Chaos Reborn: The Corruption of Harmony

Chapter 19: The Chapter That’s Almost All Dialogue

Discord smiled in amusement as he spoke.
“Celestia. Well, I must say, this is quite a surprise. I see you even brought me a welcome back party. You really shouldn’t have. But knowing you, you didn’t just let me out to stretch my legs and cut a rug. So the question remains…what made you decide to free me? Could it be that after all these years, you missed me so much that you just couldn't sand another moment without being in my claws?”
Discord slithered over to Celestia and put an arm around her.
“You know, if you wanted to keep me nearby, all you had to do was ask. The whole trapped in stone thing was a bit much. Don’t you think?”

Nightmare Moon spoke first, in no mood for the trickster’s games.
“We have allowed your freedom for one purpose. You will assist us or you will return to your stone imprisonment.”

Discord’s eyes darted to the dark alicorn.
“Luna! Is that you?”
He flew over and gave her a hug
“I almost didn’t recognize you, kiddo. Look at you! All grown up. A little birdie told me you started a little war a while back. How did that go for you? Oh, who am I kidding? Obviously it went well. I mean here you are alive and well. So tell me…how was your little vacation on the moon? Did you pick me up a souvenir?”
Discord manifested a snow globe featuring a sad Luna sitting on the moon and held it in front of the black alicorn’s face.

“Get off me!” Nightmare Moon pushed him away in disgust and anger.

Discord mockingly pretended to be hurt. “Really now? Not even a t-shirt? And I thought you and I were such good buddies.” He crossed his arm and pouted. “Well if you’re not going to share, I want that magic back that you borrowed to fight your sister.” Discord placed a finger on the Nightmare Moon’s head as the excess power was drained from her and transferred into the snow globe, turning the liquid inside an inky black. The act reverted the dark alicorn back to Princess Luna, who collapsed from the sudden sapping of her strength.

“You were behind my Luna’s betrayal all along?” Celestia shouted with both surprise and anger, staking a step toward him as ready to strike.

The draconequus tossed the snow globe up in the air and swallowed it before rolling his eyes at the Princess. “Calm down. It’s wasn’t all my doing. She came to me, seeking the means to oppose you. I sensed the seeds of jealousy within her heart and simply gave her a little nudge by granting her a bit of my power and a slight attitude adjustment to get her in the right mindset.”

“But why?”

“What else did I have to do? I get so little company out in the sculpture garden, and it seemed to be the perfect opportunity to spread some chaos. Besides…I could think of a revenge no sweeter than to turn your own sister against you. After all, you turned her on me.” He laughed tauntingly and shifted his attention to the others. “And girls! It’s always nice to see familiar faces. I’m so glad you came to see me. Hopefully, you’ve all learned to play nice this time. No cheating and turning anypony to stone.”

Celestia had enough. “Discord! There is no time for your games. Will you help us or not?”

“Oh Celestia, I don’t know. I just got in. I haven’t even unpacked my bags, and you’re already trying to put me to work? You know, I’m still a little sore about the incident that ended with me being trapped for thousands of years in that chunk of rock while you and your sister took my throne. Not only that, I had this terrible itch for centuries that I just couldn’t scratch.” He reached with a claw and scratched his back. “I guess the big question is... what’s in it for me?”

“What do you want?”

“Oh my, you really are desperate.” He said with a bit of genuine surprise.“Haha! Then it looks like I’m the one with all the cards.” With a flick of his wrist, a deck of cards appeared in his claw as he proceeded to shuffle and flip them into the air. “What could you possibly have that I’d want, my dear? Now that I’m free, you don’t have the power to stop me, and I see the girls aren’t wearing their elements. Never available when you need them, am I right? You know, with as much stuff that seems to happen around here, you’d think they’d just carry the Elements on them at all times. Also this doesn’t look like Canterlot, so I’m guessing you’ve already lost the castle. Tisk tisk, this isn’t like you at all. Don’t tell me you’re slipping in your old age, Celestia.”

“Discord, I’m afraid the situation is very dire. Just name your terms.”

“Well, I guess I could ask to be king again…”

“No deal!” Rainbow Dash leapt forward and got up in the trickster’s face, the other five mares backing her.

“And how will you stop me, little pegasus? Remember, you’re the ones that need my help, so I suggest you watch your attitude. Now before I was so rudely interrupted, I was saying, I COULD ask to be king again, but honestly, that just seems like so much work. And you know what they say about all work and no play? No, I want something that means a lot more to Equestria and its citizens than some silly crown. I want you, Celestia.”

“Excuse me?” The princess asked, confused as to what his terms might entail.

“It’s all very simple. I’ll help you out with your little crisis, and in exchange, you step down from the throne and promise yourself to me. Together we will travel Equestria spreading chaos, just like old times, except without things like royal duties and the well-being of the ponies getting between us. Luna can go ahead and take your place, starting the reign of the New Lunar Republic while we’re off having fun. Everypony wins. So what do you say? Do we have a deal?”

The girls all looked to Celestia, shaking their heads, waiting with baited breath for her response. The princess weighed the consequences. She didn’t want things to happen this way, but without his help, everypony in Equestria would be in grave danger. It’s for the good of all of her subjects, and Luna has changed for the better since the war. In time she will make a fine ruler. “I agree to your terms.”

“Excellent. Let’s make a few alterations” Discord placed his claw on Celestia, turning her mane and tail dull pink. “There we go, just like old times. Now that’s the Celestia I remember.” He turned to face the girls who gave back scowls and looks of despair. “So what are we up against? Changelings? An army of dragons? Celestia’s mother?”

The door to the library swung open as Spike and Future Twilight helped the injured Doctor Whooves walk out the door. “We’re fighting your heir.” The Doctor grunted through the pain.

“You’re not looking so good, Time lord. Now what’s all this about an heir? Don’t tell me that I’m going to be a Daddy! Oh, I’m so excited! What about you, dear? ” Celestia turned her head away as Discord put his arms around her.

Future Twilight was next to speak. “Not exactly. She’s only the successor to your powers. Both you and the Elements of Harmony were destroyed in her creation.”

Discord’s smile faded. “Destroyed? We’ll that’s certainly bad news. So what do you call this new creature?”

“Discordia”

“Oh, how original.” The draconequus sarcastically rolled his eyes.

“This is serious! In the future, she and her minions are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of ponies, including my friends!”

“Fine, let’s go take care of this so I can get back to having fun. I’m guessing the Elements are still in the castle? I’ll go to the vault and fetch them for you. You girls meet me nearby and once you have them, we can combine our powers to take down this ‘Discordia’. Just remember our deal and make sure you’re careful where you aim those things. I don’t really feel like living in a rock again.” Discord teleported away leaving the girls to travel on foot to Canterlot.
They looked around, unsure if they should trust the orders of their former enemy. All eyes turned to Future Twilight for confirmation.

“You sure about this, Twi?” Applejack asked what everypony else was thinking.

Feeling a bit of doubt, she worked out a plan along similar lines. “You girls go. I’ll teleport the Doctor to Ponyville Hospital and get Luna back on her feet. The princess and I will meet you at the castle. We have to stop Discordia at all costs.”

In the vault, Discord appeared in one of the stained windows. His two dimensional body traveled across the glass until he reached the far end of the room, and proceeded to slide down the wall and onto the floor. The flat glass likeness of the draconequus shattered as he popped up and reached out, opening the doors to the vault to gaze upon the Elements. “Too easy.” He said, as tall equine figure flew in from behind, landing silently as his wings separated into a mass to writhing appendages.