Discordant Embrace

She was close. He could feel it. The changeling queen, who had captured his attention from the first time he saw her. She was nearby, but where?

He had been flying for hours. The sun had set a little while ago. The explosion had sent the queen and her minions rocketing well out of sight. Discord had flown over snowy-peaked mountains, warm plains, and everything in between in his quest to find her. And finally, his magical senses told him that he was relatively close.

He was flying over a heavily forested area, similar to the Everfree Forest. He was soaring lazily over the treetops, letting his senses tell him where to go.

Queen Chrysalis and her remaining minions had landed in a dense forest, scattering the local wildlife with their crashing descent. They had landed in the best possible place, all things considered. They crashed into a clear section of the forest, near a waterfall which fell into a pool of water. The pool had a small stream coming out from the far edge.

She got up from her fall wearily. The force of the magic and her fall had taken a lot out of her. Just because she was immortal didn't mean she couldn't be hurt. Her joints ached and groaned as she went around the clearing, helping her poor subjects. They were happy to see that she was there to care for them.

Hours passed as they rested. It was nighttime. They had no food, but they did have enough water to sustain them for a while. Sure, they fed on the emotion of love, and it made them stronger, but they were still biological creatures who needed to eat actual food.

The queen was wondering what to do when she felt a presence overhead. A unique presence, one that indicated an immortal being.

Was it one of the Princesses!? She couldn't take on much of anything, much less an alicorn at top speed. She tried to cover their temporary home in a glamour, one that would make it seem like no one was there, but it failed. She powered down any magic she had flowing.

Instead, she hissed at her minions and they hid wherever they could; in trees, bushes, the pool, wherever they could. She stood in the opening, prepared to defend her changelings with everything she had.

She then saw the being she had sensed. It was... a strange creature to say the least. It was flying lazily, circling overhead. She saw that it had body parts of many different animals. The head of a pony, arms of a lion and eagle, legs of a lizard and goat, and much else besides.

She saw the creature look straight at her, and with renewed vigor, it headed straight toward her.

Discord had seen a clearing, with a waterfall and pool, and decided that that would be a good place to rest. That was when he saw her.

She was standing in the middle of the clearing, defiant yet graceful, a scowl on her face. She must think he came to attack her. That was the furthest thing from the truth.

He headed toward the queen.

He started talking before he landed. "Ah, my lady! I have found you at last! Let me introduce myself! I am-"

The draconequus ducked as the changeling queen fired a weak bolt of magic at him. "Please, if you just let me ex-"

Another bolt whizzed past him. He sighed. He'd have to exert a little force. He teleported, disappearing from sight. He reappeared right in front of his quarry and put a single claw onto her horn.

She couldn't move. Her muscles were locked up; her magic wouldn't work. She glared at him.

"What is the meaning of this?! Who are you, and what do you want?"

Discord chuckled. She was fiesty, this one.

Queen Chrysalis hissed, and her subjects leapt from their hiding places. Discord slowed time down for everything but him and the queen.

"As you can see, my dear," Discord said as he gestured toward the changelings, who were moving at a snail's pace, "it would be quite foolish to pick a fight with me. I came here for a different reason. Now, will you let me explain?"

The queen narrowed her eyes in suspicion, but nodded. Discord, with a wink, let time flow normally again. He disappeared and the changelings crashed into each other. He reappeared overhead, leaning his elbows on a pillow of clouds.

"Thank you for letting me explain. Now, before I start, may I inquire your name?"

"Chrysalis. Queen Chrysalis."

"A lovely name for a lovely lady such as yourself."

Chrysalis' suspicions reeled. No one had called her lovely before, or anything else like that. What was he up to?

"I am Discord, the spirit of chaos. I was imprisoned, set in stone, in the gardens behind the royal palace. You may have even seen my statue." The queen thought back, remembering her short time in Canterlot. She vaguely remembered a few statues, but none of this creature, this Discord.

"I was awakened by your... activities. I flew up to the wedding hall, and there you were. The most beatiful creature I have ever seen." At this, she blushed, but was also skeptical. She interrupted the draconequus.

"What do you mean beautiful? I am no such thing," Chrysalis said with a downwards glance, "I know I am not. I assume you know Celestia and her sister, Luna. Now they, they are beautiful. Their manes flow without wind, and they receive the respect of those around them, even when unasked." She sighed. "I am nowhere close to them, in any way."

Discord frowned. He lowered himself to the ground and lifted her head, with her sad eyes and frowning mouth, with a single claw. "My dear, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Each individual is beautiful in their own ways, but I find you beautiful in every way. Anyway, I held you in my eye for only a little while before you were... displaced. I had to find you."

Chrysalis wasn't entirely sure how she felt about this situation. Did he really mean it?

"Well, that's nice and all, but I still have my subjects to worry about. They're my first priority. Now, I have to find food and temporary shelter for them... somewhere."

Discord chuckled. "Allow me." He clapped twice and an entire neighborhood of houses appeared. An especially big house, a mansion, even, appeared before the queen. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go on in!" Discord chuckled.

Chrysalis nodded at her subjects. They went inside and she heard insectoid cheers. A small changeling, not any higher than two feet in height, came up and gave her an excited hug. The girl squee'd in happiness.

The child changeling spoke. "Mother, Mother! There's food in the houses, food!" The changeling girl ran back into the mansion to eat, along with all of the other changelings who were going into their own houses.

Chrysalis looked sheepishly toward Discord. "Thank you. You have done us a great service today. My daughter also gives her thanks," she chuckled.

"I have a daughter myself, believe it or not." Replied Discord.

"Really?"

"Yes. Her name is Screwball. She's quite the chip off the old block, if I do say so myself."

"I think I'd like to meet her one day."

Discord looked at her sharply. What did she mean? Could it be what he wanted, so much, for it to mean? His hopes were rising.

Chrysalis noticed his reaction out of the corner of her eyes. Her eyes took a mischeivious shape, and she smiled, fangs jutting out.

For some reason, Discord really admired her fangs. They made her look... dangerous.

Chrysalis nuzzled up to him, giving him a peck on the cheek. "Again, thank you. I feel that I would like you to stay tonight. We can talk some more tomorrow, yes?"

Discord beamed. "Of course we can. I suppose you'll be heading in now. Goodnight," Discord said with a bow.

"Sleep tight."

"Don't let the parasprites bite."

Chrysalis turned toward him and laughed, a soft laughed that betrayed her rough exterior personality. She retreated into her large house.

Discord worked his own magic, whipping up a house for himself. As he closed the door, he jumped for joy, thrusting a paw into the air. It was really happening. Wow. It felt so good. Something actually going his way for once.

He then had a revelation. He hadn't needed to try to take over the world. He didn't need for Ponyville, or anywhere else for that matter, to be in complete chaos (although, he wouldn't mind it). Discord realized that in this life, he only needed two things to keep him happy:

First and foremost, his daughter. Sure, she went off to do her own things. She could take care of herself. However, that didn't mean that Discord could stop caring. If anything happened to her, it would make his entire world crumble around him.

And last, but certainly not least, was her. The queen. Chrysalis. He hadn't felt this kind of love since... since the day Celestia bailed on their wedding day. But that was the past.

He really had a shot with Chrysalis. And he would do everything within his power to make sure that everything went well.

That night, Discord fell asleep to dreams of love and kindness. Many of the dreams were different, each something new. But they always, always, had one constant throughout them.

Her.