Thirty Minute Pony Stories

The light was blinding in Twilight’s eyes.  She felt her eyes begin tearing up as she frantically attempted to blink away the pain. Slowly, gradually, her vision adjusted and the unicorn found herself in a featureless white void.

“Hello?”

Her voice echoed out into the stillness, with nary a response.  Her vision still swimming from the sudden brightness, she turned her head to inspect herself for injury.

Four legs, check…  Cutie-mark , check… and horn?

Patting at her head, Twilight let a sigh of relief as she felt her horn atop her head.  Nothing seemed to be wrong with her, so far as she could tell.

Then where am I?  And how did I get here?

The question troubled her.  Twilight had always prided herself on a near-perfect memory, and the thought of waking up in an unknown place with no idea how she had arrived, quite simply terrified her.  Her breath picked up pace as she felt the beginnings of an anxiety attack, her eyes casting about for anything to look at instead of the endless white.  Blood pounded in her ears as Twilight frantically began turning in a circle to search for something to grasp onto.

“Calm yourself my little pony.  Remember what I taught you.”

Celestia’s voice hit her like a splash of cool water.  Taking a deep breath, Twilight closed her eyes and organized her thoughts.

The prime numbers are as follows… 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13…

The recitation had the desired effect and Twilight felt her pulse lower, the rush of endorphins draining out of her system.  She continued on until she felt her body slowly slip into its natural state.  Then opening her eyes, she began again.

Panicking won’t help anypony Twilight, least of all yourself.  Now think, where could I be?

The problem was that Twilight couldn’t recall having ever read of a place that resembled this.  Something about it was maddeningly familiar though and it disturbed her that she couldn’t place her hoof on it.

Then she spotted something.  It was only the vaguest of impressions, of white on white, and Twilight couldn’t be sure she had actually seen something.  She paused for a moment, trying to see if her eyes were playing tricks on her, before slowly trotting towards it.

Staying here isn’t going to help, might as well investigate every lead… well, my only lead.

As she drew closer, the thing gained definition.  It was still hard to make out but it resembled a figure, a pony perhaps, clad in pure white robes.  The figure stood motionless with its back to her, hood covering its head.  Her pace quickened into a canter.

Maybe they know where this is or at the very least we can corroborate to try and find out how we both got here!

Hoofs working against the white, Twilight called out as she drew closer.

“Hello?  Could you help me, I’m lost and I just need to ask a few questions.”

At her words, the figure turned to face her.  Twilight slowed at the movement before stopping at the distance for a normal conversation. The figure took one step towards her, rising up as it did from quadruped to biped, the hood falling back from the movement.  As it did, she stumbled back in a panic.

No no no!  It can’t be!

“Why my dear Twilight, I would be happy to answer all of your questions.  But to answer your first, it’s really quite simple.”

The voice was the voice she heard in her worst night terrors.  She closed her eyes, as if she could wish away what she saw.  Twilight still heard his terrible voice though.

“You’re dead.”

Eyes opening at the statement, Twilight saw Discord smiling down at her.

“That… that can’t be true!”

Even to herself, her voice sounded panicked and uncontrolled.  Discord threw his head back, laughing that terrible laugh that had haunted her nights ever since his defeat.

“Really?  Well then little pony, I must simply be imagining you here. I am quite insane you know.”

Discord finished his sentence with a wink.  Twilight felt her gorge rise at the gesture of familiarity.  As if he had any right to act so casual around her consider what he had done to her friends!  Twilight found herself yelling.

“Don’t play tricks with me Discord!  I don’t know what game you are playing, but I’m sure my friends will find me and then it’s back to stone with you!”

Another horrible laugh filled the blank void as the draconequus fell back to roll on his back, cackling with mad glee.  Eventually Discord’s mirth subsided and with one last half-chuckle, he stood back up, wiping tears of joy from his eyes.

“Oh really?  I had no idea that one could be turned to stone while already stone.”  Twilight’s mouth dropped at his words.  Discord gave a smirk before continuing on.

“Yes Twilight, I really am still trapped in that hedgemaze, the prize catch for Celestia’s damnable trophy case.”  Discord’s tone darkened at the princess’s name, his teeth unconsciously baring in remembered anger at his nemesis.  Then with a visible effort, he calmed himself.

“And now so are you.”  Twilight’s expression was incredulous as she responded in a flat voice.

“I don’t believe you.”  He smiled at her words.

“Ha!  I wouldn’t believe myself either, the handsome lying cheat that I am!  But in this case my dear, I really am telling the truth.”

Discord paused, a mismatched eyebrow quirking up at her in curiosity. “I am a devilishly good-looking statue, and now I suspect you are as well, minus the good-looking part of course.  The real question is how did you get here?”

Twilight stopped at his words.  She couldn’t remember where she had been before waking here.  Her mind kept on coming up with nothing but blank space.

“I… I don’t remember.”  She replied lamely.

“You… you don’t remember?  What kind of answer is that!?”  Discord’s outrage was palpable in the air.  “Listen you insignificant little twerp, I want out and you are my best ticket out of here.  Now tell me!”

He moved fast and his claws moved faster still.  One pinned her down, as the other rose up in a killing strike.  Twilight’s eyes widened in panic as legs kicked out in a vain attempt to get free from his grip, when a thought struck her.  A devious smile crossed her face and she stopped struggling, laying limp in his claw.

“Kill me and you’ll never find out.”  Visible rage battled restraint over Discord’s features as he held back.  Finally, restraint won out, and he slowly drew back from her, allowing her to sit back on her haunches instead of pinned down.  His tone was icy.

“Very true my little pony.  Very true indeed.”  Then a thought seemingly struck him.  Twilight watched transfixed as the draconequus went from cold rage to laughing mirth.

“Well then, I guess all that is left is to help you escape.”

Twilight opened her mouth in protest, but he shushed her with one eagle claw across the lips.

“No no my dear, no need for thanks for dear old Uncle Discord.  Just promise me that you will write someday.”

She pushed the claw out of her way with one hoof before responding. ”Why would you help me get out?”  He smiled at her confusion, before leaning close in and whispering into her ear with all of his poisonous malice.

“Because I am the spirit of Chaos my dear and sometimes Chaos can give a helping hand.  Now, are you in or are you out?”

Krizak Comments!

What a mystery this is! Twilight suffering the same fate as Discord, being trapped in a statue in Celestia’s garden. Is this a case of Tyrant Celestia, or is there something more going on here? Regardless, the interaction between Twilight and Discord was great here, with Discord getting to be the smug knowing snake and Twilight reacting appropriately to her former enemy.