Around the world through laziness and boredom

      Boring, again! Why, and how? Something did happen all the time around, even beyond the city walls - lots of hooved creatures went towards the travellers, some strange fog gathered around, and Forfex did not even think of quieting as he boasted about himself, as if he was a bard who found a source of inspiration.   One could try to count those walking ponies, or look at flowers on the sides, or observe some old ruins, but no. Solar pony refused to pay attention neither to grasshoppers, nor to anything else. Something, or someone, obstructed thinking and concentration. Maybe, everything at once.   Being left without an answer for an uncountable amount of time, the stallion tried to squeeze some attention to himself from the horse, by showing quick interest towards her. Felt like a breath of fresh air on the sea bottom, but the stallion still returned to admiring himself and his interests:   — And how is this great east for you? - stallion laughed in his highly manner - I heard giants lived there, and they are preparing to fight with evil.   — If we are this evil, then-   — They have enough to deal with! - the knight continued to laugh - This evil I’m talking about, wanted to come out of water and consume all ground, starting from the desert! Huge beast with lots of tentacles, teeth and mandibles. I wish to fight such monster!         This legend did not sound like any other, that some mad pony would weave and spread on the square. Either Forfex made it himself, or someone else did - someone, who lived beyond Equestria. Probably, even beyond Midillia and the big land in general.   Since the gossip about sentient squids - is not a gossip at all. The part of the continent that eastern ponies live in, was once a home for the spineless beings. Earlings managed to anger them like none other - elves took their home to the surface and eradicated most of the sea life of that part.   After some time, ocean dwellers decided to return the favour - and so the piracy was born, among other similar problems that came out of the sea. And if this stallion says the truth, then this strange prophecy may be the exact fear that drives the conquerors.   Midillians simply have no choice - should such creature appear, it will consume everything without noticing anyone. However, this warrior with two swords has a choice, and he, for some unimaginable reason, wants to fight the monster, not fearing legends and possible sizes of this beast.   — Why do you want to fight a big octopus?   — Because there is no bigger glory than from victory! Even if something happens to me, then poets will write ballads about my fearlessness!   — More likely about stupidity! Why all the battles, all those fights..?   — Because they will win otherwise! Even the smallest unfinished scum can do lots of trouble.         Suddenly, the stallion stopped and stamped his leg with force. Strange cracking, perfectly heard through the metal ringing, immediately got through ears of those who walked nearby, and Sunshine. A bit later, a strange silhouette peeked under the cruel warrior’s leg - the knight lifted his hoof purposely, so that others could see a crushed bug.   — Why are you doing that? - winged mare maddened - What did he do to you?   — All insects are relatives of changelings! One less - and the day gets better!   Sunshine could swear that she felt something in that moment. Something other than compassion - a thing very different, close to what she felt before in the adventure. She did not see her real friend’s face, but she knew how much discomfort the killer imposed while being near.   With all the wishing and desire, the warrior could not be left behind. Even by force, by challenging him. Maybe, even a whole detachment could not stop him - only wear him out a little. New ticklish thoughts silenced another Forfex’s boast. For all surroundings becoming very suffocating because of them..         ..Or, maybe not exactly due to them. This fog smelled of burning. With every new kilometre, the stench affected travellers stronger. It was not similar neither to magical gas, nor to consequences of a strong rain. Pony finally paid attention to those who walked away from them - there were less of them, and they all closed their faces with cloth.   And in that direction, from where the scared horses walked off, stood the city of Dome. Did something happen there, indeed? Forest fire, or a huge production incident? Now is not the time, not when Sunshine has a very important mission in those parts!         Through the fatigue and cinder murk, the pony ran forward, towards the giant fire. Forfex kept the pace despite his heavy equipment, and before the night had settled, they confirmed their worries. Something unpleasant did indeed happen to the mining town.   In a few tens of kilometres from the quarry settlement, stood a village that the trouble took partially. Armare-de-forge - that same hamlet, so famous for its fortifications, Fortune’s sponsorship, and frequent fights with angered changelings. Of which there is not a smell, at such a minute.   The flow of settlers ended long ago, and the military horses cut off any entry on the outpost territory. Though the native townsfolk still persisted there, just as the most part of the dispatched detachment. Where the rest of them went, knew only the locals.   — What happened there? Why is it so foggy? - worried winged mare.   — Fire! But why - dunno. - the guard was not going to let the adventurers through - Maybe bloody sorcerers, maybe bugling sabotage. With ‘tis scale can be a dragon..!   — Off the way! - huge knight stood on his hind legs - We don’t have time for this!   The stallion with the spear could not even make a sound more, as he got pushed aside. Following him, small squads and lone soldiers dropped as well. Big-eared pony jumped through the fallen bodies, hastily but accurately. “Can’t believe it! This can’t happen!” - thought the orange one, catching up to the lone knight.         It can. Very soon, minutes of continuous running after, the smoke completely drugged the travellers. They thought that they were smoked like bees, or someone wanted to laugh at them by lying on the road and around it. Companions thought it was not as bad as their eyes had seen.   In reality, it was even worse. Illusion of innocence broke with a fall, with a better look at bloodied bodies of soldiers and peaceful peasants. The fires, both wild and not, could not leave as much blood as the earth soaked up near the quarry and countless mines.   The burns do not leave whole pieces of armour lying around, without bodies or hints at them in the form of ashes. The smoke could not take as much folk with it, ones who closed their faces with clothes. And the victims do not stop their soulrending yelling on only part of it.   Far away, through small vegetation, a few unnatural flashes were seen among obscure figures. With almost a second or two, they fell one after another. The company rushed to this unexplainable event, to understand what went on and to help if possible. However, they got there too late.   At that moment, less than a dozen still stood on their legs. Soldiers fought only one single enemy, who surpassed them both in wizardry and physical prowess. The garrison tried to tame not a dragon, not even a shapeshifter.. But someone with hooves, too tall even for a pony.         The unknown horse dealt with its enemies with many knives and shocking tricks, that only a professional or someone insane would dare try. If not for the circumstances, one could think this is a circus - a lightweight body literally danced with its weapons, slipping through lunges with no problem.   Nobody, other than the company outside, could watch over the agile unicorn - it did not hesitate to use magic to appear away from other blades; to drop someone else under the blow. Not even half a minute had passed, as the giant stood alone. In search of a new enemy, it paid attention to the newcomers.   — For Audacity! - a feminine yell was heard - ..And Discord!   Was this exact dragon involved, indeed? Probably everyone heard about his cult, everybody spoke about it - that he, for example, imposed his will through his followers. But Sunshine could not believe that someone’s wish would cost so many lives and destruction. As if someone blew a beautiful house of cards for fun.         Insane horse, not hesitating for a moment, attacked the shocked and thoughtful pony. Should the unicorn jump towards Sunshine, when the barbarian was stopped by a giant knight, who stood in weapons’ way. Heavy dome-forged armour stopped the powerful lunge, incoming dagger blows and other improvised hits.   — Our battle shall be legendary! - the stallion laughed even at such a minute.   Forfex did not intend to simply stand idly at the same spot, and answered the challenge with his pair of swords. Nobody could inflict significant wounds to anyone - lack of agility compensated by a completely impenetrable armour, while long but heavy blades barely scratched and clinged to a similarly impressive leather armour, of a long-haired pony.   Winged horse was completely consumed by the fight of two born fighters. One could actually learn from them, and it was simply beautiful to watch, context and surroundings aside. Other than that, the little one was probably too shocked - and it made her sit and watch, ignoring everything in the world.   Not burning trees, not the smoking empty city - nothing could steal red-eyed mare’s attention. One should think of something else in such a minute - how to get that artefact, for instance. Or, even better - save oneself, and run. Sadly, only the changeling thought about safety.   — Sun? - plated bug shook his friend - Sun!         Thick fog negatively affected the whiskered insect, and he frighteningly coughed. Finally, he was noticed! As luck would have it, not only by the winged pony, but also by the fighting folk. Forfex, not expecting such irony, reacted to the deception with special hatred.   — A bug?! Stop right there, you beast!   The stallion completely forgot about his previous fight - he readied himself to crush the big insect, probably even the pony. Which, of course, became a huge mistake - a big unicorn simply kicked the bigger horse, and he fell just as easily as burning wood crumbled nearby.   Dealing with the main problem, the dancer with daggers rushed after the changeling and the little horse. Last ones barely made it to the woods, as they were reached by this serious opponent. Even with their somewhat fighting experience, the couple doubted their strength. Still, between stupidly dying and giving a fight, they chose the hard way.         Each and everyone did their best and tried to not make any mistakes - littlest move to the side, excess swing, or blinking at a wrong moment could become the last. Only then that the sun horse saw, that friends fought with a real earling. Quite an old one as well.   Long ears, curved horn, big height.. It was not exactly noticeable by clothing - any marauder could find one of those if they try, but getting a different body is impossible. And the salad-coloured fur, green and red hair, long mane and tail? Even if an ordinary pony tries very hard, it would never be able to grow such lush and gradient hair.   Those moves, those desperate steps - as if drawn from the legends. The giant used five daggers at once, one of which looked very unique - four forged into spirals, oh but that one.. Pony without a cutiemark tried to impose even the smallest wounds, littlest suffering and provoked on making mistakes in every possible way.         ..How could one even mess up like this? Instead of focusing on the fight, Sunshine deeply thought about her enemy - why is that pony doing it all? What drives her? Why is her horn so small? How does she manage to stay fit, keep in mind and fight two strong enemies at once?   Then again, there were seemingly only one and a half enemies there. Because of the sunshine horse's deep thinking, the snowwhite bug got hurt - whiskered insect, with the heavy body of his, got nimbly thrown into the nearest tree. Immediately after that, a very quick lunge with the weapon!         ..And nothing. Sharp and straight knife, different from the rest, have not reached the chest of the little horse pinned to the tree. The elf simply stuck in the air, literally. Trees stopped cracking, and the big-eared pony’s friend stopped making weird sounds of his. But the pony moved, she felt and she breathed; heard her own breathing. She perfectly felt the environment around. Almost.   Of course, the horse could somehow interact with her own body and move it, but something happened nearby as well. Something also made sounds and moved in this frozen segment of happening. Was it someone’s magical trick, or an experiment? A friend, or foe? “Delusion, nonsense, chaos!” - the mare nervously cursed in her mind.   And then, from a very thin tree, came out a very long red dragon, compared to the pony. Like by a command, after the last thought word in solar horse’s head, the reason and explanation for everything had materialised: he had horns to cast spells, and nobody could be blamed for what happened other than him. Which is not far from the truth.   Should he click with his fingers, the scaly beast shortened and got up on his back legs. New sounds and noises even played around them. To be exact, not around, but in a long-eared mare’s head - they felt too good to be true, too natural compared to the world stopped in time.   — Well-well, what a fate have Sunshine met. - horned dragon seemingly mocked her - Bravo!   — Who are you?! How do you know my name?   — Oh, I know a lot about you. And about others, too.   With another snap of his fingers, he corrected the problem of his own anatomy and straightened up in a way, as if he walked on his two for all his life. In a moment, he grew brown fur, and the claws on his legs turned into hooves. The pony immediately knew who she dealt with.   — You are the one they call Discord?   Abstaining from a normal answer, the unknown draconid summoned a musical triangle out of nowhere that he beat on, as if he was going to give a prize for cleverness. Yet, instead of receiving a prize, the pony seemingly received even more questions from this burning silence.   — How do you know me? What else do you know?   — That you were born in destroyed Londo, two hundred years after the appearance of alicorns. That you are an heir to a big family, a mansion.. - the dragon laughed, like if he did so in the pony’s consciousness - Not only them, actually, but still!   — What..?   Draconid rapidly increased his neck in length and circled around the short horse. Even though he remained at a distance from her, this gesture felt as if he was going to squish the orange mare, like a big and hungry snake. She could not even breathe properly!   — Do I really need to put it all for you on a plate, like for a little pony? Wait, you are actually little, and a pony!   Continuing to giggle, Discord suddenly disappeared with a quick smoke, appearing again just as small as Sunshine is, keeping his distinguishing features. Especially saving the annoyance, talkativeness and his sharp mind, still circling and walking around.   — One could touch you, and you’ll immediately squeak! - scaly beast quickly proved his words with his claws, without any sorcery or tools - And your friend is no different. Want me to hit him?   Winged pony could not object, as the dragon knocked on the insectoid’s carapace. Like by magic, without any movement or anything at all, his back attained spots colour of his body, and oppositely - white body turned half-purple, as if he was sick like Sunshine moments prior.   — Hey! Return things back the way they were!   — As you wish.         The dragon granted the wish of the red-eyed mare with a loud clap of his claws. All the moments that happened just now, quickly scrolled away in an opposite order. Not having even a second for thinking, the pony found herself right before the blade of an evil horse - everything continued right from that moment!   What a pain! Again, everything froze in time, right after the spine piercing! Magic dagger burned everything from inside, like if it tried to wither away the horse who chose the wrong words for her wish. If not the sorcery of a straight-walker, the mare would not even realise the moments before her death. What if it is her death?   Just as suddenly as the horned dragon appeared at first, he did so a second time, returning everything to the start of the conversation - where the bug remained normal, and the orange horse stood on her hind legs, with the weapon ready. Feeling control of her own body, the pony deafeningly screamed, either at the echoes of pain, or shock. Her power of speech returned not soon after.   — ..What are you doing?!   — Having fun! It is a joy to observe you all, can’t even find words that you would understand. What am I saying - you cannot understand anything at all. You wouldn’t even notice if you start circling around a black hole, not your usual Sun! - the dragon snapped his fingers again, this time staying idle, without sparkles around the horns - Wait, but that is what actually happens!   — Y-you.. - pony completely lost the point - I-a..   — Alright, let’s start from something easier. - a sign appeared in front of Discord that said “Creating stuff that you believe in is amusing” in an ancient language - Pause, another pause. Pony reads, a-a-and.. Well, understood?   Completely losing the thread of thought, the orange horse simply dropped onto the grass, tilting her head to the side. What is even happening right now? “This is some kind of joke. This must be a joke!” - the mare could not believe neither in what was happening, nor in such a meeting.   — That is not a joke, my darling. - horned dragon giggled again, reaching for the chin of his interlocutor - It all goes the way I want it to go.   — Why..?   — Isn’t it obvious? - suddenly, the sorcerer vanished, appearing behind the earling - It is fun! Or would you rather prefer to return to.. How is it said on yours? Five hundred something by nobody’s calendar?         In that moment, Sunshine felt how her head was being compressed. Not like if someone squeezed it, but if her brain simply decreased in size. Or it was decreased in size by someone else, giving her a moment or two to smell the ashes of a truly old world.   — Stop it! Stop behaving yourself as if you can get away with it!   — Why should I? - for who knows what amount of time, dragon’s laugh sounded somewhere deep in a long-eared mare’s consciousness - There is nothing wrong in playing god if you are good at it!   — You think you can’t be touched?   — Only by something I will touch myself! - Discord carefully grabbed the straight dagger from an elf and threw it far away, in an unknown direction - Granny isn’t even aware that she spoke with a talking weapon! With a knife that convinced her I would help her and her race! And it’s not even mine!   If it is so, then the city fell from only a mania and obsession of an old pointy-eared horse. But how could one believe someone, who is ready to stack all decks and facts, not limiting shenanigans to them? Sunshine did not believe either, finally getting up in a fighting stance.   — If she’s not with you, why didn’t you stop it all back then? She is dishonouring you!   — I already answered this question. - after petting someone else’s green tail, the horned creature moved closer to the winged one - Not to mention, too many of you bred out. You are so like me, but.. Something’s not right. Maybe I’ve miscounted somewhere?   Sorcerer seemingly asked the questions to himself, conjuring before him a mirror that imperfectly copied his moves. He did not even look towards the solar pony, who certainly did not wish to hear the red dragon, and simply observed his own defective reflection.   — No, seriously! Only a little portion of you all use this gift and create something interesting. Others are endlessly angry at stuff unclear for them, angry at themselves; destroy others, destroy themselves..! - the image in the mirror rapidly transformed from a dragon into a modern unsatisfied peasant with a fork - You are like bacteria - all of you take the role of one small cell, when you all can behave independently!   — It’s not as easy at it lo-   — Really? You always use words like “unpassable”, “unbeatable”, “impossible”.. And in the end? The illusion crumbles when someone simply tries! - a real spoon appeared before Sunshine, and the scaly being broke it in half, illusory grabbing the fake object from the sides - One needs to learn to live in illusions, too. Like Moonrise.   — Don’t you dare drag my brother into it!   — Why not? He’s an ideal example! He’s got a fictional order of things, fictional progress. Even his sister is!   Little pony got incredibly angry at Discord. How can he say that everything, especially her existence - are not real? In an attempt to prove it otherwise, the pony tried to bite him, but the claw simply went through. Yet the sabre that she used, showed the horse that her point of view is right, by leaving a small cut on the soft-bodied mare.   — I am real! A-and he is too! And we are doing a good thing!   — “We”? You are not even sharing his point of view. You can’t even remember him! - he mockingly smiled, quickly growing long, straight and dark hair - Sure, tell me why the sisters are good. Imagine that I am Moon.   — But they haven’t done anything! They can’t just do everything by them-   — Demigods can’t make peace all over the whole world? Whole generations simply disappeared at a downwind? Ponies became more racist than zebras? Your parents would be very displeased with you.   The dragon dropped the mirror with a screaming peasant. Another side of the broken glass had some blurred silhouettes of two hooved creatures, so distant yet so familiar to this pony at the same time. No doubt - the scaly beast wanted to show something to her, not even a picture. But what was it?   — ..You just want to torment me, don’t you? - the horse shivered from anger and other negative feelings - This, is what actually satisfies you?!   — Already making conclusions without looking at the other side of facts? - scaly being shook with another one’s head, patting on it as well - Tsk-tsk-tsk.. my-my, what a bad pony! Let’s compare, then - they are bored, and you are bored. They wanted to spice their lives up, and you too! They ignore and boycott what’s inconvenient, and you abstain from uncomfortable thoughts! - the dragon grabbed a scroll from behind the orange pony’s ear, containing all and only sins and convictions that rolled away at a huge distance - They wish for more pleasantries and embrace them. But you can’t do that! You are looking for an escape, try to blame all the problems on something else!         Long-bodied draconid have silenced. For the first time he made such a long pause. And even with all the silence around, a question rose in the little horse’s head, either somehow asked by him, or with the thought finally getting through to her by itself. “Why am I better?” Of course, there are many reasons, but..   ..That is the point. Reasons. Not a straight answer, but many deviations that do not give a full picture. The realisation slowly got through to everything around, literally - the greyness washed away all the colours from the pony and painted everything with itself - leaves, other creatures. But not the dragon.   — W-what’s the point? - the orange one barely stood on her legs.   — Point? Point in living? Sure, you can live not.         Red-bodied dragon clapped for a second time, and the “picture” became alive without the interlocutors. Without any trouble, hesitation or conscience poking, the earling did to the shapeshifter the same she wanted to do to little mare. It was enough for her to hear a long and tired wail of her closest friend, for everything to return back. Colours and thoughts alike.   — ..Or you can do something. Question is, do you want to? - he knocked his claws on air, like on wood.   — I want to!   — Kill her.   — No!   That is too much. Sunshine did not want to do so, did not want to inflict pain and suffering to anyone! It is not how she behaved - even when someone hurt her. Even now, when she was left with no choice, the mare decided to deal with the situation her own way.   — I will not murder anyone! - pony felt as she was getting bigger, at least in someone else’s eyes - Stop pushing me in your boundaries! I have my own path!   — What path? You don’t even know-!   — I will not listen to you!         For the first time, the red-eyed horse truly wanted someone else's suffering. In anger, she swung her weapon in a giant lizard’s direction, to show him all the power of her intentions, emotions and wishes. Nobody will tell this pony what to do and how to do it!   The sabre got through horned draconid’s scales for real, and he acted as if it hurt him. However, the blade did not stop and hit someone else, which the winged mare did not realise immediately. Only a slow return in motion in reality showed the little pony, that her unthoughtful swing maimed earling’s neck.   — Graveyards are full of indispensable. Try not to die, will you? You can still be useful..   Just as suddenly as Discord appeared, he smilingly hid himself behind the smallest tree. Sunshine was already going to rush and help her former foe, when she understood that she could not - an artery has been struck. Nothing in the traveller’s arsenal could stop such a profound bleeding. And even then, the unicorn was not going to give up.   However, instead of fighting two adventurers, the old pony fought with herself for her life. Being with no needed supplies as well, she shut the hole in her body with her own dagger, hastily disappearing with a bright flash. Winged pony could not even ask for forgiveness or explain herself.