SMT - The Horizon of Friendship

[Meinos Kaen]

Alright, here we go. My SMT-Strange JourneyxMLP:FIM X-Over. It doesn't need you to have played the game to enjoy it. So... Enjoy!

Prologue​

“Mine!” A little filly shouted as she crouched and took to the air, her muzzle grabbing the thrown frisbee with ease, much to the amusement of her unicorn friend. “Phiese of gake.”

“Why didn’t you use your hooves? You look so silly with that in your mouth.” The unicorn filly giggled, her mane shaking and sparkling in the low antarctic sun. When she stopped, she noticed that her friend was ignoring her. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“What... Is that?” The young pegasus uttered as she removed the object from her mouth, her wide eyes focused on something on the horizon. Her unicorn friend turned in the same direction, and noticed that pretty much everyone around them had done the same. She found the object of their attention.

“What...?” Her reaction was identical. Confusion, curiosity. A little bit of fear.

It couldn’t be wider than a couple meters, and the only reason they were able to detect it at all was because, whatever it was, the dark violet line extended up into the sky, towering taller than the Crystal Palace. As it stood, it looked like it split the sky in two. Fearful murmurs began to spread among the crowd.

Sure, the crystal heart and its power stood strong but still, the last time anything of that color appeared near the Crystal Empire, King Zombra had made his return.

That wasn’t an experience anypony cared to repeat anytime soon.

-Three Weeks Later-​

“Sister, is everything in place?”

“Yes, Celestia.” Luna nodded, inspecting the magical circle inscribed into the floor of the room. At the center of it all stood Princess Celestia, and a being turned to stone with its resting pose being a rictus of fear and shock. “Once I cast the spell, nothing inside of the circle will be able to leave it, no matter how powerful. Not without my say-so or an intervention from the elements of harmony.”

“... Good.” The princess of the sun slowly turned to the other six occupants of the room, each one wearing a golden ornament, be it in the shape of a necklace or a crown. “If you are prepared, Twilight Sparkle, you may begin casting the spell.”

“Princess Celestia, I’m not sure this is wise.” The lavender unicorn voiced her worry openly, flanked by her five friends. “Not that I don’t trust your judgment or princess Luna’s magic, but...”

“This is Discord we’re talking about, here!” The boldest of the two pegasi bellowed, glaring daggers at the petrified form of their past enemy. “Are we seriously going to release him from its prison after all the trouble we’ve gone through last time?!”

“Dashie, it’s just for a few minutes! Time for a chat, maybe a couple cotton candy clouds, and we’ll be done!” The eager Pinkie Pie tried to reassure her friend, slinging a hoof around Rainbow Dash’s back.

“Still, uhmm, are you really sure we should? Princess?” Fluttershy added timidly, memories of what she had become under the creature’s influence weighting heavily on her mind. She had been so mean, and so... So not pleasant.

“Girls, I’m a lover of tact and all the different ways a conversation can go on dancing around the subject matter, but to be blatantly honest: we have no other choice.” Rarity sighed heavily, understanding fully the gravity of the situation Equestria... No, the world found itself into.

“Ya said it, girl. We need answers, and we need ‘em now!” Applejack continued, impatient, and with good cause. “Think about yer brother, Twilight! What good is gettin’ cold feet now?!”

“... It’s no good.” Princess Celestia’s number one student relented, bowing her head. “Get ready, girls.” When she raised it again, her eyes were shining with barely restrained magical power. The six element bearers started floating in mid-air, a rainbow line of magic connecting the artifacts together, making them shine brighter and brighter.

“Luna!” The night princess jumped to action, casting her own spell. The circle under Celestia’s feet flashed with blue light, activating itself. An instant later, the white light above Twilight’s tiara turned into a ray which collided with the petrified figure.

The skin-like prison cracked and crumbled in a web-like pattern before exploding in a shower of pebbles as the mystical creature stretched in a very loud yawn. “Aaah... Goodness, Celestia. Is it morning already?” He rubbed his eyes, smacking his lips comically. “Hmm, no wait, it’s mid-afternoon... And a few weeks since you sealed me again.” The draconequus chuckled, scratching the back of his head, and stretching his limbs one by one. “After all that trouble, you willingly unsealed me again?”

“Believe me when I say that I would have avoided it if possible, Discord. Also, don’t think you’re free.” Celestia said with a steel voice. She raised her front right hoof and clopped the floor firmly. “Do you recognize this circle?”

“Well, I’ll be. It’s been centuries since I’ve seen one of these.” The creature whistled in amazement as he floated around the perimeter. “Hmmm, the calligraphy is a bit rough... You should practice more, Luna.”

“Shut up, mongrel. We did not summon you to receive lessons in magic.” Luna barked, her eyes narrowed. “We want answers.”

“Answers? But I’m so much better with questions. Like, are you really that desperate?” Twilight frowned as well, and opened her mouth to say something but Applejack stopped her with one outstretched hoof.

“Discord, I know your awareness of things wasn’t stopped by your stone prison. You know what has been going on.” Celestia continued, stepping closer to the draconequus. “What do you know about the Land of Ruin?”

“My my my, such an ominous name. But again, what else would you call it?” Discord joked, settling down on his back in front of Celestia. “A magical field which suddenly appeared in the frozen lands of the south. It extends to the sky and at first didn’t measure larger than an apple. But...” The creature suddenly started inflating, becoming larger and rounder, and his voice squeaky. “It’s extended more, and more, and more, and it’s not stopping!” He suddenly popped in a hundred little Discords. “Everything that touches it, disappears! And what simply gets swallowed... I wonder what happens to it?”

“Stop your games, Discord. This is a serious matter! And I think it’s got your hand into it!” The ruler of Equestria shouted, her horn illuminating and creating a globe of magical energy which started displaying images. “Our divinations revealed these images to us! This is supposed to be the inside of the Land of Ruin! And my first reaction was ‘Is this somepony’s idea of a sick joke?’. And we all now who loves jokes in this room!”

“Awww, thanks, princess!”

“Pinkie, Ah think her majesty was talkin’ about Discord...”

“Well, yeah. I do love a good joke...” The many draconequi formed a pyramid, which quickly dissolved into the original Discord. The creature observed the images, displaying unfamiliar places. The slums of a metropolis. The fortified quarter of a cloud city. The luxurious halls of a palace. “But seriously, Tia. I was a statue. I didn’t have access to this kind of mojo.”

“Then you influenced someone!” Discord sighed at Luna’s comment.

“So, according to your theory, I influenced someone with the kind of power needed to create a world eating magical monstrosity. Other than me not having even that kind of mojo in my petrifying adobe...” The jokester pouted. “You really think I could have mind controlled someone that powerful while I was locked away with the other garden ornaments?”

“Stop bluffing, Discord!” Celestia continued, gritting her teeth. “You must have something to do with this!”

“... Honestly, Tia. You’ve always been, if not fun, at least level-headed. Just what...!” Suddenly, Discord stopped talking. He froze in mid-air, his eyes wide, his jaw hanging as he had just realized something big. After a few seconds spent like that, his shocked face became a smile. Then, a chuckle. Then, he broke down in hysterical laughter. “Ahahahahah! I can’t-I can’t believe this! You’re-You’re trying... Ahahahahahah!”

“Discord, I warn you-”

“The great and powerful princess Celestia is in denial! You know exactly what this is!” The alicorn suddenly cut herself off, her face looking like she had just been slapped in the face. “You know that I have nothing to do with it, but you’re wishing! You’re wishing so hard I did, only so you wouldn’t have to admit that old Swirly was right! Ahahahahah!”

“TWILIGHT!” The alicorn bellowed, startling everyone but Discord, who continued contorting on the ground in unrestrained laughter. “SEAL HIM! WE’RE DONE!”

“B-But princess-”

“SEAL DISCORD!” Twilight startled, having never seen the princess so furious, and she would have never imagined such an emotion to be directed towards her. She nodded weakly and started focusing, her five friends following suit.

“Ahahahah! Yes, seal me away! This shall be wonderful to watch! Good luck with your apocalypse, Tia!” Discord laughed and laughed while his body started to become enveloped in unbreakable stone once again. “Enjoy it! Enjoy knowing that you are, were, will always have been, wrong!” With those last words, Discord fell to the ground, once more a simple statue, although in a more joyful resting position than his last one.

“... This was a waste of time.” Celestia whispered, her head held low. She then shook it quickly, clearing her mind of all doubts. “Luna, take Discord back to the vault. Twilight, you and your friends rest. I will need your input in a few hours.”

“... Yes, Princess.” Twilight answered, trying to rid herself of doubt. After all, it was Discord’s modus operandi: undermine their trust in each other. That was something that they couldn’t afford. Not in that kind of situation. And in the end, this was princess Celestia. How could Twilight not trust in her mentor?

Although, she couldn’t help but wonder who the draconequus was referring to with ‘old Swirly’. Maybe to...?

She would focus on that in another moment. Right then, Twilight knew what was to come. Talking to Discord had failed. Divination magic had proved fruitless. There was only one option left to save Equestria and the world. ‘There’s no other choice... We have to go to the Land of Ruin.’

-P-

The outset of the Second Reign of the Sisters... Equestria is a luscious land teeming with life.
Ponykind continued to prosper, adhering to the principles of the six elements.

However... Was such prosperity without a price? A species in perfect harmony with the world and each other...
And yet the Land of Ruin still appeared.

Even so... ponykind, desperate for salvation, clung to hope. A brave few begin their mission...
To the enigmatic Land of Ruin. Little realizing this harsh Journey will decide pony's fate...

 

[GenocideHeart]

...

I'm going to stab you so much if I ever see you. :flameon:

 

[Meinos Kaen]

...

I'm going to stab you so much if I ever see you. :flameon:

You declined maybe the only occasion for that in september. So, gneee

 

[GenocideHeart]

...

I'm going to stab you so much if I ever see you. :flameon:

You declined maybe the only occasion for that in september. So, gneee

You still live in Italy, and my mother said she'd like to go to Napoli with me someday, so don't feel like you're safe yet.

I'm keeping my knives extra rusty just for you.

 

[Python453]

Alright, now that the obligatory death threat seems to be over...

So, apparently this story takes place in an AU version of Season 3 (The Crystal Empire bit at the beginning, Discord being sealed as a statue) and some sort of apocalyptic event is upon Equestria. Don't know much about SMT: Strange Journey to make an opinion on the elements you've incorporated from that, but other than that continue on, good sir.

Just one little nitpick though... you spelled Sombra's name with a Z. Other than that, I don't see any glaring spelling mistakes.