I hate mornings.
The singing of the birds woke me up from my dream. Rubbing my eyes, I glared out towards the slight ray of sunlight which flowed into my cave. Where it touches, it shows what a mess the place was.
Not to me though. I like the mess, makes me feel that the space was... occupied.
Scrolls upon scrolls of parched paper lay upon the ground, despite the close proximity of a stone chest I had painstakingly carved out. I mean, snapping a finger was such tiring work.
In a small corner, a tree grew, various kinds of fruits growing from it. I mean, seriously? Why have all the fruits grow on different trees when you can have all of them on the same one? Banana, apples, pears, watermelon, you name, I should have it. Or I'll just add it. Though I really need the water from the pool beside it. Nothing like a cold splash to wake me up.
The chilly droplets striking, my face, I awake fully. Though it wasn't long before I caught sight of the handsome Draconequus reflected in the rippling water.
A horse's head, with an deer's antler and a goat's horn. A lean dragon's body with a claw of a eagle and a lion each as foreclaws while having a lizard leg and a goat's hoof as hindlegs. The tail of a snake that ends in a red tuft, one of a bat and pegasus each upon his back. A cool flowing mane with sharp handsome eyes.
Yup, that's me!
"Mishap," I praised myself, "What'll the world do without you?"
Realizing the irony of the situation, I burst out into laughter. How could I not? After all, there were none in this world who knows about me! Some impact I'll make even if I do disappear!
Heaving deep breaths at my own outburst. I frowned as a thought occured to me.
Now that I actually thought about it. There was one who knows about me...
A long time ago...
It's been awhile since I last had fun, but one couldn't have enough fun, right?
I had decided to bring another kingdom to its ruin. Or rather, to its paradise, in my opinion. That's why I was here. In the corridors of a magnificent and much too orderly castle.
Seriously! Everything in here was way too neat! Rows and rows of knight armor stay lined along this hallway lit by discs of flames suspended in the air through magic. Arches of pillars were its main foundation, while rocks as brown as mud served as its walls.
Not for long, though. After all, it's me we are talking about.
There! Hoofsteps! As my form blends into the surroundings, I allowed myself an almost invisible smile as I saw a group of Unicorns marched past. Many wore silver helmets upon their heads, with the exception of one, a grey elderly unicorn who wore a magnificent hat that looks more like a turban than anything. In place of the armor donned by the others, he wore an overdecorated purple robe lined with gold bells. To be honest, he got pretty poor taste.
Emperor Greatsword, or as I like to call him, the dictator. I mean, if an emperor's populace was starving and he was hoarding all the food for himself, he's pretty much a tyrant. I never liked him, or anything that enforces... whatever that word is.
Well, not for long. I rubbed my two forelimbs as my mind ran over some very interesting... things.
A single word was enough. With pure will alone, the armors lining the corridor came to life. I looked on as the unicorns cried first in shock, then in anger. Beams and magic bolts soared forth and struck the animated armor, shredding many to bits. However, you can't kill something which was not alive.
Feeling like a master puppeteer, I pieced the destroyed armor together as though they were but a jigsaw puzzle. I'm very good at this sort of stuff, actually. Besides, if you could take a bunch of scrap metal and form a dragon, something like an over-sized lizard made of metal plates minus a wing, you must have some artistic talent right?
"Curses!" I heard Empy Greatsword yell as he directed a laser beam towards the metal reptile thing I made, "Show yourself! Fight honorably!"
I giggled at his demand, the laughter echoing throughout the hallway despite the noise from the ongoing skirmish. Stepping forward from the shadows, I undid the spell which kept me from their sights, allowing them to bask in my full glory.
"Mishap!" One of the ponies gasped.
"What? You know me?" I laughed, the glorious sound filling the hallway. To my utmost disappointment, no one else joined in.
"What is the meaning of this?" Emperor Greatsword demanded, though I can't take him seriously. An old pony in an oversize turban, draped in a purple blanket trying to assert his authority over me was too much to take. "We had no argument with things like you!"
"Well," I smiled, deliberately ignoring the fact that he labelled me as a non-sentient being, "I am chaos, so... it's natural for us to have an argument with everything.
Bringing my lion arm up, I snapped my fingers. Once.
I congratulated myself on a job well done. Lizard claw scraping the road, goat hoof clopping in accompaniment, I skipped along the road backwards as I surveyed my newest work of art.
The kingdom in which Emperor Greatsword had ruled over was in a state never seen before. The castle in the middle of the city looks as though it had been turned to water, have a rock strike its surface, and as the splashes rose into the air, someone just conveniently froze it in place. Red rays of sunlight shone upon it, giving it a melancholic feel.
Well... You can't blame me for having such talents in arts right? I do need the occasional practice. I chuckled as my enhanced sight picked up the citizens gazing at the spectacle. Personally, I just could not wait for the time they realized that their cruel tyrant had been hanging from one of the cliffs I created by his large purple robe.
Giving a small jump, I stopped in my tracks as I admired the scene of my creation.
"Twenty years?" I whispered to myself, evaluating how long my magic should keep this thing propped up, "thirty? Thirty and a quarter? Mayb-"
"Having fun, Mishap?" Laughed a mischievous voice behind me. I know that voice, so I spun around, a warm smile upon my face as I beheld my old friend.
"Hello Discord."
"Discord," I whispered the name as I walked through the dense green undergrowth. The morning ray lit up the forest, leaves a healthy shade of green parted before me as I made my way through, paying no heed to the odd critter that dashes from tree to tree.
He was the only other Draconequus I met in my life. No romance between us though, I'm not into that. However, it was kind of weird, being the only one of my kind that I met. What makes it weirder was that it was the same for him.
*Wham!*
"Ow," I mumbled, rubbing my sore head. Apparently I was so deep in thought that I failed to notice a branch sticking out of the grass as I made a turn around a tree. That was when I noticed the place where my hindlegs had brought me.
A giant oak stood tall and proud in the middle of a clearing. A trunk roughly five meters in diameter, Its leaves shone a bright green as they covered the branches that spread from it.
It had been a century since I last visited this place. Yet, no matter how it changed, I will always recognize the oak tree. Even now, I could still hear the voice springing from it.
"Mishap... is that you?" It was a voice brought to my ears by a gentle breeze. Beautiful, as charming as the pony who I cursed along with it.
"Stasis..." I whispered back, "It's me."
"It's been so long... How have you been?"
"I'm still alive," I shrugged, it was interesting. She had been raving and raging at me when I thrust her spirit into a tree. Now, it feels as though I was meeting with an old friend. "And so is the world."
Purple Stasis was the name of the mare. Her coat a light shade of magenta, she was an earth pony warrior who had hounded me across this continent. Not that I actually was worried, in reality, I enjoyed the chase. It was not until she ran out of ideas to defeat me that I bound her spirit to an oak tree. She had cursed and begged me then, but everything changes with time, and feelings were no different. Well, maybe I would be an exception. Now, however, she had finally seen the beauty of the world, not the dark cursed place that she thought it became when I had toyed with the royal family she was supposed to protect. Just as planned, I would say.
"What of Discord?" She asked, the oak tree representative of her swaying as she did so, "Is he back?"
"Not yet," I replied truthfully, "Though I recall the two of you being quite close friends."
"Why? Are you jealous?" Teased the voice.
"Maybe," I admitted, "Though my offer to return you to... being a pony still stands."
"I'll consider it," Laughed the voice,"as long as you cut away the part that requires me to hound you across the world."
I laughed at the jest. It was an old joke I had began cracking with her since the last three centuries. Ever since she had stopped insulting me since, I had repeatedly offered her the life of hunting me back. She had long gotten used to being a tree, however, and had refused me continuously, for she needs no pony eyes to see the world. The wind had become her eyes, ears and voice, the forest her messengers, the trees her friends. I know she'll be loathed to leave such a blissful life behind.
"Time's up," I said, "I'll be going now, Stasis."
"Don't make it sound like you intended to visit." Whispered the voice, "I'm still looking forward to the day you stopped visiting."
"Where'll be the fun in that?" I laughed as I turned away. "Though who knows? Maybe I'll find a new victim to enlighten with Chaos."
"Don't go easy on whoever you meet." Added the voice. Chuckling at the jibe, I left the area.
Come to think of it... What spurred Purple Stasis to chase me anyway?
A long time ago...
"You are really quite strange, y'know?" I laughed.
I never actually got used to seeing him. This fellow Discord before me was the same species. We are almost similar in many ways. However, where I had left my white mane flow unchecked, he had his black mane cut short. His eyes had an almost maniacal glint to it, and that's coming from me, who was already quite insane, so that's saying something. Also, he had a long fang protruding from his mouth, where mine was a lot smaller compared to him. Not to mention, he had a beard, and waaaaay too bushy eyebrows, making him look like my senior. Good thing we Draconequus don't age.
"Well," Said Discord, "To each their own, in my opinion, I'm think I'm quite handsome."
We had this conversation for ages. In fact, one of us would always bring it up once every few years.
The two of us stood on a clifftop, the morning sun draping the mountain range we stood upon in an orange light. The world appears bronze as the rocks were illuminated in the light of the sun. All except for a single place.
Putting it simply, we had a little competition. Who can create the most chaos in a single night? That was the question. So we decided that a backwater city would be our testing grounds. Bounty hunters, mafia gangs, and all sort of those things ruled that particular kingdom. Once. I don't really know if it could be called a kingdom now. A full half of the kingdom looked as though it had been flipped upside down, cottages, towers and buildings all. Complete with pink marshmallow clouds drizzling chocolate milk unto its occupants. That was Discord's side.
My half looks more entertaining, in my opinion. Everywhere you look, you could see ponies attempting to swim in the frothing milk that replaced the roads. The buildings look to be made of wood, until one realized that they were actually made of caramel blocks. The trees' trunks were replaced by rock candy. Hey, I was hungry, so you can't really blame me for turning everything into food. Minus the living things, I'm not into meat.
"So," started Discord, "This is quite hard to decide. It's a really close match."
"Yeah," I frowned, "Both sides are equally chaotic. It's really tough to decide who would win."
This was the six hundred and thirty first time we had this sort of competition. It was more to pass the time, but we often use this sort of methods to solve any disputes we had with each other. Current score? I'm in the lead by two wins. Do the math yourself.
"We need a third party," decided Discord, "something to help us decide who wins."
"Yeah," I agreed, making a face, "I don't want this to be a tie like last time."
As we frowned, both trying to see what could help us decide, slow rhythmic hoofsteps sounded behind us. Turning my neck, I was surprised to see a purple pony hefting a thin ebony sword. Milk still coating her flank and hair.
"I... I finally found you," panted the pony, the words coming out loud and clear despite the fact she was holding the sword with her mouth. To be honest, the sheer amount of emotion in her eyes took me aback. One of the few times it had ever happened.
"Who's this?" Asked Discord, noticing the pony's presence as well, "a friend of yours?"
"I dunno," I shrugged, "perhaps somepony that went for swim in a milk river."
Looking back at the city, it just took a moment for me to register that I had replaced the roads of my half with rivers of milk.
"Or maybe..." I continued casually, "She was one of those who had been on my half of the city..."
"Really?" Said Discord, delighted by the news, as he turned to the furious pony, "did you like it? What he did to your home?"
"I..." Choked the pony as she screamed at me, "TURN IT BACK! IT WAS WAY BETTER BEFORE YOU CAME ALONG!!!"
"I guess I win," chuckled Discord.
"Wa- What?" I sputtered in astonishment, "Hey! That's not how it works!"
"She explicitly stated that she doesn't like your side," pointed out Discord.
"Well," I started," wait a minute! Lemme ask her!"
"Hey, what about his side? Is-" was all I got to say to her before I had dodge an ebony sword swung at me.
"Well," Laughed Discord, "She clearly does not like what you did... I suppose I win?"
Before my disbelieving eyes, Discord began fading from my sight. "Hey! This isn't fair!"
"Don't be a sore loser," Said Discord, who had completely disappeared, "and just go entertain your new friend."
I had only enough to make a small curse before I ducked my head from another swing of the ebony sword.
And that's how it began, the start of an epic tale of how an Earth pony chased a Draconequus across a continent for five full years before having her spirit sealed into a tree.
Water lapped at my hindlegs as I strolled along the wreckage of a ship on a beach. It was a pirate ship once, and its crew made the mistake of attacking me and Discord who were sunbathing on the coast.
It was nearing evening, and the sun had begun to set. I was sure that there were plenty of beings who would lament the passing of this day. Not me though, I had all the time in the world.
At least that's what I believed. For now anyways.
I did not know what caused me to walk here. Emotions were weird things after all, I never truly understood this part of me.
I still hold the memories of this place in me.
It was of the time where Discord finally left...
Roughly A Thousand Years Ago...
Screams echoed throughout the summer afternoon on the beach.
Not like I can blame them. A bunch of foolish pony pirates had decided to shipwreck themselves and subsequently attack two strangers sunbathing by the beach. It's not like they expected to end up neck deep in ice cream quicksand.
Arching my back, I gave the ponies an reassuring smile which seems to scare them more than anything else.
"Really," I sighed, "why do they never believe I had not taken a life before?"
Turning around, I saw a sight I never quite expected to see.
Discord was standing before three paralyzed ponies, all of which were emitting a blue powdery substance which he seemed to be inhaling.
Of course, I did not interfere. It was basic courtesy to do so when your friend was eating some blue powdery substance given off by a bunch of pony pirates.
It didn't take long for Discord to be finished with whatever he was doing. As he stood there licking his fingers, I walked up cautiously. It was always a good idea to do so when something unexpected happens.
"So," I asked, "What was that?"
"Memories." replied Discord.
"Memories?" I repeated.
"Yes," Sighed Discord contentedly, "Apparently, there was another continent across the ocean. One called Equestria."
"What about it? It can't be that different from here..."
"Well, there's a war going on there."
"War? What's that?"
"You know," waved Discord distractedly, "the sort of things that that purple pony did to you except on a much larger scale..."
"Doesn't sound that exciting..."
"Well, to each their own," replied Discord, "But I'll really want to give it a visit. Maybe even stop the war there and show them what peace was."
"Seriously?" I asked, "It doesn't sound that fun..."
"Well I'll think about it," Said Discord.
He never said that he'll tell me if he goes. Though it would be my fault for not inquiring further. However, the next day, I couldn't find him. Not even the day after. It was only after three centuries of searching did I conclude that he had left this continent.
Sometimes I wish that I had learned the teleportation spell...
I didn't know how long I had stood there. It had seemed to be evening a moment ago, but now, the sky's a blanket of darkness, the twinkling of stars reflected in the calm ocean upon the surface.
Perhaps there's a bit of me who was still sentimental. Maybe.
All this memories over the few thousand years had stayed with me. Yet, I never knew which part of me clung to them.
It's been ten centuries already, yet Discord never returned to this chunk of rock that had no name.
Maybe he was having too much fun over there?
Or maybe he found more of our kind, settled down, and had a family? Part of me retched at the thought.
"Well," I said aloud as I turned away from the ocean, "Maybe I'll pay a visit as soon as I'm bored with this place."
"I wonder what I shall do tomorrow..."
Author's Note
Hello All!
This was a piece I made at a request of a friend. It's quite tough to write, but I need to practice writing about Discord, as another story requires it. Well, I hope you liked this work!
