Set in Stone

by Listener

Rating: everyone
Tags: Twilight Sparkle, Discord, Princess Celestia, Slice of Life, Alternate Universe, Sad, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 1258

Discord is balance between good and bad. Light and Dark. So whenever there's an imbalance, he must counteract that imbalance. What happens when the imbalance is a pony? And... he gives them a choice? Either he stays, or they both go to stone.

Discord is balance between good and bad. Light and Dark. So whenever there's an imbalance, he must counteract that imbalance. What happens when the imbalance is a pony? And... he gives them a choice. Either he stays, to wreck havoc. Or they both go to stone.

Only, it's not her choice.

It's Celestia's.

Published 2014-11-16 23:00:08 UTC
Last updated 2014-11-16 23:00:08 UTC

Salvation and Damnation Mean The Same Thing

“So, Celestia. I could speak circles upon circles around what I’m going at. But for once, I’m going to get right to the point.”

Celestia had no choice but to stay where she was, her body petrified in the chaos lord’s magic as he paced in front of her. The throne room was deserted, Discord had made sure of that with a sweep of his hand just a few moments before.

She couldn’t even open her mouth to retort to him.

It didn’t matter, as Discord continued with his monologue. “We both know why I’m here, but we both have different reasoning.” He said, stopping in his pacing as he came to rest right in front of Celestia. “I’m here for chaos, yes. But, as always, you’re missing a few pieces.”

“Why.” He said, getting close to her, Celestia’s instincts telling her she would’ve flinched if she was able to.

“Why do I do this, Celestia?” He asked, pausing as he waited for an answer. “Oh, nevermind, you can’t answer. Sound familiar?” He asked bitterly, before moving on. “Let me look at it from your point of view. I show up, cause chaos, then go to stone. Then it’s lather, rinse, repeat. That’s all you think of me. Just a nuisance that likes to play his little games.” He said, the last word rolling off of his tongue as if it were a poison.

“Well, let me tell you something Celestia, something that quite frankly I’m surprised that you didn’t figure out a long time ago. But I suppose it’s all that thought of harmony that’s led to that mindset. While I do enjoy what I do most of the time, there is a reasoning behind it.”

“Chaos isn’t meant to be restrained, it never was. It was also never meant to be controlled. But you’ve managed to do that somehow. Somehow you’ve stopped chaos from happening, slowed it down to a point where it’s almost nill save for a few... key points of history.”

Celestia merely looked on, her stoic expression sealed there, but inside she was confused, and angry at him for daring to come straight to her and then give her a lecture? That was unacceptable. Her horn glowed slightly.

Discord noticed. “Celestia, tsk tsk. I’m afraid that won’t work.” He said, smiling, before it was back to business.

“Now to the real reason why I do this. The real reason why I call myself a chaos lord. I am not it’s master, but I do guide it. Whenever I choose to break out of my prison, Celestia, it’s because I can sense the balance of Chaos to Harmony. There must be a balance for your precious society to survive. But with you damming it up? I’m afraid that without my interceding, Equestria would have crumbled long ago.” He said, snapping his fingers, freeing Celestia’s head from the strange paralysis.

She immediately spoke angry. “If that is so Discord, why do you come here and wreak havoc, endangering lives and our way of life?” She snapped, her mental struggles continuing in her quest to break free.

He suddenly got very quiet, very serious in an angry manner, silencing Celestia with a glare. “And why is it that whenever your Elements of Harmony put me back, everyone is okay? Tell me Celestia, in all of your aftermath damage reports, how many did I kill?” He said, before waiting. “Well? How. Many.” He said, spitting the words out.

Celestia was silent.

“I thought so. Now, on to my second to last order of business. Let me tell you how useless those elements are. They may put me into stone, but only because I allow it.” He said, giving her a look. “Not before.”

“Then how have they worked against you time and time again?” She argued, her horn flaring brightly as she tried to teleport herself out of the spell, only to have it backlash. Her head whipped back, and she stood there, breathing heavily.

“Look at it this way, Celestia. Think of how easy it would be for me to just... snap the elements away. I’ve done it before, but I allow them to be found. I allowed the chaos just enough time for it to balance out with harmony before letting your little playthings get them back.”

Celestia stared, her eyes wide as she thought about what he had just said. “That would mean...” She whispered.

“What I do, I do for my home. Or, rather, what used to be my home.” He said, looking at her with a soft expression for once. “Rather than let the dam break on its own, I unleash it all at once, under my careful guidance to make sure that in the end, everyone is okay.”

Celestia looked at him, disbelief in her eyes as he looked at her, all the anger gone from his face as he sighed and looked down, head sagging.

“And that’s why I’m so sorry for what I need to say.”

He was silent for a few minutes, before looking at her again.

“I have seen what you have planned for Twilight. All the great things that she will do under your careful guidance. I know you plan on giving her Starswirl’s unfinished spell. And we both know what that will cause, success or failure.” He said.

“I can’t allow that to happen. That would tip the scales of balance too far into harmony, one that chaos would have to destroy to achieve balance. I know, I know... It would be amazing to see, if only for the first hundred years or so.”

He sighed. “But things go stagnant. Stale. Progress would die, and slowly but surely you would see your great empire crumble around you and your sister, Celestia.”

“Discord, you’re seeing enemies where there are none! Please! Stop this madness now!” She said, finally having ceased her attempted to break free.

“Do you ever wonder what happened to my people, Celestia? Why I’m the only one?” He said suddenly, glaring at her for a moment, before once again sighing. “Let’s say that I’ve learned my lesson the hard way, and I’m sure as hell not about to let you make the same one.”

“So, I’ve come to offer you a choice, Celestia, with the new knowledge that I’ve given you. I may have said that I’m not going to let you make the same mistake, but it is your choice. Choose wisely.” He said, a sad smile playing on his lips as he looked at her with something that surprised Celestia. He had a hint of compassion hidden behind his smile.

Celestia looked at him for a long while. “What is your... offer, Discord?” She asked slowly, softly.

“There are two options Celestia. Either I stay here for next hundred years to make sure that the reality I’ve seen never happens,” He offered, before pausing for a moment. “Or whenever I go back to stone, Twilight Sparkle comes with me.” He said as he looked at her, frowning.

Celestia looked at him in shock. “You are asking me to choose between two impossibles.” She said, reeling from the offer.

He laughs softly, looking at her. “No Celestia. I am letting you choose your salvation.”

With those final words, he quickly snapped his fingers as Celestia felt the magic that had encased her disappear as she quickly regained her balance.

“You have a day Celestia. Then I’m coming back.” He said, disappearing without another word.