Morning
Equestria
Sunset's acquired an unused room in the palace for checking her working. Well, checking her expectations concerning Equestria's magical constants. She looks focused but not flustered, which I assume means that everything is going more or less according to plan. Not sure where she found all this equipment-.
"Sunset, how did you get hold of all of this?"
"Celestia put all my old stuff into storage. Twilight got a lot of it, but she said she was fine with me using it. Have you seen her?"
"Yes, and I apologised for my attitude. I believe that she's going to get some much needed sleep."
Sunset nods, then looks over to where Luna is staring at her blackboard.
"Do you actually understand any of that?"
"Only a little. 'Tis truly a marvel. We had not realised that the thaumatic sciences had advanced so far. Prithee, what doth
this segment mean?"
"They haven't. This is all Atlantean notation I learned on the other side of the mirror." She turns away from the machine she was studying. It looks a little like an oscilloscope, only the knobs are sparkling gemstones. "That segment describes the change in the subject's mana flows as they move from the start position to the… 'Unbinding' portion."
Luna glance back as Sunset approaches her. "You told Us that you were gone but a year."
Sunset face-shrugs. "Magic
is my special talent. Usually I prefer a more hooves-on approach, but Atlantean notation just made everything make so much
sense. This is the mathematical basis for everything I feel when I cast a spell."
She stands next to Luna as the alicorn stares at the equations.
"This is
not the notation used in Equestria?"
"It will be
now. I've written an introductory guide and I'm going to hand it over to the School for Gifted Unicorns."
"Couldst We prevail upon thee to furnish Us with a copy?"
"Sure, no problem. The other side of the mirror has really cheap printing technology. The only reason I didn't run off a bunch was because I know how slowly things like that get accepted."
"We have not yet fully brought Ourself up to date with modern thaumaturgy." She smiles at Sunset. "Perhaps in this instance We will be able to steal a march 'pon this nation's greatest experts."
"The ones who aren't
me, anyway."
"You are confident, then, that your technique will function as intended?"
"Mostly. There's just one magic form that I can't fully account for." She sighs. "And I can't carry on with my ascension until I can isolate where all that chaos magic is coming from. I don't want to end up as a
phelddagrif."
"Chaos magic?"
Uh oh. After I stopped The Changing Man turning an entire town into copies of his ex-girlfriend by killing him, I let Sunset study his remains. Which means that she was pretty confident of her ability to prevent chaos magic from interfering in the process. But with Discord still around and probably not all that happy about the sudden proliferation of alicorns…
"Could it be Discord that you are detecting?"
"Discord? That ugly statue-"
I brace for incoming draconequus.
"-out in the gardens?"
I hear a
click, as if invisible fingers were clicking. I know he's supposed to be reformed now, but I can't quite suppress my desire to grab the Sword of the Fallen as there's a flash of white light which serves as the prelude to his appearance.
"Did I just hear my name? Hm?" He looks at me, blinks, and then there are two of him blinking at me as they float upside down in the air. Then they rotate their necks so they can look at one another.
"An alicorn stallion?"
"I didn't think they
made those."
They blink at each other, then rotate so that their faces are level with mine. Their bodies are left floating up behind them in a way which –if they actually
had hearts and blood- would swiftly leave them light-headed.
"How novel." / "How novel."
I smile faintly. "Discord, I presume. Planet Wilson's Lord of Chaos."
Another click and flash of white light and the two are one once more. "Well, I don't like to
brag." His right forepaw covers the side of his mouth. "Actually, I do. I mean, 'Lord'? Really? Was that the best title you could come up with?"
"I met one of your colleagues. Klarion, the Witch Boy?"
Discord pulls back, amusement in his mismatched eyes. "Oh, that little scamp."
"And Mordru, the Dark Prince."
Discord strokes his chin. "Haven't heard from him in a while. Hmm. Come to think of it, Klarion's been uncharacteristically quiet as well."
"And Oggar, the Mightiest Immortal."
"
Pff,
mightiest."
He rolls his eyes. He rolls them down his arms and then holds them out to me. I don't react.
"And The Changing Man."
"Oh, he was always good for a laugh! Have to get back in touch." He clicks his right forepaw and a journal of some kind appears, floating in the air next to him. "Let's see... Huh." He pokes the journal a couple of times, then frowns. "Can't seem to locate them."
"No. Because, do you know what
they have in common?"
He pokes the journal again, not looking up. "Oh, do tell."
"They all met
me."
"Oh, don't be absurd, it's probably just on the fritz." He frowns, and clicks his fingers. The journal disappears and is replaced by a
nineteen twenties era telephone. "Hello, operator? I need the current listing for The Changing Man."
The part of the handset near his ear moves like lips, a nonsensical warbling sound emerging from it.
"Oh. Okay, do you have Oggar?" Another warble. "Ah. I see."
I turn my neck, reach for my shoulder sheath and pull out the Sword of the Fallen.
"How about Klarion? … Or Mordru? … Huh. … How 'bout that."
As Discord looks up, I smile, making sure that he can get the best angle from which to appreciate the Sword. He looks at it, frowns slightly, then his
eyes widen and his entire body turns into yellow custard. "
I'vegottowashandhairmygo!
Tata!"
Block Retreat.
He clicks his fingers and
doesn't disappear.
His eyes widen far beyond the borders of his face and he starts frantically clicking his fingers.
On the fifth, I feel his magic overpowering my resistance and I let him go.
I smile at Sunset.
"That fix it?"
She glances back at her equipment.
"Actually… Yes."
Luna watches cautiously as I stow the Sword. "What manner of blade is that?"
"What I'd have stabbed him with rather than taking a chance on Fluttershy. What me and mine have used to kill every Chaos Lord we've met to date. I believe in
permanent solutions."
She considers for a moment, then nods.
"We are not sad to see him go. Now, We believe that Our guards have had time to array themselves. Alas, We have other work which must occupy our time ere Sister returns, but We are certain that the Royal Guard will be able to assist you in full measure."
Sunset smiles. "Thank you, Princess. By the time we're done, the Guard will be unrecognisable."
Luna looks a little concerned at that, but nods anyway.
"We are pleased that despite your estrangement from Our sister thou art still devoted to the wellbeing of thine fellow ponies."
Sunset looks a little uncertain at that.
"Wellbeing. Yeah."
