Discorded From Hope

by Dreampaw

Rating: everyone
Tags: Tragedy, Twilight Sparkle, Discord, Princess Celestia, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Sad, Main 6, Romance, Princess Luna
Length: 6076

If Discord's reign never ended...

If the Elements of Harmony truly failed the mane six on Discord's return, what kind of chaos would erupt? With the truth behind Discord's intentions, Twilight Sparkle isn't sure if she should help Discord or ignore him completely. And as for her friends... it's vital to keep your friends close, and your enemies closer...

Published 2012-04-17 22:04:03 UTC
Last updated 2012-04-17 22:04:03 UTC

Discorded Memories

“I never thought it would happen. My friends… have all turned into complete jerks!”

With those words, Twilight made one of the most difficult decisions of her life.

Applejack, with her wild emerald eyes darting about with a look of mixed suspicion and guilt turned tail, beginning to walk away from the crowd of gray ponies. All gray, save for Twilight herself. Fluttershy with a smug “hmph!” turned as well, flapping her beige wings with annoyance. Rarity hauled a huge rock on her back away from the ponies which was now down to two and stared back at them with paranoia in her eyes every few moments, her gaze challenging anypony to take away her precious gem. Twilight looked miserably at Pinkie Pie, who simply scowled at her and trotted away, leaving her necklace of harmony behind.

Twilight looked at the necklaces tossed around carelessly—just like her broken friendship. She sighed and began to trot away, tears forming in her violet eyes.

“With friends like you, who needs… enemies.” Twilight whispered to herself dejectedly, remembering her words from before. At that moment, she paused, her whole lavender body quivering. A gray cloud of colour began to envelop her body, changing all of her violet and lavender beauty to a pale and unsightly gray. Only the crown on her head stayed full of colour. A tear escaped from between her dark lashes and hit the ground, the liquid forming a broken heart.

As she walked on her own, Twilight barely opened her eyes. She kept her head tilted toward the ground, tears constantly brimming her eyes and getting caught in her thick lashes. It was then that Discord caught up with her and materialized in front of her.
“Oh, my stomach!” he bellowed in between chuckles, “You’ve got to see what I just did!” Twilight didn’t look up. “It’s priceless!” He continued. Upon noticing Twilight’s disheartened composure, he retraced the conversation. “Come on now, Twilight, you’ve got to learn how to get into the spirit of things. After all, this is your new home.”

Twilight looked around her and sighed to herself, knowing it was true. This topsy-turvy world that Discord had created truly was her place now, and there was nothing that she could do about it. The only thing Twilight knew she could do now was to flee. She could no longer be in Ponyville with chaos running freely. Maybe if she could get to Celestia in time, she could find some way to change things. Surely Celestia knew of something. A thousand years of knowledge had to prove useful somehow. She knew it must be true. To Discord’s sly remarks, Twilight merely shook her head.

“Not anymore.”

She could hear Discord whoop in approval as she walked away, toward the library. When she slammed the door behind her she saw Spike laying on the floor. “Pack your things, Spike. We’re leaving.” Her tone was full of anger and spite. Spike muttered something inaudible from his position on the floor. “And don’t ask where we’re going yet because… I don’t know. Just not here…” And with that, she threw her crown into a trashcan situated beside her bed.

But then, Twilight noticed something odd about Spike. His purple scaly figure, to Twilight’s horror, was barely breathing. There were several letters piled up beside him. But Twilight’s knowing mind could tell that these weren’t from Celestia. They didn’t resemble Luna’s handiwork, either. With increasing worry, Twilight ran to Spike’s side.

“Spike! What happened!?” He groaned and coughed, blood splattering the floor where he was facing. Twilight gasped looking at the letters on the ground. There was no wonder he was coughing up blood—all the letters were lined with barbed wire. Twilight opened one and read its contents aloud.

“Twilight Sparkle, my most faithful student. You surely didn’t think I’d go to such extremes, did you? Poor Princess Celestia—she is gone. Her sister, too. They thought they could confine me to simple statues as though I was some sort of comical display. Well, they thought wrong! Take Celestia—the self-righteous lass—she sent her own sister to the moon. What kind of sibling affection is that? It was only karma that sent her to her doom. And take me—whatever did I do wrong to be made into a statue? Celestia didn’t tell you everything that happened, that long, aching time ago. Perhaps, if you want to know, you could come find me! I would be where you least expect, of course!

--Discord”

His name was signed off with much more flourish than Twilight had anticipated. She let the letter fall free from her magical grasp. All of the other letters rolled up neatly said the exact same thing. Discord’s cruel sense of justification in hurting Spike was what made him send so many. Twilight knew Discord would do anything to hurt someone. If there was some secret truth to what happened to make him evil, Twilight knew she would have to approach the situation with caution.

Twilight abandoned her bags that she had been packing and left Spike on the floor of the library, unsure of what to do with him for the time being. She felt herself cruel for leaving him in such a manner, but the nurses were all preoccupied with chaos and negotiating with Discord might have been the only way things could get back to normal faster. So the purple pony left the library and slammed the door behind her and walked aimlessly for a few minutes before stopping and figuring she should follow what Discord said in his letter—look for him where she least expected it.

Discord was well aware of how Twilight’s mind worked. He probably knew that she was good at problem-solving and excelled in statistical analysis. He probably also knew that she was very well-read. After all, he had exploited all of their weaknesses within a matter of hours.

And that was what made Twilight certain of where Discord was. She turned about face and began to trot back toward the library. She knew that Discord would take her for one to overthink a riddle completely—which, in normal instances, she would. But her mind seemed oddly clear. She had lost all of her friends, her dragon assistant was on the verge of dying and somehow, she felt strangely calm. It was like a huge splash rippled through a small puddle and afterward, the puddle was no longer existent. So much force had gone into the splash that all of the water in the small puddle did not find its way back inside, and there was nothing to be disturbed any longer.

Twilight entered the library once again to find it exactly how she had left it. Spike didn’t look as bad as he did since the letters had stopped coming in—in fact, he appeared to be sleeping. Twilight made her way to a pile of books and gingerly flipped the pages of “Friendship for Dummies” with a cloud of magical purple mist. She found something within the pages that hadn’t been there before. A small, almost unnoticeable picture of discord. He just stood there, in the corner of the page, mockingly. It was when she flipped the pages rapidly that she noticed the picture was moving. She started from the beginning of the book and flipped the pages rapidly until the animation grew and with a powerful smack, the book closed shut on its own and a blinding light enveloped it. After the light had subsided and Twilight was able to open her eyes, Discord stood in front of her, an annoyed and irritated look on his face.

“It appears I’ve underestimated you.” But his grimace then curled upwards into a scheming smile. “You truly are smarter than you look. Celestia was right in choosing you as her ‘most faithful student.’” He spoke Celestia’s words in mocking, using his strange appendages of hands to illustrate the flapping of gums.

Twilight ignored what he said. “Now explain your letter. You said if I found you, I would.” Her violet eyes were burning with anger and resentment toward the odd, lithe creature. Discord rolled his eyes, scoffing slightly.

“Fine. I’ll tell you. But shouldn’t you be more worried about what’s become of your dear princesses?” A silly smile carved itself into his features once more, and he snapped his fingers. When Twilight could see again, she was in the Royal Canterlot Garden—where the statue of Discord once resided. Instead of his statue, however, a statue of Celestia was in its place. Her eyes were solemn and accepting, as though she knew that petrification was her fate all along. So that’s why she didn’t help us… Twilight thought, mulling it over. She knew this would happen. She knew there was nothing we could do.
“Isn’t it beautiful?” Dicord began. Instead of his usual mocking tone, his voice held something different. Almost a softness—a longing. And when Twilight looked toward him, she found Discord staring at the staue with affection in his eyes. His gaze quickly shifted toward her when he caught that she was staring. “She’s not the only one here.” He continued, pointing behind her. “Turn around.”

Twilight did as she was instructed and her mouth dropped in horror as she saw Luna, too. The statue showed that there were tears in her eyes at the time she was petrified, but her eyes, too had that look of acceptance.
“They knew this would happen.” Twilight echoed her thoughts, and a bellowing laughter made its way from Discord, causing Twilight to jump.

“You are such a smart cookie! Now that’s enough dawdling.” Pink clouds appeared over the two sisters’ staues and began to leak chocolate rain, coating their statues in the familiar liquid that Twilight had associated with Discord. “Care for some tea?” At that moment, they were in a quaint library with a pot of boiling hot tea on the edge of a table. It was the Royal Canterlot Library, but for some reason it was a lot… cozier. There was even a fire place, burning off what looked to be diamonds.
“There certainly is no better fire than one lit from diamonds!” Discord cooed, sipping from a teacup. “Oh, Twilight, do drink your tea before it’s cold.” Atop Discord’s head appeared a top hat and a monocle as he sipped his tea gingerly.

“Enough games!” Twilight screeched, causing Discord’s monocle to fall from his eye. He wore a look of disgust toward her. “Tell me, now. You promised me this.”

Discord sighed and placed the tea down, straightening a bowtie that Twilight had not seen appear on his neck. “Fine, I’ll tell you.” He began. He looked incredibly reluctant. “I’ll tell you all about it…” And then Discord began to recount the story of Celestia, Luna, and himself.

Discord ran through a field of flowers, stopping short to sniff them. He was little, then, only about two feet from tip of the nose to tail, and he wore a genuine grin on his face. He didn’t know who his parents were, or even where he came from. All he knew was that everyone in Canterlot scorned him forsome reason, and Discord didn’t know why. So he left Canterlot, and began to travel on his own to many different cities and towns. Everypony scorned him, it wasn’t simply Canterlot. He didn’t know why. So he ignored that unhappy fact and spent his days among flowers, playing with bugs and chasing squirrels and other small mammals. He normally went out at night to avoid other ponies.

As he jumped and played, feet sinking into the wet ground (for it had just rained), he stumbled into a forest. It was dark and gloomy, and frightened him just a bit. The water from the rain had pooled in giant puddles around the base of the trees since the roots were big enough to form walls, and Discord gingerly lapped at it. He had never paid much attention when he lapped at water, but this time, something in the water frightened him.

He jumped back, and after a few seconds of letting his fragile heart beat settle back, he cautiously stuck his nose forward, sniffing around the puddle. It didn’t seem like there was anything outside of the puddle. Perhaps… inside?

Discord returned to the puddle and squinted into it, noticing again. But this time he didn’t jump back. He gasped in horror. It was… his face. He had never seen it before looking so hideous. And now he realized why everypony hated him. He now knew why they hid in fear. He could see now why they all rejected him.

And it was from that realization that he made a decision. He could never show his face to anypony ever again. This forest, this was where he had to stay. There were several monsters in there, surely he’d fit in somehow. He lowered his ears as he stared at his reflection.

‘But what if I get killed?’ he began to think. And then tears fell from his eyes, into the puddle and disturbing it, causing it to ripple. ‘No,’ He thought, ‘No one would miss me.’ It was with these despairing thoughts that he walked further into the forest. ‘I should name this place, since it is my home.’ He thought. ‘I think I’ll name it… the Everfree forest.’ Because he knew that this place would be the only place he could ever be truly free.

As he walked, he felt the light coming up from over the horizon. He loved to watch the sunrise in the mornings, so he figured… one last time couldn’t hurt. He darted back toward the field of flowers he often played in but stopped short. There was somepony there, in the field. It was a mare, he could tell. It was strange for a pony to be in the field at this time, for it was just becoming morning and also, Discord had been certain that only he knew of this place.

There was also… something different about this mare. Not only did she have wings, but also a horn. ‘Could she be… the princess?’ Discord thought, and then shook his head. He didn’t know how the princess could get away with coming here all on her own. But when he looked, he saw that her horn was glowing bright pink. She was casting some sort of magic, but he couldn’t discern her subject.

His eyes then widened. ‘I think… I think that she’s raising the sun!’ He lowered his head and flattened his ears. When the sun passed just beyond the horizon, her magic halted. It must have been at that moment that the sun could now continue on its own course.

Discord noticed that even though she was a very small pony—still a filly, like himself (if he could even be considered a filly), but she already had her cutie mark. It was a glorious sun. When she finished her magic, she turned around, her gaze shifting toward the forest Discord was hiding in. He instantly flattened his body, and felt a chill run through his spine.
She hadn’t looked toward him until that very moment, but when she did, Discord wished she hadn’t. She was a beautiful mare, with a beautiful white coat and a long, flowing pastel-rainbow mane. She was perfect. Her violet eyes searched the forest for a few moments, until she paused and spread her beautiful wings and took off, carrying her back to what must have been Canterlot. She was small, and Discord reckoned that they must have been around the same age, but she was much larger than regular ponyfolk. And on top of that, she was definitely the princess. Discord noticed her crown when she looked that way.

Discord sighed. He didn’t have a chance with her. She was a princess—a beautiful one, at that. ‘And I am just… a monster.’He turned away and trotted back into the forest, his head drooping and his ears laid back in a melancholy manner. He knew it would be difficult, but there was no other way to hide his hideous face. And he knew it.

Several seasons passed, and Discord had begun to make a habit of watching Celestia raise the sun in the mornings. He was surprised that in the winter and fall the leaves stayed on the tree—he had been worried it would be easier to pick him out among the sparse trees. But the trees retained their leaves. Discord figured the forest must have had magical properties. Lots of things in Equestria somehow had a magical quality to them, so it was no surprise that the Everfree forest contained it as well.

Being an adolescent as he was, Discord was prone to exploring. Not just the Everfree forest, but outside of it as well. He hardly slept, finding it more fun and enjoyable to journey into Ponyville—the neighbouring town—at night and pull pranks on those sleeping. Occasionally, he missed Celestia’s sun by doing this. But she was none the wiser to him looking on, so he thought it would be fine.

Being an adolescent, Discord of course had many hormones inside him. His infatuation for Celestia grew, until he was sure he could call it love. He had never spoken to her, not once. But he could say with certainty that he loved her. Her beautiful mane that shined with all the colours of the rainbow in such a light and inviting way, her soft, pinkish-white coat that was gentle and delicate, and her big, beautiful mauve eyes that enchanted him so. He was sure that there was no one else who could possibly compare to her beauty. He had seen many other mares, and none even came close to Celestia. And it must have been so! He had become so much larger than other ponies, and Celestia too! It was as though they were made for each other. Discord was sure of it. But he hadn’t the bravery to go and speak to her.

It was on a strange day that Discord finally spoke. He hadn’t spoken to anyone—not even himself, since he was a child. A few years of no use had made him forget he even had a voice. The sun was shining, which was a strange circumstance for Discord to actually be awake, but it was when the sun was setting that he began to turn in to sleep. He was hurrying, to make sure he had enough time to sleep and wake up for when Celestia rose the sun.
As he hurried, he heard someone behind him. He was near the small meadow of flowers that Celestia usually rose the sun, but he had never cared to stay when night was falling. He turned around quickly toward the sound of movement and saw another mare in the field.

At first Discord thought it was Celestia and his breath caught in his throat—the only reason he could think she’d come here was if she knew he had been seeing her every morning. But it wasn’t her. It was a different mare. She was much, much darker than Celestia. Almost black, but more of a navy. Her mane was like a blanket of stars. It moved in the same way Celestia’s did—without much force of wind. Her cutie mark was of the moon. So there were two sisters. One rose the moon, the other the sun.

Discord had no idea of what this one’s name was, but she turned around knowingly toward Discord’s location. ‘There is no way she has seen me… Celestia never sees me!’ He though, his heart racing. She was also quite beautiful. Only second to Celestia. The reason might have been because of how long Discord was aware of Celestia, or maybe because of the foul scowl the new mare wore. But she stepped forward daintily, causing Discord to panic. If she sees him, she will surely have him killed for being so utterly hideous….

“You. Come out this instant! We are not pleased by thy hiding!” Her voice was loud and booming, and caused fear to grip him. But he stood shakily, and stepped lightly into the moonlight. He opened his mouth, but was not sure of what to say, or if he could even say anything at all.

She waited patiently for him to say something. But no words would come. “Have you no words to express some type of apology! We think it rude thou watch my display with no indication of thy intentions!” Her loud booming voice didn’t get any softer as Discord walked closer. He pinned his ears back his face horrified of the mare in front of him. It certainly… wasn’t what he was expecting.

She tapped her foot, and Discord thought quickly of something to say so he would not get yelled at again. “S-sorry.” He began and looked down at himself in surprise. He surely didn’t remember his voice sounding like that. “I…I didn’t think anyone wanted me to watch. I also was confused, because barely anyone comes to this spot except for me….”

The mare’s deep sapphire eyes widened. “So you are the onlooker my sister speaks of! Thou certainly have some nerve, watching my sister after all this time and saying not a word about thy rudeness! Celestia is much too kind to speak to you and ask you to stop!” Her bellowing increased as did her fury. Although Discord couldn’t tell if she was truly angry or if she just seemed angry because she was yelling.

“Please… why are you talking so loudly?” Discord began feebly, his ears flattened.

The mare stomped her hoof. “We are named Princess Luna! Thou may address me as ‘You majesty’ or ‘Your grace’.” She huffed quickly, looking exasperated. She spread her wings to indicate she was about to leave.

“Wait!” I began, not sure of where I was going with the objection. But she looked at me impatiently, her wings still spread. “I, uh… I haven’t talked to someone in so long… don’t go yet!” honestly he didn’t care if she talked to him or not, he only wanted to know more about Celestia. Luna rolled her eyes carelessly.

“Honestly, what a whelp thy are! We have nothing to say to thou save for ‘Do not watch without permission’. It is very rude!” Discord nodded his head weakly, and watched as she spread her wings and flew away, her mane leaving a trailed of stardust behind her.

Discord couldn’t sleep, for the event that had transpired kept his mind bustling with thought. Today would be the day… that he finally spoke to Celestia. Luna did not seem particularly put off by how he looked. Maybe Celestia wouldn’t be either. But if they were anything alike… Discord prayed that Celestia did not speak so boisterously.

When Discord felt day was soon approaching, he made his way to the field of flowers and found that Celestia had not arrived yet. He was early. He waited among the trees until he saw her silhouette float gently to the ground. He cleared his throat to capture her attention, and she turned slowly, her face in the direction of his exact location. He stalled for a few moments, unsure if he should actually go through with it, but she was patient.

He finally stepped out, into the light, one foot after the other. As he showed himself, Celestia’s expression did not change. It was a warm, inviting smile. When he whole body was showed to her, he looked down at his feet as he sat on his haunches, embarrassed of how awful he must look, sitting next to her.

It took him a while to form his words right. “I… I wanted to apologize for watching you all this time without asking. Your sister was right, it is very rude of me—” Celestia interrupted with a light, airy laugh that resembled bells.

“My sister knows nothing of the world. She is envious of me because ponies sleep during her moon while they run and play during the day. Except for you. She knows you keep awake during the day, so I believe she fancies you. I do not mind that you watch—I don’t even require that you ask. What is your name, if I may ask?” Discord faltered at this question. Nopony had ever asked what his name was before. For a moment, he almost didn’t remember. But then he did. The name all of the ponies that scorned him referred to him as. His awful body, his mismatched parts. He didn’t understand it when he was a child—he didn’t even know what the word meant. But now it felt all too realistic for him to be called that.

“It’s Discord.” He said, looking down sadly. Celestia frowned at this.

“Who would have given you such a name?” Discord knew that she wasn’t referring to his parents—she didn’t mean any harm in her question.

“Everyone just calls me that.” He said again, and she shook her head quietly. Then she turned away, toward the horizon. And for the first time ever, he was able to see her bring up the sun, her beautiful pelt shining with the first rays of the morning sun. It was at that moment that she turned around, an angelic light surrounding her, and asked me kindly:
“Come live in the Royal Canterlot castle with my sister and I. That forest is no place for someone as dignified as yourself, Discord.” Discord almost shook his head too quickly. To be able to eat real food instead of these weird berries and nuts he’d been dieting on was truly a blessing.

He lived with the Royal Canterlot sisters in their castle in a spare bedroom they had available, and he lived with incredible happiness. He was able to walk around the city without any of the ponies scorning him. In fact, they welcomed him with open arms. It may have simply been because he knew the princess, but he hardly cared. He was accepted. He ate dinners with Celestia and Luna, went to the galas, and any other royal event that was held at the castle. Celestia had truly been the kindest pony he ever knew of. When she taught him how to read, even stories did not match up to how truly perfect she was.
But she noticed something about Luna. Something was off about her. She had a resentment inside her, Discord could see it—but he never said anything. He didn’t know much about how sisters are supposed to act with each other, but he figured that surely one must get jealous of the other at times—especially when having a sister as perfect as Celestia.

But as the days passed, Luna grew more and more envious of Celestia. It didn’t seem natural to Discord. A little jealousy would be understandable, but with such intensity, Discord was sure that something was wrong. The feelings inside of Luna stirred something in Discord, as well. The bottled of feelings of anger and resentment triggered something in him, too. Something that made him feel like he should have been causing ruin. But something so vile made him cringe that he ignored it completely. He didn’t dare mention it to Celestia.

Then came the night that Luna lost it. Discord and Celestia were sitting, reading together in the Royal library. At this point in time Discord realized he could use magic. It wasn’t in the same way as how Celestia or Luna could, but he could still do it. So he had generated a hot pot of boiling tea on the edge of the table so they had extra warmth next to the flickering flames of the fireplace, and jokingly Discord wore a top hat and a monocle to feign royalty. He eventually put a little bowtie around his neck, and Celestia gasped at it.

“You look so dashing in the bow tie! You should wear that more often! It suits you rather nicely…” She trailed off, noticing Luna at the door, anger in her eyes. Celestia stood. “What is it, dear sister? Would you like to read with us?”

Luna growled angrily at the white, pure pony. “Of course I wouldn’t. You know very well what is wrong. I mentioned it with you several times and still you persist!” Discord looked from Celestia to Luna in a confused manner. A dark, foreboding shroud of darkness took hold over Luna and transformed her into something horrible. Her body became completely black and her wings sharp like knives at their point. Her pupils became sharp like a dragon’s, and her mane became a deep purple hue of night.

“You knew, Celestia. You knew how I felt about him. And on top of that, no one appreciates the night I give them. It is so beautiful out yet all you stupid ponies prefer to stay inside! I try so hard to make everything as the ponies want it, but it is always you who is loved, you who is appreciated! ‘Celestia is so beautiful,’ ‘Celestia is so kind!’ Nopony even knows my name, nopony knows who I am! I cannot even walk with you in daytime because I must sleep and be alone in the night. The only one who shared the night with me was him. Then you took him away too, just like you take away everything else!” As she finished her rant, Discord noticed that she wasn’t speaking in the bellowing old-english tongue that she normally held, but one filled with anger, smite, and a broken heart.

Another thing Discord noticed was that it sounded like she was speaking… about him. Discord still retained his old habits of staying up late in the night since he was so used to it when he lived in the Everfree forest. It was at those times that Luna often came and spoke to him, but Discord never thought anything of it. Could it have been… that Luna cared for Discord just as he cared for Celestia?

Celestia stood sharply. “I didn’t ‘steal’ anypony. Luna, I love your night. Why do you think I’m currently awake? But I must sleep at some time, and I must stay awake during the day. I know how you feel, Luna, but please, don’t resort to this…”
Luna cut her off. “No longer call me by that name. You may call me ‘Nightmare Moon’ from now on. Night will reign eternal… all these ponies will be forced to bask in my glorious moonlight!”

‘Nightmare Moon’ trotted off, leaving Celestia and I dumbfounded. “What do you plan to do…?” I began, and she scoffed at me.

“If this goes on for too long, I will have to take drastic measures…”

Many days passed, only filled with night. Celestia found that she was unable to raise the sun in the mornings due to the strength of Nightmare Moon’s magic. Celestia knew she had to be stopped. Discord could only watch on as Celestia challenged Nightmare Moon and sentenced her to a life trapped in the moon. The moon had to be raised and set without magic. Only the sun could push it further along its way.

It was for many months Celestia and I lived like this, without Luna by our side. But Celestia… was different. She no longer wished to read, go to outings, or even join for dinner. She was on her own, and Discord was on his, once more.
It was at that time that the chaos inside of Discord’s heart began to flare up. It was a small flicker of a flame at first, but with time it became a terrible fire that threatened to consume everything he knew. He couldn’t hold off any longer. He had to tell Celestia how he truly felt. Only then would his heart be stopped from stirring.

He happened upon her on the balcony, looking at the moon longingly. There was a silhouette of a mare in the moon. Luna. Discord knew it pained Celestia to have her sister idly sitting by in the moon, but they both knew there was no other way.
Discord approached, sitting on his haunches next to her. She barely signified that she knew he existed. It was a simple tilt of her head in his direction that let him know that she knew he was there. He cleared his throat. “Celestia, there was something I wanted to you about.”

She looked toward him with no emotion in her face. Ever since Luna had been cast to the moon, she had not shown that beautiful smile Discord had fallen in love with. He cleared his throat again, his anxiety apparent. “Celestia, I just… I think that you are beautiful…”

It wasn’t what he had intended, but her expression softened. “Discord, you don’t have to say things like that. If you wanted to make me feel better, don’t worry. You being her makes me feel much better than how I would feel if I were alone.”
Her words didn’t faze him. He continued. “Ever since I first saw you, Celestia, I can’t explain it, I just… I get this feeling around you.”

She cocked her head at his words.

He quickly tried to correct himself. “I mean, I know that… I know that I look… hideous. I know what I am. I don’t know why I’m like this. And I understand. There’s no one as hideous as me. But I… Celestia, I… I love you.” He looked down as his forelegs, pondering what he had said. He didn’t want to look at her face. To look at such a beautiful face when he knew his own was so hideous… he could not bear it.

“Discord…” She began, and from her tone, Discord could tell it wouldn’t end well. “I care for you very deeply. Luna… my dear sister. She loved you. She loved you more than anything. And that’s why she is in the moon. She could not bear her love for you so she became just what you saw. That’s why, Discord, I…” She paused, then looked him straight in the eyes and said “I do not love you.”

It finally consumed him. The fire in Discord’s heart that had been threatening to break free finally seared through him. He felt… uncontrollable. And also different. Like his entire personality had changed. Celestia moved back slightly, her eyes wide in horror.

“I know who I am.” Discord finally breathed. It was a deadly, evil voice, and a sadistic smile spread across his face. It was a smile that Celestia had never seen on him before. “I finally know it, Celestia, my dear girl.” He began to cackle maniacally, and at that moment thunder cracked and it began to rain. On the open balcony Celestia could see it was no ordinary rain, but instead, chocolate rain. She could taste it on her tongue. “I am the God of Chaos.”

“And, as you know, she imprisoned me in the dreadful statue. It sure was cramped in there! Her precious ‘Elements of Harmony’ helped her then, but they are useless to her now.” As Discord finished speaking, Twilight looked at her hooves. She didn’t know what to say to him. But aside from everything, there was still a question that burned in her mind.
“If all that is correct, then why are you doing this? There’s nothing to gain if Celestia and Luna are both gone. Right? Why take the world away from us if there is no longer anything for you to gain from it?” Discord showed a toothy grin. It was like he knew that she would ask that.

“It’s simple, my dear…” he began, slinking creepily around her. “I could say it’s because all you ponies made fun of me without knowing who I truly was, but that would be revenge, wouldn’t it? And I’m not one for revenge…” He paused, deliberating for a moment. It was as though he didn’t know the real reason behind what he did. But then, suddenly, he moved in closely to Twilight. “Honestly, my dear, it’s because of how much joy it brings me. Watching Celestia, pining over her all those years… that was not joy. That was being a submissive sidekick. But now my heart can feel true joy, for Princess Celestia is as good as dead.”