Harbingers of Discord

“So, um…that’s when they threw me off of Mane Street. They told me I could never come back.” Fluttershy looked down and away, her bangs falling in front of her eye. Rarity had to keep her jaw from falling to the road as she walked with her friend. After all, standing in the middle of the road, mouth agape and staring would be terribly rude.

“M-My Fluttershy. That is, erm, quite a story…” The fashion designer said nervously, trying to think of a polite response. “Such a shame, I was hoping we could go to some of the salons there sometime.” Turning her head to continue heading forwards, Rarity stopped short, nearly running into a pony’s backside.  “E-Excuse me!?” Rarity exclaimed, looking at the pony standing in the middle of the town square. The brown stallion looked over his shoulder for only a moment, just long enough to ‘Sh’ her, before returning his attention to the front. “Why I- What is so fascinating that you’d be so rude!?” Rarity demanded, shouldering her way to the front of the crowd, much to the complaints of the other show-goers. Fluttershy meekly made her way to the front, following in the wake of her friend.

In the front, dead center of the semi-circle, was a table. On one side, the side closest to the crowd, was a lime green Pegasus, with a darker green mane and short tail, staring intently at five cards held in his hooves. On the other side stood a pure white unicorn, his messy mane black, falling to his shoulders in an untamed, un-brushed mess. His tail, a fair length, flipped once, his red eyes watching the pony in front of him more than his own cards, currently bathed in a faint red, visible only to unicorns, levitating them in the air in between them. On the male’s flank was 5 cards, all black, a royal flush.

“Cards? They’re…gambling?” Fluttershy said to herself, disapproval obvious in her voice.

“I can’t believe it...It’s so terrible…” Rarity spoke softly, horror leaking into her tone. “How could…how…” She swallowed, shaking her head. “How could he possibly leave his home with his mane looking like that!?” If the male heard her, he ignored her. The green stallion grinned, dropping his cards.  The white unicorns face dropped as he regarded the other cards, his own sliding down, each sliding gracefully in a straight line.

“Well, such a shame.” He said, his voice low and calm, far to calm to be right. “It seems you’ve won. You’re a real natural at this, good sir. You know, I’ve seen plenty of ponies make good bits by playing this game, putting up a few bits, winning a few more. Would you like to try again?” The white male asked, a smile on his face. Of course, the Pegasus nodded, dropping five bits on the table. Another game, and the strange unicorn lost again, and deposited five bits on the table. “Congratulations. Would you like to play again?” With a nod, and more bits put on the table, another game began.

At the Rock Farms of Equestria,  Inkabella Marie Pie, known to her friends and sister as Inky Pie, sat at her desk, another hard day of work behind her, ready to continue what she had discovered to be her special talent: Writing. She didn’t know why, but when Inkabella sat to write, the words flew onto the page, nearly writing themselves in a perfect symphony of prose. Her parents loved it. Almost as much as… Inkabella felt her grip tighten on her pen, her teeth grinding against the modest pen. Whenever she thought of her older sister….Whenever she thought of….her… Pinkamena… With a grunt, she slammed her hooves down on the desk, the impact caused the desk to shudder, her prized inkwell, one that had been bought for her cute-cenra, perfectly matching her cutie mark, falling off its place, and the ink spilling all over her fresh piece of paper. Panicking, Inkabella scrambled to get her ink blotter, to try to contain the mess.  But then she looked at her paper. The ink, instead of spilling randomly, seemed to form words on the paper of their own volition! Shocked, Inkabella leaned her head closer, reading the words. The font seemed disjointed, seeming almost to jump from one style of writing to another with every letter, almost like a ransom note like in the movies, letters cut out from different magazines. It seemed so…hectic. Ignoring this, Inky began to read.

I can feel your rage.

You wish to get revenge on her, right? To take vengeance on the mare who gave you joy only to snatch it away, leaving you and your sister on this dreary and droll farm? ___

You want to show her your fury, and make her understand?   ___

Inkabella shook her head. She had to be dreaming. Words didn’t just form themselves, with two perfect lines after each sentence. It was almost like the spilled ink was asking for her answer. Inkabella chuckled to herself.

‘Don’t be silly.’ She mentally admonished herself. ‘What would pa say if I told him I was taking this seriously?’

“He’d be furious.” A voice that wasn’t her own answered from everywhere and nowhere. Startled, she fell back, looking around. “How DARE you think ill about our favorite daughter!” Inky’s fathers voice swam in the room, but he wasn’t there. Anger rising in her, she snatched the pen in her mouth, and responded.

I can feel your rage.

You wish to get revenge on her, right? To take vengeance on the mare who gave you joy only to snatch it away, leaving you and your sister on this dreary and droll farm? _YES_

You want to show her your fury,  and make her understand?   _YES__

As soon as Inky lifted her pen, to her shock, the letters bled down further, forming more words!

Will you accept my help? I can help you show her the error of her ways. I can help you make her beg for forgiveness. Do you want me to help you show her the power of Anger? _____

Inkabella couldn’t help, despite her shock and disbelief, but notice that the A in anger was improperly capitalized. She didn’t take any time to dwell on that as she picked up her pen and signed her response.

Will you accept my help? I can help you show her the error of her ways. I can help you make her beg for forgiveness. Do you want me to help you show her the power of Anger? _YES__