Feather Gem

@, She knew that he was trying to get to her, and it was working. He made her feel like she was nothing more than his pet. Even if he might not be making her into a puppet, he was certainly playing with her, messing with her. And gosh, was he having fun. If he was anypony else... Chamois continued walking as he appeared numerous times in different directions around her, basically ignoring his questions as best as she could. Then he was beside her again, switching back to a slightly less...chaotic state. "Surely you could find out my name without needing to ask," Chamois said without looking at him. She was unable to keep the irritation out of her voice despite how polite he was being. "But…I'd rather you'd not. My name is Chamois Vine. Now, how about introducing yourself to me since I don't quite know who you are?" She knew who he was, of course. She knew the basics at the very least. But why not? Anyway, maybe this would keep him occupied for a few moments while she calmed down a bit.

@, His questions rung around in her mind despite how she wanted them to flow through one ear and out the other without time to process their true meaning. They were thought-provoking questions certainly. She assumed she had the answer for at least some of them, but who knew with this puzzling being? Everything that should make sense, didn't. Everything that didn't make sense, did. And he could have hypnotized her, true. She may even be hypnotized at this very moment, though it was highly unlikely. She needed to try and see this from his point of view. Would it be any fun...? Maybe. But not yet. Then she froze solid at the last sentence he spoke. She turned to him, glaring at him coldly. "I am nopony's puppet. I am not Celestia's and I will not be yours." Geez, Vine. Why do I bother to ask you to control yourself?

"We should find a way underground somehow," Midnight said, glancing around. After a big fuss, Discord traded in holding the King in his arms to basically just wrapping his snake-like body around him to keep him contained. "This is fun, hm?" Discord said, leaning his face into his paw as he smiled crookedly at the King.

@, Chamois slowly walked ahead with the odd creature. They seemed to be going towards the direction of raised voices. She wasn't sure if she wanted to or not, but she didn't really have a choice. He did reassure her a bit about the milk though. She moved the glass towards her mouth and cautiously dipped her tongue in to taste before taking a small sip of it. She hated to admit it to herself, and certainly wouldn't admit it to anypony else, but it tasted much better than any milk she'd gotten anyplace else. "Well..." Chamois said, still under the direction of the voice in her head. "I'm listening." She detested this.

@, Chamois pursed her lips together as she stared at the painted glass of milk being offered to her. I don't think he'd starve you, Vine. You don’t have to take it for that reason. But...you could try and get on his good side at least. Here’s step one. She very slowly reached forward to take it. She wasn’t surprised when she was able to do so and received a solid glass of the light brown liquid. She looked up at the Discord standing beside her and then at the painting, deliberating who she was supposed to speak to. Finally, she just spoke to her milk, which she nonchalantly twirled around in her hoof without drinking. "Eternal night seems rather stupid. Without sunlight the plants would all die and we would soon follow it..." You're being too serious, Vine. You're being boring. "Um...a-and..." Chamois stammered, trying to figure out what to say next. Eventually, she just spoke without bothering to think about what was coming out of her mouth. "Well, yeah! The other two are just boring. With either, you're going to end up walking around like a zombie either because of getting bossed around all the time or having your emotions all devoured up by some bug thing. I kind of enjoy my freedom and my emotions, thank you very much." ...what...?

@, Chamois looked over to see the tunnel that she hadn’t noticed before. She blinked at it. "Where did---" Then, she shut her mouth and decided that it was best to overlook. Just like the ponies in Ponyville would murmur to each other to not question Pinkie Pie's antics, this seemed surprisingly similar even when both ponies were very different from each other. For one thing, Pinkie Pie wouldn't foalnap her. Actually...nevermind, nevermind. "Oh no. You're nothing like them," Chamois said, starting towards the dark tunnel. No pony was like him.

Catching Fire Okay, I know that in the first one, they tried to make it seem real with all those jerky camera movements and stuff, but come on. I could barely tell what I was watching. xD It was neat I guess. But seriously. No Maige? Buying the Mocking Jay pin? No deal. No. Deal. (I'm done)

@, Chamois glowered down at the ground as he whined about her 'indecisiveness'. It wasn't as if she didn't want to leave. Of course she did. She just didn't expect it to be that easy. She refused to play his little game. But she may have to play the mini-games that might come with it.. Chamois looked around at the stone walls and wondered anxiously what could possibly be behind them. She knew that Princess Luna - or Nightmare Moon rather - would be about. Quite frankly, she would not want to be the ‘subject’ to meet an angry princess. There was also Chrysalis. She knew that had happened at the Royal Wedding. Changelings weren't appealing to her either, what with their diet of emotions. Then there was King Sombra... ...nah. "Well, I couldn't possibly let you be all alone while your...fellow crazies hang out with my acquaintances," she said, smirking at him despite herself. That's what she presumed they were doing anyway.

@, Did he just read your mind? Chamois stumbled slightly when he threw his arm around her. She automatically lifted a hoof to put on the arm. She was uncomfortable to be touched by anypony, much less this creep. When he let go of her with a sigh, Chamois sighed as well, but in relief rather than in defeat like him. She snatched her freshly filled bag by levitation and pressed it tightly against her chest as if to make sure it never left her again. Chamois peered uneasily into the passageway that he had just conjured up, supposedly for her to escape through. The thing was...she knew much better than that. "Uh," Chamois said, turning back to him and away from the passage. She looked at him questionably. "Yeah, I don't think so."

Discord sighed and looked down at the King. "What am I going to do with you...?" he asked quietly as the King growled up at him in fury. Midnight frowned and hurried after Shade. "Shade! Wait! I'm going to go with you!" he called as he caught up with the older halfling.

@, Chamois just watched with wide eyes as the voices around her laughed hysterically at her. And why wouldn't they? Even Chamois would snicker if she could only see herself now. Chamois spun around as the mismatched creature appeared behind her. "W-well..." Chamois stammered. Sweet Celestia, Vine. Would you stop your stuttering? You're making an even bigger foal of yourself, the voice in her head chided in exasperation. "First off..." Chamois said, her voice still quiet, but more careful and clear. "I think I've been quite the entertainment considering how much you've just laughed. And secondly...I...am always finding myself disappointed that I don't…I don’t think it matters much anymore..." I think? I don't think? Be more sure of yourself, Vine. C'mon.

@, She had been scared before, but now she was completely terrified as the pair of yellow and red eyes glared her down. A whimper escaped her throat as she found herself lowering down closer and closer to the ground like a frightened puppy. Control yourself. Chamois heard the voice again. The voice that had helped her through thick and thin. The voice that belonged to herself and no pony else. Chamois very slowly rose herself back up to full height, though she couldn't lower the quick pace of her heartbeat or stop herself from trembling as easily as that. Say something now. Try not to stutter. "B-but...would you really want to prove all those horrible ponies right?" Chamois said, her voice getting quieter as she spoke until it was nothing more but a whisper. "Would you want to...to prove me right..."

Discord looked at Shade. "Shade..." he said quietly. "You need to calm down." King Sombra chuckled cruelly. "Oh, I don't need to tell you where they are. If you defeat me then the ground will crumble above and beneath the ponies that I have trapped below. They'll either be crushed or suffocated to death..."

@, Chamois gazed at him, dumbfounded for a moment before a small voice in her head - one that she was very familiar with - whispered to her to snap out of it. So she did. And when she did, she became angry...incredibly angry. First of all, she just came to this horrible mountain because of some stupid feeling, then she got captured by this...this thing, and now he practically stole all of her precious stuff. She swiftly whacked away the mug floating before her so that it went flying across the room. Then, of course, the voice told her that she was an idiot and Chamois immediately regretted ever even existing.

@, Chamois stared at him as he went on about how he was so misunderstood, almost as if he was expecting her to pity him. His dramatic tone won him no points. Chamois wasn't about it fall for it. Her mouth fell open when he emptied the sand and sea creatures from her bag. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked down at the pile of wet sand that was now on the ground beneath where Discord held the bag. When he held the bag out to her, she jerked back from it. "B-but, wh-wha-where did my stuff go?!" she said loudly, gaping at the bag in dismay.

@, Chamois squirmed under the draconequus' gaze. She knew exactly who he was. He was Discord - The Spirit of Chaos. Not only had she learned about him when she was in school, but she also had to experience his chaos first-hoof when he had turned Ponyville into his personal playground a year or two back. He did seem a bit...nicer? No, nicer was too good a word perhaps. He seemed less hostile than his 'team-mates'. Anyway, she didn't like to be scared. She didn't have to be anymore terrified than she already was. "B-but, y-you," she stuttered, trying to get a real sentence out while she shook. Still, all she could get out was; "Mi-misunderstood?"

"Ew!" Discord said automatically. "Come now, was that necessary..." King Sombra was not amused at being spat on or being yelled at. He let out a low warning growl at Shade. Luna was in the punishment room. It was further below the ground than any other room. There was only one door in the otherwise completely empty room. It was a nightmare door. And it was breaking her the more she stared into it. Soon, there may be nothing left of what she used to be.

"N-no? Okay, fine...I'll just hold the mean cat," Discord sighed as King Sombra continued throwing insults at him and trying to turn back to his shadow form. Discord prevented this with his own magic. Midnight hugged Shade back. "He took my mom..." he said quietly. "I don't know where she is..."