Discord cringed and curled up tightly on his bed. Pain laced throughout his body, coming in wave after wave. Discord buried his head under his pillow and pulled up the blanket. Completely hidden from the outside world, the draconequus let out a shuddering breath.
'You can make the pain go away, just let it go. Just a little bit. Not too much- nothing noticeable. It's not wrong if it's not even seen.
Discord's claws and talons dug into the mattress as he tried to restrain himself.
'No! I can't! I promised Fluttershy!'
Another wave of pain made his wings spasm and he bit his cheek to stop from groaning.
'Something small, just to make the pain bearable. Doesn't have to be something around you, do it to yourself.'
Discord let his magic go, changing his gravity. His size changed as parts of body flickered into other creatures. His antler detached and formed into another version of himself- the old one vanishing in a cloud of smoke. Discord continued to reform and distort himself with his chaos before finally stopping and collapsing back onto his bed. The pain was not gone- not even close- but it had lessened.
This disharmony magic was building up, had been for over two-thousand years. It had started soon after he was imprisoned the first time as a statue. With no outlet, his magic built and condensed, unable to be released. When finally free, he had let go. Not completely, that was too much power to release at once, but it had felt so good. Becoming imprisoned a second time had been like a kick in the face, but it was worse when unfrozen. When in stone, the magic buildup was like that of an itch he could not scratch. When free, it was beyond torture. Even with the small bouts of chaos he allowed, it did not help. It was like trying to drain an ocean with an eyedropper.
Then Tirek happened. Admittedly not his best moment, but who could blame him. The pain was starting to make him crazy and Tirek had seen this. When Tirek had taken Discord's magic from him, he nearly cried from relief. Sure all of Equestria was at stake and he betrayed his friends- but the pain was gone. He'd never felt so at peace inside his own body since he was a young child. Thinking back on it, the last time Discord had felt such calm was just before his mother had brought him here- left him here.
He did cry when he got his magic back. Not at first, he waited until he was alone before he cried, screamed, begged for no more no more no more.
Discord knew that this pain was a punishment. Why else would Celestia have let him out, say he would help her using his chaos, and then never come back. Never asked him to use his lawless magic. She must have known the pain it would cause. She must have a good laugh about it everyday. It was cruel, but Discord would hold out. He'd stay here and be good- for Fluttershy- for his friends.
And if the pain became too much, so much so that he couldn't take it anymore. Well, he supposed dieing wouldn't be so bad.
Discord was startled out of his uneasy sleep by a knock on his door.
"Discord, are you awake?"
Fluttershy. The dracoequus smiled as he sat up, calling out to her.
"Yes. I shall be down soon."
"Alright. Please don't forget we're having a picnic with the girls later today."
"Sure, sure."
Fluttershy went downstairs as Discord got up. He didn't live with Fluttershy at first, but after the incident back at his own home in the 'between dimensions space'. . . it was painful there as well. He didn't create that space, simply found it. It was full to the brim with chaotic magic, and every time he went there he soaked more of it up like a sponge. Any magic done there was instantaneously replaced, even adding more. It just made the build up more painful and he couldn't stay there. He lied to Fluttershy, saying Ponyville was his home now. The butterscotch pegasus had offered up her guest room to him- free of charge. He did help her though, with small things. Anything to let a little magic out.
He wasn't even looking for a new house to buy. Discord was pretty sure Fluttershy knew this.
Flashing downstairs, he found Fluttershy feeding her animals. Discord snapped his fingers, finishing the task for her.
"Thank you Dissy, that was very kind of you."
"Think nothing of it, my dear."
With another push of magic, the kitchen wear began to prepare breakfast. Plates danced about and Fluttershy smiled and clapped softly.
Even chaos could be good.
The picnic was in an hour and Discord was holed up in his room. Said dracoequus was hunched over on the floor, a towel clenched in his teeth. Pain burned through him. Wave after wave of agony, so close together it was like a constant surge. Discord released his disharmonious magic as best he could without causing too much havoc, but it wasn't enough. He dug his claws into the wood floor as he tried to stay silent.
'Too much, too much, too much. Let go!'
Discord released more chaos while trying to contain it to his room. Such magic was not meant to be stilled. It was going to get loose. He could either let it go, which could lead to his imprisonment again. Or he could real it back in. A sense of pain filled him. Trapped again in stone- feeling the buildup increase. Being frozen for forever, never to be free again. Never again would he become a statue, a garden decoration.
Discord pulled back on the chaos, tying it down. Then something snapped.
He rolled his body forward, dropping the towel, and threw up. Blood splattered the floor as Discord heaved. Tears flowed from his surprised eyes. Finally the surging stopped, and the pain lessened to something more manageable. A small puddle of blood on the floor made Discord wince. With a snap of his fingers, it was gone.
He didn't know what to do. It seemed his only two options were to try to handle his magic by himself or let it go and become a garden gnome.
Discord found himself for the first time in nearly a thousands years, wanting the wisdom of his eldest brother. But Discord's family was torn apart to who knows where. He was on his own.
