Chicken and the Egg

They say great things come in small packages. It seems that one special little filly is about to find out how true that can be.

We begin our story in a lush clearing outside a thick wood. A gentle breeze shakes the leaves, and the ambience of birdsong and squirrels quietly chittering set a calm tone. The afternoon sunlight dappled across the clearing, illuminating an odd scene. A yellow pegasus looking up at a slumped creature, a damnable amalgamation of various animals, looking anywhere so to avoid eye contact with the smaller creature.

“I’m afraid I can’t make our picnic tomorrow, Fluttershy. I have some rather pressing matters to take care of at home. I do apologize.”

The yellow pegasus raised a hoof to the draconequus. “Is something the matter, Discord?”

The creature paused for a moment before proceeding cautiously. “It’s… a family matter.” Upon seeing the curious look on the pony’s face he decided to interject, barring all possible questions. “I do apologize, but I really must be on my way. Good day, dear Fluttershy.” And with that, he disappeared with a flash of light.

The yellow pegasus stared in arrant confusion at the spot the creature just stood.

“Discord has a family?”

“Discord. Wake up, Discord. Discord. DISCORD!”

“Buh-huh?” Discord uttered, snapping out of his tired trance. “Wha-how did I get here? Oh, the picnic, right.”

“Discord” Fluttershy started tentatively “You look like you haven’t slept in days. Are you alright?”

Discord rubbed his eyes “Well, I haven’t, but that’s neither here nor there. What were you saying just a moment ago?”

Fluttershy blinked slowly, trying to put her mind at ease. “Yes, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and Applejack are all off on a quest the map gave them, so I volunteered to watch over Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. They’re nice little fillies, but I thought I should run it by you that they’ll be along for our picnic. Is that alright with you?”

“School age, white unicorn with two-toned curls, orange pegasus with a purple mane, and yellow earth pony with a red mane respectively?” Discord asked distractedly.

Fluttershy blinked confusedly. “Yes, how did you know?”

“My dear, I feed off disharmony, and they were just what I needed to break out of my stone imprisonment in the first place.” Discord paused, and added “I probably shouldn’t have just said that, should I?”

Fluttershy was left speechless, so elected to change the topic. “Discord, last time I saw you, you were mentioning family issues… is that why you’re in this state right now?”

Discord looked around awkwardly, and was about to open his mouth to explain when three voices chimed in as the CMC burst around Fluttershy’s cottage and into view.

“HI FLUTTERSHY!”

A moment later an amused looking rainbow pegasus walked into view too, giving a sheepish smile to Fluttershy.

“Well Fluttershy, here they are. Good luck with these heaps of trouble. I would love to stay, but I have to go help Rarity move enough ‘necessary accessories’ to clothe a small nation.”

“Bye Rainbow Dash!”  blurted out the excitable orange filly, using her wings to hover a few inches off the ground.

“See you later sis” Rainbow Dash winked before flying off. The little orange pegasus beamed at the last word, and turned in stereo with her friends to face Fluttershy expectantly.

The rest of the day passed without much activity. Discord’s sleepiness caused him to accidentally use his chaos magic on nearby creatures, and Fluttershy woke him up while the CMC tried to be “Cutie Mark Crusaders: Exorcists”.

After one time where Discord’s magic transformed innocent fowl into ducks who looked like they frequently abused steroids, which then  started dive bombing the fillies, Fluttershy couldn’t take it anymore. She prepared her secret weapon. The secret weapon that could fell armies of blood sucking enemies, that could make a great monster turn tail and go running away in tears, that could accidentally turn herself into a bat and scare the pony bejeezus out of everyone.

She tried to use The Stare on Discord.

Of course it didn’t work, but it’s the thought that counts, right?

“Discord. Your lack of sleep is putting my animal friends in danger. I know that you don’t want to discuss whatever these family issues are that are keeping you from rest, but as your friend I insist you tell me. I care, and I want to help. I’m also not taking no as an answer.”

Discord sighed, then snapped his fingers, teleporting him, Fluttershy, and the CMC to his house.

“What you see here doesn’t leave here. I don’t want Celestia hearing a word about this.” Discord snapped, before throwing the door open.

To the ponies’ great surprise, they didn’t find some great beast inside. There was no other draconequi, no frightening beasts, no haunted tea parties.

There was one creature inside.

A young purple filly.

And she looked like she was barely clinging to life.

“Well Discord, I’m no doctor, but I’ve heard of this. Or at least, what I think this is. This looks like scarlet fever. We need to get this filly to the hospital. I’m sure Nurse Redhear-“

“No.” Discord said pointedly.

“What? What do you mean no? This filly is seriously sick! We can’t just leave her like this.”

“Fluttershy, I’d love to get her treated, believe me. But hospitals ask questions, and if anybody sees her, and connects her to me, word spreads. If word spreads to Celestia, then I’m encased in stone again, and illness will be the least of the concerns for…” Discord trailed off.

As Fluttershy looked back over at the filly worryingly, something clicked for the young pegasus watching the scene from farther back.

“Hold on.” Scootaloo started. “Fluttershy said your problem was a family issue. If the issue is this filly, then does that mean-“

Silence.

Discord turned to look at Scootaloo, seemingly forget that he brought the CMC with him.

“Oh well, I suppose introductions are in order.” Discord said begrudgingly. “Fluttershy, girls, this is Screwball… my daughter.”