A Discorded Christmas Carol

Discord looked down at the body before him. His business partner, Celestia was dead. Dead as a door nail. Heaving a sigh, Discord touched the white mare's hoof with an outstretched claw. I just can't believe that sickness took her so quickly...., he thought.

Saying his goodbyes to his dear friend, the draconequus left, his snakelike tail sliding out the door of the funeral home. As Discord walked, he found himself lost in thought, meddling with the button on his dark jacket. He almost ran into a gray mare, who was walking past with a small, purplish unicorn filly.

Discord whipped his head around and glared at the mare. "Hey, watch it!", he growled.

The mare stepped back, unfolding her wings. She returned Discord's glare with a fearful, cross-eyed stare. " I-I'm sorry, sir.", she stammered, then gathered up her filly and walked away at a fast trot. Discord watched the mare leave, then turned and continued to his destination. Still thinking, Discord snapped his tail, and a candy cane appeared in his talon. He put it in his mouth, biting the end ever so gently, as to not break it.

About ten minutes later, Discord looked at the small business that he and his now dead friend (Wow,that's a cruel rhyme..) had made together. Picturing that white alicorn in all her beauty once more made Discord wince. He looked up at the sign above the door. On one side, there was a picture of a brilliantly blazing sun, and on the opposite side, both Discord and Celestia's names were engraved in the fragile wood. Seeing that name made Discord fume with sudden rage, and he quickly stomped into the business building.

A slam on the door alerted the orange earth pony who was sitting at a desk, writing out papers, but shivering. She looked up from her work and walked up to where Discord stood.

"Discord, sir? Did the funeral go alright?", she asked in a hearty southern accent.

Discord looked at the earth pony, narrowing his eyes. He sighed and shot her a glare. " What do you think, Applejack?! My friend just died!", he replied in a dry, sarcastic tone.

"Yea, friend. Right....", the pony muttered to herself.

A growl rumbled in Discord's throat. "What did you just say?"

"Nothin' important."

Applejack said nothing else, and returned to her work without looking back at her supervisor. She shivered once again, folding her hooves and trying to warm herself. Applejack sighed.

"Discord, sir? I have somethin' ah need ta ask.", she said all of a sudden.

Discord walked up to Applejack, knowing what she was going to ask, since she asked the same thing every year. " You want off tomorrow, correct? ", he asked, letting out a groan.

Applejack perked up. " Yes, please, sir. My family, they...they need me this year. Ah'm never there get 'em when ah should be. Look, you don't even have to pay me. Just please, Discord. Ah'm beggin' ya."

Discord cocked an eyebrow. "Really..? Hmm....I still say no. Work's work, and time is money. You know this as well as I do."

Applejack flattened her ears. She looked down, sighing and headed back towards her desk, her expression now dull. She miserably looked outside, where snow was falling, and little fillies and colts were playing.

Discord felt a nagging inside him, but he couldn't place a word on it.Guilt? He shook away the thought. He looked again at Applejack, who still looked longingly outside. Not being able to bear it any longer, Discord walked up to Applejack.

"I think it's about time you went home...", he said in an awkward tone. He scratched his head with his paw, feeling odd. Applejack looked up and nodded.

"Alright." Applejack got up, putting on the hat that sat on her desk. She put on a green scarf that hung by the door, and walked out of the building, snow flurrying outside.

Watching Applejack leave, Discord went to his own desk, hanging up his hat and jacket. He'd always questioned his hat, since his horn and antler always got in the way of it. But then, where's the fun on making sense?, Discord thought to himself, puling out one of his own sayings.

A cheerful knock on the door made Discord jump, and with a snap of his talon, he was at the door. He opened the door to see his own niece, Pinkie Pie. She gave him a bright smile and bounced inside. Discord chuckled a bit, closing the still-open door. Pinkie took off her scarf and her earmuffs, and looked up at her uncle, Discord, with joyous blue eyes.

Discord tipped his head to the side. "What brings you here, Pinkie?", he asked in a calm, yet slightly irritated, voice.

Pinkie rolled her eyes. "To ask you to come to my Hearth's Warming party tonight, silly!", she replied, giggling.

Discord looked at the pink earth pony, confused as to how she had kept such a happy, care-free nature, after all these years. He heaved a sigh and shook his head.

"I can't, Pinkie Pie."

Pinkie cocked her head. "Why...why not?"

Discord looked at his 'niece'. "I have too much on my mind, and too much work to do."

Pinkie's mane flattened a bit and she hung her head. "Like every other year, Discord. You never come! Always work, or some other excuse you make up!" She narrowed her eyes at her uncle, giving him a baleful look.

Discord didn't even wince at her icy stare. "I'm not going. That's that. Now please, if you have nothing better to do, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Pinkie gave her uncle a defeated look. She put her scarf and earmuffs back on and headed out the door.

"Happy Hearth's Warming!", she chimed cheerfully as she left, knowing it would anger Discord.

"Hearth's Warming....", he growled, spitting out the words through gritted teeth, "'Bah humbug' to that."