Mirror, Mirror

In the decades before Equestria, a creature existed in the desert in the western land. For some reason, he was made by combining limbs from various other beings. A goat leg, a draconian wing, a lion paw, to name a few. He was not always as corrupt as he eventually became. In fact, he started out rather harmless. One day, in his thinking tree, he began to wonder why he was created in the first place.

"Isn't it obvious?" he responded to himself. Literally. There were two of him in the tree. "You're here to make sure things are working together. Harmony. That is why I was made." Discord looked to his twin, a normal looking being. No mismatched parts, no disorderly acts. His name is Harmony.

"You're here to make sure I work together with you," Discord replied. "Two opposing forces working together, but which of us drew the short straw?"

"Neither of us. We are equal in measure to each other, none better than the other, you know that." Harmony looked over at his brother and turned into an eagle. "Our only difference is our role."

"Yes, yours is being good, and mine is being evil. I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Then why do you sulk?" Harmony asked, landing by Discord's side.

"You think I'm sulking?" Discord started laughing. "That's the best joke I've heard all day. You know what they say, it's all down hill from here." He quieted himself and glared at Harmony.

"Your sarcasm isn't amusing. If I am not around to keep you in check, you could end the world."

"If you're not around, I'd be down one stick in the mud." Discord snapped his eagle talon and turned Harmony into a stick in a bucket of mud. Harmony quickly reverted back to his eagle form and frowned.

"Why do you contend with me so? We were meant to rule together." Harmony did not retaliate. "If all goes well, there may be hope for you yet."

"I don't hate to break it to you, 'brother', but if I were to rule, it certainly wouldn't be at your side."

"I painfully wait the day when your eyes will open, and see the future of this land and its possibilities."

"This land is a desert! Not a blade of grass for miles, and water, even further! If civilization were to thrive, it's doubtful to start in this wasteland. Being here, it's a form of imprisonment." Discord scorched the tree as it turned to ice, then melted into thin air. "You and I are its only residents."

"Come now, Discord. Destroying the laws of nature at this age will throw out your back." Discord's spine fell out of place as he used it as a cane. "Not literally."

"What good is sarcasm, if not to be taken at face value?" His spine curled around Discord and clicked into place. "Besides, if you weren't so boring, I wouldn't have to destroy nature's laws."

The two beings continued their debate well beyond sundown. Harmony fell asleep as a large snake in the sand while Discord found comfort in a hammock between two palm trees.

"I would like nothing more than to be rid of him forever."

"And defeat the purpose of scales?" a voice replied. "That sounds a bit selfish."

Discord looked around and saw his brother had stopped moving. "That's not me... Who's out there?" he asked. No reply. "I know you're there, there's no sense in hiding from me."

"What fun is there in making sense?" it responded. Discord made the trees and hammock disappear as he scanned the desert. "You desire to be rid of your other half? To see to it that he no longer extsts?"

"If only that could actually happen..."

"Then I might be able to help." A blinding light came up from the sand as a tall white alicorn stood over Discord. "Listen close."

"And what are you?" he asked, walking around the new creature. "Never seen the likes of you before."

"I am The Divine Creator, The Ultimate, The Mother. I am All, I am One. As I have many names, I may take many forms. My abilities are grand and miniscule, and none are without price."

"The desert heat must have gotten to me. I'm hallucinating." Discord pinched himself and winced in fake pain. When he looked once more, it was gone. "Hah, nice try, mirage."

It reappeared behind him without warning. "You think me to be a mirage?"

"Not so much any more. Tell me, with all your cosmic power, what's stopping you from ruling the world?"

"It is not my place. Now tell me, to see your brother fade from this world, what will you give?" she asked.

Discord thought for a moment. "That's the thing: you're taking away Harmony, all that remains is Discord. And you know, I can ignore the laws of equivalent exchange, so this is a one-sided agreement."

"I see. Then allow me." She enveloped Harmony in rainbow hued magic and lifted him into the air. As his body writhed, it began to expand, contort, and change form. When it descended, in its place stood an odd looking mirror. "I will take your brother, and gift you this in return."

"Ooh, shiny. What am I supposed to do with this?"

"Destroy it, destroy with it, give it away. As it is yours, you may do with it what you want. But know this: No action is without reaction. For every good an evil, every up a down. Every life, a death. This endless cycle is called balance. You are Discord. Your brother is the Mirror of Balance you see before you."

"You turned him into a mirror. What's stopping him from turning back?" Discord asked running his claw over its surface.

"His life ended, and he was meant to live. With death, there is life. This is your curse: you will live the rest of your life, and add his to it. You are now, incapable of growing old."

"That doesn't sound so bad. Now I can spread all the chaos I want." Discord tossed the mirror into the sands and erected a stone pyramid over it.

"With every evil, there is good," she whispered. "Only when you are both, can you attain true peace." With that, she vanished.

Now free from his brother's watchful gaze, he began turning the world into his playground. Until the princesses showed up. Together with an ultimate force of good, they were able to imprison the ultimate force of evil. There is karma in his story; when he tossed aside harmony, harmony came back for him.