̩n̶e̠̙͚͔̩ḓ̼̥̻̦̼̰,̩̦̳͚͡ ̖̖̬̤̬̗̘o̬̣̹͎̥͕̣r̶̥ ͕̬̤̮̹̺̜ẉ͓̞̭͞ͅi̥͎̪͖̹̠̖̕l̩̬̤͝ĺ̪̼̥̝ ̞̪̮̹̤͎so̡̠̤͔̮m̩̰̺̭͞ͅe͓̱̗̜t͟h̨̫̣̤͙̞i̶̖̙̙͔n̹͎̣̻̰͕͍g͏̞ ̞̭͖g̪̹̣̗e͔͔̹̭t̵͍͔ ̬̩͚͙͕͜ͅį͓ͅn̝̹͎̕ ̴͕͍̬ t̡̖̰́h̺̲͎͢e̘̮͙̰̺͎͇̲͕͘ ̶̴̛̝͙w̳̣̳a̶̵͓̥͓̫̫͟y̢̰͕̖̭͓͔̳ ̛̲̺a̸̧͓̘n̙̮͈̞͕͞ͅd̮̠ ̻̺̻͇͘i̱̙̩̪̜n̨̹̱̠̲̮͟͞t̛͇̪̖̜ę̷̼̼̜̠͎ͅͅr͓̗̟̻͡r͈̻̻͕̫ͅu̪̩͈̕͜p̴̤͙̯̳ͅͅt̢͚̫̳̭͉͘͟ ̦̞͈̯̖ţ͉̙͕̫̕͘h҉͕̭̻e͝҉̵͙̤͇͚̜ f̨̢͙͓͕̘͚̗̕g̶̵̡͕̩̮̱̗̞̣̺͜ͅs̴̷͓̹̣͇̗͉̣̫͖̥̮̖̣̬̗̯͕̪̘f̶̷̡̛͇̻̪͎̖̦̟̩͇͈͕̮͖͘s̮̣̦̗͉̟̠̜̬͇̻̀ͅg͏̵̧̻̝͓͉̖͟è̵̸̢̛͖̱̱͚̺̩͖̱̝̜͈͚͈ṛ̨͓̜͔͕̱͕̬̱̳͚͞ͅt͏̼͚͔̥̲̗d̛͍̻͓̹̞͈̩͚̰̮͉̠̕g̶̱̙̱͖̭͍̖̞͜͟͞f̴̴̡̱̬̠̼̖͈̬͇͚̪̝̞͚̹̼̦̕s̰̝͉͙̠̞͍̣̜̺̜͔͎͢͝ͅl͏̡̛҉͏̞̠̙͍͚ķ̡̻̲͚͙͎k҉̵̡͍̥̬͚̗̤̱̙̮͚̻́m̡̝̙̖͓̣̠̮̣͎̣̹̺͈̰̖̮̕͘͞n͝҉̴͍̼̗̬̥̠͙̯̠͖̟̪͔̱̠a͏̵͏̴̼̪͙̳̼̝̟̭̻͎̺̪ͅͅ

>The Darkness of the damp cave was smothering.
>The murmurs of supplicants and the creak of animate bones were punctuated occasionally by the drip of water.
>A pool, dark as ebony, took the width and birth of the cave, stretching endlessly into the abyss.
>A rough-hewn bridge extends from the entrance to an island of stone, upon which sits a titanic throne, high-backed with jagged obsidian spikes and flourishes.
>You watch as an armored figure slowly walks across the bridge, and the bowing figures shuffle aside to afford him passage.
>Steel clacks as the armored one kneels, presenting his sword.
>”My Lord,”
>He pauses, waiting for some response.
>After a moment, there is a slight rattle from the darkness that seems to pool upon the seat of the throne.
>”As you have commanded, I have been watching the Mortals above. As per your divinations, they have departed by way of an unstable Portal.”
>You watch, expecting more.
>The figure fidgets slightly.
>”There has also been a… Complication. It would seem that the Sorcerer, in a fit of rage, has destroyed priceless tomes within the Studies Library.”
>A hand rises from the darkness, nothing more than a few knucklebones and fingertips, held aloft by magical animation.
>It is only sparingly called a hand, so much is missing from it.
>”The Father does not wish for your excuses.”
>The armored figure looks beyond the Throne at the hissing voice.
>With a snarl, revealing sharp fangs, a skinless female stalks into the lighter shadows near the arm of the throne upon all fours.
>Tension grows between the Ghoul and Vampire, as the grip on that blade tightens, and the Ghoul prepares to pounce.
“S҉͏i̛͡le͟͞n̨͜͠ce.̵͏  “

>There is a canine Wimper from the Acolytes at your feet, as the darkness shifts, spare fragments and incomplete bones shifting in the deep darkness.
>Immediately, the squabbling stops.
>You lean forwards, you half-formed skull swallowed in darkness, your nearly non-existent right eyesocket host to a floating witchflame.
“Th̷e̕re͝ i͢s̷ ̀y̡et͡ m͡ùch҉ t̢o do͠,͏ ͢I s̶ha̧l̸l ́not a̕bid̕e f͢u̡rt̀h̵ȩr̸ ͠d́i̸str̶a͞c͏t́ions.”
>With a nod, the Vampire turns his gaze away.
>”Your will, my hand.”
>You are pleased, and look out at the Acolytes who bask in your presence, eager to learn of your dark arts.
” L̨e̴͢͠av͜e̶̛ ͘͟u̧͠s̸̡.”
>The robed figures rise, some on two feet, some on four, and leave your personal Grotto.
>It was a sanctuary, one that you both safeguarded and resented.
>You gave shelter to the darker creatures of Equestria, but it was also, in part, their prison.
>Best to remove the degenerates who would corrupt your world, than allow them to rampage about un-hindered.
>And, as an aside, you had lesser mages and scholars who were willing and able to learn the magics you were all to eager to teach.
>You are alone now, with your enslaved lieutenants.
>You speak freely in the language of the dead, no longer putting the effort into translating it for the sake of those still living.
“The gears must be set in motion. The Sorcerer’s actions were unexpected, but are ultimately trivial. They have failed to hinder my plans in the slightest.”

>Your witchfires bore into the Vampire kneeling before you.
”You are to be dispatched to a plane where a certain Element has refused to join. You are to sire a line of Vampires and with them begin a scourge of the plane. You are to remain in the shadows, propagating this line, for a month. Then, you shall strike.”
>With a flourish, you cast your Vampire minion through the aether, towards a plane with a certain Anonymous known by that very same title.
>So many little details already enacted.
>So many just now falling into place.
>Across a thousand realities, everything was ticking just the way you wanted it to.
>Except of course, and how could it be any different…
>You gaze up at Discord, as he hovers before you, smirking.
>Except for your own.
“The game has only just begun, Discord.”
>He smiles, a genuine smile of glee.
>”I wouldn’t have it any other way.”