dimension hop 12-a final choice

>Cadance leads you to a wing of the castle (turns out you were not only in Canterlot, but deep in the dungeons) adorned with pink.
>Other wings you passed were white, gold and blue respectively.
>She explained those were the barracks and the wings of the other princesses, Luna and Celestia.
"Soooo...I'm going to your wing of the castle."
>"If I am to take you under my wing, yes. That is where you will be."
>You roll your eyes.
>Shining Armor spots you in the halls and trots over.
>"Cadance! You...do know you're walking a human through the castle, right? Are you TRYING to get Celestia's attention?"
>"OF course not, Shining. The scientists had him locked away in the deepest part of the castle. I had to take the long way just to avoid her."
>You think you'll just...stay quiet.
>"Well if that's REALLY what you want to do, then I'll help. We should probably get him outside for some air...he looks a little pale."
>Nah, you can't even into kittyface.
>You can't be Pale.
>Your stupid stupor of referencial reverie is snapped suddenly when you realize that you have since been escorted out of the castle and into the gardens.
>A familiar figure frowns at you, his face frozen.
>Discord, in all his fame and glory, frowning with his arms crossed.
>And he's also stoned.
>You snicker, but the statue doesn't share your sentiment.
>"You know him?"
"Discord. Chaos, disharmony, also a dick."
>"Yeah, well maybe you shouldn't get too close to him. Word is, long ago he allied himself with all of humanity. Stranger still is what Celestia told me. Long ago, the Elements of Harmony froze him in stone, but he's recently begun moving."
"Moving?"
>You look him in the eye to see if he's serious.
>He nods and looks back at the statue, so you too return your gaze.
>He is sticking his tongue out at you, eyes shut.
>Also still a statue.
"Well shit."
>Shining Armor scoffs.
>"Yeah, well he doesn't seem too evil to me. Last month, we had out wedding. When we saw him, this guy was on one hoof, holding a keg of cider mid-chug in his arms with a party hat on one horn."
>Sounds like a party animal.
>>Well, I've got enough animal parts, surely ONE of them is for partying!
>You look to see if Shining Armor heard that.
>Nope.
>Looking back, Discord is in a classic Gargoyle pose, with a phone in his mouth.
>The phone, strangely, is not made of stone.
>You cautiously reach for the phone.
>"Come on, man, just pick it up! He's never done this before!"
>Dude's just excited.
>Didn't expect that from Shining Armor.
>You lift the receiver.
"Welcome to Anon's pizza how can I help you?"
>"Ah, I'd like to order an extra large riddle."
"Sorry, fresh out."
>"Then I'll give YOU one."
"Okaayy...?"
>"Answer my riddle with the question and find a friend back again. His own greatest nemesis is only himself."
"Which part was the riddle?"
>"Not telling!"
>...ok.
>You think you've got this.
"What is a man?"
>"A MISERABLE LITTLE PILE OF SECRETS, but enough talk, have at you!"
>A bright light envelops the statue, and when it disappates, you see Discord holding a glass of ...welll...you can't tell.
>He throws it into the floor, pulls a cape from behind his back and warps himself in it, disappearing in a beam of light.
"..."
>"What did you do!?"
"I don't know, why did you tell me to answer it!?"
>"Didn't I tell you not to get close? Oh man! Celestia's gonna have a field day with me!"
>"And why am I to have a field day with you, Shining Armor?"
>You both gulp and turn.
>Princess Celestia stands before you, eyes narrowed.
>"And what, pray tell, were you two doing at the statue of Discord?"
"Answering a phone call."
>You slap your hands over your mouth too late.
>"I was willing to overlook your existence in my castle, human. I really was. Get to know him as an individual, I told myself, he isn't chaotic or evil! But then you had to go and free Discord not MINUTES later!"
"It was an accident?"
>"Yeah, just an accident!"
>"Celestia, come onnn don't be like that!"
>The last voice was Discord.
>"Show yourself, villain!"
>"If you insist-a, sistah!"
>Discord freefalls from the sky, parachute in hand.
>Just seconds before falling, he pulls the ripcord!
>…and it comes right off.
>He shrugs in midair, and falls into the ground right next to you, a Discord-shaped hole going about a foot deep appearing.
>A paw extricates itself from the hole, then pulls the rest of him up, with a loud TADAHH noise.
>”Anonymous, I’m SO glad to see you again!”
>He wraps you in a tight hug.
“Have we met?”
>”Why of course, Anon! Tell me, did you look at this dimension’s coordinates?”
“No.”
>”Well I told you I was making Earth into Equestria, didn’t I? So here it is, the fruits of my labors!”
“And then you went evil and had to be imprisoned in stone.”
>Celestia and Shining Armor are too stunned to say anything as you and Discord talk.
>”Oh, evil shmevil. I just couldn’t stand the wait so I pissed off the ponies and head me removed from the time stream. I’ve only been awake for about a year and a half, now. And even THAT is too long!”
“Couldn’t you have asked?”
>”Hmmm…I suppose…but it wouldn’t be very much fun, now would it?”
>You sigh. Why do you put up with his antics?
>”Anyway, I’m sorry Celestia, and Shining, and extend that to Cadance, would you? I need to borrow Anonymous here for a bit.”
>He snaps his fingers, and you’re suddenly somewhere else.
>”Anonymous, did you ever give thought to the dreams you had?”
“Not really, no. Aside from the lucid one.”
>”Yeah, well good on you. Everything happens for a reason. Whether its to make me look like the bad guy or to make you reassess your obsession with a certain mint mare. Or even to simply be chaotic with no underlying reason!”
>He sighs.
>”But after all was said and done, you left her. You were so close! You were not 5 feet from her! Ughh, you don’t even WANT to know what happened in the chats.”
“I sort of saw some before I left…”
>”Fine, you’re just going to ask anyway.”
>He snaps, a television screen appears, and Discord sits back, reclining on air.
>Whipping a remote out, he points it at the screen and hits the lone button.
>”Essentially, the conversation boiled down to this:
>>SHRM: Hey, Lyra?
>>LYRA: yes?
>>SHRM: you remember what we talked about, right
>>LYRA: yeah, how boots is coming
>>SHRM: And how I'm probably not
>>LYRA: please... dont say it. There is always a chance...
>>SHRM: I just don't want you to get your hopes up. That's all.
>>LYRA: Sherm...
>>CHYS: Lyra, if it makes you feel any better, Boots is a veritable inferno of passion, albeit a slightly doubtful one
>>LYRA:…
>>SHRM: The guy waits for hours for ya, Lyra.
>>LYRA: but... I love sherm...
>>CHYS: but that doesn't mean you can't at least be friends with boots
>”And then there was a bit f a time skip…”
>>SHRM:Lyra, let's get real, here. I think it would be best if you just, you know. Forgot about me. You got boots. Give him a shot.
>>CHYS:sherm, you just broke her heart. What a thing to do!
>>LYRA:…
>>Sherm: Reality isn't nice, missus C. You should know that better than I.
>>CHYS: i'm aware sherm
>>LYRA:… sherm...
>>SHRM:Yes Lyra?
>>LYRA: Then... you lied to me...
>>SHRM:I didn’t lie, Lyra.
>>LYRA: You never did love me. did you?
>>CHYS: Lyra, honey, don't say that, of course he did
>>LYRA: You’re on HIS side, now huh?
>>CHYS: I am on the side of truth Lyra. You are feeling betrayed, that’s understandable
>>LYRA:…
>>SHRM: Maybe we should wait until we can talk in private, Lyra.
>>LYRA:…
>>SHRM: Look, Lyra, let me explain something real quick, here. I loved you, and I still do. But as I get closer and closer to the center of Tartarus, I can see that things are getting worse and worse. I can't make you any promises any more. And more and more I'm realizing that I had no right to in the first place.
>>LYRA: So... you’re just gonna give up.
>>SHRM: No. I'm not giving up. But I have told you before. The chances of us meeting were always abysmal. Boots, though? Boots is a good guy. And he's a good guy who will be there for you.
>>LYRA: I DONT CARE ABOUT THE CHANCES!
>>SHRM: Lyra, you can not care about the chances all you want. That doesn't make the facts go away
>>LYRA:…
>>SHRM: I'm sorry, Lyra. I will *not* be coming to your world. I will *not* be there for you. Boots *will*. Sorry, Lyra. It's something I just can't influence. Fate is controlled by higher powers.
>>LYRA: I... I don’t even know who you are anymore Sherm.
>>SHRM:Lyra…
>>LYRA:What.
>>SHRM:You okay?
>>LYRA:no.
>>SHRM: Lyra, please, I'm trying to do what's best for you, here. I really am.
>>LYRA:NO.
>>SHRM: I'm sorry, Lyra. I wish I could make you understand.
LYRA has logged off.
>Discord gets up and grabs the tv like paper, crumpling it into a ball and throws it into a trash can.
“Well now I know what Lyra and Sherm are like when I’m not around.”
>”Yes, the IDEAL happy couple. NOT.”
”Why are you so mad?”
>”Simple, Anonymous. I bet on you. I bet everything on you. It was even the largest chance!”
“I don’t follow.”
>He throws up his arms.
>”Being what I am I have nigh-unimaginable powers! Some of which come with facts and rules that are immutable! I’m the spirit of chaos! I shouldn’t have RULES on myself! I see things, Anon. I see the chances. My favorite part is moving all those zeroes and one-hundreds towards the center. But then my favorite part of that is betting which side will win. And buddy, you were leaning towards the winning side, then you failed me.”
“So…”
>”So GET BACK THERE AND MEET LYRA, DAMMIT! THIS AIN’T OVER YET!”
>You shrink from his words, shuffling from side to side, averting your gaze.
>”What are you waiting for. A paid invitation?”
“Or an internet connection.”
>With a roll of his eyes and a snap of his fingers, he grants your inane desire.
>You boot up your laptop and connect to the chat.
>>MEP-MSP UPLOADING. MultiEnergy Phase Network, Multiverse Subtype Portal.
>Well this looks futuristic. The background’s changed and everything looks electric.
“Shit, this isn’t the chat in 3000 years, is it?”
>”No, they just updated it is all. That’s the unfiltered connection to the day after you left. Go on. Enter it.”
ANON has logged on
>>ANON:Hello?
>>SHRM:Hey boots.
>>ANON:Is uh…did anything else happen to Lyra?
>>SHRM:She is very upset.
>>ANON:Yeah, I read that part.
>>SHRM:So much so I doubt she’ll be back.
>UNA: Read it? Dammit boots. Dammit Lyra.
>>ANON:Sherm…it’s my fault, isn’t it.
>>UNA:Yes. You shouldn’t have given up like that!
>>SHRM:No, Boots,it’s not.
>>ANON:Then whose fault is it supposed to be?
>>UNA:Lyra’s.
>>SHRM:Look, Anon, if it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine.
>>TSAR:How about we stop laying blame and solve it?
>>UNA:Yeah, first up is to kick the oppression out of boots! …depression too. Then help Lyra get the hell over Sherm!
>>ANON:So do we know for sure if she’ll be back?
>>SHRM:Lyra? Who knows, she was so upset.
>>UNA:She’ll return, she always does.
>>SHRM:I did too, but she’s kind of unstable right now.
>>ANON:So what do I do? Should I wait till she gets back or what?

>> CHYS are we talking about lyra again? That poor mare.
>>SHRM I know! I’m sorry, all right? I’m sorry for making her upset, it was greedy of me!
>>ANON:Greedy of you?
>>CHYS:Lyra is…possessive
>>SHRM:it was horrible and terrible. I tried to fix everything but I just fucked it all up
>>UNA:She needs help, but I’m more mad at her than anything
>>CHYS: now now, una, she feels betrayed, after all, sherm did promise her a lot
>>SHRM: I didn't promise her nothin'. I don't break promises.
>>CHYS: Maybe in your mind you didn't but to her, you vowed to be in her arms everynight once you're out of tartarus. it's not a matter of what he did and didn't say: it's a matter of what Lyra believed he said
>>UNA: It's a matter of her not being realistic enough to be prepared for the situation going south as it was likely going to.
>>CHYS: once again Una, I cannot stress this enough  emotions are not logical quite often enough, they are illogical, which is in fact why the best way to handle emotion is with emotion, not logic. sympathy is the best salve for heartbreak
>>UNA: it shouldn't have ended with heartbreak in the first place.
>>ANON: so i should go to her, right ?
>>CHYS: Anon, she sees you as a cause of her heartbreak. Give her time. First she has to solve internal issues. when she's ready for us, she'll come. there's a sort of philosophy I've developed while aiding you all with your emotions; when a heart is broken, it is up to the individual to collect the pieces and the group to mend them together again
>At this point you pause. It always seems to come back to being in a group. Never one person’s goal or one person’s burden to bear. Did you buy into that? Was that what friendship meant to Lyra?
>>ANON: thanks for the advice auntie C.
>>SHRM: So does that mean it's still my responsibility to help Lyra?
>>CHYS it's all our responsibilities, but only when she's ready for us. sherm, she'll be counting on support from you most of all
>>SHRM:Me?
>>CHYS: after all, your word means the world to her
>>SHRM: Fan-freakin'-tastic.
>>CHYS: think of it this way: Reconciliation. She wants closure, proof that Sherm isn’t really a heartbreaker. She still wants to like him, after all.
>>SHRM:Well, I don’t half ass things. I’ll do what I gotta do.
>At this point Discord begins tapping his lizard foot and mouths “time’s up.”
>>ANON:Well, Discord says I gotta go now. I’ll get back on if I can.
>You don’t get a chance to see what they say, as he snaps his fingers and your laptop closes.
>”Well that’s how it is on their end. You decide what to do now.”
“Me? I’m no good with decisions!”
>”I gathered that with the way you rely on your chat room buddies for everything. And on me to be able to talk to them at all!”
>”Your friends gave you conflicting messages, yet you still try to follow them. Fine. I’m done interefering. Though my suggestion is that you man up, grow an emotional spine and tell her how you feel face to face, consequences be damned!”
“…she doesn’t speak the same language, Discord.”
>His face lights up.
>”Is that all?”
>You nod, unsure of his reasons for getting so cheery suddenly.
>With a  snap, you and Discord are in front of Celestia and Shining Armor again.
>They begin to talk, and you realize that you don’t understand a word that they’re saying. You can hear it, it’s just all gobbledygook to you.
>Before he flies off, Discord smiles at you with an evil grin, leaving you wondering just what the fuck he said to Celestia and Shining.
>Oh...fuck.