The Diary of Discord Wimpby ThePianoManChaptersMr. Blue SkyThe Way Life's Meant To BeIllusions In G MajorIs It AlrightFrom Out Of NowhereStranger On a Quiet StreetStrange MagicHeaven Only KnowsNo Way OutWishingNight in the CityConfusionDo YaSongbirdIn the Hall of the Mountain KingRain Is FallingEvil WomanSo SeriousLook at Me NowOne Step at a TimeFlash MAGNUS!Danger AheadMidnight BlueYours Truly, 2095Goin' Out on MeTightrope(Intermission) "When I was a boy..."Prologue to TwilightWhisper in the NightPonyville Uber AllesMr. Blue Sky“I stand upon my desk…” -John/DPS sixteen years later... And then, the world awoke from its slumber. The radio clock on the pine green nightstand sparked to life as the minute hand reached the thirty mark. “Good morning, today's forecast calls for blue skies!” The radio station always started that way with the forecast, and then the host’s list of the latest hits began without so much as an introduction or commercial. That's probably why it was one of the last few successful radio stations in Equestria. Ponies didn't want too much commentary or information about anti-itch flank creme. No, Good Morning Equestria got straight to what was wanted: music. The privately owned station could afford not to advertise, and the only break was around twelve thirty when the host would thank the listeners and run over a quick list of news items. The morning song stirred the sleeping draconequus to life as his ears told him to get up. He yawned and stretched out his longer body, to his surprise, on a rough surface. His eyes popped open when he realized he was sleeping on the ceiling. “Not again!” He yelled before falling, bouncing off his bed, and landing on the floor. Tugging at the magic training collar on his neck, he grumbled. “Stupid thing can't even do its job.” At that moment his door was flung open by a panicked mare. “Discord! Are you alright?” Discord mumbled as he stood up. “I'm fine, mom.” His mother, a mare by the name of Redheart, frantically looked over him to check for any damage. “Oh, sweetheart, did you sleep on the ceiling again?” “Yeah. It's no problem, really.” He lied. It was the fifth time this week. If it got any worse, he'd have to tie himself to the bed. Redheart wasn't sure she believed that her adopted son was alright, but she could tell he didn't want her to fuss over it. “Big day today. New school, new opportunities, new friends, and maybe a filly friend.” “Mom,” Discord grumbled as he pulled his sheets taught again on his bed. “Or dragoness, if you're into that sort of thing.” Redheart laughed. “Mom,” Discord held up his arms in protest, “stop talking.” Redheart’s eyes welled up as she looked up at her son. “I'm sorry. It just seems like only yesterday that you were my little one.” She lunged at him with a hug. “I just hope everything goes alright this time. I know freshcolt year back in our old town wasn't so good.” That was an understatement. It was borderline disaster as students picked on him to the point where the town’s sheriff got involved. They ripped of his magic training collar which made him lose control of his powers. With the extensive property damage and injuries, Discord would have been arrested if it hadn't been for the teacher who apprehended the bullies truly responsible for everything. Discord remembered the horrifying experience for both him and his mother. He ended up being home schooled for the rest of the year. At least under the controlled conditions of home, he excelled at his work and was able to skip sophomore year and enter straight into his junior year this semester. “You said it yourself. Ponyville is a more tolerant city, right?” Redheart cringed at the word tolerant. Tolerance was cruelly short of acceptance. “I know, but there are still ponies and others that aren't as accepting as they should be.” Discord put on the bravest smile he could muster. “I won't let them get me down, mom.” Redheart smiled back, still nervous. “I know. Just remember though, don't engage in trouble. Have the courage to walk away as well as to stand up for yourself. There's gonna be those few who still say and do bad stuff. You can just ignore them. They're idiots, but we can't tell them that. Understand?” Discord nodded as he hugged his mom. “I love you mom.” Redheart fought the waterworks as she returned her son’s hug. “And, I love you too. Now come to the kitchen, I got a stack of waffles and a glass of chocolate milk with your name on it.” ***** Discord stared back at his mother as he waited at the curb for the bus. As she waved at him from the porch, he weakly waved back. He straightened the diagonal strap on his book bag and sighed as he eyed the neighborhood. Every house was built the same with the exception of the few that had been added on to or painted different colors. It was one of the boomer neighborhoods that had been erected some twenty years ago during the small town’s conversion to becoming a city. It wasn't the richest side of town; that was Whinnyton. The red bus came rolling down the double wide cobblestone road. Steam escaped from the tailpipe that stuck up and out the back. The smokestack let out a rainbow smoke that smelled like a cupcake had up chucked. The face of a smiling blonde filly was plastered on the engine cover with the slogan, smarter fuel for a brighter future. “Horse apples,” Discord whispered to himself. The bus door swung open to reveal a weighty griffon driver in a bright orange vest and shades. The driver stared at discord as he took a sip of coffee. “School?” Discord eyed the gold name tag. “Yes Mister Orrin.” The griffon grumbled as he motioned for Discord to board the bus. “I don't know you.” Discord nodded as he stumbled forward up on the first step. In two more steps he was on the bus. Then he froze as the whole bus went quiet. They were staring at him. His heart began to beat uncontrollably before the bus driver coughed. “Hey, kid. Take your seat.” Discord cautiously made his way down the center aisle, looking for a seat. There must have been a good twelve spots open, but they were quickly filled by the bags of frowning ponies, dragons, and griffons alike. Eventually Discord just sighed as he sat all by himself in the back. The onslaught of whispers began as the bus door shut. They were moving and Discord felt trapped. If he looked up, he would just be met by those pesky stares. So, he elected to look out the window. That was an okay decision. It was better than avoiding stares head on. This way he could at least look like his attention was turned away at something. It was mostly just houses that passed by. There was a park Discord thought was pretty neat. It wasn't too far from his house either. He smiled as he pictured himself studying under the willow tree that was sort of up on a hill in the center of the park. He imagined that he'd probably do a lot of studying in that park. The passengers of the bus lurched forward a bit as it came to an abrupt stop. Discord looked up from the window to see what was up. The bus door swung open again. Just another student, Discord thought. He saw a flash of purple and green before a loud scream set the stage for the new passenger that was now face first on the aisle. Everyone was laughing at the dragon who had undoubtedly been tripped. “I'm okay! I'm okay!” The purple dragon brushed himself off and straightened his green spines as he rushed to get up. Discord could see two other dragons snickering nearby. They must have been the idiots Redheart had warned him about. As the purple dragon looked desperately for a seat, Discord haphazardly waved to him. A smile paired with glistening green eyes lit up the purple dragon’s face as he came rushing to the back seat. Seeing another snickering dragon, Discord could tell what was going to happen next. He lowered his lion paw out of sight and snapped his digits. The purple dragon made it through without incident as a hushed hey cursed at the invisible force field Discord had put up to stop another trip. “Hey there.” The purple dragon threw his book bag on the ground as he sat next to Discord. “New in town?” “Yeah.” Discord could tell the little dragon was younger than him, but the fact didn’t matter. He couldn’t ignore the sense of familiarity and understanding he had with him. “My name is Discord.” “Nice to meet you Discord, I’m Spike.” Discord smiled as he exchanged an arm shake with Spike. “You alright? You took a pretty hard fall there.” Spike shrugged off the incident with a smile. “Eh, I’m fine.” Discord admired Spike’s spirit in the face of adversity. “They’ll get what’s coming to ‘em eventually.” “Why did those dragons trip you? Aren’t you one of them?” Spike couldn’t bring himself to smile at the innocent ignorance of Discord. Even so, Spike felt some sense of hope in someone like that. “Don’t worry about it. Even with the tolerance in this day and age, there’s still guys like that who say and do bad stuff.” Discord leaned over as he whispered to Spike. “They’re just idiots, but we can’t tell them that.” The two laughed for a moment. “So,” Spike began awkwardly, “what exactly are you? Are you uh, mixed?” Discord didn’t mind the question. He was well used to it by now. “Sort of. I’m a draconequus.” Spike blinked up a storm as he wrapped his head around the word. “What?” Discord remembered when his mother first explained what he was. He remembered how his reaction was similar to Spike’s as the ancient word had been spelled out for him. The books he had looked up on the matter were haunting to say the least with what there was to say about his kind. The rarity of his species would have caused a black pit of loneliness in his mind, but that was quickly remedied by his mother who took him in as her son. Redheart never discouraged him from looking into his existence. And even though they were not the same, Discord knew that she would always be his mother. She helped in his path to control the uncanny powers he had been gifted with. She found the professor who made the collar that Discord still wore to prevent chaotic disaster. Discord tugged at the collar and the dark thoughts in the back of his brain. He buried them for now. “A dra-con-e-quus. There aren’t really many of my kind here. As far as I know, I’m the only one that exists in Equestria.” “Heh, sounds like you’re one of a kind,” Spike mused. Discord couldn’t hold back the smile growing on his face. “You too, Spike.” Spike rubbed at the back of his neck as he bashfully looked away. “Ah shucks, that’s nice of you to say. To be honest I thought you wouldn’t like being around a freshcolt.” “Wait,” Discord was surprised, “you’re only a freshcolt?” Spike shrugged his shoulders. “Yeah. Why?” “You seem more,” Discord looked for the word, “mature.” “Ha! Tell that to my would be step mom.” Spike laughed. “What about you? You look like a senior.” He gestured to Discord’s height. “Junior, actually.” Discord explained, “Technically I should be a sophomore.” “Ah,” Spike caught on, “skipped a grade, huh?” Seeing that no one paid them any attention at this point, Discord explained his incident as a freshcolt and his stint with homeschooling. “Geez, sounds rough.” Spike suddenly found it hard to look at Discord and even harder not to look at the magic training collar. “So, you don’t have too many friends then, huh?” Discord nudged the dragon in the side. “I wouldn’t say that.” Spike caught wind of what Discord was suggesting. “Wait, really? You don’t mind hanging around with a freshcolt?” “Not if you don’t mind hanging around with a junior, friend.” Spike was right about him not really having any friends. And from the whole tripping incident, it didn’t seem like Spike had too many friends either. Seeing that neither of them would ever be incredibly popular, it was probably for the best that they stuck together. And, Discord really wanted a friend. ***** Ponyville High School was one of two high schools within the city limits of Ponyville. It was in fact, the oldest. Built nearly seventy years ago, it still stood with some minor additions that had been built on around and above the original structure. It was a considerably large campus given that the original blueprints had accidentally been swapped with the blueprints of a college. This gave the school a full size buckball field and track, a swimming pool, a gymnasium, and an auditorium theater. All of this connected in one large structure with interior halls. The construction was already completed before anyone realized the mix up. The college, Canterlot University, was built with the same blueprints, and it jokingly became known as the sister campus. Ponyville High eventually received benefits from the university and even shared the same mascot. Discord looked on in wonder at the three story structure. It’s title as Ponyville High was displayed with great purple letters that sat below the image of a horse pony with a braided beard wielding a spear. The tritone image was made up of purple, black, and white. “Sure is impressive, huh?” Spike joined Discord in observing the spectacle. At the front entrance a little kiosk with a big welcome sign was armed with a teacher passing out flyers. “Welcome, to all new Wild Stallions. I’m Miss Cheerilee.” Discord and Spike joined the gathering crowd around the kiosk. “As with all new students, you will be assigned a first day senior buddy to help you find your classrooms and any other areas you need to know about like the cafeteria, the club houses, the library, and recreation areas.” The dark fuschia mare adjusted some papers in front of her. “There was a bit of a mix up with paperwork, so we’ll be calling students as we find your names. If we don’t call your name, be patient and we’ll settle it as efficiently as possible.” Discord froze as he spotted another freshcolt—she looked young enough—in the crowd. He couldn’t tell if she was staring directly at him or not. Tipping left to right, he saw her eyes weren’t following him. He looked down and suddenly realized who she was really staring at. “Psst. Spike.” Discord looked head on as he whispered to his friend. Spike furrowed his brow in confusion. “Why are you whispering?” Discord looked briefly, she was still there. “White filly, purple mane, three o’clock. She’s been staring at you.” Spike rolled his eyes as he turned his head. His eyes went wide as they locked with the filly’s. Spike and Discord both fell into a fit of hushed snickering as the filly snapped her head away in embarrassment. Spike recovered swiftly from the hilarity of the moment and waited for the filly to look at him again. She actually did, to his surprise. Spike smiled kindly and gave a gentle wave. He felt a little sorry for laughing at her. The filly’s blue eyes sparkled a bit as she weakly waved back. “Rarity! Is there a Rarity here?” Cheerilee called out. Spike watched as the white filly, known as Rarity, pranced up to the front. “Hello there. Rarity, your senior buddy will be Fluttershy. Fluttershy-” Discord was still smirking at Spike whose mind was elsewhere in a cloud shaped like a certain white filly with a curled mane. “Spike. Spike.” Discord waved his griffon claws in front of Spike’s face. “Hey, quit it will ya?” Spike swatted away the limb that brought him back to reality. Discord ceased this action as he caught a glimpse of a light pink tail that lead the alleged Rarity into the school. A strange feeling of familiarity washed through Discord’s soul before he dismissed the experience as déjà vu. “Spike, is Spike here?” Cheerilee called out. Spike beamed as he tightened his grip on his book bag. “That’s me! See you at lunch, okay?” Discord watched as Spike was lead inside by a rather talkative grey griffon. It made him uncomfortable to stand by himself. Without Spike by his side, he felt alone. Exposed. The eyes rested upon him now. The whispers came and dredged up echoes for the draconequus. He could see it now, his old school. “Octavia!” The cries of Cheerilee over the crowd did nothing to calm the growing torrent of rumor. None approached the draconequus, though. It was either fear or the tolerance Discord had heard about. “Um...Discord?” Discord scooted through the crowd which now seemed to get louder as those who could not already see him were shocked by his sudden presence. “Oh my!” Cheerilee’s exclamation startled Discord, but he realized it was not an exclamation of fear. It was excitement. “Our first draconequus!” Discord nervously smiled as intrigued students clumsily attempted to pronounce what he was. “Yes, that’s me.” “Ah!” Cheerilee danced a bit in excitement. “Let’s see here, ah, yes. Macintosh will be your senior buddy.” ***** “So,” Discord nervously followed close to the red stallion in the lettercolt jacket. “There any clubs here?” The two walked down a long hallway lined with purple lockers. Some had been decorated, others had posters on them, and others had been graffitied on. The red stallion nodded. “E-yup.” A few other stallions in lettercolt jackets rushed on by, all chanting the red stallion’s name. “Hey! Big Mac! What’s up? See you at buckball practice!” Discord grabbed onto his book bag a little tighter. “So, they call you Big Mac?” The red stallion nodded. “E-yup.” The draconequus chuckled. “Don’t talk much do you?” “Hm-nope.” Big Mac stopped walking and gestured to room 2A-42. Discord looked at his schedule. “Home room?” “E-yup.” “Okay. I guess I’ll see you after this.” Discord watched as the stallion nodded and disappeared down the hall. He was on his own now. Entering the classroom was like walking into a zoo. Discord remembered that the school from the old town had been milder. That being said; it was a smaller town. This was a city high school. Pegasai were flying around, fillies were gossiping loudly, griffons were arm wrestling dragons, and a few select students were actually sitting calmly, seemingly as confused as Discord was. Somehow, the first step Discord took into the class was the loudest because everyone stopped to stare at him. The draconequus froze as he painfully raised his lion’s paw to wave. “Uh, hi there.” Everyone looked past Discord and reacted sharply to who was behind him. Everyone sat at a desk and started to settle down. Looking behind him, Discord saw an older chestnut pegasus stallion with blue hair walk right past him up to the front of the room. The stallion’s head bounced around as music blasted through headphones from a portable radio. “Ba! Da-da. Da-d-da. Dunderchee!” The stallion sat at the front desk and turned off hi radio. Now that the stallion’s head wasn’t bouncing, Discord could see a slim streak of grey in his mane. “Mornin’ class.” “Good morning.” Some of the students mumbled. The stallion at the front smiled. “It’s a monday, kids. That’s why I said Mornin’ not good morning.” The class laughed at that. It was obvious that he was the teacher in charge of the home room. He was the teacher—who stared down Discord. “Young lad, are you having trouble finding a seat, or do you just like standing there?” Discord realised his position and quickly took a seat near the back. “Okay then.” The teacher surveyed the room. “To those of you who don’t know me, you could have made more of an effort, seriously I have like no friends.” Discord laughed along with the class. “Anyways. I’m Pathfinder, you teacher and counselor to students A through E. I’m here to take attendance and chew bubblegum. Well, I’m all out of bubblegum. So, I don’t do much in this class and I’ll basically let you do what you need to do. You can do homework you were too lazy to finish the previous night, or just kick back and relax. I will be playing GME in the background because I’d rather hear music than listen to the latest gossip. A few basic ground rules. Don’t kill each other. If you’re a dragon, no fire.” Pathfinder pointed to a white dragon near the front. “I’m looking at you, Cliff. I had your brother as a student, and no–despite what he would have you believe–snot fire is not funny.” Discord felt a little relieved that the teacher was so calm and laid back. He didn’t even seem to care what he was. He believed in that moment, he had found his favorite teacher already. Pathfinder was already going down his attendance list. “Daisy, Daisy Pusher?” “Here!” “Dana?” “Here.” Pathfinder sighed as he continued. “Let’s see. Discord?” Discord cautiously raised his paw. “Uh, here.” The other students all turned to look at him. Some weren’t all that interested, some whispered, and some looked upset. The teacher just marked off the box with a check mark. “Yes, the lad who likes to stand. Okay. Ditsy?” Discord took the time to examine the surroundings of the classroom. It would probably be his last chance to do so undisturbed while everyone was preoccupied listening for their names. The Classroom was very different than what he knew from his last school. Instead of popcorn encrusted ceilings of a small town highschool, the ceiling was made of panels that must have popped open for quick access to pipes and electrical work. Posters of book covers, movies, and even album covers were taped up and down the walls. Discord scrutinized Pathfinder’s desk. There was a wood and brass plaque that read, “I don’t Care,” and a number of knick knacks—some possibly made by students. “And last but not least, Mister Valient. Okay, anything else?” Pathfinder looked at a paper tucked under the attendance on his clipboard. His eyes darted straight up at Discord. Discord felt his heart stop. This happened the last time he was in a classroom. For whatever reason, school districts felt inclined to hand out an introductory sheet, just for him on the account of being the last of his kind and all. It was a nice gesture in kindergarten, and then in intermediate school it became a problem. Discord knew that this was it. In the blink of an eye, any chance of him fitting in was going to tartarus in the form of a district approved social suicide note. Pathfinder crumpled the paper up with his wing and tossed it into the wastebasket by his desk. Discord felt as his heart almost skipped a beat at the miracle that he had just witnessed. There was hope. Setting the clipboard down Pathfinder looked up at the clock. “So, because I have to do some sort of teacherly thing for this class, there is one thing I will be asking from you. Those of you who have taken my Ponish class and Equestrian Literature class, you know what that is.” A groan echoed from a few of the students up front. “Hey,” Pathfinder stomped his hoof, “if you have me for another class, you only have to do this once and it counts as credit for both classes. The assignment is a journal project. Now listen, it’s an easy project. You can put one entry in and you’ll pass. You’ll get your C grade and be done. But even if there’s just one entry, I expect quality. For this journal assignment, take the time to extrapolate your feelings and thoughts—doesn’t have to be personal, and keep it PG. Don’t worry about buying a notebook, one of the seniors should be coming around with a stack of notebooks.” Discord could hear the squeaking cart in the hall before the knock came at the door. Though he was taller than most of the other students, he wasn’t tall enough to see past all their manes and spines. He felt a strange life crawl up the back of his neck. The impossibility of being struck by lightning is not so unfathomable as many are led to believe. It’s even said that one has more chances of being struck by lightning than winning the lottery. The curiosity of such a claim is informative in and of itself. It’s perhaps one in over a million to win the lottery. The ground is struck every time there is lightning—every time. The lightning has to pass into the ground—even if it’s through a tree, a home, or an unsuspecting soul. Some never survive such an ordeal, and some are never quite the same. Sometimes it’s a passing experience that fades away long after you’ve moved on. Then sometimes—not always but it happens—lightning will strike twice. Discord fought his urge to stare at the pony who pushed along the cart of fresh notebooks to hand out. It wasn’t the color of her mane or fur that made him want to crawl in a hole, it was the thin line of momentary eye contact. He felt embarrassed. He saw nothing good from her end. Whoever she was, Discord read the same look he’d seen on everyone’s face that he looked at. He was used to receiving fear filled looks, especially from ponies. Discord couldn’t wait till lunch so he could find Spike. “Hello.” Discord almost flinched at the still voice that addressed him. He was staring at a ghost, or an angel, he couldn’t quite tell. “Hey.” Discord managed to force out a response. “Hi.” “Are you okay? You look worried.” Discord recoiled a bit at the even quieter voice. He almost didn’t recognize the look on another person. It wasn’t fear. It wasn’t disgust. The draconequus had seen this face on his mother when she found him hiding after the incident. He’d seen it on the professor as he made sure the magic training collar wasn’t too tight. It was surreal to see that look on anyone else’s face. “Oh, I’m fine.” “Why are you lying?” Discord had no response to that. It was like she read his mind. But, she was a pegasus. Only unicorns could do magic like that. Somehow she read him. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.” The ever quieting voice turned over Discord’s stomach. “No, it’s fine. I’m sorry.” Pathfinder raised his voice over the class. “Fluttershy, I got your senior service sheet signed. You finished passing those notebooks out?” “Almost.” She glanced over the pile of notebooks and picked one out. “Here.” “Fluttershy.” Discord accepted the red and black marble composition book that was different from the rest. “I’m Discord.” Fluttershy didn’t miss a beat as she continued to pass out the notebooks. Discord watched through paper airplanes and chatty students as Fluttershy disappeared through the door with the empty cart. No one else bothered him as he sat there with his empty composition book. The sounds around him swallowed themselves as he scribbled his name onto the cover. Opening it up to the first page, he began to write. ***** The bell yanked Discord out of his journal. He supposed his first entry was weak, and that’s why he’d been staring at it for so long. Stuffing his journal in his book bag, he headed for the door where the rest of the students had already left. “Mister Discord.” Pathfinder’s voice spilled over the edge of a Daring Do book. “You got a second?” Discord did an about face and shuffled over to Pathfinder’s desk. He glanced at the cover of the book the pegasus was reading. “The Spear of the Windigos. That’s a good one.” “Mister Discord. I read your file, and I know how poorly you were received in the past. But if you have any problems, come straight to me. It would seem that I’m your counselor, and I can tell you that in the last twenty years, the faculty hasn’t exactly been the wiser since I attended this school. If anyone, a student, a teacher, gives you trouble—tell me—and I’ll call down the Princess if I have to.” Pathfinder set down his book. “Understand?” “Yes sir.” Discord smiled. “Thank you.” Exiting into the hall, Discord was met by a sea of students—all of them dragons, griffons, ponies, unicorns, pegasi, zebras, hippogryphs, and some yaks. Standing by the door was Big Mac, who was waiting to take him to his next class. Along the way to the next classroom, Discord kept an eye out for both Spike and Fluttershy. Author's Note The Way Life's Meant To Be“...better than walking alone…” -Helen “Okay class, each of you remember to get your syllabus signed. And remember, Econ is Magic!” Discord wasn’t surprised by the lack of enthusiasm from the rest of the class. The economics teacher was trying a little too hard to be cool and hip. And, her business card was a bit over the top. She was also a little preachy about how nothing was free. Discord was at least grateful that she wasn’t as intense as the gym teacher, Iron Will. He was sure that the minotaur was out to kill his students with pacers and mile runs. It was too bad Redheart never included physical fitness in his homeschooling. “Lunch, finally.” There was the second consolation. Right after the reasonable economics class, it was lunchtime. Big Mac was right outside the classroom, waiting. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.” Discord could feel his stomach rumbling. He imagined his stomach growing its own set of jaws and growling. A strange feeling itched at his neck. His body was trying to dispel magic, but the magic training collar was doing its job. Discord dismissed the sensation. He’d gotten used to it. Big Mac lead the way to the cafeteria. “Eeyup.” Following his senior buddy, it was increasingly apparent to Discord that Ponyville High was indeed built with college blueprints. The hallways were tall and wide, and they all connected to the cafeteria which was sort of a central hub for the school. The university sized cafeteria had two levels to it. The lower level utilized the whole floor space while the upper level was a wrap around balcony. Discord imagined it’s what mall food courts would look like if he ever made it to one. The lower level kitchens were the only ones used for the district approved school lunches. The upper kitchens were converted into home economics classrooms closed of by glass windows lined with food and drink dispensers. The lower level was filled with bench tables as one might expect to find at a school, but the upper levers were different. Discord figured the upper level kitchens were meant for higher end cuizine, because along the balcony edge was multiple booths that students were packed into. Most of them wore high end clothes and lettercolt jackets. To Discord, it was a little uncomfortable. The obvious difference between the types of students in the upper and lower levels was like seeing a caste system he’d read about. The kings and queens were safe in the booths above while the peasants carried on with their normal lives below. “Discord!” Discord was relieved to find Spike waving to him as his griffon senior buddy departed with a group of her friends. “Hey!” He saw Big Mac take off in a different direction once Spike came along. “How were your classes so far?” “Not so bad. Algebra looks like it might be murder. Gym was uh-.” Spike winced at the thought. “Iron Will?” Discord asked. Spike nodded. “Yeah, but that’s behind me. I want food. I hope this cafeteria has gems.” The process was simpler that Discord thought. He carried his food release form with him, but he didn’t need it. The yak serving lunch just asked for his name and checked it off of a clipboard on the wall. Taking a metal tray, Discord went down the line as other cafeteria workers scooped up various foods and filled up his tray. Eventually the conveyor belt-like line ended with silverware and cartons of milk. Discord smiled as he grabbed a chocolate milk. “Ah rats, no gems.” Spike shrugged. “You can’t win every day.” Discord followed Spike to one of the few vacant spots remaining. “I’d say today was a win. Iron Will seems to be my only crazy teacher. And, nobody’s threatened me.” Spike hummed at that. “You expecting people to? That’s not how its supposed to be in Ponyville. Well, like I said, supposed to be.” “Are you not from around here?” Discord dug into his food. The corn was fairly sweet, but the cheese and mashed potatoes were the best. The protein substitute patty was questionable. “You seem to know more than I do.” “I’ve been here a couple of months. But, we moved down here from the Fillydelphia area after my mom was - well, gone. We weren’t exactly well received there anyways.” Spike played with his food. “My dad says Ponyville is the most progressive place in Equestria.” Discord felt differently about that statement as he had been observing the other students. Most sat with their own kind. A lot of zebras sat with zebras, and a lot of griffons sat with griffons. There were also smaller cliques too between the athletic and booksmart. That was the lower level. Down below everyone kept to themselves. Up above it looked different. Different creatures sat amongst the upper level groups. But, there was a level of deception. It was like a show that went on. You’re cool up here if you tolerate others. It was a strange sight. Discord continued with his food. “Maybe the city is, but there’s nothing progressive about highschool.” Just idiots, he thought. “Eh,” Spike dug into his bag, “I’m not much for politics.” The dragon pulled out a stack of comics and his wings lifted him off his seat a little as he excitedly looked them over. “Who needs politics when you have comics? Do you read comics?” Discord shrugged. “Aside from the funnies in my mom’s newspaper, never got into them really. You reading anything good?” “Oh yeah!” Spike held up a clean new print showing six mares in spandex costumes. “Got the latest issue of Power Ponies. I also have Rock-Hoof and the Masters of the Multiverse, Defenders of Equestria, and I got this new comic The New Adventures of Flash Magnus. Anything catch your interest?” Discord looked between the comics Spike held fanned out in front of him. “Can I look at the Power Ponies and Flash Magnus?” “Sure!” Spike handed over the comic books. “You can borrow them for as long as you like. I’ve already read the Power Ponies like twice. Let me know how the Flash Magnus comic is.” As Spike buried his face into Defenders of Equestria, Discord scanned the cover of the Power Ponies comic. “Huh, that’s interesting.” “What is it?” Spike lowered his comic to see Discord gesturing to one of the characters on the cover. “Saddle Rager, what about her?” Discord could see her. Aside from the mane and fur color, it looked like her. “She kinda looks like Fluttershy, this pony I met in home room.” Spike wagged his brows. “Got a crush on this filly?” “I don’t know.” Discord flicked through the comic until he landed on a page with a smiling Saddle Rager. “What?” Spike threw down his comic. “How do you not know? That’s like basic cognitive function to know whether or not you like someone.” “I don’t really know her.” Discord shrugged. “She seemed kind of shy. And, I wasn’t sure if she was scared of me or not. I- I just don’t know.” Discord stuck his head up a little higher. He began scanning the cafeteria for Fluttershy. “Wait a minute.” Spike thought on it. “Wasn’t that the senior buddy that helped that freshcolt unicorn that was staring at me?” Discord felt like his neck was gonna get stuck eventually with how fast he turned his own head. It paid off though as he caught sight of her. She was walking along the upper level. “There.” Discord poked Spike and directed his gaze to where Fluttershy was. “That’s, her.” Spike focused his eyes. “The yellow one with the pink mane?” “Yeah.” Discord watched her as she went to one of the vending machines with an organic label. Where she ended up next shook him. “Oh.” He watched as she sat in one of the booths. One of the ponies in a lettercolt jacket held her close with his hoof. Discord looked back to the comic book. Spike sighed. “Sorry, Discord. I guess she’s not coming down from there.” “What are you sorry for?” It was puzzling to Discord as to why anyone would apologise for situations or happenings that were beyond the control of, in a way to put it, lowly mortals such as they. “It’s not like you were doing anything to cause it.” Spike said nothing for a hot moment as he looked for a response. “I guess, it’s an easier way of letting someone know you understand, or at least feel with them.” Discord understood that. “Oh well. I guess there’s no use crying over spilt chocolate milk. At least there’s hope for you.” Spike’s eyes went a little wide. “Wha-a-wait! What is that supposed to mean?” Discord laughed. “That unicorn filly that was gawking at you, she seemed pretty friendly. She’s your age too, at least. What was her name?” “Rarity.” Spike rested his chin on his palm. “She was pretty, wasn’t she?” “Ah!” Discord smirked down at Spike. “You remembered her name? Then call it. Call it! Oh Rarity! Wherefore art thou Rarity!” “Shut up!” Spike erupted into laughter as he reached across the table to restrain Discord as he began to pose, theatrically. “You goofball!” Discord ceased his antics. “Seriously though, you should say hi to her. What’s the worst that could happen?” Discord rethought that as Spike grumbled. “Scratch that, what’s the best that could happen?” Spike began to play with his food again. “We end up being perfect for each other, we become world famous, and we get married on the Hearts and Hooves Boat. That’s just one idea. Or! We could get captured by changeling agents, we break loose, expose them, save the world, and then fall deeply in love. Or-.” “That’s enough.” Discord cut him off. “If that’s best case scenario, maybe the most likely outcome is that she’ll sit down and have lunch with you.” Spike hummed. “Or that.” As their conversion sputtered out, they each dug into their food and got lost in their comics. The Flash Magnus comic had Discord hooked from the beginning as he read about the titular hero and how the pegasus was frozen in ice until he woke up centuries later in the distant future where he battled an evil alien empress who sought to take over Equestria with her armies of shape shifting robots. Between the laser battles and the airship swashbuckling, Discord found it harder to come back to reality. He was transported beyond his worries, his anxieties, and his doubts. There was no school of uncertainty, just the experience of Flash Magnus who was navigating his own new strange world, finding love, and battling evil. Discord found a beautiful distraction along with Spike, at least until the next bell would ring for them to come back. ***** Discord felt good as he slipped into a chair at the back of his last class for the day. It was an advanced literature class. Once settled, an epiphany came too as he realized what classroom he was in. “Room 2A-42.” He looked at the posters and the “I don’t Care” placard on the desk. Discord had Pathfinder again as his teacher for literature. Gradually the classroom filled up. The front desks were the first to go, and everyone was buzzing about something. Discord was too busy to hear what it was about as he snuck in more pages of Flash Magnus. He did notice that the seats next to him were empty, and he liked that. It meant no one would make him the middle man for note passing, it would be quiet, and he could focus. Speaking of focus, Discord tucked his Flash Magnus comic away as the pegasus of the hour trotted in. “...hm always get mm mm hm mm…” Pathfinder was plugged into his portable radio. “Hm...try real hard, ya mi- hm...ba da- get what ya ne-.” He removed his headphones. “Enough of that. Evening class. Glad to see you survived your first day, and now you just have the rest of this semester. Oh, and second semester.” Pathfinder continued on to take attendance and explained the journal assignment. For Discord it was his second time hearing it, but he listened again to make sure he didn’t miss anything. Receiving yet another syllabus, Discord figured it would be uneventful for the next fifty minutes of class. Then, a familiar sound came from outside. He watched a cart roll in through the door with fresh notebooks. Pushing the cart was Fluttershy. Pathfinder met Fluttershy and checked the notebooks to make sure there was enough. “Ah, Fluttershy. Good to see you again. Let me sign that service paper one more time. How’s the freshcolt you’re showing around.” Fluttershy handed over the paper. “Rarity’s doing wonderful. She really seems to like her fashion class.” Discord couldn’t help but watch. He smacked himself a bit for it, reassuring to himself that it was creepy. Really, he didn’t want to freak Fluttershy out. He thought she was already beginning to think he was a stalker. Aggravation swelled up in Discord’s mind as he felt his magic training collar begin to burn his neck. None of this matters, he kept telling himself, it’s all just chaos and chance that’s pointless in the end. That’s what he kept telling himself, but it did nothing to relieve the escalating pain from the collar. It’s all just constructs of social conformity, I owe nothing and am owed nothing! A voice cut through all his thoughts. “Are you having a hard day?” Discord felt the collar ease up. Everything suddenly came to a focus. He noticed the empty cart in the front corner of the room, by itself. “What?” He whispered to the direction of the voice that had grounded his mind. Wrenching his stiff neck to the side, he nearly jumped as much as his chest once he saw that Fluttershy had taken the seat next to him. Her eyes were not afraid, but rather trapped in a worrisome awe. “Has it been a rough first day of school?” “I’m nervous,” that wasn’t a complete lie on Discord’s part, “about certain stuff.” “Stuff?” Fluttershy probed. Discord could see it. He could actually see that she knew he was struggling in that moment. “You don’t have to worry anymore.” “Oh.” Fluttershy’s face disappeared behind some of her mane as she scribbled her name across the cover of a green notebook. “I’m sorry about rushing off earlier. I had to get to my other class after finishing my senior service hours.” Discord mumbled internally as she spoke. Her voice was insanely soft and hard not to listen too. He was afraid to even speak no. Discord imagined opening his fat mouth to her would be like yelling at a puppy. “I’m such a dork.” Fluttershy turned to Discord. “What?” “Nothing.” Discord squeezed his head. “I’m,” he looked right into her eyes, “I’m sorry for making you worried.” “What are you sorry for?” Fluttershy’s face lit up again with concern. Discord took a deep breath as he remembered what Spike had said about how, she’s not coming down from there. He then thought about how she was sitting right there next to him. She’d been nothing but kind. At least, that’s how Discord had perceived it. Only kind people go out of their way to see if someone is alright. “I say I’m sorry because it’s the best way I can say thank you, and that I understand.” Fluttershy smiled and seemingly hid behind her mane. Pathfinder finished outlining the class curriculum on the chalkboard. “Alright class. We’ll be covering several areas including the romances, the classics, and post war literature. But over all, we’re going to cover extensive works of poetry alongside texts and novel excerpts we read. One of the main goals—that I hope to accomplish with you—is to expand your analytic skills. I don’t want you to just read. I want you to listen, look, and hunt for the words between the lines—the words the author doesn’t show you in writing.” Pathfinder began to walk between the rows of desks. “Don’t just see a story. Don’t just read sentences. Pick them apart. Investigate! Find the life in the lines and know that these were living beings who crafted these poems and works. As for our first part of understanding literature and poetry, we have to ask the million bit question. Does anyone know that question?” A red dragon up front cautiously raised his claws into the air. “Uh, why do we write poetry?” Pathfinder flew up a little and tapped his hooves together. “Precisely, mister Garble! Why do we write poetry? Well? What do you all think? Come on, don’t be shy. There’s no wrong answers.” Silence hung in the air until a brave soul raised his hoof up high. “To pick up chicks?” Discord found it a little hard not to laugh with the rest of the guys in the class. Pathfinder too was nodding with a giddy old grin on his face. “Yes, to make lovers swoon. A very valid answer. Love is, after all, a central theme in most poetry. Come on! Another reason. Yes, miss Sugarbelle.” The pony lowered her hoof once she was called on. “To record history.” Pathfinder hummed as he pounded his chest. “Many ballads have there been written of warriors and the heroic deeds of those fighting for freedom and life itself. Anyone else?” Discord had an idea. He wasn’t sure about it, but Pathfinder said there was no wrong answers. He raised his lion paw. “To make sense of the world?” “An excellent thought, Discord.” Pathfinder flew upside down and walked along the ceiling. “Exploring perspective and using art to understand life in a form of poetry and literature that’s not as common. We most often see this in fantasies, fables, and parables. Sometimes the supernatural has more to say to us than the natural around us.” Pathfinder gently floated back to the ground. “Yes, miss Fluttershy?” Discord turned to Fluttershy. As the whole classroom stared at her she visibly shrunk. Doing his best, Discord gave her the best supportive smile he could muster as he did a small thumbs up out of view. Warmth filled him as she smiled back as sat up a little taller. Fluttershy looked to the class and took a deep breath. “Poetry can be a way to express yourself, and share your voice when others can’t hear it.” Pathfinder flew back to the front of the classroom. “In the words of Tearless the Mute, Oh that I could hear my voice, To know what it might of sounded like, That sooner your favor I might have gained, And speak love furthermore with choice. Students, these are the purposes I want you to open up to. So for our first project, I would like all of you to write a poem. You’ll have two weeks, and you’ll recite them on the day they’re due. Don’t worry about length. Focus on what you want to say, rather, what you want out of your poem. Once you can understand your own wantings from poetry; you can begin to understand the greats who came before you.” Discord’s mind had entered wonderbolt levels of thought process. Ideas flooded in. Thoughts crept around. With the words of Pathfinder, he suddenly had touched bases with a means of what seemed like limitless possibilities. Everything came to a grinding halt though, as he searched for the why. Why? He didn’t really have a reason. For the rest of class he would tap his pencil on the edge of his desk, wondering what his why was. Every now and then, he’d catch a glimpse at Fluttershy as she smiled or read something that caught her attention. Sometimes she caught him looking. Everytime he hid too to make it look like he was stretching his neck. The last time she caught him, he didn’t hide. Fluttershy laughed, and for the last few minutes of class, Discord stopped tapping his pencil on his desk. ***** “You’re kidding me,” Spike chuckled at what Discord told him as they rode the bus, “she sat right next to you?” Discord shrugged. “There were only two seats left. And, they were on either side of me.” “Hm.” Spike made his hands dance in a sort of made up ritual. “Spike the Wise has read the patterns of the stars, and they are aligning!” Discord cowered in his seat as others on the bus started to stare back at them. “Stop, what are you doing?” Spike began to hum out tacky mystical sounds. “Observing your destiny, m’Lord Discord.” Discord felt his neck burn a little. “Lord?” That word, it burned like his training collar. Spike sighed, giving up the act. “Dude, I’m just messing around.” As he settled down, he could see something was wrong. “What is it?” “I don’t know.” Discord shook his head. “It’s probably nothing. Just felt a little sick.” Spike gestured to the window. “Want the window seat?” The bus hissed as it came to a steady halt. The bus driver Orrin, the same griffon from the morning, squawked as he cranked the door open, “3912 Sunny River Drive.” The moment the bus door opened, sound from one of the houses flooded in upon the students. Two voices met in a battle of volume and magnitude. Everyone on the bus remained silent. Some recognized the shouting, similar to shouting they’d heard in their own homes. Everyone, at one point or another, in their lives have heard this sad and unfortunate sound. It fills the soul with guilt. It terrifies and hurts children who hide under their covers at night as they pretend as though they were asleep and everything was okay. But those in the know, know it’s not okay. Fighting never is. Physical or verbal, it’s a poison to life and the home. “He’s ‘your’ son!” “What happened to ‘our son’?” “You don’t care about me, only him just because he’s all that’s left of HER!” “Don’t you dare bring her into this!” “You don’t love me! You’ve always loved her more!” “I said don’t-” Discord could see Spike frozen stiff in his seat. The dragon’s whole face shook as he stared at the floor of the bus, on the verge of tears. “He’s getting off at the next stop!” Discord stood up and hovered nearly to the roof as he stared down the driver and the other students. The griffon shrugged. “Whatever.” Soon the bus was moving again and Discord floated back down to his seat. His collar was buzzing in his ear as he took deep breaths to steady his heart rate. It was just like the Professor had taught him. Magic is in the mind, so Discord calmed it. He looked to Spike who was breathing too, only in a different manner. “You can come to my house, until you’re ready.” Spike rubbed out his tears from his eyes. “Really? You’re parents won’t mind?” Discord held Spike’s shoulder and nodded. “I don’t think my mom would mind at all.” ***** “Mom?” Discord opened the door and motioned for Spike to follow him in. “Mom, you there?” Redheart came trotting out of the kitchen. “Welcome home dear. Oh, and who is this?” Spike rubbed his arm as he stepped forward. “I’m Spike.” “He lives down the street from us.” Discord discreetly explained what had happened. “So, I was hoping he could stay for a little while.” Redheart smiled kindly to Spike. “It’s alright with me, but I want to check in with his parents first. Spike, would you mind giving me your address so I can place a call?” Spike gave Redheart his address as she fed it through the tellaponee to the operator working the switchboard. The speaker on the wall mounted device wasn’t the quietest. Discord could hear the switch disconnect from the other side before making it’s next connection and setting off the tone that would ring until the phone on the other side answered. Discord had seen newer tellaponees that had dials, which he was used to, and the newer tellaponees had buttons that directly dialed up the phone you wanted to reach, as long as you had the tellaponee’s six digit address code of course. Redheart cleared her throat as the tellaponee at the other end picked up. “Hello? Is this Spike’s father? Oh, no. He’s not in trouble. I just wanted to let you know he’s here with my son. Is that alright? Okay. I just wanted to make sure you knew. Yes, no problem at all. I have to leave for work later, but my brother will be here before I go. Do you want him to walk your son home? You’ll pick him up? Alright. Really it’s no trouble at all. Yes, up the street. 91819. Hope l see you later then. Okay, good bye.” As Redheart hung up, she hummed. “Your father says it’s alright if you stay a while. But, I want both of you to do some homework before you get up to any mischief. Got it?” Spike nodded with delight. “Thank’s Discord’s mom.” Redheart hummed a short laugh. “Call me Redheart. Alright boys, homework. Get to it.” And with that, Redheart walked off down the hallway. Spike hoisted an algebra book from his bag and shook his head. “I’m pretty sure the weight of this book is a violation of health and equine decency.” Digging deeper, he pulled out a binder and a fistfull of pencils. “So, you’re…” “...adopted? Yes.” Discord pulled out his own smaller binder. “Noticed did you?” Spike shrugged. “I once met a griffon who didn’t even know he was adopted, even though his parents were pegesai. I was mostly curious if you noticed.” “I know.” Discord pulled out his journal with its short entry. “She’s never hid it from me. But that’s alright, because I know she loves me just the same as much as I love her.” Spike laughed. Discord clicked his pen, ready to write down more. “What’s so funny.” “Just thinking. Most of the school would probably beat you up for talking like that. But, I think if that Fluttershy could hear you talk like that, she’d probably fall for you.” Spike groaned as he opened his algebra book. “Can you believe it? The math teacher gave us homework on the first day.” “Review?” Discord asked. “Yeah.” Spike’s eyes began to tackle the numbers on the page. “What about you?” “Mostly just a syllabus for each class.” Discord went through the list. “Homeroom, Gym, Woodshop, Economics, Magic Sciences, History, and Advanced Literature.” He looked at the red and black marble notebook that Fluttershy had given him. Going over his first entry in it, the thought crossed his mind to tear out the page and start over. Discord just moved down writing, addendum... Author's Note Illusions In G Major“...surrounded by a neighborhood…” -Jane Copy, copy, and copy… The pony watering his lawn whistled over his thoughts as his eyes burned in this form, longing to see the boring neighborhood with his own eyes. Copy and paste, copy and paste, copy and paste… None were the wiser as they walked by with strollers, dogs, or sweatbands. None would suspect the pony behind the pony as his brain wailed against the monotony, concealed by a plastic smile. Marry, produce, die, repeat… marry, produce, die, repeat… The pony barely noticed as his lawn became squishy and wet. “Enough of that.” He dropped the hose from his magic and turned off the water. A walker from the street, a hippogriff, gave him a wave of acknowledgement. “Great, just what I needed.” “Hey there neighbor!” The hippogriff continue waving. “Mister Gallop! It’s me, Alezander.” “I’m not your neighbor, Alezander. You live ten houses and two streets that way.” The pony, that Alezander called Gallop, had been serious with that comment. But, the sternness of his voice was lost on the wind to Alezander. “Oh, you and your jokes.” Alezander laughed his pitchy laugh. “You’re so funny. You should come to the comedy club one of these days. Or, you could join me and my wife for book club. I bet your jokes would be a hit there as well.” The hippogriff laughed again, this time with an intermittent splatter of wheezing. The pony addressed as Gallop growled under his breath, smiling for anyone who passed by Alezander and happened to observe the situation. “Ha-ha-ha. You too Alezander. Better keep walking so your wife doesn’t fatten you up too fast.” The pony addressed as Gallop licked his lips at the thought. Alezander lingered for another fit of laughter before smiling and continuing his walk. “B-bye now.” The pony known as Gallop smiled until Alezander was out of earshot. “I hope you go to tartarus.” He coiled up the water hose and used his magic to dry his hooves. “Stupid city, stupid neiborhood. I could just eat-.” The pony known as Gallop froze, mid-walk to the front door behind the lawn and walkway. He sniffed the air. “Huh, cupcake fire. No.” He whipped around and tilted his head at the sight of the red school bus a little ways down the street. He could smell something familiar. Something he thought he smelled the other night, but wasn’t sure of it. His lips began to twitch as the smell left the bus. His lower jaw stuck out as his face puckered from the sight. “Kids. Dragon, and… No. It can’t be. But, it is. It is.” The pony known as Gallop turned tail and marched into the house. “Sweetums.” The pony known as Gallop. Paused by the stoic mare glued to her seat in her nightgown. There was a static radio by her and piles of newspapers that caught her drool. “Hello, dear. How are we doing today.” The mare’s eyes were dull and tired. “Great. Sweetums. Every. Day. Good. Day. As. Long. As. I. Have. You.” The pony known as Gallop brushed the mare’s cheek. “Good, dear. And, you know just how much I love you. Affirmative?” Each of the mare’s eyelids struggled to blink independent of the other. “Yes. Sweetums. I. Love. You. Too.” “There’s a good pony.” The pony known as Gallop leaned in, slipping a slithering tongue into the mare’s mouth, sucking a kiss from her lips. As he pulled away, he chuckled at the new drool that dripped from her pale lips, her eyes a little duller. “I’m going to work in the basement now. Don’t disturb me while I’m working. Okay?” The pony known as Gallop shivered as a sensation spread through his body, livening up his existence. The mare blankly nodded. “Yes. Sweetums.” The pony known as Gallop marched off, down into the dark of the basement. There were no lights, save for the dim flickings of electronics that filled the workbench. Once upon a time, there had been a humble equestrian citizen radio there, but now the ec radio was swallowed by extensions and other workings in the darkness. The microphone was still accessible, though at the mercy of dozens of knobs and dials. In the darkness, the pony known as Gallop took his seat at the microphone and turned the dials in a specific sequence. A groan from the corner, behind a rattling shower curtain, interrupted the process. “Shut up!!! Be lucky you’re alive! You’re lucky this city makes it too hard to hide a body anywhere.” The pony known as Gallop finished the sequence. Pressing down on the microphone button, he smacked his lips. “Honeybee. There’s a new protein cake in the bakery. But, I’m curious how it tastes. I bet you’ll like it, Honeybee.” Author's Note Is It Alright“...do that every morning and you’ll start to see…” -Yoko Discord tapped on his woodshop project that had earned him an only passing grade. A simple little checkered cutting board, all you had to do was cut out the squares and glue them together. He could still hear the shop instructor’s criticism, all you had to do was follow directions. Instead of being straight and perfectly square, his checker pattern twisted around. Gives me a headache just looking at it! Discord huffed as he tried to listen to the history lesson being taught. “And, it was during this period, 1012 of the Equestrian era, that the infamous umbrum wars began. While the war endured for nearly two decades, it almost lasted longer if not for the bravery of the pony known as Sombra. Originally created by the umbrum, he would side with the Crystal Empire as a soldier and later tactical advisor under Princess Amore. It was his communication with a student of the royal sisters, Radiant Hope, that led to an alliance between the Crystal Empire and Equestria.” The teacher stopped speaking when she was interrupted by a flailing hoof. “Oh, oh!” The light purple filly attached to the flailing hoof was practically hopping out of her chair. The teacher sighed as she addressed the filly. “Yes? Twilight Sparkle, is it?” Twilight stood on the edge of her seat as she adjusted the glasses that sat on her muzzle. “Miss Pen, that’s Princess Hope, isn’t it? Co-ruler of the Crystal Province?” Miss Pen smiled in approval at the filly’s display of knowledge. “That’s correct Miss Sparkle, though she wouldn’t become a Princess until after the sixth battle of Crystal Bluff. Anyways, it was the alliance between the Crystal Empire and Equestria that ultimately…” Discord furrowed his brow at the unicorn filly. She was young, younger than freshcolt age. If Discord didn’t know any better, he’d swear that she should barely be entering intermediate school. Looking at her desk, he could see piles of books on her desk and in her saddle bag. He could clearly make one of the book spines that read College Level. It was odd for sure. From the back of the room, Discord swore he heard another student mutter under their breath, “Egghead.” He could see the offender in the corner of his eye, a rainbow maned pegasus. Looking back to Twilight, discord could see a slight frown take her face. Miss Pen’s lecture continued. “If not for the sacrifice of Sombra, the fifth battle of Crystal Bluff might have been lost, and the umbrum may very well have won the war.” Discord remembered the names slung at him from his early years. He decided he wasn’t having it. Hiding his hands behind his desk, Discord snapped two of his eagle claws together. A small flash, a light swish, and a crack, was followed by, “Hey! Whoever did that, not cool!” The class burst into laughter as the pegasus attempted to clean the egg from her head. The only laugh that mattered to Discord though, was Twilight’s. Seeing that filly laugh fixed a small whole in him, where a memory once resided of a desire for someone to stand up for him. Her laugh was short lived as she went back to bury her face in her mountain of history books, but Discord thought it was worth it. As everything settled back down, and the pegasus left the room to clean her mane out, Discord’s full attention was fixed on the lecture. “When Radiant hope had saved Princess Amore, she was transformed into an Alicorn. Based on Miss Sparkle’s comment from earlier, you can imagine where that eventually lead her.” ***** Discord didn’t expect the tap on his shoulder on his way to his final class. “Hmm?” Looking down he saw Twilight with her engorged saddle bag. “Oh, hey.” “I know it was you.” She flatly stated as she adjusted her glasses. Discord looked at the passing students, now worried by what Twilight might say. “Oh, I uh-” Twilight cut him off. “That was clever if I do say so myself. I am curious, how exactly does draconequus magic work? It’s unlike any magic from our known world! I read once that your kind originated on a world between dimensions, but that was just a theoretical physics article from the 1963 special edition of Equestrian Science Illustrated. I-” “Whoa woah, whoa.” Discord held up his arms as if defending himself from the onslaught of what sounded like a run-on sentence. “I just didn’t like that she called you that name. That’s why I did it, kid.” “I know.” Twilight nodded. Discord groaned inside. This filly knows everything, he thought, or at least she thinks she does. “Is there something you wanted?” In the back of his mind, he was screaming, do it! I dare you! Say you know! “I guess I wanna say, thank you.” Twilight straightened her glasses again and smiled. “And, if you every need help with history,” she gestured with her hoof between different points in the air, “calculus, trigonometry, physics, magical sciences…” After enduring a list longer than Discord cared to listen too, he put his arms up again. “Alright, I’ll be sure to come to you if I need any help with my classes.” Twilight’s smile grew as she did a little dance. “Brilliant!” She took off down the hall, most likely to her next class. Discord felt good. Even though Twilight was a bit odd, he was happy to see another welcoming face in the crowd. “Moving up in the world,” he made his way to his class, “one less person in the world that thinks I’m a freak.” He wondered what Fluttershy would think of him helping Twilight. ***** Pathfinder was in the classroom early today. “Afternoon, Sir Discord. Your step seems springy today. Finish your poem yet?” Discord nervously smiled. The poem was due tomorrow, and he hadn’t even scratched out one line. “It’s in its post production stages.” Discord ran for his seat and was glad to see Fluttershy sitting in her spot. “Hey! How’s it going?” “Oh, hey Discord.” Fluttershy wiped her eyes. Discord slowed down as he saw her face. “Is everything okay?” “I’m sorry, you probably don’t want to hear about it.” She pulled out her textbook as she tried to wipe her eyes away. Discord was almost ready to let it go. But, something in the back of his mind clawed at his thoughts. A drop of guilt, purely for her state, manifested. “You can talk to me, if you want to.” Fluttershy’s voice went a little quieter. “Are you sure?” Discord nodded with the most sincere smile he could muster. He remembered a line from last night’s reading, “Life’s too short to be saying no.” “Okay.” A little smile leaked out as she turned to face Discord. “I’m sad, in all honesty. My friend had something terrible happen to her.” Discord felt a cord of anger tighten inside. He remembered Twilight and the name she’d been called. “What happened?” Fluttershy began wiping her eyes again. “It’s bad enough that she struggles with her grades, and has a hard time learning. I don’t know why anyone would do such a thing like this.” Discord entertained the idea of exacting a sort of revenge again. No one noticed before, why would anyone notice if he should exact vengeance twice. Fluttershy sniffled as she took deep breaths. “Someone dropped an egg over her head. I had to help her finish cleaning all the yolk out of her mane in the bathroom.” Discord was sure that he had stopped breathing. His throat seized up as he managed to get out. “That’s uh- horrible. So horrible.” He wanted to bury his face and hide. He cried to all that was good in the universe, that’s not fair. I couldn’t have known! “I can’t believe anyone would do that. I hope he gets caught.” Fluttershy raised a brow. “He?” “Or she!” Discord stammered, “Whoever it was, I really hope the one responsible gets caught.” He did get caught, sort of. Twilight knew it was him. But, it wasn’t enough. Discord wished he had been caught by the teacher. At the same time though, he knew that would end any sort of communication between him and Fluttershy. “They deserve detention. Suspension.” “Discord!” Fluttershy interjected. It took Discord by surprise. Fluttershy could really be loud when she wanted to. “Don’t say things like that. Whoever it was, they don’t deserve that.” “But,” Discord was confused by what she said, “They hurt your friend.” Fluttershy sighed. “Rainbow Dash doesn’t let others know that they get to her. Even if they do, punishing them wouldn’t help her. It would just upset her that another student suffered at her expense.” Fluttershy took another deep breath. “I’m sorry for bugging you with this. You probably have to finish your poem.” Discord wanted to say, life is too short to be worried about poems. “What would help your friend, Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy flashed a tiny tight lipped smile, grateful for the interest. “That’s the thing, I don’t know. She was really upset. She kept talking about giving up on school.” Discord felt his whole body start to hurt as Fluttershy explained that. What have I done? Pathfinder fluttered up to chalk board and held up a book. “Alright class. Remember, your poems are due tomorrow, and they are an oral presentation. Anyways, who’s ready to read the tragedy of Dillweed the Unfortunate and how his heart was stabbed by his lover? Oh, I guess I kinda spoiled the ending there, didn’t I.” Discord groaned as he dropped his head onto his desk. ***** “What have I done, Spike?” Discord blankly stared towards the front of the bus. Spike laughed in disbelief. “Wow, I can’t wait till this becomes a movie.” “This isn’t funny Spike.” Discord began to pound his head into the seat in front of him until he was asked to stop by the passengers of that seat. “If she finds out, she’ll never speak to me again. I need to fix this!” “Relax, Discord.” Spike gestured out the window to a couple of ponies painting a house. “If she drops out of High School, she can still pick up a trade. I hear that’s actually really profitable these days. It’s not like you ruined her life” “No, Spike.” Discord groaned as he stared at the blank page that was supposed to have his poem. “I have to fix this.” Spike wagged his eyebrows. “You really like this filly, don’t you?” “Spike, if it were me instead of Rainbow Dash.” Discord looked to Spike. “What would you think?” Spike hummed as he scratched the back of his neck. “So, this isn’t exactly about Fluttershy.” The dragon shrugged his shoulders as he gave up any other reasoning that transpired in his head. “I’d want things with you to be right. I’d hate to see you walk away from being the best you could be. So, what are you gonna do?” “I don’t know.” Discord shook his head as he angrily jabbed the blank page in front of him with a pencil. Spike fingered through the advertisements at the back of one of his comic books. “Hm. Do you wanna help me buy a junior EC radio kit?” Discord looked at the advertisement Spike was talking about. The price was doable, if they mowed enough lawns. “They got any good deals on auto carriages?” Spike perused the advertisements. “Ah ha! For thirty bits, you can get a one sixteenth scale model of Flash Magnus’s hover carriage.” Discord laughed. “That’s even pricey for a piece of plastic.” “Why do you need an autocar?” Spike asked. Discord went silent. Spike straightened his comic. “Something to do with Butter Fly?” “Fluttershy.” Discord nodded as he bagged the cursed blank page. “Yeah, something to do with that.” Spike shook his head. “You need to get out more. Wanna come to my house if there’s no screaming today?” Discord nodded as he looked out the window. “Yeah, I’ll just have to-.” He watched a pigeon flying along side the bus. Discord could have sworn its eyes were glowing green. “Just have to what?” Spike tapped Discord on the shoulder. “Hey! Equestria to Discord!” Discord looked at Spike then back out the window. The pigeon was gone. “I’ll have to call my mom, so she knows.” Spike tried to follow Discord’s eyes out the window. “What are you looking at?” Discord searched desperately for the pigeon. It was nowhere in sight. There wasn’t a single bird in the trees, in the sky, or anywhere around the bus. The fact that there were no other birds at all made it a bit eerie. “It was just some weird bird.” Spike didn’t question that answer as he turned his attention back to the advertisements. Discord felt strange. He could feel something was off. It felt to him like he was being watched. A tingling sensation went up his back. The freakiest sensation came when the magic training collar buzzed. That was the oddest thing to Discord, because he knew he wasn’t using any magic at all. At least, not on purpose. Even then, it always hurt when the magic came from him. ***** “Hello?!” Spike shouted through the entryway to his house. He cleared his throat. “I’ll get you my pretty!” He looked to see if anyone came out. “No one’s home yet.” “Is it just you and your, uh, parents?” Discord felt a little uncomfortable in the house. Everything was grey, or some shade of it, and square, or some form of square. There was even a bowl of glass grapes that were gloss black, and square. It smelled like a museum. “I live with my dad, and his girlfriend.” Spike pointed to a picture in a black frame on the wall. Discord could see a dragon with his arm around the shoulder of a griffon. “So they’re not married?” Discord had briefly met Spike’s father when he came to pick Spike up. He was a greenish dragon with charcoal spines. Had blue eyes, and he looked nothing at all like Spike. His colors were more muted and none of his facial features were similar to Spike’s. Discord figured Spike took more after his mother. Discord couldn’t find any pictures of Spike’s real mother. “I’m not surprised.” Spike sighed. “He’s been talking about asking her.” Discord looked at the griffon in the photo. In the picture frame, she looked nice enough. He couldn’t figure out how that terrible voice from before could belong to the smiling griffon in the photo. “Do you not like her?” Spike shook his head. “The wicked witch of the windigos.” Discord suddenly understood Spike’s entrance. “I mean,” Spike straightened a frame that held a picture of just him and his dad, “I just want him to be happy. He’s not very good on his own. He needs help. I’m not gonna lie, he’s been better with her around.” Discord studied the pictures. He thought Spike’s dad looked happier in the one with just him and Spike. “There’s a but in there. Am I right?” Spike rubbed a claw along a table and demonstrated the sterility of the environment. “Between the gallon of claw sanitizer she keeps in her purse and the elitist superiority complex, I’m certain she’s trying to kill me off.” “I think you’re exaggerating.” Discord saw Spike freeze up as a door opened. He knew, from the look on Spike’s face and the blunt perfume smell, his dad’s girlfriend was home. The sensation from earlier returned as Discord could make out the dagger eyes aimed right at him. For a moment, all Discord saw was red. Her eyes were blood red, and her feathers looked like fire. He imagined one of the flame demons from the Flash Magnus comic was standing before him. As Discord’s eyes focused, he could see it was her orangish coloration that made her appear that way. She was thin, for a griffon, and she had a serious case of resting jerkface. “Who are you?” Discord liked her yelling voice better, she was less scary when she was louder. “I’m Discord, Spike’s friend.” That was all he could bring himself to say. The firey griffon flipped one end of a black scarf over her shoulder. “I wasn’t aware he had friends. Or, is it just you?” Discord could hear Spike’s mocking voice from earlier coming back to finish the line in his head, and your little draconequus too! “Donna?” Spike’s father entered through the same door Donna had left open. His arms were filled with brown paper grocery bags. “Oh, hey Discord.” Discord waved as politely as he could while still under the gaze of Donna. “Hello Mister Andesite.” “Please,” Spike’s dad struggled with the grocery bags, “just call me Andee.” “Need a hand dad?” Spike rushed in to share the load of the grocery weights. Discord watched as Donna paid more attention to the paint on her claws than Andee. He watched her step up to the picture of Andee and Spike. She tipped it just slightly, just enough to notice. ***** Discord was happy when Donna took off, hours ago, to check finances. Spike had told him that was code for either shopping or preparing to shop. “She reminds me of every lady I’ve ever seen that asks for a manager.” Spike’s room was nicer that the rest of the house, mainly because it didn’t smell like disinfectant. And, the bean bags were pretty nice. Spike snickered. “Do you think she would melt if we poured water on her?” Discord smiled. Spike tried not to smile. “I know what you’re thinking and it’s a bad idea. My dad nearly tore me a new one when I spat in her food.” Discord rubbed his eagle hand and lion paw together as he pointed to a toy robot. “I’m just saying, it would be a shame if any sprinklers went off.” Discord snapped his fingers and the robot came to life. “And, we couldn’t possibly be responsible if we’re clearly on this end of the house doing homework and minding our own business.” “Are you forgetting how your egghead trick ended up?” Spike crossed his arms. Discord snapped his fingers, setting up the robot with a sombrero and a set of maracas. “So, you're interested in this accident?” Spike thought about it. “You’re a bad influence.” “What are friends for? I’ll take the blame if they figure it out.” Discord hopped up off of the bean bag he was sitting on. He peered out the window. “Don’t you have a poem to write?” Spike joined Discord at the window. Discord laughed as he saw a taxi carriage drop off the fire haired griffon with bags in tow. “It is a ballad yet to be written about Sir Discord, Spike the Wise, and their battle with the great and terrible manager squawker.” Spike nodded his head. “Let it be written.” Discord snapped his fingers and they watched as the four corners of the lawn suddenly came to life with water showering from the oscillating sprinkler heads. Spike and Discord dropped back to the floor and scrambled for their school work the moment the high pitched screeching started. They both worked to contain their laughter lest they be discovered. “Oh Spike the Wise.” Discord pretended to look over his history notes. Spike looked up from his finished algebra homework. “Yes, Sir Discord?” Discord twirled his pencil with his eagle claws. “Me thinks this be a hagraven rather than a witch.” The both of them seized up when the door burst open to reveal a soaking wet griffon with running mascara hissing through her beak. “You two! I know you did it!” “What’s going on?” Andee came in behind Donna. “Why are you soaking wet?” “Y- th- these children! They did this to me!” Donna pointed directly to Spike. “He did this!” Andee’s eyes went back and forth between Spike and Donna. “Donna.” Discord could already see it, he didn’t believe her. “They’ve been in this room the whole time, doing homework. It’s probably just a plumbing problem. I’ll call a plumber when I get the chance. Now, why don’t you clean up? I’ll see if I can get the sprinklers turned off.” Donna left left the room with heavy breaths and a look many have held whenever they meant to say, next time. Once she disappeared down the hallway, Andee rubbed his temples and grabbed at his ear frills. “Spike, did you do it?” Spike shook his head. “No.” That was the absolute truth. He didn’t set off the sprinklers. The one who had set off the sprinklers, suddenly felt the weight of consequence. Well, Discord figured there was a fifty fifty chance of Spike’s dad actually figuring out what happened. In that moment it was clear that the blame could fall to Spike, but because there was no evidence nor ability of setting them off from that room, it was possible he’d figure it out. “Discord.” Andee faced him. “Be honest. Did Spike set off the sprinklers?” Discord shook his head. “No sir.” Again, it was not a lie. “He was working on math homework.” Spike’s father observed the room one last time before sighing. “Okay.” He slowly left, closing the door behind him. Spike groaned. “Why do I feel so terrible?” “Believe me,” Discord stared at his black page where his poem was supposed to go, “the feeling is mutual.” Discord felt sick inside. It was just as bad as when he found out he had egged Fluttershy’s friend. “It’s not fair.” Spike threw his math book down. “She’s the most vile person on the face of this planet. Why’d he have to like her?” Discord remembered thinking something similar about the one known as Rainbow Dash. But, this Rainbow had reasons for why she was acting the way she did. Discord thought about it. He wanted to hurt Donna before she could hurt Spike anymore than she obviously did. Discord figured that maybe Rainbow Dash was mean and momentarily cruel because she didn’t want to get hurt. Why did Donna act the way she did? What was her reason? What was her excuse? Discord stood up. “I need to use the restroom.” “First door on the right.” Spike fell back in his bean bag chair and found a comic to look at. Discord nodded. “Yeah.” He had a plan forming. Seeing that Spike wasn’t going to follow him out of the room, he decided to enact that plan. Making his way to the living room, he was glad to see Spike’s dad, though he regretted that it meant continuing with his plan. Andee was straightening up what little there was to be straightened up. “Mister Andee?” Discord breathed deep. He felt like he was going to suffocate. “Spike didn’t do it. It was me. I did it because she wasn’t treating Spike very nice at all. I’m sorry, I just, I can’t stand it. I can’t stand seeing my friend being talked to like he was a waste of space. I just wanted to make him laugh. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone,” Fluttershy flashed through his mind, “I just wanted to do something about it. I’m not sorry for what I did, but I am sorry because it upset you. Please don’t punish Spike for what I did.” Andee waved a hand for Discord to stop. “Well first of all, thank you for your honesty. But,” he rubbed his face, “look, Discord, I love Spike. And, I love Donna. I know it’s hard for him now. But, the two of them will learn to like each other.” Discord didn’t believe that. “He thinks she wants to get rid of him.” Andee furrowed his brows. “He told you that?” Discord nodded. “Well, he phrased it a bit more strongly than that.” Andee scratched the back of his neck, a lot like Spike did at times. “Discord, thanks for telling me this. And, thanks for looking out for my son.” For the first time since he got off the bus, Discord felt better. “Here.” He pulled out the comic with the advertisement for the EC radio. “Spike was interested in this. I could help pay for it.” Andee looked at the ad and smiled. “Don’t worry about it.” A knock came from the door. Discord recognized the rhythmic pattern and the sound of the voice when the door was opened by Andee. Redheart smiled awkwardly as she cleared her throat. “I’m sorry. Is this Spike’s home?” “Yes,” Andee sort of stared off into space, avoiding glances at Redheart, “I’m uh, his father.” “Oh, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Redheart, Discord’s mother. Is he here by any chance?” Redheart looked about the front of the house as if expecting to see Discord floating around. Andee nodded. “Yeah, he’s inside, but uh.” The dragon trailed off as he kept looking up and down at Redheart. Redheart looked at the wet walkway beneath her. “Is everything alright?” “Uh, yeah.” Andee rubbed the back of his neck. “Just had some sprinkler issues, earlier. Might have to call a plumber.” Discord felt a sweeping wave of relief when he caught sight of a wink from Andee. “Oh, I could have my brother look at it. He does a lot of construction work. I’m sure he could figure it out for you.” Redheart noticed Discord in the living room. “Oh, hey. There you are. I need you to come home early. I promised a friend of a coworker that we’d dogsit for them while they attended a family reunion. And, I need you to watch her for tonight while I go to work.” ***** Discord stared into the bright eyed white and brown dog. It was really a puppy. The tag it wore was simple, not store bought. It looked like it had been stamped out of a brass tag that was meant for something else. “Winona?” Discord rolled a ball around in front of the puppy. “If only you could talk, maybe you could save me from my poetry assignment. In all honesty, Discord wasn’t half so worried about the poem as he was about what he was going to do to make things right with Rainbow Dash. He felt a little more terrible about that because he realised he wasn’t trying to make things right because he cared about Rainbow Dash. He was only doing it for Fluttershy. Discord bickered with his internal voices. Why did he care so much about this pony he barely knew. It wasn’t like he stood a chance with her. These thoughts plagued Discord as he dozed off. Winona was calming down, and her yawn made Discord yawn. He was getting drowsy, sleepy. All of a sudden, a booming voice burst into Discord’s ears. He suddenly found himself in a strange dark room. It looked like a bedchamber in a castle. A fireplace to the side roared with life. And from that fire, a white figure emerged. Discord could barely see anything as the light from the being nearly blinded him. He could faintly make out a horn, wings, and a flowing mane. “Discord!” Discord was surprised it knew his name. “Hello?” The being’s brightness dimmed slightly. “Have you found her?” “Found who?” Discord didn’t understand. “What are you?” It bowed its head. “An old friend.” The voice was very feminine, full of kindness. “Don’t worry, Discord. This is your life. Go out and find what it is you desire, and you will find it.” Discord felt the room stretch as the light grew brighter. “Wait! Don’t go!” He freaked out as he fell through a door into a stormy night. He could hear himself scream, but they were baby screams. Discord gasped as he sat up, pushing away the repetitive licks to his face from Winona. She made little barking noises and buried her head into Discord’s side. “Just a dream.” Discord felt the ground of his home and was glad. It was getting late. Author's Note From Out Of Nowhere“Once we accept…” -Albert “Discord!” Discord scrambled out of his bed at the sound of his mother’s voice. “Wha-!” His vision blurred as he recovered from a strange dream about cotton candy clouds. “Mom?” He noticed his alarm clock which had not gone off. Redheart was still shaking him. “You’re gonna miss the bus!” Without even thinking Discord grabbed his bag and ran. He barely heard his mom screaming as he burst through the front door. The red bus was already a block up the street. “Wait!” Discord bolted down the street. He wanted to use his wings to fly, but he still didn’t have any good control over them. It didn’t help that one had feathers and the other didn’t. They were all but useless. Open, they just created drag, so he held them tight to his body as he desperately chased the bus. “Wai-!” He cursed at the idea that in an hour he’d have gym class. “Okay! Please don’t explode.” Discord readied his paw for a snap. Magic had become Discord’s absolute last resort. After the incident, he tried to never use magic as much as possible. At least, he usually avoided using it like how he was about to. A bright flash surrounded Discord the moment he snapped his fingers. He now had rollerskates on his feat and an overly large rocket strapped to his back. “Here we,” the rocket ignited, “goah!” Discord felt his lips flapping from the air zipping past him. He panicked because he couldn’t see. Another quick snap materialized a set of aviation goggles on his face. “Thaa-a-ats be-tt-er!” A red blur wooshed behind him. Turning his head a bit, Discord realized he had passed the bus. “Dang it!” Another problem became apparent as his wings began to catch the air. “Uh-oh.” Discord felt the wheels of the rollerskates leaving the ground. Looking down, he could see the ground getting farther and farther away. His initial panic subsided as he realized he was flying fairly straight and just high enough above the trees and rooftops. Soon, a smile grew as he realized, “I’m, I’m flying!” He hollered and cheered to himself as he passed birds and clouds. In the distance he could see the school coming up. I might actually get to school early. Discord’s joy was shut down as he could distinguish a figure he was in the direct path of. The only separation between the figure and the sky was two streaks of rainbow. The impact was not nearly as painful as Discord anticipated. But, a new wave of horror washed over him once he saw who it was. “Rainbow Dash!?” “What the hay are you doing?” The rainbow maned pony tried to pull away from Discord. “Dude! The ground!” Discord screamed with Rainbow as they both saw they were now heading straight into the street. Thinking fast, Discord focused as he readied a snap. He had no time to hesitate as he snapped his paw before they hit the ground. There had been one time Discord had attempted to teleport in his entire life, and he almost never made it back from that strange blistering void of spinning stars and terrifying creatures. Discord felt like his kidneys were never the same after that. “Where in Equestria are we!?” Rainbow Dash's eyes turned to dishes as a glowing worm the size of planets flew around them as they floated through a swirling vortex of exploding stars and black holes. “Get us back! Gets us back!” “Hold on!” Discord prayed as he snapped again. He concentrated on the school, grass, water, and anything that would give them a soft landing. He snapped his eagle claws. Blue surrounded them before they tore through clouds, plummeting towards a body of water. It was close to the school. The distinct shape of it made it obvious that it was the school’s pool. Discord clenched his eyes shut as they got closer. His eardrums were momentarily drained of sound once they hit the water. Opening his eyes Discord, could see the blur of scattered hooves fleeing in every direction. Once his sense of direction solidified, he made his way to the direction that felt like up. Discord heard Rainbow Dash gasp alongside him for breath as they broke the surface of the water and swam for the edge of the pool. Sounds of other ponies crying out and asking what happened, filled Discord’s ears. He flung his bag onto the cement once he climbed out of the water. Seeing that all his limbs were in tact, Discord mentally thanked whatever being it was that spared his life. Looking over, he saw Rainbow Dash struggling for breath just as much as him. “Hi. I’m Discord.” Rainbow Dash began to laugh until she became hysterical. “We almost died, and you follow up with that? Ha!” “I’m sorry.” Discord fell to his back. “I’m so sorry, Rainbow.” “We’re not dead.” Rainbow shook water from her mane. “And besides, that was kind of awesome, in a really terrifying way.” “No.” Discord picked himself up. “I’m sorry about the egg.” Rainbow’s laughter died out. “What?” “I dropped the egg on your head.” Discord remembered how he had talked with Spike’s dad. He hoped that, perhaps, that honesty would be useful now. “It doesn’t matter why I did it. I still had no right to do that to you.” “Wait! Time out.” Rainbow stood up. “Why did you do it?” “Twilight.” Discord sighed. “You called that filly an egg head. I got angry and wanted to do something about it.” Rainbow stared at Discord. “Did you know her?” “What?” Discord expected Rainbow dash to scream, yell, or storm off. He didn’t expect her to ask a question. “Uh, no. Not before that.” “So let me get this straight,” Rainbow got in Discord’s face, a fierce look in her eyes. “You hear someone call a total stranger a name, and you get all gung-ho to defend them?” Rainbow’s fierceness softened. “That’s actually really cool. I respect that sort of thing.” Discord grabbed his head, a bit confused. “I- uh. I had to tell you, because I didn’t want you to give up school just because I did something stupid.” Rainbow Dash gave a deadpan glare to Discord. “You’ve been talking to Fluttershy, haven’t you.” “Yeah.” Discord admitted. Rainbow groaned. “Look, I’ve already decided I’m giving up school to join the flight academy. Someone dropping an egg on my head wasn’t going to do anything.” “But,” Discord felt a little upset by that, “how could you do that to Fluttershy?” “Woah.” Rainbow Dash’s wings flapped in rage. “Eggs are one thing, but low blows like that? That’s really not cool.” “She’s worried about you!” Discord felt his collar buzz. Thankfully it was waterproof and didn’t short out in the water. “It’s like you don’t even care about her.” “That’s it!” Rainbow swung around and slammed her rear hooves into Discord’s chest, sending him flying across the cement. “Don’t you dare tell me I don’t care about my friend!” Before Rainbow Dash could make another attack, she found herself enveloped in a ball of purple light. “What? Hey! Kid, cut that out!” Below Rainbow Dash, Twilight had her unicorn horn ablaze with magic. “Don’t hurt him.” “Let me go, kid!” Rainbow fought, but her limbs just flailed through the air. “You know, you can’t get into the flight academy without a diploma right?” Twilight flatly stated. Both Discord and Rainbow simultaneously uttered. “What?” Twilight rolled her eyes. “What the two of you were arguing about earlier, flight academy. You can’t get in without a diploma. Even if they use the Article 3 Section 2 exception, you still have to pass their knowledge examination.” Rainbow’s face twisted with confusion. “The knowledge, what-a-now?” “It’s a test.” Twilight explained. “You have to take it to meet the A3S2 exception requirements. But, if you already have your diploma, you don’t have to take the exam. Actually it’s a lot easier to get in if you have a diploma.” Rainbow Dash frowned. “It’s not fair. I’m no good at anything other than sports, and flying.” Twilight hummed. “You’re apparently not good at grammar, either.” “Not helping!” Discord snapped at Twilight. “Listen, Rainbow. It’s not the end of the world.” “It might as well be! There’s no way I’m gonna pass my classes. I’m just gonna end up in summer school again. And again. And again. It’s hopeless!” Discord looked at Twilight, who actually seemed to be shaken by all this that was coming from Rainbow Dash. He then recalled Twilight’s offer. “Hey, Twilight?” Twilight carried Rainbow in her magic as she trotted up to Discord. “Yes, Discord?” “Why don’t we start a study group?” Discord retrieved his bag. Undoing the zipper, he was pleased to see most of his papers were safe. “Would you be willing to help Rainbow Dash?” “What?” Twilight furrowed her brow in confusion. “I said I would help you.” “I know.” Discord chuckled inside at his own echoing of Twilight’s irritating punchline from their first encounter. “You would be helping me by helping her.” Twilight looked uncertain as she looked between Discord and Rainbow. “I don’t know.” Discord could see that he would have to appeal to Twilight somehow. “Rainbow admitted that she was practically unteachable.” “Hey!” Rainbow Dash crossed her hooves, furious until she saw a wink from Discord. “Oh, yeah. I’m really dumb. Basically a brick wall…” Discord made a cutting motion to Rainbow Dash, motioning to not over do it. “My other friend also needs help with his algebra. I know that you’re an expert in Calculus, so surely you can help him. I need help too. The Magic Sciences class has a proficiency test, and well, I’m not very good at controlling my magic. You could help me with that. And, if there’s anything you need help with, we’ll help where we can.” Twilight gently let Rainbow Dash down before dispelling her magic. “Really? You’d help me?” Rainbow piped up. “Sorry I called you an egghead. Earlier. I have a bad habit of judging people before I get to know them. And, you seem like a nice kid. I’ll tell you what. If you can really help me, I’ll gladly keep the other block heads like me from bugging you.” “I’ll tell you everything I know, and everything I don’t know about draconequus magic.” Discord smiled at Twilight. “Of course we’d help you. What are friends for?” “Friends.” Twilight scraped at the ground. “Other than my big brother and my old foal sitter, I never really had other friends.” Rainbow snapped her head in Twilight’s direction. “Really? Not one?” Twilight shrugged. “There was this filly named Moon Dancer that I liked talking with in Canterlot, but it got too expensive for my parents to live there. We were on the move a lot, and my parents were looking for better jobs. It just didn’t seem like there was any time for friends. I got used to having my books because they were always there.” Discord pulled out his woodshop project, the strangely patterned cutting board. “Would you be around to help me with straight lines.” “Waoh!” Rainbow stared at the warped checkerpattern. “How in Equestria did you make that?” Twilight straightened her glasses and held up the cutting board with her magic. “Fascinating! Each of these pieces are a different kind of wood. Did you cut this pattern out by hand?” Discord sighed. “I know, it’s terrible. It’s supposed to be straight squares.” Twilight’s jaw dropped. “Do you not understand how impossible these cuts are? The geometry here is more than fantastic, it’s impossible!” Rainbow continued to stare at the board. “Did you warp it with magic or something?” Discord was confused by the reception from both fillies. I was only moments ago that Rainbow was ready to kick his butt and they were negotiating a study agreement. “Uh, no.” The sidetrack of the conversation was strange to him. Rainbow grabbed her own face. “That’s so awesome! Can you teach me how to do that?” Before any of them could continue, a mare with a hat and whistle approached them. “Twilight. What’s going on here. I step into my office for one minute, and when I come back, it’s absolute chaos out here.” Discord twitched at that word. “Actually,” Twilight straightened her glasses again, “you’ve been gone for about five minutes. No one appears to be hurt. There was a flying mishap. My friend Rainbow was helping my friend Discord with improving his flight skills, but he lost control trying to perform a special maneuver he wasn’t ready for. Rainbow tried to catch him, but they went down together.” Discord butted in. “Yeah, uh, and Rainbow Dash managed to direct me towards the pool so we didn’t crash into the ground.” “Oh,” the mare looked to the still turbulent waters of the pool. “Well, as long as no one was hurt, let’s just file a report so we have it on record. Can you write that up form me Twilight so I can file it?” “Yes, ma’am.” Twilight gave a little salute. The mare nodded and blew her whistle at the gathering crowd of shivering students. “Alright! Get dried up, we’re done for today!” She trotted off. Discord and Rainbow both eyed Twilight as she looked back at them. “What? I’m her T.A.” Rainbow held her hooves up. “Hold up, ponish. Please.” Twilight sighed. “I’m her Teacher’s Assistant.” Discord nodded along with Rainbow as if to say, of course she is. ***** Discord found Spike after he had grabbed his lunch with Rainbow and Twilight. “Hey!” Spike finished swallowing his food as he pointed a spoon at the two fillies following Discord. “Did I miss something?” “Study group.” Discord explained as he sat down. “This is Rainbow Dash, and this is Twilight Sparkle.” Spike’s eyes got a little bigger as he dropped his spoon on his tray and looked at both the fillies. “Uh, did I miss something? Are these the same fillies from History?” Rainbow, Twilight, and Discord explained the entirety of the story as it had unfolded. Discord explained how he was late for the bus, and the rocket with the roller skates. Rainbow explained the surprise flight interception and the weird space tunnel. Twilight wrapped up with the pool incident. Spike nodded. “Oh, so that’s why you weren’t on the bus.” He picked his spoon back up. “I always miss the interesting stuff.” “We almost died.” Rainbow reeled back from a glare at Discord. “What? We almost did! The point is, your life is not always worth the excitement.” “True.” Spike shoveled another spoonful of food into his mouth and swallowed. “So everything is good now. Do they know about, you know…” “No.” Discord said flatly. “Wait a minute.” Rainbow smiled as she whispered to Spike. “Is it about what I think it is?” “No,” Discord groaned, “please stop.” “What do they know about?” Twilight asked, confused. Spike tapped his claws together with his best fake evil smile. “I don’t know. Are you thinking about the one?” Rainbow’s face lit up. “Is it about you know who?” Discord buried his face in his paw. Spike began to laugh. “It depends on the who, you know who about?” Rainbow mouthed a name to Spike who fought to contain his laughter. “I mean,” the dragon grabbed his mouth to hide his smile, “I’d hate to start any rumors.” Rainbow’s jaw dropped. “No way! I knew it! Ha!” She erupted into laughter. I’m dead. I am actually dead. Discord was convinced by his own words as he tried to ignore the hysterical laughter between Rainbow and Spike. “Wait!” Twilight tapped Discord’s shoulder. “What are they talking about?” Discord smacked his lips before hissing laughter through his teeth. “A mare. They’re talking about a mare.” “Ooh!” Spike crossed his arms. “Such a mature word for your secret crush.” “It was a secret.” Rainbow laughed. “Crush?” Twilight asked. “It doesn’t matter.” Discord shrugged. “She’s out of my league, anyway.” Rainbow’s laughter faded out as she looked at Spike and Discord. “Hey, don’t treat yourself like that. Everyone has a chance with anyone. See that eg-,” Rainbow corrected her speech, “colt over there. He probably has a chance with the captain of the cheerleading squad.” Spike waved his spoon in objection as he looked at who she was talking about. “Are you sure about that? Even though I always root for the little guy, there is such a thing as reality.” “Yeah,” Rainbow agreed, “I’m just saying, under the right circumstances, lightning strikes. That’s how my parents described it. I kinda agree with them because I’ve seen actual lightning strike some weird placed that it shouldn’t have. And, I’ve seen a few couples who defy the laws of physics.” Twilight finished eating an apple and set the core down. “I think the expression you’re looking for is, defy the laws of nature.” “Yes,” Rainbow nodded her head, “that’s what I meant.” Discord felt bad for asking the question, but he was feeling a bit selfish. He wanted to know. “Rainbow, she’s your friend. What do you think my chances are.” He was worried that Rainbow Dash would get mad at that question, but she didn’t. Rainbow snorted as she thought. “Hay, if I know. Though, she is kinda terrified of dragons. She’s not racist or anything, she’s just afraid of fire, sharp claws, and sharp teeth.” “So,” Spike jumped in, “basically everything.” “Yeah.” Rainbow nodded. “I’m actually surprised that she even talks to you. You look kinda like a dragon.” She looked at Spike and Discord. “No offense.” “None taken.” Discord sighed. “So, you’re basically telling me that my chances are slim to none.” Twilight raised her hoof to get Discord’s attention. “Actually, given the evidence that this filly is phobic to people of your nature and openly talks to you; you could consider it a good sign. I think your probability of success is higher than you’re anticipating.” Rainbow raised a brow as she considered Twilights analysis. “She actually has a point. She rarely reaches outside her comfort zone. Though, someone once told me they saw her wrestle a bear. Probably wasn’t true. Then again, she is comfortable around animals. I don’t really know. But, coming back to the conversation, we never really discussed boys a lot.” Rainbow’s eyes suddenly grew. “Woah, hold the phone. Are you the Sad Guy?” Discord’s eyes darted left and right. “What? What do you mean sad guy?” Rainbow’s chewing matched the rhythm of her thoughts. “She never said his name.” Spike pushed his tray aside finished with his food. “Did she mention giving him a journal.” “Yeah!” Rainbow remembered. “A red journal.” Discord unzipped his bag and pulled out the journal in question. “She talked to you about me.” “Yeah, but,” Rainbow trailed off for a second, “you’re not at all how she described. First off, she said you were a pony, and that she thought you were having a rough first day.” Rainbow crossed her hoofs and smiled. Discord couldn’t stand it. He wanted to know what she was thinking. “And?” Rainbow’s smile got a little wider. “She said you were really nice.” ***** Discord was glad there was a group project today in history. He was more glad at the fact that Miss Pen proposed groups of three. A few students dashed for Twilight, but were hastily turned down by her as she joined Discord and Rainbow Dash. They were actually nearly done as they had reached the back of the work packet fairly quickly. No doubt, it was thanks to Twilight, and surprisingly, Rainbow. Rainbow Dash had actually picked up some slack, though it was minimal. If anyone was lagging behind, it was Discord. He stared at the blank page in his journal, scribbling answers into his work packet as Twilight and Rainbow discussed them. “Discord?” It was Twilight who broke him broke his dazed state. “You haven’t contributed much.” “Sorry.” Discord tapped the blank page with a pencil. “I was supposed to finish this poetry assignment, and it’s due next period.” Rainbow sighed. “Can’t say I know anything about that stuff.” “I only know as much about poetry as it pertains to spells.” Twilight admitted. Discord tore out a completely bare page from his journal for no other reason that to release a spurt of frustration. “I’m doomed.” “At least you’re not worried about you crush.” Rainbow half laughed. Twilight furrowed her brow at Rainbow as Discord began to bang his head on his desk. Rainbow nervously laughed. “Sorry.” Discord brought his head banging to a halt. He recalled the strange dream from last night. He remembered the flaming white ghost of a mare that greeted him by name. He remembered a door. He remembered rain. What is it you desire? He remembered the question. Did you find her? Discord thought of Fluttershy. Picking up a red pen, that happened to be out, Discord began to write in silence as Rainbow and Twilight curiously watched him for the remainder of class. ***** Discord felt his heart racing as the red dragon up front performed his poem to the tapping of bongos. His mind got lost in the tapping of the bongos as he worried about his own performance. He had only just finished his poem minutes ago and had no time to practice it. To top it all off, he was next. Pathfinder had randomized the list so no one would know when it was their turn. Discord had hoped that he might go last, but no. He was third, and he found this out when Pathfinder announced that he would be going after Garble, the red dragon, finished his performance. Garble’s bongos had ceased their rhythmic sound. “Very interesting choice in accompaniment, Garble. Just for that, I’m bringing you up to a B plus.” Pathfinder straightened his fake mustache that matched his black beret. “Yes!” Garble picked up his bongos and headed back to his seat. “Alright.” Pathfinder marked the list in front of him. “Next is Discord, and after him is Surgarbelle. Discord? You’re up.” Discord felt his legs trying to move, but they were failing. Pathfinder rolled his chair to the front. “Discord? You do have a poem for us, don’t you?” “Yes.” Discord cursed as his voice cracked, triggering the class into laughter. He clutched onto his journal. His collar started to buzz. He felt that along with a twitch of anger that made him want to rip off the collar then and there. It all subsided, though, as he felt a hoof press into his arm. Discord recognized the unmistakable yellow fur. He looked up at Fluttershy. Fluttershy smiled at him. “You can do it.” Discord found himself standing on his own two feet. He thought he was daydreaming about Fluttershy’s encouragement. But even after he was standing, he saw and heard her whispering, “You got this, go on.” Discord took a deep breath as he moved closer to the front of the class. He wasn’t paying attention as he almost walked straight into the chalkboard. He only stopped because his journal hit the board before he did. Slowly, he turned around. It was a little comforting that the class had stopped laughing. He was encouraged further by the smile on Fluttershy’s face from the back. “Hello, my name is Discord. This is my po-.” He felt his throat beginning to choke on his own words. Fluttershy’s face turned to worry. Upon seeing that from her, Discord smiled back to her. Her smile then returned. He thanked the universe for her smile. It gave him courage. An idea popped into Discord’s head. He leaned over to Pathfinder and whispered a question to him. Pathfinder smiled. “I don’t see why not. Continue, Discord.” Discord took the center of the classroom stage. He readied his lion’s paw for a snap. He focused his mind as whispers floated around the room. With a deep breath and a brief thought about Fluttershy, Discord snapped. Gradually, Discord began to float up into the air and twist. Eventually, he turned completely upside down, his feet landing on the ceiling. Seeing the world upside down, he opened his journal. “My poem.” He cleared his throat. “ I call it, Thank You For the Journal.” Discord looked nowhere else but his journal. Because he was pointed up at the upsidedown students, his throat opened up and his voice fell out clearly before them. “As I stand before some God of chances, O set me free my friend of destiny, The closing of the door, the fire dances, The olde world burns in rain as I go free. Free to meet thee oh kinder face so set, Midst rot and turmoil enslaved by madness, O God rejoice to me for I have met, That compassionate face of such kindness. Your eyes doth burn sadness and yet too heal, Know me not, O for shame I know not you, If thou canst see beyond mine face for real, See beyond madness, see all I canst do.” Discord looked up from his journal. He looked across the students as he snapped again. He floated back to where he belonged, his feet landing where gravity wanted him. He finished his poem after closing the journal. “My fear ran deep upon a time ago, And all for cause to simply say, hello.” Discord bowed his head. “That’s all I have.” The class was silent. Discord, too afraid to look Fluttershy’s way, looked at Pathfinder who appeared to be at the edge of his seat. “Sir?” Pathfinder’s face was stoic. “Can I take a look at your poem?” Discord nervously passed the journal to Pathfinder who looked it over. He felt fear go down his spine. Terrible, he thought, I failed, I must have. Pathfinder seemed to be counting something. “Wow. Discord, did you intentionally write a sonnet?” Discord found his words. “I briefly saw mention of them.” “Every line here is ten syllables, following the typical rhyme scheme, and parts are even in iambic pentameter.” Pathfinder smiled. “Most excellent, Discord.” He scribbled on the page. “Here.” Pathfinder returned to his list. “Next is Sugarbelle, and then…” Discord senselessly marched back to his desk and took a seat. Building up the courage to look, he cracked open the journal to find a bright bold A next to his poem with a little note, KEEP UP THE MAGNIFICENT WORK. Discord sighed with relief. As that was out of the way. Something else, however, remained. Discord looked over at Fluttershy. She was staring until she hid from his glance. “You okay?” “Yes.” Fluttershy was quiet. “It’s just that, I gave you that journal.” Discord couldn’t help but smile at Twilight’s first impression catchline that came back. “I know.” Fluttershy peeked at Discord from behind her hair. “It was beautiful.” She meant the poem. Discord wanted to say, like you. Yes, he thought that. But, he only believed it when he could see her smile appear from behind its hiding place. “Thank you.” He turned his head to give ear to the rest of the student’s poems. There was a strange energy that came upon the room. A peculiar new life flowed in the words of each and every poem that came after Discord’s performance. Discord liked the idea that perhaps he had inspired it. The idea didn’t hold him so much, though. The draconequus stole occasional glances at the pegasus next to him. He could see her. Discord saw her laugh, smile, and cry. Maybe it was the poems being performed by other students. But, Discord couldn’t help but wonder if she would have reacted the same if he hadn’t performed his little poem. Was it its effect on the poets that affected her, or was its effect on her that was affecting the poets. Discord wrote a few absent minded sentences below his poem. His concentration on his journal ghosted away as he heard Fluttershy’s name called. One more poem to go, then it was her turn. The poem came to its close. Discord turned to Fluttershy. “You’ve got this.” He gave her a thumbs up as she carefully approached the front. Discord felt everything fade to black outside his view of Fluttershy. He couldn’t help but listen. Fluttershy smoothly cleared her throat. “My name is Fluttershy. And this poem is called Sad Guy. It’s about a special,” she smiled, “a friend of mine.” Discord felt his heart skip a beat as he recalled what Rainbow Dash had said. He recalled her telling him about how Fluttershy had referred to him as the Sad Guy. Discord picked up his jaw as he saw her staring directly at him. Fluttershy held up a paper with one of her wings. “ Light will fade and nights get cold,” a few woahs escaped at the musical and melodic voice that proceeded to sing, “So come away and build your fire, Light it before the night gets old, save yourself from doubt’s chill choir. Please don’t cry mister Sad Guy, I don’t know why you look so blue, Come away the world’ll make you sigh, But come away it cannot hurt you. Your voice will shake and your words will crumble, But carry on into the night, With some hope so bright you’ll never stumble, Oh carry on and win the fight. Please don’t cry mister Sad Guy, I don’t know why you look so blue, Come away the world’ll make you sigh, But come away it cannot hurt you.” Fluttershy closed her eyes as she sung a little higher. “But come away it can not hurt you.” The last note flew a little longer before the song came to a close. Everyone in the class clapped. Discord almost failed to follow suit as he recovered from his state. Awkwardly, he caught up to the applause with his own. The bell rang. The whole class dashed for the door as Pathfinder shouted about a reading assignment and wrapping up the rest of the poems tomorrow. The pegasus gave up as half the class was already through the door. “Crazy kids.” He plugged into his portable radio and nodded his head to some unheard beat as he collected his materials. “Ba-ba-ba-ba ba-bada, you spin me, righ-.” Discord tucked his journal safely in his bag as Fluttershy returned to the back to retrieve hers. “What did you think?” Fluttershy asked. Discord almost didn’t hear her. He supposed she was quieter when she wasn’t competing with the noise of the classroom. Or, maybe she was afraid. “In the words of the poet, Garble, quote,” Discord mimicked the red dragon’s laid back accent, “it was most excellent.” Fluttershy laughed, gently and softly. It was the first time he heard her laugh. He liked it. “I’m serious,” he wasn’t, really, “I can see the headlines now, Bright High School Filly Smashes Equestrian Idol Contest.” Fluttershy laughed again. “Oh, no. I could never go out in public like that.” “I think you’d be great.” Discord didn’t want to push his luck by trying to keep her laughing. “You were great, you are a fantastic singer.” “Do you really think so?” Fluttershy’s question rattled Discord. Discord felt like he was high on a cloud, not falling to his death this time, but floating. “I do.” Fluttershy finished packing up her saddlebag. “Well, see you tomorrow.” Discord couldn’t help himself. “Hey, Fluttershy.” He wanted to see her smile one more time. “I think you’ll be seeing Rainbow Dash graduate after all.” She tilted her head at that. “What do you mean?” “I found her a tutor, and a few new friends.” Discord went on. “We’ve started a study group.” Discord felt the world wash away as he took in the smile on Flutteshy’s face. It was otherworldly. He had never seen anything like it. A tear even caught his attention. “I hope that helps you come away from the world.” Fluttershy gently nodded. “Thank you, Discord.” Discord lingered, and watched Fluttershy leave the room. His heart was pounding when he heard a laugh and saw a smile flash back at him. He waved goodbye, and with a fresh spring in his step, Discord felt about ready to take on the world. “Discord.” Pathfinder called out. Discord changed his trajectory towards Pathfinder. “Yes, sir?” Pathfinder turned down the volume on his portable radio. “Do you like music.” Discord immediately thought of Fluttershy’s singing. “Yes, sir. I suppose I do.” Pathfinder furrowed his brow. “What’s with the, sir? This isn’t the army. Maybe prison, but, certainly more fun than the army.” Discord laughed as he did an overly dramatic bow. “Apologies, my lord.” Pathfinder laughed. “That’s better.” He opened his desk and produced a black and silver rectangular box with a chrome knob and white buttons. “Do you suppose you’d want this old tape recorder? It’s a bit old, but it plays and records music just fine. Haven’t had too much use for it since I got my radio.” Discord picked up the box, fascinated. It was a little smaller than a book. With a nylon strap for the shoulder and clip for a belt. “I can have it?” “If you want it.” Pathfinder nodded. “There’s an old tape in there, but you can record over it if you want.” Discord was in such awe at the device that he almost took off with it. “Thank you,” he tacked on, “my lord.” Pathfinder laughed. “Funny, that kind of reminds me of O&O.” Discord stared blankly at Pathfinder. “What’s O&O.” Pathfinder looked almost hurt. But, he laughed all the same. “You’ve never heard of Ogres & Oubliettes?” Author's Note Stranger On a Quiet Street“...it is true, confront us with the perplexity…” -Hannah Another day… Another day… Another day… The pony believed to be Gallop had been keeping himself busy. Answers required patience of an almost living nature. It required discretion. None ought to suspect. They must not inquire of sanity nor the peculiar attitudes of their neighbor. A fresh coat of paint must be had, and old newspapers must be disposed of for the coming of answers. Mowing the grass… Watering the grass… Drinking drool… This Gallop brushed Gallop’s mane after cleaning the comfortable filth of a hard day’s work away. “Presentable for answers. Presentable for reporting.” Satisfied with perfection, he perfected imperfection with a flick of his head. “I am one of them. They trust, and they comfortably pretend.” A short walk into the kitchen, angered this Gallop. He smiled. “Dear, whatever are you doing out of place?” “No. Please.” The mare’s magic desperately raised an open pill bottle. “Where is he?” This Gallop twitchingly smiled. “Where is who?” “Gallop? Where is he?” The mare cried as this Gallop pulled the pill bottle away from her. “Gallop!” “Quiet now.” This Gallop chuckled as he poured the pills down the kitchen drain, turned the water on, and ran the garbage disposal. “I’m right here, dear. Just calm down.” The mare’s eyes were sunken with rage as she pulled out a kitchen knife. “Where-?” Her voice trailed off into incoherent mumbling. “-don’t hurt.” “I’m not gonna hurt ya.” This Gallop tilted his head, his teeth flaring in a strange smile from under his dripping lips. “Just give me the knife.” “No!” The mare sent the knife flying at this Gallop who pinned her against the countertop, the knife now through one of his forelegs. The struggle was muted by the gargling of the garbage disposal’s metal teeth. “Oh, dear. Look at that. You’ve gone and hurt me. But that’s okay, because I understand how hard you work all day.” This Gallop caressed the mare’s face. “You know I forgive you. You know why, don’t you.” “No.” The mare wept as his face neared hers. “You’re not him.” “You know I love you.” This gallop planted a kiss on the mare’s lips. “There. Better?’ The mare stared into nothing for a moment before slowly smiling. “I love you too, sweetums.” She looked at this leg with the knife. “Oh, sweetums. What happened?” “An accident dear. Nothing a few painkillers and bandages can’t fix.” This Gallop turned off the garbage disposal. “You look a little tired. Maybe you should rest until you feel better.” “Okay, sweetums.” The mare carefully side stepped this Gallop and headed for the hallway. The pony the mare was reminded was Gallop, smiled. Almost sadly. “I’ll be meeting a business partner later. So, feel free to rest as long as you like.” Hearing a door close, he brought his foreleg to the sink and pulled out the knife. “Hm. Nice shot.” A joke, he hadn’t had one of those in a while. It scared him. The momentary flash of fear subsides when he saw his leg devoid of fluids or even a gash. “This should be interesting.” The Gallop in the kitchen methodically cleaned the knife and returned it to its home in a block with other knives. Aftering wrapping the perfectly fine leg in bandages, he made his way out to the curb, where his mailbox was. He had to check Gallop’s mail. When this Gallop passed through the front door, however, he paused at the sight of a hot pink dragoness with white spines, that was looking through Gallop’s mail. “Excuse me.” He softly exhaled the words to make sure. As though on cue, the dragoness turned and smiled with a wink as she straightened her sweatband. This Gallop almost choked on his own excitement as he restrained his form from running forward. He calmly walked up to the dragoness standing by the mailbox with Gallop’s mail. “Good afternoon, Honeybee. Could I interest you in a glass of water.” The dragoness went back to looking through Gallop’s mail. “I’ve come for juice, not water.” This Gallop became a little frustrated as he frantically looked around the neighborhood. The dragoness smiled as she flipped over a coupon. “Don’t draw too much attention to yourself.” “But, out here? In view of our enemies?” This Gallop loosened up his shoulders. The dragoness laughed. “But, of course. You called me here to show me that new protein cake. Didn’t you? And besides, I have no desire to gaze upon your unchewed food.” She held onto a flyer and one of the coupons, handing the mail off to the Gallop beside her. “Is you’re leg okay?” This Gallop nodded. “Clean through. I’m a bit excited. I’ve never had the pleasure of boasting pain to anyone before. It should be an interesting experience.” “I see.” The dragoness’s head perked up, ear frills twitching. “Now, this is about the time, isn’t it?” They watched as the red school bus came along and parked across the street. The dragoness’s nose flared with the smell she didn’t believe existed. The smell was full of complexity, and above all, it was swollen with power. “This is most conflicting.” “What is it?” The dragoness ignored the Gallop beside her. “Keep practicing your baking skills, and I suggest you take up bird watching. I would love to know what other birds interact with the eagle that has landed here.” The dragoness walked off with the coupon and flyer. “Ciao.” This Gallop eyed the draconequus across the street as he danced to a small musical device slung over his shoulder. “Peculiar flight patterns.” He power walked back into Gallop’s house. A few sharp turns took him down stairs to the basement with the flickering radio lights and the moaning shower curtain. After pilfering through a pile of cardboard boxes, this Gallop’s horn shined a bit brighter with the magic that held up a telescope. “The right tool for the job.” He looked to the shower curtain. “Now, there is a curiosity picking my mind. What exactly was it that she saw in you? I look the part she needs, is that not enough?” The Gallop with the telescope headed back to the staircase that lead up. But, he stopped at the bottom. He turned back to the silent curtain. “Maybe looks aren’t everything.” Author's Note Strange Magic“...a wishbone, a backbone, and a funny bone.” -Reba The sun was ‘a shining bright and high this day. Discord beat his alarm clock which was a few minutes away from going off before Discord flipped the switch off. His bed was made and free of wrinkles, and his new second hand desk was organized with a mug of pens and curly pencils. On the desk was his week’s homework was finished and organized within a few manilla folders laid out next to the tape recorder Discord received from Pathfinder. The recorder was also equipped with a radio, which was now tuned to GME where the host was playing this weekend’s top forty hits. Discord finished organizing a shelf above his desk where he’d gathered a small collection of cassettes and comic books. He’d separated his collection of Flash Magnus comics from the rest as he now had his own full set of that particular run. On the wall adjacent to the shelf was a Flash Magnus poster that was creased in sections where it had once been folded up into the back of a comic book. Discord looked over all his possessions that had accumulated. He smiled at the thought of it all. It was beginning to really feel like home. There is a power unwritten and untold in the walls we inhabit. As we leave our mark and build our environments, we become comfortable. We feel attached and grounded. The feeling of belonging comes to mind. Possessions have special powers at their disposal as they create roots for the soul. Mere toys and books can become anchors for the spirit of our spaces we inhabit. Rooms become ours, beds become safety, and covered walls instill security. A knock at the door prompted Discord to turn the tape recorder’s volume down. “Yes, mom” With all that could be said about possessions, they make spaces ours, but they’re not what makes it home. That’s something else entirely. Redheart’s voice spilled through the door ajar. “Can I come in?” “Of course.” Discord pulled the door open the rest of the way. “What’s up?” “Just checking in.” Redheart tread lightly into her son’s room to look around. This was a recurring happening that Discord was familiar with. Every time they had ever moved, or any time there was a big change in their lives, his adoptive mother surveyed his dwelling. It was a time of memory forging. Discord knew she mentally documented his life as he had grown. “How was work last night?” “Oh, nothing exciting really.” Redheart smiled at the poster of Flash Magnus. “How’s school going? Are your friends still coming over?” “School’s gotten better. And, Spike and Twilight should be here eventually.” Discord sat on his bed and watched Redheart’s visual documentation. Something was up. “Mom? Are you okay?” “I don’t know, it’s just.” Redheart smiled at a picture of her and Discord on his desk. “It seems like only yesterday that you came into my life.” Discord was already off his bed with his arms wrapped around his mother. “I love you, mom. Thank you.” Redheart sniffled a little and wiped her eyes. “I love you too son. Even if after you’re all grown up, you’ll still be my baby boy.” Discord smiled. “And, no matter how tall I get, I’ll still lean over so you can reach my face to smack it.” The two laughed for a moment. Redheart jokingly brushed a hoof across her son’s face. “That’s right. Now, how about some breakfast?” ***** Spike waved to Discord as Redheart closed the door behind him. “Hey buddy!” Discord smiled at the red and green bicycles Spike and Twilight held up. “Where did you get these?” “My neighbor’s kid moved out and left these behind. He said I could have them.” Spike handed off the slightly bigger bike to Discord. “You can have this one.” Discord mounted the larger red bike and tested the handle breaks. “Sweet! What about Twilight?” “I’m not that coordinated on a bike.” Twilight sighed. “So, I’m riding on the back of Spike’s bike.” She seemed a little irritated, but more so in a teasing manner. Spike snickered. “Hey, you were the one that turned down my offer to pull you along in a wagon.” “That thing is for children.” Twilight straightened her glasses. “Anyway, the back of your seat is better than the handlebars.” “Aw, it’s okay,” Spike joked, “I’ll get you a bigger booster seat next time.” Twilight tried no to laugh. “Spike! Come on, let’s get going!” Spike rolled his eyes. “Alright, your highness. Hop on.” Discord pulled off an elastic cord from his bike’s rear rack and used it to affix his tape recorder to the handlebars. “Look at that. Got my own stereo!” He popped open the tape recorder and dropped in a cassette. Following Spike as he took off, Discord hit play and sang along to the opening song as he caught up to his friends. Spike laughed at Discord. “Dude, that’s some old music. We need to get you some real music.” “What?” Discord dodged a lamp post and a garbage can as they turned onto Everfree Avenue. The road was wider with dirt paths instead of sidewalks and far less traveled on. One or two farm carriages passed along here, but the average auto car was far and few between on this road. “It’s not even that old.” “I dunno.” Spike got some flight time as he hopped his bike off a small dirt ramp. His wings helped him stabilize his motions as he rode on. “I don’t even think my grandma is as old as your music.” “Ha. Ha.” Discord gave his best fake laugh. “Really funny. So how far away is this place?” “Not far, if Rainbow was telling the truth.” Spike made a sharp right onto a dirt path. Twilight looked worried, more so because of Spike’s riding than what he said. “Why wouldn’t she tell the truth?” “To mess with us.” Discord stated flatly. He was a bit mesmerized by his surroundings. The next song on the tape came up. It was a slower song, that matched the sights, at least in Discord’s mind. “It’s beautiful out here.” “Trees, yay.” Twilight’s voice couldn’t have been more cynical as she straightened her glasses. Spike nodded in agreement. “Woah!” He reversed his pedaling to engage his brakes as he slid to a halt. He stopped just before crashing into a log. The dragon furrowed his brow as Twilight screamed continuously at the sudden stop. “You done?” Twilight’s screaming ceased. “We’re not dead,” he mumbled, shaking his head, “oh ye of little faith.” Discord stopped just behind Spike. Dismounting his bike, he pulled it over the log and set it there before venturing forward. The trees opened up into a fairly large clearing, possibly three acres. “It’s perfect!” Spike entered the clearing. He pointed to a structure at the edge of the clearing. “Look! A bungalow! Wonder what kind of ratings this resort gets.” Twilight scrutinized the structure. “It looks more like a shack.” Spike groaned as he nudged Discord. “Comedy is dead.” Twilight followed as Spike and Discord both headed for the shack. “Where’s Rainbow Dash. Shouldn’t she be here?” Discord pointed to the shack. “Maybe she’s there.” The walk to the shack wasn’t at all long. But, it was a little eerie for the trio as they approached the somewhat derelict structure that was shadowed by the treeline. It had a brick foundation and wood walls. The walls and roof still stood for the most part, but the paint had been peeled away by the sun. The glass windows were long gone. Its greyed wood shutters waved in the blowing breeze. Spike hummed to himself. “All that’s missing is an evil clown.” Discord felt a chill go down his spine at the mention of that. “You’re not scared of clowns, right, Spike?” “Psht! No.” Spike crossed his arms. “Good.” Discord shoved Spike in the direction of the shack. “Then you won’t mind checking it out.” Spike was about to protest until he saw Discord and Twilight step back. “What? Scaredy cats! That’s what you are.” The dragon marched up to the door. “Hello!? Anyone home?” The door slowly creaked open. “Uh,” Spike frose, “Dash?” He dragged his feet as he inched towards the door. “Ooga booga!” The white face that appeared sent Spike tumbling across the ground into a battle stance. “Ha, ha, ha!” The bluish pegasus erupted into laughter. “What is that, Captain Karate?” “Dangit Dash! I almost attacked you!” Spike crossed his arms as Twilight and Discord joined in Rainbow’s laughter. “What’s with the sports mask?” “I just grabbed a few precautions for today’s experiments and training.” Rainbow unloaded a pile of hoofball pads, helmets, and other padded guards. Spike picked up a set of hoofball pads. “This seems a bit intense.” Rainbow Dash scoffed at Spike. “Trust me.” She recalled the strange place she and Discord ended up in when they teleported. “I’ve seen stuff.” “What exactly?” Twilight took out a notebook and began asking Rainbow questions about what she saw. The process began of clearing up the area for their activities. Twilight dictated the size of their testing zone and how each test would be set up. While She worked with Rainbow, Discord and Spike took planks with rope to flatten some of the tall grass into a testing area and runway (the runway being Rainbow Dash’s idea). When everything was ready discord took his place in the center of the testing range. Spike, Twilight, and Rainbow were safely situated behind sandbags in a shallow ditch. “Now then,” Twilight straightened her glasses with a floating pen that was at the ready to take notes, “you described your magic as a mental function. How exactly does it manifest.” “I use a focusing gesture.” Discord held his paw up, ready to snap. Twilight scribbled that down. “Demonstrate something small.” Discord looked at a small dirt circle with an X and focused. He snapped. After a bright flash, an egg fell and cracked in the circle. “Was that good?” “Excellent.” Twilight wrote furiously, “Spontaneous manifestation. Okay, is there a particular spell structure that you follow for manifesting objects?” Discord shrugged. “I just think of stuff, and I can make it happen.” “Really?” Twilight, stopped writing mid-sentence. “Anything you think of?” “Yeah.” Discord nodded. Rainbow shot her hoof into the air. “Ooh! Make a flying pig!” Spike swat Rainbow’s hoof down. “He’s not a carnival attraction.” “Actually,” Twilight nodded at Rainbow’s suggestion, “try it. Let’s see.” Discord nodded. He readied his paw again. But, as he began to think, he shook his head. “I don’t know. I don’t want to screw up and get you guys hurt.” Rainbow flew up to Discord. “Listen, that’s why we’re out here. We’re in a secluded spot so you can practice your magic without damaging homes or hurting anyone. We got our protective gear and our ditch. Also, Twilight prepared a magic barrier spell for the worst possible case. It’s not like you’re gonna summon a giant monster. You got this my dude.” Discord smiled, bumping Rainbow’s hoof before she flew back to safety. “Okay.” He readied his paw, he pictured what he was trying to make appear, and then he snapped. He stared at the circle, but nothing was there. “What happened?” Twilight asked. Discord shrugged. “I don’t kn-.” His eyes grew as a shadow flew over him. “You did it!” Rainbow pointed to the sky. “You actually made a flying pig!” Spike squinted at the shadow. “Uh, why is it getting bigger?” Twilight’s jaw dropped as the wingspan of the air born swine spread darkness over their testing area. “By the Sisters…” Discord retreated to the safety of the sandbags and ditch as the massive pig came barreling down. He lunged for cover as the pig’s landing shook the ground beneath him. “Giant monster! Couldn’t possibly happen! No way, Rainbow!” The pig was the size of a house. It’s webbed wings had sharp talons that dug small canals into the ground. It slowly squared up and squealed at Discord and his friends. It was more like a roar that followed with gallons of saliva that completely drenched them. “Gross!” Rainbow shook her head until her hair practically stood on end, slimy and stiff. Spike winced as he spat out some of the fluid. Twilight pulled a jar from her bag and scraped the saliva into it. “Fascinating.” Rainbow shook Discord. “What do we do? Can you get rid of it?” The winged swine shot a glare directly at Rainbow, and growled. Discord began to yell. “I knew it! We’re gonna die and it’s my fault!” “Wait!” Twilight silenced Discord with hoof that was still dripping with saliva. “I figured it out. It’s Rainbow Dash’s fault.” Rainbow glared at Twilight. “What!? How are you pinning this on me?” The giant pig squealed again. This time, they all had the sense to take cover. Twilight explained. “Discord. You need to be as specific as possible with your thoughts. Rainbow mentioned a giant monster and it influenced your magic. You have to think of every angle. Specificity is the key!” Discord nodded. He stood up and faced the colossal swine. “Okay. Specific.” He concentrated. “Normal, pig. Average sized, normal pig. Normal pig.” He tried to snap his paw, but to his horror, the saliva made his digits too slippery. “What are you waiting for?” Rainbow yelled out. “Gah!” Discord rubbed his digits in the dirt until it felt like his fingers were on fire. “Everything is slippery!” Spike clasped his claws together and shut his eyes. “If you’re up there, please don’t let me die like this! Anything but a giant pig! I’ll stop stealing candy from my dad’s office, I swear!” The wings of the pig folded up as it readied for a charge. Twilight’s mouth began to flap in fear. “Discord! Now! Now!” Discord jumped up and screamed, “Normal pig!” He snapped his paw. Light engulfed the clearing. Sound vanished, momentarily replaced by ringing. As the light died down. A pink little piglet tumbled into the trench and squirmed over Spike, licking the dragon’s face. Spike began to shakily laugh. “This is fine. This is fine.” He pointed to the sky. “I believe.” Twilight enveloped her glasses in magic which cleaned them in a flash. “Let’s make ‘small’ a permanent addition to your mental and magical vocabulary.” Rainbow tapped Twilight’s shoulder. “Do you got a spell that can clean this up?” “Not safely.” Twilight shook her head. “But, while you’re at it,” she produced more jars, “can you collect some samples for me.” Discord breathed deep. “I’m gonna try something.” “Time out!” Rainbow grabbed Discord by the arm. “Do you really think that’s a good idea? I don’t really want to drown in a bubble bath tsunami.” Discord looked at Twilight and then the pig. He pointed to the open test area. “Small, and normal.” He climbed over the sandbags and moved back to the center of the testing area. He looked to the spot where the dirt circle had been. He readied his claws this time, tricking his own mind into believing the outcome would be better. “Normal, clean, shower with soap.” He snapped. A bright flash landed where the dirt circle should have been. In the wake of the flash, a white tub appeared with a running shower head and a circular red shower curtain. Rainbow, Spike, and Twilight peered over the sandbags at the newly manifested shower. Discord looked at the shower. Water rained down into the tub which was filled with water and bubbles. It looked really cartoony. But, at least it appeared stable. He tested the shower water. A little warm. He turned the knob marked C for Cold. Discord played with it until he like the temperature. He picked up a bar of soap sitting on a rack that hung on the edge of the tub. Lifting the bar of soap to his nose, Discord smelled it. “Heh, heh.” He began to laugh. Twilight popped her head up. “What is it?” Discord held up the bar of soap victoriously as he dished out a northern accent. “Mountain Spring, and I like it too.” Spike’s head popped up as well. “We’re not sharing, are we?” “Ew.” Rainbow bopped the back of his head. “Gross-oh.” “What?” Spike shrugged. “I don’t want to! I don’t know where your feathers have been.” Discord focused on a spot away from the first tub. He quietly recited the same thought, with a slight difference in mind. “Normal, clean, shower with soap.” He snapped, and another shower appeared with a green curtain. “Sweet!” Spike darted for the new shower and jumped in, closing the curtains. “Does it get hotter?” He tested the H for Hot knob. “Ah! That’s more like it.” Rainbow Dash jumped out of the ditch. “What about us?” Discord looked by the shack, and repeat the thought, “Normal, clean, shower with soap.” Another snap produced another shower with rainbow curtains. “Soap?” Rainbow Dash smirked. “Phoenix Shampoo?” Discord remembered seeing and smelling that brand at the store once. Without speaking it, he recalled just the soap in the bottle. Rainbow picked up the bottle and inhaled the scent. “Name brands. Ah yeah!” She flew into her own shower. Discord focused even harder now. “Side tables with towels.” He snapped a table with towels into existence by each shower. “Oh, Twilight.” Now Discord was ready for the next level, both at once. He snapped, and smiled at the fourth shower with purple curtains and a side table with purple towels. The color bled a little into the towels, but he beat his mind with the word normal, so he figured they’d be fine. Twilight took notes as she came out to inspect the shower. “Where is the water coming from?” Discord tried to think. “Honestly, no idea.” ***** Discord lead everyone into his house and filled four glasses with water. “Here you go.” “I’m pooped.” Spike collapsed on the living room couch. Rainbow furrowed her brow at the dragon. “You didn’t even do anything.” Spike waved off Rainbow. “It’s been a lot of excitement for one day.” Discord fetched a bowl and filled it with milk for the piglet to drink. “So what are we going to do with the pig?” Twilight levitated the pig in the air and examined it all around. “Could you hold on to it so I can study it? I’d like to do some tests on it.” She set the pig on the floor where Discord set the dish of milk. “It?” Spike rolled over onto his feet. “He’s got to have a name. How about, Pigzilla?” Rainbow rolled her eyes. “We’re not naming him, Pigzilla.” “Her.” Twilight corrected. After passing the waters around, Discord kind of sat in silence with his water. Everyone else did as well. The only sound for a long time was Twilight’s pen as it scribbled out extensive notes, ideas, and theories. Discord decided to find his own journal to document his feelings. He briefly retreated to his room before returning with the journal and a pen. The only other sound, aside from deep sighs and writing, that ensued were a few cute little grunts from the pig as Spike began to play with her. Discord frowned at the vagueness of his entry’s ending. He closed the journal. “Would you guys like to go out there again?” “I am down.” Spike gave a thumbs up. “That shack was kinda cool. Maybe we could turn it into a club house or something.” “A club house?” Rainbow scoffed. “What are you, six?” Twilight chimed in. “I think it’s a great idea.” “Me too.” Discord tapped on his journal. “We could clean it up, and repaint it.” Rainbow shrugged. “Discord could just magic it up.” “No,” Spike objected, “it wouldn’t be as special unless we all worked on it together.” Rainbow sort of frowned. “Aren’t we too old for this sort of thing?” “I don’t think we’ll ever be too old for friendship.” Twilight stopped writing. “We are friends, aren’t we?” Spike nodded to Discord. “Yes. We are.” Discord nodded. “We are.” Rainbow Dash finally cracked a smile. She wrapped a leg around Twilight and gave her a head noogie. “You know it, kid.” Letting the giggling Twilight go. Rainbow sighed. “My uncle said we could do whatever with that property, so what else should we do there?” Spike hummed in thought. “Let’s build a zombie proof complex to survive the oncoming apocalypse.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “Let’s start smaller.” She passed a look to Discord. Discord learned his lesson. Begin small. He realized he didn’t have full control over his powers yet. He’d barely scratched the surface, and there was more to learn. Humility came with that thought. There’s always more to learn. He locked that into his head along with the mental guides of small and normal. Add non threatening to that list. Thinking about it, Discord figured he could make some weird stuff without concern if he kept that last guideline in mind. Controlled chaos. He internally laughed at the idea. There’s that word again… “I’m home!” Redheart poked her head around a brown paper bag and sniffed the air. “Did you crash through a perfume shop?” Discord didn’t notice until he sniffed under his arm. His nose managed to pick up a strong pleasant smell. Normal soap, he though. Should have thought of normal soap. The strong desire to get rid of the giant pig saliva must have made the soap really strong. He noticed his friends testing themselves as well. “Need help with those bags, mom?” Spike and Rainbow both joined him in liberating Redheart form the groceries she carried. “Thank you.” Redheart eyed the floor. “Uh, what’s with the pig?” They each stared at each other, unsure of what to say. Twilight cleared her throat. “Her name is Pigzilla.” ***** Twilight and Rainbow Dash left in time as the evening wore on. But, they all agreed to talk at school and stay in touch. Spike stayed behind, though. He’d called ahead to let his dad know, but no one answered. The dragon was content to try again after dinner, which Redheart was happy to invite him to stay for. Redheart looked over the food she had prepared. “I think I made too much. Oh, well. Gluttony or left overs, boys, it’s your pick.” “Thanks for dinner Miss Redheart.” Spike help set the table with Discord. “It all looks delicious.” Discord smiled. “Bet I can eat more food than you can.” “No fair. You’re bigger than me.” Spike laughed. “Discord.” Redheart stared at her son. “Don’t start that. I want you guys to enjoy the food, not puke it up later.” She paused over the food as a knock came at the door. “Just a minute boys.” Undoing the lock, she smiled up at the dragon on the other side. “Oh. Hello, Andee! You looking for Spike?” “Yeah, I figured he’d be here.” He glanced at a watch on his wrist. “Work sort of held me longer than intended, but I’m here now. I hope he wasn’t any trouble.” “Always glad to have Spike over. It’s no trouble at all.” Redheart opened the door the rest of the way. “We were just about to have dinner.” “Oh.” Andee began to protest. “I’d hate to impose-.” Redheart waved a hoof through the air. “Nonsense, there’s plenty of food. Enough for a village.” Andee saw Spike wave, and that was it for him. “Alright. Thank you.” He walked in. “Discord.” Redheart gestured to the empty spot at the table. Discord jumped up and retrieved a plate and silverware for their newly arrived guest. “So,” Redheart returned to the kitchen after closing the front door, “I don’t think I’ve ever heard Spike mention what you do for work.” Andee set down a cardboard box he was carrying in the entryway. “I manage an electronics recycling warehouse.” “Good money in that?” Redheart moved the food over to the table. “Mom.” Discord hated when his mother asked questions like that. Andee laughed, though. “It’s perfect for living rather than just surviving. I’ve heard Spike mention that you were a doctor.” “No,” Redheart took a seat at the table, “I’m just a nurse, actually.” Andee took a seat adjacent to Spike’s. “Just as important as doctors, though.” Discord and Spike looked at eachother. It was if they weren’t even there. Discord didn’t think anything bad of it. Aside from his own antics and all the patients his mother had to put up with, Andee was probably the most normal person she’d be able to talk to in a long time. He laughed at thinking that Redheart’s brother, his uncle, didn’t fall under the umbrella of normal. Redheart paused before she grabbed any food. “Oh, I’m sorry. Was your wife going to be around? Do you think she’d want to join us.” Spike muttered. “His girlfriend is probably out shopping.” “Spike.” Andee glared at his son. “She’s at a conference, pulling an all nighter with foriegn investors.” “You’re not married?” Redheart was careful with that question. “Sorry if I’m overstepping my bounds.” Andee thought for a moment as he looked to Spike. “Is it alright if I tell her?” Spike nodded. Andee clasped his claws together, taking a deep breath. “I was married. But, she passed away. She got sick, unexpectedly. Um, I’m actually not Spike’s biological father.” Spike cut in. “But, you’re still my dad.” Andee smiled. “My wife’s husband died in a autocar accident. She already had Spike when I married her. My wife extended her custody of Spike to me. Then,” Andee trailed off. Red heart rester her hoof on Andee’s arm. “I’m sorry to hear that.” Andee nodded. “Thank you. I have Donna now, so things are looking up.” Redheart broke her drawn out silence and cleared her throat as she looked over the food to make sure it was all there. “Everyone dig in.” “So,” Andee picked up Redheart’s plate, offering to serve her food, “Discord is?” Discord opened it up before his mother could. “Adopted, but still her son.” “Yes.” Redheart nodded to Andee as he filled her plate. “I found him. I remember it was raining that night, and I heard him. Someone left him bundled up in a huge blanket, in the middle of the road.” “Thankfully you were there.” Andee filled up his own plate. “Yeah.” Redheart shrugged. “I guess I had a bad date to thank for that.” Discord pretended to be shocked, overdramatising his facial expressions. “You mean, I almost had a dad?” Redheart snickered at Discord. “That’s enough out of you buster.” Andee swallowed his food, pretty hard at the mention of the, “Bad date?” Redheart groaned a bit. “I guess I had hoped that none of the idiots from highschool would make it into college. My mistake.” “Yes.” Andee nodded. “We’re pretty persistent.” Redheart and Andee both fell into a fit of laughter from that comment. Discord couldn’t remember ever seeing his mom laugh like that. It was the total opposite of the melancholy he witnessed this morning. She seemed really happy, like she was enjoying herself. Discord saw a smile on Spike’s face that suggested a similar perception of Andee. It was nice. Dinner carried on like that. Everyone began sharing stories and anecdotes. Spike shared his first meeting with Discord. Discord opened up about his favorite teachers, especially Pathfinder. Redheart elaborated some of her crazier encounters with patients. Andee had a tale to tell as well. Spike and Discord both fell quiet as they realized what he was going on about. Andee was trying so hard not to laugh. “So I’m in the garage, when I hear this blood curdling scream. I nearly fell off the ladder when I heard it. So I get out to the front yard and I’m like, why are the sprinklers on?” Redheart gasped. “No. Was it?” Andee was on the edge of his seat at this point, hamming up this story. “I get inside, and standing there is Donna, soaking wet.” “Oh no!” Redheart covered her face as she began to laugh hysterically. Andee leaned back in his chair to recover from his own laughing. “She was so angry! Oh goodness, her face was turning redder than her feathers. It was hilarious.” Discord felt odd that Andee had basically omitted any of his own or Spike’s involvement. But, he wasn’t being ratted on to his mother, so he didn’t care. He was just glad he wasn’t being sent to his room. Andee looked at his watch again. “Oh, darn. Time really does fly. Spike? You have your stuff together?” Spike nodded as he and Discord began picking up plates. “Well, before we go.” Andee retrieved the box he had set down by the entryway. “I got you and Discord something from work.” Andee opened up the box and pulled out not one, but two EC radios. “Fixed them up myself.” Discord was just as surprised as Spike. “Oh, wow.” Redheart looked at the EC radio. “An EC-84. My brother had one of these. He had an antenna that could reach Griffonstone. This is…” Redheart shook her head. “What do I owe you?” Andee shook his head. “Oh. No. Don’t worry about it. I get stuff like this for free. I’m glad to pass them on to those who will put them to good use. And, it’ll save us both the extra bit or two off our phone bills whenever these two need to communicate.” Redheart smiled, earnestly. ***** Discord carefully switched on the EC radio on his desk in the dark. He didn’t want his mom to catch him up this late. He was also trying to avoid waking up Pigzilla as she was asleep in the basket by the foot of his bed. Discord promised his mom he would find her another home. Discord switched over to the channel he had told Spike about. It was an old channel he had heard his uncle mention when he was younger. He held the corded microphone’s button down, and whispered, “Spike? Do you copy?” After a brief length of silence a response whispered back, “I copy. What took you so long? Over.” Discord smiled. “Hey, I didn’t have my dad to set this up for me like you did. Over” There was another long silence from Spike. “Shut up. Over.” Discord tried to contain his laughter. “Did you notice our parents acting strange? Over.” “Did you not notice? They were practically flirting the whole time.” Spike didn’t finish with over. Discord unplugged the EC radio and moved it closer to his bed so he could lay down. He was glad it also took batteries. “What do you think that’d be like? Over?” Spike sighed into the microphone. “Doesn’t matter, it’s not happening. Over.” “But imagine if it did, somehow.” Discord remembered how happy they all had been in that moment, together. “We could be brothers. Over.” “That would be cool. Over.” “Yeah. Over.” Discord imagined it, having a brother. It brought a tired smile to his face. That would be cool. Neither him nor Spike said anything for the rest of the night, but Discord felt like Spike was still awake on the other side, listening. Brothers, Discord thought. Author's Note Heaven Only Knows“Out here in the fields...” -Pete “I know this isn’t history, but examples from the past never hurt when explaining the shifting lines of supply and demand. So, let’s first talk about increasing prices.” The economics teacher levitated a ruler up to the diagram she had drawn. “As the price of something goes up; two things happen. The supply goes up, and the demand goes down. Does anyone care to explain that? Yes? Discord?” Discord lowered his paw once he was called on. “Nobody needs as much, nobody’s buying as much, so there’s more left over.” “Precisely. Thank you, Discord.” The teacher tapped the board. “This is what we would call a surplus. Now, this is an example of a price increase which we covered in the previous section of this chapter. But, we’re going to go into shifts. And to talk about this phenomenon, I’ll start with the example of the Griffonstone centered company, GK Autocarriage Works. These were high end cars luxury vehicles, and during the height of their reign on the industry, they began increasing their prices higher, and higher, above the point of equilibrium. The problem wasn’t apparent until another Equestrian born company popped up and nearly destroyed GK. At the other end of the world in Van Hoover, a dragon mechanic and unicorn engineer, Geode and Mechana, were finalizing their patent for their aluminium engine block. Their autocarriage company, G&M, opened with the promise of lighter, more fuel efficient autocars. At this time, luxury was being traded for affordability. The demand had shifted. While the material for G&M’s engine was more expensive, the cost of manufacturing dropped, allowing them to sell their autocars for a significantly cheaper price.” The teacher set the ruler down and retrieved a piece of chalk to draw a new curve on the diagram. “Demand for GK autocars had plummeted, nearly sending them into bankruptcy.” The bell rang. This sudden sound of freedom prompted a sigh of relief from the entire class as they began to shovel their books into their bags. They all bustled toward the door for lunch. “We’ll continue tomorrow with the GK demand shift’s effect on the Griffonstone recession.” The teacher’s voice was lost to them all. “Remember you reading and remember, Econ is Magic!” Discord grabbed his growling stomach as he headed down the hallway towards the cafeteria. He was getting real tired of missing breakfast. Part of him believed it was a conspiracy, that the bus driver really just hated him and was passing his house on purpose. Reality hit him in the head as he reminded himself that it was in part his fault. Discord had been forgetting to set his alarm clock, and even when he remembered, he struggled to get up. He was tired. The lunch line was a blur to Discord in his current state. The only twitch of sense that reminded him that he had actually gone through the line was the voice of the yak behind the counter telling him he could only grab one chocolate milk carton. The rumor that they were discontinuing the chocolate milk due to “new health regulations” only made the experience worse. “Hey!” Discord recoiled from the scaly sensation under his foot that turned out to be a tail attached to a dragon in a lettercolt jacket. “Whoops. Sorry, I di-.” The dragon slapped Discord’s tray into the air and onto his head. “Watch where you’re going, freak.” “I-.” Discord could feel the potatoes and gravy falling down his face. “I said I was sorry.” He looked at the carrot slices on his shoulders and feet. His feet. They were wet with chocolate milk that had exploded upon hitting the ground. “Did I stutter?” The dragon grabbed Discord by his short antler. “You don’t talk to me. You don’t look at me. You stay out of my way.” A fire sparked within the draconequus once he realized who this was. It was the same dragon that had tripped Spike on the bus on the first day of school. “Leave him alone.” Discord recognized that voice. He had never heard him say much before when the stallion had guided him around the school, so it was a bit of a surprise for Discord to hear a complete sentence from him. The dragon grabbed onto Discord’s horn as well. “What’s up Big Mac, you’re just in time to have a bit of fun with freakazoid here.” “I said, leave him alone.” Big Mac stood up on his hind legs and pushed the dragon away from Discord. “Ya don’t talk to ‘im. Ya don’t look at ‘im funny. Ya leave ‘im be. Clear?” The dragon brushed himself off and scowled at Big Mac. “So, what? You’re babysitting freaks now?” “Hm-knope.” Big Mac got in the dragon’s face and dragged his hoof across the dragon’s lettercolt jacket, smearing it with the filth of the floor. “Keepin’ the freaks away.” “So it’s like that, huh?” Smoke shot out from the dragon’s nostrils. Discord held his breath, expecting Big Mac’s face to be filled with flames. But, Big Mac didn’t even blink. “E-yup.” The dragon said nothing more, he just smiled as he walked away as he was joined by a griffon and a zebra. The lettercolt gang, Discord thought. “Hey, thanks.” Big Mac’s head fell a little. He just stared there, at the floor. “E-yup.” Much like the dragon, the stallion marched off, but in a different direction. It was a chilling display to Discord. Death seemed to have passed him by. It wasn’t after him or the dragon. It was tailing Big Mac. Now, Discord didn’t suppose it to be a physical death. No, it was different, a living death. He wanted to call out to the stallion and beg him to not walk alone. He wanted to. However, the lump in his throat held him in silence. “Whoa!” Spike skid to Discord’s side. “Are you alive?” Discord felt his face being wiped up by a wrag held up by purple magic. He saw Twilight concentrating on this. Rainbow flew up to his side. “Dude! What did that dragon want? I swear if I get my hooves on him I’ll…” All that his friends did, Discord appreciated. But, a particular step and voice freed his mind. The sound cured the numb pounding in his head. The flash of her face, and eyes, was enough for Discord to somehow forget the gravy that had dripped into his eye. “Are you alright?” Fluttershy inched forward and carefully used a wing to wipe the gravy away from his eye. “Better?” “Yes.” Discord was startled by his own voice. He was afraid his sudden response would scare away the one that looked at him. She didn’t run away, and that made Discord want to cry. It hurt more when Fluttershy gasped. He asked, “What’s wrong?” “Is that?” She gestured to his magic training collar. “Does it hurt?” Discord felt like dying, then and there. Who are you? He wanted to peel back some curtain that must have been pulled over his eyes. Why are you so kind? Have we met before in some distant memory. Discord just smiled. “Not at all, Fluttershy.” Speaking after that was pretty sparse. The incident with the dragon had poisoned their thoughts. Every conversation ended when it seemed to be heading back to the incident. The gravity it held was almost enough to make it its own planet. Discord would steal glances at Spike, Twilight, Rainbow, and Fluttershy who had for some reason joined their table. When he wasn’t playing with the foil from the sandwich Rainbow had given him, Discord would look up at the balcony. He half expected to see that Fluttershy was really up there all this time, and that this was just a dream. But, she really was there, and the colt Discord had seen her with on the balcony was in his spot above. Why have you come down here? Discord manipulated the foil into symmetrical folds. “So, how are you doing in history?” Fluttershy asked Rainbow Dash. “Better.” Rainbow flashed yesterday’s pop quiz with a bright red B+ inked on the front. “There’s hope for me yet. But, I owe it all to Twily over here.” “I really hope that nickname doesn’t stick. That’s sort of my brother’s thing.” Twilight kept her eyes on her book as she talked. “I must say, thanks to Rainbow Dash, it’s been nice to not have the older students giving me a hard time. I just wish they would leave Discord alone as well.” She paused her reading. “Oh.” Looking up she gave an apologetic look. “I’m sorry Discord.” Discord shrugged. The incident had almost been lost to him, drowned out by the mysterious presence of Fluttershy. “It’s okay. It’s in the past. Now we’re in the present.” Fluttershy smiled. “That’s a nice way of looking at it.” Twilight straightened her glasses and cleared her throat. “So, Discord. How has your small scale magic practice been going? Have you improved?” Discord finished folding his little piece of foil. “I’ve had a breakthrough.” He snapped his digits, bringing the piece of foil to life. It folded in on itself, transforming into a pegasus before flying up into the air. “I figured out how to manipulate an object without needing to snap all the time.” One of his eagle claws followed the flying foil pegasus. Discord made a little loop with his claw, and the foil pegasus transformed into a dragon that slowly circled above their heads. Twilight pulled out her notebook with her notes from the day they went to the field that Spike later named Spork Ranch. “How exactly did you figure this out?” She held a pen at the ready. Discord changed the foil into a hummingbird that buzzed around. “I just keep the thought open and ongoing. I let it take shape with whatever I happen to think of.” Twilight’s face lit up as she wrote that down. “Of course! Stream of consciousness magic. That’s very interesting. Most unicorns only use such methods for artistic displays of energy. It usually takes the most skilled of unicorns decades of practice, but you’ve mastered it over the course of a few days! Fascinating.” Spike reared back as the foil hummingbird buzzed in his face. “Freaky, is a better word for it.” “Yeah.” Rainbow had a hard time looking at the buzzing foil creature. “I’m with Spike on this. It’s a little creepy.” Fluttershy hummed a little laugh as the foil hummingbird cocked its head sideways at her. “I think it’s adorable.” Discord manipulated his claw again, paying close attention to what he was doing. He made the foil bird slow down, wrapping its wings around itself into a cocoon that hovered in the air. The cocoon gradually split open to reveal a butterfly. Fluttershy’s eyes widened as it fluttered to the tip of her nose. Gently, she picked it up with the tip of her hoof. “It’s amazing.” Discord made a circling motion, spinning the butterfly into a flower of no particular genus. To top it off, he made the light glisten a little brighter from the foil. “It’s beautiful.” Fluttershy’s smile was suddenly replaced by shock as green magic crumpled up the flower and pulled it away. “Hey!” Discord turned to the unicorn in navy blue coveralls who crumpled up the flower. The unicorn dropped the crumple foil in the rolling garbage bin he was toting. “No playing with trash, Kid.” He kept the same pace as he levitated more trash into the garbage bin, paying no other ounce of mind to Discord. “Who was that, and who spat in his coffee?” Spike watched the unicorn from the corner of his eye. Rainbow tapped the table as she remembered something. “He’s ah, I think-.” Spike laughed. “Is that what that smell is?” “Can it, gem breath.” Rainbow jokingly socked Spike in the arm. Discord nudged Rainbow. “Who was that, though.” “Uh.” Rainbow bobbed her head a bit. “I think he’s the new janitor. Gal-uh. Gallop. Gallop something. I don’t know. He’s new. Why?” Discord felt his collar buzz. The strange part was that he wasn’t using magic, and the collar didn’t hurt. He couldn’t tell why it was going off. The thought occurred to him that someone might be tampering with it. But, that was fine since the collar had failsafes to prevent it from being damaged or broken. “He looks familiar. I think I’ve seen him before.” “First time I’ve seen him. It’s probably his first day.” Spike collected everyone’s empty trays and stood up. “Maybe you saw him in town or somewhere else.” The bell rang and Twilight packed up along with Rainbow as they headed off to their classes. Discord was about to follow suit but was stopped by a hoof on his paw. “Discord.” Fluttershy kept her hoof down as she addressed him. “Is something wrong.” Discord’s eyes shot every which direction they could reach. He was looking for him, the janitor. There were too many people roaming about. The janitor was lost to the crowd as Discord finally looked at Fluttershy. He wished he could comfort the worried look on her face. He couldn’t lie to her. “I don’t know.” ***** “These spells are not ones you’ll need to perform, but you ought to know them. Some of you may learn these spells if you decide to work for law enforcement or the justice system. No, I’m not talking about the so called truth spell. It’s already been proven to be unreliable as the truth might be what someone believes but isn’t always necessarily true. I’ll be going over a few spells that have been successfully implemented, and are still used to this day.” Discord was surprised he was listening to the teacher at all. His mind was flooded with thoughts of the janitor. Something about the unicorn, that Rainbow had identified as Gallop, rubbed Discord the wrong way. Also, he was a tad bit ticked off that the guy crumpled up his trick he was showing off to Fluttershy. “The wall of pillows.” The teacher rolled his eyes at the giggles from the class. “I know, I know. Sounds silly. The origins of the spell were a little silly, admittedly. However, it’s been successfully used to stop crimalls and even cushion a fall. It came about when an officer was in pursuit of a pickpocket down an alleyway. The alleyway, just so happened to be next to a pillow factory. Thinking fast, the office popped open a window to the factory, sending a pile of pillows into the alleyway, cutting off the pickpocket’s escape. That officer’s story led to a dozen other unicorn cops trying to come up with a spell that could, yes, produce a wall of pillows.” Discord snorted to himself. “I could do that.” The teacher looked around the class. “Who said that?” Discord ducked his head. He didn’t realized how loud he had spoken. The unicorn next to him laughed. “Cough! Discord. Cough!” Discord glared at the filly. “Thanks for nothing, Amethyst.” “Ahem.” The teacher stepped up to Discord. “So, you think you can make a wall of pillows?” Discord could feel the whispers from all the unicorns in the classroom. Magical sciences was a class that was only useful to unicorns, usually. He was the exception. It didn’t help though, to be the only one of his kind. From the first day, Discord had already heard the, he doesn’t even have a horn, statement. It was hard to believe any of the students thought anything of him. A freak, that’s all they saw or thought. Discord assumed the teacher shared that sentiment. “I don’t think. I know I can.” The class went silent. “Hm.” The teacher smiled. “Okay, Discord. Consider this an early test. If you pass, you get some extra credit.” Discord felt the hole he was digging for himself already. “And if I fail?” “Detention.” The teacher’s response was met by an excitement from the class. He opened the classroom door and flipped down the door stopper. “I’ll start from my desk and head for the door. You have that much time to produce a wall of pillows. Begin.” He started from his desk, back towards the door. Discord shut down his thoughts and focused. Readying his claws, he snapped. The teacher stopped just inches before the white flash disappeared to reveal a menagerie of assorted pillows that had been tetrised into a wall. No two pillows were alike, but they formed a wall, nonetheless. “Ha!” The teacher poked and prodded, and even turned around to kick the wall. It didn’t budge. “Not bad, Discord. Now get rid of these pillows.” Discord snapped the pillows away. “So, what sort of extra credit did I get?” The teacher smirked. “You have earned the privilege of not going to detention, so long as you don’t interrupt my class again. Do I make myself clear.” “Yes sir.” Discord was more than willing to accept that extra credit. “So, moving on.” The teacher pulled out a statue of a flower. “I know what you’re thinking. Why does he have a statue of a lily? Well, to answer your thoughts, it’s not a statue.” Discord felt his blood rush from his head at that statement. The teacher went on. “This stone is alive. Sort of. I didn’t perform this spell, but a friend of mine, who can, acquired this specimen for me. Perhaps this’ll scare some of you into behaving in society. This is what happens to the worst of the worst. It takes a mighty terrible crime streak to be turned to stone.” Discord frose as he stared at the stone flower. He could feel his spine stiffening, his blood solidifying. Every cell seemed to stop moving as he struggled to inhale. “Discord, what did I just say-.” The teacher’s eyes widened. “Discord?” Sound flooded Discord’s senses as he tried to get up. “Oh my goodness, he’s not breathing!” Someone shouted. Discord went down with his chair as his collar went crazy, burning his neck. Magic was trying to escape, run, or do something. Through the faces that surrounded him, Discord saw the stone flower. Screaming, he could hear it screaming. Voices flooded the room as all the students began to cry out. “Someone get the Nurse!” Voices… Voices everywhere… I don’t turn ponies into stone! That voice, Discord knew it. But, it was so angry and deranged. Everything felt flat and cold like glass. “Sister! Here!” Discord couldn’t move. His body refused. Smoke filled his nose. Hair was burning. Shadows walked along the walls of his eyes. “How can it be? He wasn’t a dream? Is he dreaming now?” Discord wanted to answer. He screamed as loud as he could. But, no one could hear him. He was stuck for what seemed to be millenia. Bird song filled his ears. He was in a garden, or so he believed. “He must be, how else could I reach him?” Children were arguing. Discord wanted to know what they were arguing about. In a strange way, he found it entertaining. “I, I hear her. She’s in his head.” I don’t turn ponies into stone! Discord could feel the collar burning with strange and bizarre emotions that followed. He wondered what place this could be as relics of ancient power surrounded him. One stood out. “Who? The ghost? Is it the same ghost from sixteen years ago?” Discord wanted to rip the collar off, but he was as the stone flower, immobilized. Visions entered his mind. “Sister… He’s, oh no.” It was all there before him. He was free. Discord saw freedom from hurt and persecution. He saw the edges of sanity. “What? Sister!” But, it really wasn’t freedom. Something was missing. It was more than friendship. It was kind of magic that blossoms only once every two thousand years. Who? Why? “He was so lonely in there…” How could such kindness be possible? Every is a tool to get what you want, or was he wrong. Discord saw questions he had not even asked before. He felt epiphanys all to similar to his own. “I don’t turn ponies into stone!” Discord hated that voice. He wanted it to go away. It wasn’t fair to himself nor to her. Her. Discord felt his brain go cold. They took… He wondered who it was that they took. Who were they? Were they here? “What was that? Sister! What’s going on?” Light surrounded Discord. He understood where he was. He was in that room again, with the fireplace and the sad empty bed. He remembered a royal dwelling of sadness such as this. But, that was another dream. In that dream, there had been mugs of chocolate tea. “Hello?” From the fire, a familiar bright form appeared. “Hello again Discord.” “You know me.” Discord shied away from the empty blanket on the floor. It seemed so familiar. “What is this place? You said you were an old friend.” “But, of course.” The figure passed the bedside. “However, it was only by the grace of my student’s friend that I learned that, some two thousand years too late. That is not your when, though. It was mine. You have a new when. You have this new life, this opportunity to find what you are looking for.” “What am I looking for?” Discord watched the bright figure open the doors to a balcony. Behind the doors was darkness. “What is this? Why won’t you tell me what’s going on?” The darkness was no match for the light that flooded from the form of this being. “Discord, this is your life. Go and find her. Find the friend you meant to tell.” “Friend?” Discord jumped at the sound of, what he understood to be, two mares. He’d heard their voices from earlier. “He’s in here! Sister, I found him!” Discord backed away from the door. “Who is that? What do they want with me? Are they going to hurt me?” The bright one shook her head. “No. They will find you when the time is right, though. And when that time comes, I shall cease to exist. But for now, go. Don’t be afraid. Just knock on her door. Discord stood there, mouth agape at all he had heard. He tried to speak, to ask another question, but he was at a loss for words as he quietly mumbled one name to himself. “Fluttershy.” He smiled as the two mare pounded on the door. “Fluttershy.” “Wait! Don’t go yet! We need to talk!” Discord pictured her in his head. “Fluttershy.” The doors burst open. Discord felt darkness surround him. Slowly, he opened his eyes. The door that had burst open was not the same one in the place he’d been dreaming of. White blurs surrounded him. Above, he could discern square lights in the ceiling. Voices became clear. “He’s my friend! I have to see if he’s okay!” A pony in white held back the blur of purple and green. “Mister Spike, you’ll just have to wait. He needs space to recover. Crowding him won’t help.” “Please Miss Snowheart. We just gotta see if he’s okay.” Spike, Discord thought, Rainbow? As vision returned to Discord, he could make out a Wild Stallions poster. He was still at the school. This must be the nurse’s office. “Excuse me, kids. Snowheart! Thank you so much for calling. What happened?” Mom? Discord struggled to lift an arm. “Flu-. Flu-. Wh-.” “Discord!” Redheart ran over to Discord, entering into a hectic cross between her nurse mode and her motherly instincts. “My boy. Sh. Let me look.” Snowheart showed off a clipboard. “I think he fainted. He’s not the first student that Mister Flintheart has scared. Spike muttered to Rainbow, “What is it with ponies and having the word heart in their name?” Rainbow snorted. “What is it with dragons being named after rocks.” Spike shrugged. “Fair point.” Discord couldn’t help but laugh. “Discord?” Redheart shook her son’s arm. “Sweety, are you alright?” “Never,” Discord took a deep breath, “better.” He waved at the door. “Guys.” Standing in the doorway, he could make out Spike, Rainbow, Twilight, and, “Fluttershy?” Snowheart let out a grumble of a sigh as she addressed everyone in the doorway. “Okay, you can go on in, but you better behave your-,” she growled as Spike and Rainbow barreled in, “hey! I said behave!” Spike and Rainbow came about as close to tackling Discord as they could without hurting him. Spike held on to him the longest. “Hey, brother! We thought you died.” Twilight adjusted her glasses, looking Discord up and down. “Was it a magic surge?” Rainbow hovered above. “I heard in my last class that something went down, but my teacher wouldn’t let me leave! I had to wait till the final bell just to find out what happened!” Spike looked to Redheart. “Why hasn’t an ambulance picked him up?” “Discord doesn’t go to normal hospitals.” Redheart checked the collar around Discord’s neck. She hissed at the sight, but pressing a button lit up a green light that set her at ease. Discord reached for his mother’s hoof. “Mom. I’m alright.” “I know.” Redheart wiped her face as she kissed her son’s paw. “But, it looks really bad this time.” “What looks really bad?” Spike, Rainbow, and Twilight all parted like waves receding back into the ocean as Fluttershy came up close. “Oh my.” She looked like she might cry. Discord finally reached for his own neck. He flinched at first. The pain caught him off guard. Gently, he plucked off a clump of burnt hair. Under the collar, he could feel raw skin. “Maybe, I could,” He raised his claws to snap, but was stopped by Redheart. “Discord, no.” Redheart pushed Discord’s claws back down. “Wait till he gets here. Let him clean it up.” “Wait till who gets here?” Fluttershy asked. “Professor.” Discord smiled past everyone. “Good to see you again.” “I had hoped it would be under better circumstances.” Everyone turned to the doorway which was now inhabited by a chestnut stallion with a dark brown mane. A white collar framed a green bowtie hung around his neck. His accent was different, rhythmic even. It was easy to tell he wasn’t from around these parts. “Now, who’s who? Ah! My young dragon friend, would you mind holding this?” Before Spike could protest, the stallion dropped a black saddlebag into his arms. He struggled for a moment as the saddlebag weighed more than seemingly was possible. “Who are you exactly?” “Discord, for reasons unbeknownst to me, calls me Professor.” He popped open the saddle back and dug around with his face. “I prefer to be called by my professional title, Doctor.” Rainbow furrowed her brow. “Doctor who?” The stallion returned from the depths of the saddlebag and spat out a screwdriver. “No, no. Doctor Hooves. I also respond to just Doctor, or even Doc. That seems to be a popular condensing of the title.” Once more the Doc plunged into his saddle bag. “Ah ha! There it is!” He pulled out a stethoscope. “Alright. Let’s listen to your ticker.” Doc breathed on the stethoscope before plugging it into his ears. “Um, miss. I don’t mean to be rude, but, do you mind if I cut in?” “Oh.” Fluttershy hid her face behind her mane as she stepped out of his way. “Thank you.” Doc pressed the stethoscope against Discord’s chest. “Alright. Slow but normal, no. An increasing pulse? Discord? Discord, what are you looking at?” Discord looked away from Fluttershy and smiled. “All good?” Doc hummed as he moved the stethoscope around. “Deep breaths.” He listened. “No irregularities. Good.” He unplugged the stethoscope from his ears and hung it around his neck. “Now let’s take a look see here. Ooh.” He was silent for a moment as he lifted the collar. “Magic? Or was it an episode?” “Sort of an episode. There was another dream.” Discord gradually sat up. “I made a wall of pillows appear. But, I don’t think that set it off.” Doc pulled out a bottle of ointment and passed it to Redheart who went to work. “Right, I’ve seen some of your larger manifestations, and those never triggered anything before. So, if this is just from an episode, that means it’s getting worse.” Spike spoke up. “You can fix him, right?” Doc shrugged. “My scaly friend, Discord is unique. And, you don’t just fix a draconequus. It’s like trying to put a cork on a live volcano.” “Fascinating.” Twilight pulled out her notebook and started writing. Doc stared at Twilight. “Are, are those? You’ve been taking notes about Discord’s magic.” “Yes,” Twilight held the notebook up to Doc, “I’ve been working with him to help him gain control of his magic.” Doc whipped out a pair of spectacles. “Mental focus. Makes sense. Stream of consciousness, oh, that’s brilliant!” Redheart angrily cleared her throat to get Doc’s attention. “You can compare notes later. Right now, I need to get my son home. Is he alright to move.” “Yes, of course.” Doc packed his saddle bag back up. “We’ll take the shuttle. I’ll have to inform the General that his little boating escapade in Fillydelphia can wait. This is much more important. I’ll have to rent a lab space and find lodging. Learned my lesson from last time. Children, never sleep on experiments.” Doc shivered. “I’ll never look at candy the same way again.” Author's Note No Way Out“For evil to flourish…” -Simon Bleach and chemicals lingered on the navy blue overalls. This Gallop hated it, but found it necessary. He pulled a crumpled bit of foil from his pocket. “Trash.” Gently, he undid the damage that had been done by carefully unrolling the edges. It was difficult to determine what was a wrinkle and what was a fold. Eventually though, the foil’s previous form came out. This Gallop studied the object, sure that the others on the public bus were paying him no mind. “A,” he hunted for the word, “flower.” A memory came to him of his home. He remembered seeing flora similar to this once, when he had wandered from his post. The bus suddenly stopped. It was the wrong stop. It was a sidestreet down one of the back alleys. The passengers didn’t complain though. In fact they said nothing. The passengers just blankly stared forward. The grey griffon bus driver picked up a microphone and activated the PA system. “Thank you for riding aboard Ponyville Transit Agency buses, promoting smarter fuel for a brighter future. Have a nice day!” The driver smiled at the Gallop at the end of the bus as the passengers all stood up at the same time and made their exit in perfect formation. This Gallop waited till the bus was empty and its doors were sealed. “A bold display of social unity.” “Oh, cut the coding,” the griffon driver made air quotes with his claws, “Gallop. There’s no microphones here. No one is listening. No one is watching. Feel free to relax, decompress. Could I interest you in a snack?” This Gallop raised a hoof in protest. “No thanks. It’s hard enough to keep my source as it is. She’s getting stronger.” The driver snickered. “Isn’t it nasty when your food keeps kicking inside. It’s so pathetic.” “Yes.” This Gallop tucked the foil flower back into his coveralls as he addressed the driver. “What was that march about? What’s Honeybee up to?” The driver pulled out a plastic baggy. Inside was a translucent piece of something. “New marching orders for anytime one of our own is intercepted. Honeybee wants a display of power from now on, to discourage our comrades from desertion.” This was a development shocking enough to make this Gallop stand up. “Desertion? How is that possible?” He knew if it was a relevant issue, someone had jumped ship. It didn’t make it easier to believe, though. “Who was it? Was it more than one?” “Just one.” The driver opened the baggy to this Gallop and offered it to him. “Get a good whiff.” This Gallop stepped forward and inhaled through his nose over the bag. “Oh.” Getting through the plastic smell, the real scent he required came through. “I see. He never really did fit in with the rest of us. Have they interrogated his brother?” “Yes.” The driver hid away the plastic baggy. “He knows nothing. And, he appears loyal. But rest assured, we’ll be watching him closely. Regarding other matters. How is the bird watching?” He cackled. This Gallop frowned as he once again smelled the bleach and chemicals that wandered from his coveralls. “I have some updates for Honeybee. The draconequus is gaining control of his powers. If anyone of us had been doing their job, they would have noticed the gargantuan flying pig that loomed in the sky a few days back.” The driver blinked in disbelief. “That was him?” “Yes. He very well might pose a threat. That is to say if he doesn’t destroy himself.” This gallop pulled out a rolled up manilla folder and gave it to the driver. “The draconequus might be unstable. His abilities may very well be his undoing.” “Very good.” The driver smiled as he read over the papers in the folder. “And,” he held up an instant photograph, “You saw this stallion?” This Gallop nodded. “Affirmative.” The driver growled under his breath. “He’s supposed to be on his way to Fillydelphia.” Thinking for a moment, he smiled. “I’ll inform Honeybee of these updates. And as for that stallion who’s helping the draconequus, test his defenses.” The driver straightened his cap as he drove the bus onto an open street to the nearest bus stop. “You got your shopping list. I’d love to hear about those recipes later.” This Gallop disappeared in the flood of ponies and other creatures that boarded the bus. Making his way to the bus stop’s bench, he watched as the driver drove off with a busload of new bodies ready to be shipped to their desired locations. His attention was stolen by the foil flower in his pocket. “It’s strange how they see things that aren’t really there.” His thoughts were interrupted by a rampaging voice. “Flowers! Yak see you have metal flower. Pretty. But not as pretty as yak’s flowers. Yak sell you flowers if pony has bits.” The raggedy yak gestured to a bucket of roses by her side. This Gallop hummed with a grin as he plucked out three fresh ones. “Here.” He levitated a few rainbow paper bit bills into the yak’s deposit box. “Yak can keep the change.” The yak nervously smiled as she offered a plastic wrap to this Gallop. “Uh, thanks.” ***** Entering Gallop’s house, this Gallop whistled. He dropped Galop’s keys on the stand by the front door. “Honey, I’m home.” A strange sensation filled his step. He felt like dancing as he made his way down the hallway to the master bedroom. “Dear?” Pushing the door open, he found himself actually thrilled to see the mare who slept on the bed, buried in the covers. The mare stirred before finally waking up. “Sweetums.” This Gallop searched his mind for the name. The name, he remembered. “Jasmine. I have something I’m going to give you.” The mare slowly sat up. “What is it, sweetums?” “I-.” This Gallop furrowed his brow. Something was wrong. He supposed he might be getting sick. He ignored it. “Flowers.” He unveiled the roses. “They are yours, now.” The mare’s face regained some of its expression. “For me?” She hugged the roses and sniffed them. “They’re beautiful. Thank you, sweetums.” Jasmine leaned over to this Gallop and kissed him. “Yes.” This gallop left the room, puzzled. He felt like he was getting sick. And another thing, he realized that the mare had never kissed him before. “Strange.” He locked his eyes on the basement door. “What is this? Why am I getting signals of disease? I am not infected, so what is this?” Trying to avoid the disturbance, he made his way to the living room and looked through the telescope set up in front of the larger window. Across the street, he could see a white shuttle autocarriage parked in front of the home of the draconequus. “Interesting.” Author's Note Wishing“I’m very happy being me, although…” -Joy It was not an ideal weekend for Discord’s friends. For the most part they were silent in their seats as Andee drove them downtown in his autocar that was usually for his work. The dragon had cleared the tools and parts out of his plus sized autocar and replaced the detachable seats, that still smelled of dust. None complained about the smell nor the tools that still floated around. Andee checked the rear view mirror constantly to look at his son. “You okay back there Spike?” Spike finally looked up from the stack of Flash Magnus comics that he had brought along for Discord. “I’m okay.” Andee felt a sting in his heart. The way his son said it, he couldn’t believe him. “Everyone else?” Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy nodded. Twilight adjusted her glasses, focused on the papers in front of her. “I think I have all the make up work that Discord needs.” Redheart smiled from the front passenger seat. “Thank you for that, Twilight.” She sunk into her seat and tried to hide the tissue she wiped her eyes with. Andee reached over and held Redheart’s shoulder. “Hey, he’s gonna be alright. He’s strong, just like his mother.” Finally, a smile found its way onto Redheart’s face. “Thank you so much for doing this. You didn’t have to.” Fluttershy stared out the window at the passing autocars and pedestrians. She was the most quiet of them all. It was aquietness that went beyond her usual behavior. Rainbow could tell her friend was being excessively quiet. “You okay? You’re not worried are you? I know how you can be sometimes.” Fluttershy gave Rainbow a short lived smile. “Doc sounds like he knows what he’s doing. Discord seems to trust him. It’s just…” “Just what?” Rainbow asked. Fluttershy sighed. “I’m not sure. I’ve been thinking about something. He wrote a poem, and it was…” Rainbow snickered as she whispered, “Was it enough to make you blush?” Fluttershy hid behind her hair and stared out the window again. “No. It wasn’t like that. He just said hello. I think he was just being nice.” “And your song,” Rainbow played with a pair of sunglasses she’d found on the floor, trying them on and lowering them as she looked at Fluttershy, “I suppose that was just you being nice?” Andee brought his autocar to a halt between the white lines of a designated parking spot. “Alright everyone.” He pulled out an envelope. “Here’s our visitor passes. Don’t lose them.” He handed out a green laminated badge to everyone before tying his own around his neck. He smiled at Redheart. “Ready?” Redheart took in a deep breath. “Alright, let’s go.” The cream colored building they were parked at the base of was labeled by bold black letters, UniPhysics Laboratories. The process of entering wasn’t as much of a nightmare as the group had anticipated. After meeting with the secretary at the front desk, a unicorn in a lab coat came along with two security officers to guide them to their destination. The unicorn and guards led the group down a long hall and to a door that had been tagged with spray paint. Spike read the red tagging. “Hooves, burn in tartarus. Huh. Should we be concerned by that?” Redheart sighed. “He’s not exactly a popular character, wherever he goes. But, he’s one of the best.” She tapped a hoof against the door. A loud crash and bang was followed by a hollering Doc. “Come in!” The unicorn in the lab coat rolled his eyes as he motioned to one of the guards who produced a white and metallic key card. The unicorn used his magic to slip the card into an opening which triggered a buzzing sound. He opened the door and gestured for everyone to enter. The lab was an absolute mess. Trays and tools were scattered all over the place along with carts that were flipped on their sides. All the beakers and flasks were piled in a corner across from the pile of manuals and burners in the other corner. Strange fixtures hanging from the ceiling twisted together with ducting and pipes that all led to a white rectangular containment tank that was roughly the size of a train car. Dashing about it all was Doc in his own filthy lab coat. “Nothing is where it ought to be! How am I expected to work under these conditions. No quantum harmonizer? Bah! What sort of lab doesn’t have a quantum harmonizer?” He whipped around and scraped off a set of goggles, leaving behind a shadow where the goggles had been. “Ah-ha! Miss Redheart and company! Discord’s doing very well. I think I might have figured out a possible solution to help our draconequus friend. And, I believe it’s all thanks to his friends. Specifically Twilight.” Redheart walked straight past Doc and up to the tank. “His magic, is it out of control?” “I think that might be the problem I overlooked in the first place.” Doc flipped a chalkboard over that was covered with equations and drawing. “I’ve been looking at this the wrong way. I was so distracted with controlling Discord’s magic by suppression, that it never occured to me to let him freely expel his magic in periods.” Twilight’s face lit up. “Starswirl’s law of Perpetuating Source Dynamics! By letting off energy, it can prevent it from building up and becoming volatile.” “Uh,” Rainbow blinked in confusion, “can someone please speak in a language I can understand?” Twilight adjusted her glasses as she addressed Rainbow. “You know what happens when you mix vinegar and baking soda, right?” “It bubbles over, like those volcanoes we made in kindergarten.” Rainbow responded, rather proudly. “Precisely!” Twilight went on. “Now, when you put a cap on it, what happens?” She answered her own question. “It builds up pressure until either the cap blows off or the container,” Twilight didn’t finish that thought, “well, let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” “Can he see us?” Fluttershy flew up to the glass window on the tank. Doc shook his head. “I’m afraid not, my winged friend. He can’t hear us either. The glass is mirrored on his side and the containment module is sound proof. It helps Discord feel isolated.” Spike frowned. “That sounds horrible.” “On the contrary,” Doc stepped up to the glass window with everyone else, “he is a bit more forth-coming with his magic when no one else is around. It helps with getting him to let off pressure as it were. Come take a look, his powers are quite fascinating.” “Oh, my.” Fluttershy stared off into the distance across rolling hills of checkered grass. Trees appeared to be growing in curls and other perplexing shapes. Pink clouds filled rivers with thick brown rain. A windmill spun around in a circle while its propeller remained stationary. “It’s bigger on the inside.” Upon Seeing Discord floating in the center of it all, listening to music on his tape recorder, Fluttershy smiled. Twilight pressed her nose up against the glass. “It is bigger on the inside. But, that’s impossible. That’s along the lines of transdimensional physics, which is pure theory!” Doc hummed as he nodded his head. “Yet, here it is. I had hoped that, one day, Discord might be able to create such a space for me in a stabilized form. For a pet project of mine, but I’m rambling.” He reached for an intercom pad and held the button down. “Discord, your friends and mother are here.” Discord’s eyes popped open as a look of worry swept across his face. He snapped with his paw, and everything around him reverted back into a plain white room with a cot that hung from the wall by two chains. Discord pulled a newer looking collar from under the pillow on the cot. The chrome collar was a little bit larger than the old one and far less discreet. Doc released the intercom button. “I made some adjustments for the collar. It’s more properly insulated and can withstand stress from Discord’s magic better.” Fluttershy didn’t like it. “Why did everything disappear like that?” Redheart gave a heavy sigh. “He’s not super comfortable showing his magic to other people.” Once Discord had his new collar on, he held down the intercom button on his side. “Okay. I’m clear.” Doc nodded as he moved over to a control panel and forced down a heavy switch. A hiss came from the tank as the side door depressurized and opened up. Discord carefully made his way out, tugging a bit at the collar. “Hey everyone. Mom.” He met Redheart with a hug that lasted as long as she held onto him. “Hey Discord.” Spike held up the stack of Flash Magnus comics. “I figured you’d get bored, being all cooped up in here, so I brought you these.” Rainbow reached into a saddle bag she brought. “We put together some tapes for you as well. Spike said you liked older stuff, so I found some of the better stuff that I thought you ought to know.” “Thank you, guys.” Discord’s eyes began to well up, but no tears came out. “I can’t wait to get out of here.” Doc flipped through the pages a realty catalog that was propped up on a metal cart. “That time would come sooner rather than later if I can find a reasonable house that's suitable for my needs. Let’s see here. Ah ha! This one is only a block or two away from your residency. Ooh! And, it’s right next to power lines. I’ll have to talk to the city about tying directly in. I’m sure my uppers will sort that out for me.” He marked the page and closed the catalogue. “Wherever I end up, I’ll set up the Faraneigh magic containment tank so you can pop on by, once a week, to stretch your powers out in a safe environment.” “Wait!” Rainbow interjected. “How is it that you can afford all this?” Doc waved his hoof through the air. “Military contracts and the likes. There is a downside, however.” “Such as?” Andee stepped into the conversation. “Results.” Doc gagged on the word as he wiped his tongue with the sleeve of his lab coat. “While they appreciate my efforts to repurpose military developed technologies for civilian use, they still expect success as it were. Science is not always what you expect, and failure is just as revealing if not more than revealing as success.” Seeing that the group was talking off in the corner, and Twilight was answering all of Spike’s questions about the lab, Fluttershy stepped to the side with Discord who had begun looking through the tapes. “Are you okay?” Discord smiled at Fluttershy. “I’m better now that I can see my friends.” “So, we’re friends?” Fluttershy asked. Discord shrugged. “You don’t think we’re friends?” “I don’t mean it like that. I was just wondering-.” Fluttershy went quiet for a bit, thinking. “We’re friends. I’m just not sure if I know you that well.” Discord nodded. “I understand.” Fluttershy eyed the tank. “Why do you hide your magic from others?” Discord tried to respond, but he found that his words were catching in his throat. “I don’t- uh-.” He didn’t finish that thought. Giving up, he resorted to a simple shrug. “You don’t want to hurt others. Is that it?” Fluttershy inched closer and rubbed Discord’s arm. Discord stopped fiddling with the tape he was holding. “I think you know more about me than you give yourself credit for.” He tensed up at the sensation of Fluttershy rubbing his arm. It hurt to see nothing but sincerity in her eyes. “Nobody understands. No matter what I do to fit in, it never works. I hate this stupid collar. And, I wish I wasn’t different. I just want to fade into the background so the world will leave me alone. I wish I never had these stupid powers. Sometimes,” he faltered only for a split second, “I wish I was never born.” “No.” Fluttershy practically death gripped Discord’s arm. “Don’t talk like that.” She couldn’t mask the frown growing on her face. “You don’t have to be like everyone else. If you do that, you won’t be you. You’ll be just like everyone else. Discord, I wish you could understand. I wish you could understand how amazing your gifts are. And, I don’t believe there could be another person that’s strong enough or brave enough to live with the powers you have.” “I’m not brave.” Discord shook his head. “I’m afraid of everything. I’m afraid of losing control. I’m afraid of hurting others and being turned to-.” “To stone?” Fluttershy asked. Discord nodded, avoiding Fluttershy’s eyes as he held back the memory of his latest episode. "I know what it's like to be afraid of everything." Fluttershy backed off a little. “Are you afraid of me?” “No.” Discord interjected, a little loudly. “I just don’t know you all that well.” Finally, he smiled. Fluttershy smiled back. “You know, you’re magic is pretty amazing.” “Really?” Discord crossed his arms. “So, this doesn’t freak you out?” He snapped his claws and his head began to spin in circles as he made goofy noises. Fluttershy giggled at the display. “No. It’s really silly, though.” “Silly?” Discord held up one of the tapes. “You want silly?” Snapping again, he inserted his now spinning claw into the tape as he rested one of his paw’s digits on the exposed part of the reel. Nothing happened. “Hm.” But as he opened his mouth, the music poured out, “All around the,” he shut his mouth as Fluttershy began to laugh. Discord opened his mouth again, “Rock and roll is all they-.” Fluttershy pushed his mouth shut and let it fall open again to release the music, laughing every time. “How do you come up with that?” Discord eventually put the tape down. “Definitely not my joke. I’m sure some exterior forces from another universe are about ready to smite me with the power of,” he gave an over the top gasp, “copyright infringement!” Fluttershy’s laughter calmed, but her smile had been cemented into place. “There you are.” “What?” Discord asked. “There you are.” Fluttershy repeated. “There’s the real you.” Discord cocked his brow. “How do you know this is the real me?” Fluttershy looked through the tapes Discord was looking through. “Because, you’re happy.” Discord wasn’t exactly smiling wholeheartedly, but somehow she knew. “Here.” She picked up a cream colored tape with a white label that had been written on in pink. “Rainbow Dash and Spike helped me make this one for you.” Discord looked the tape over and smiled. “Thank you.” Fluttershy brushed Discord’s arm. “I know I can’t actually do magic, but if it means anything, I promise I’ll never turn you into stone.” “It means something.” Discord ejected the tape he was listening to earlier and put in Flutter’s tape for later. “Are you afraid of me?” Fluttershy tilted her head as she watched Discord in an odd manner. “No, not that I’ve seen you now.” ***** Fluttershy smiled out the window of Andee’s autocar. The world seemed brighter. “Miss Redheart? Does Discord like animals?” Redheart hummed from the passenger seat. “I don’t know, to be honest. We still have that pig that needs a home, but I don’t really know. Why?” “Just thinking of a trip we could make to the animal shelter.” Fluttershy explained. Redheart hummed again. “It could be good for him if you guys did something like that with him.” Rainbow leaned in to whisper to Fluttershy, “Or just you and him.” Andee grumbled as a beeping sound went off while he tried to focus on the street. “I’m sorry Redheart, could you find that for me?” Redheart picked up a pager from a cup holder. “Here you go.” Andee looked at the pager the moment he came to a full stop. He shook his head. “Who is it?” Redheart asked. The pager went off again. “Donna.” Andee slid the battery cover off and popped out the battery before dropping the pager back into the cupholder. Redheart glanced back and forth between Spike and Andee. “Everything okay?” “Yes.” Andee spat out. “Everything is fine.” He looked in the rearview mirror at Spike and sighed. “It’s gonna be alright.” “Woah.” Rainbow whistled to herself. “Not awkward at all.” Twilight coughed a little, and gradually fell into a fit of laughter that became hysterical. Spike and Andee followed suit, more so laughing at Twilight’s suffocating laugh. Redheart covered her face as she cracked as well. Rainbow and Spike laughed at each other when each of them snorted and wheezed. Andee clumsily searched for the controls to the autocar’s radio. Redheart helped him, ordering the dragon to keep his eyes on the road and not crash. The laughter faded under the music that filled the autocar. Fluttershy continued to smile out the window as she thought of the day. She was tempted to sing along with the lyrics but held back, nervous of everyone’s attention. There was one time she felt brave enough to sing in front of others. Thinking of that moment, Fluttershy whispered to herself, “I wish you could be here to see this.” Author's Note Night in the City“From there to here, and here to there…” -Ted Discord questioned himself again and again as the buckball field grew smaller and smaller as Rainbow flew him up past the clouds. “I don’t know about this!” “Ah come on, Discord.” Rainbow slowed her ascent as a flock of birds flew over them. “Sometimes you just gotta jump in the water! Don’t worry. I’ll be with you the whole time.” Discord snapped a pair of aviator goggles into existence around his face. “Alright. Let’s get this over with.” Rainbow shook Discord. “You’re not gonna learn to fly with that attitude, buster. We’ll start when you’re ready.” Discord took deeper breaths to compensate for the thinner air. “Okay! Ready!” Rainbow let go and Discord entered into a dive. Concentrating, he slowly spread his wings out and away from his body. He could feel what Rainbow had described to him earlier, the drag. Feeling out the forces working against him, he experimented with his wings and their position. Discord remembered that he had to slowly curve into a glide. Feeling the rushing air catch on his wings, he manipulated them until he was falling at a forty five degree angle. From there, he managed to level out. “I’m doing it... I’m gliding!” Once Discord was comfortable with gliding he experimented with direction change. He banked to the left and then to the right. “This is awesome!” “I knew you could do it.” Rainbow flew up alongside Discord. “Maybe one day you’ll be as good a flyer as me.” “Very funny, Rainbow.” Discord continued into a circle above the buckball field. Rainbow flew just ahead, in front of Discord. “Alright, now you need to gain some altitude. Use your wings to push yourself higher.” Discord nodded. He worked past the drag to flap his wings, but the moment he did this, he quickly realized he was in trouble. “Uh-oh.” He was no longer gliding; he was falling. “Rainbow!” He was closing in on the ground. “No. No!” Discord did the only thing he could think of. He snapped his paw as he came within feet of the ground, disappearing. Rainbow dived down and slid into a landing. “Discord!” “He’s dead!” Spike screamed. “By the sisters, you killed him, Dash!” “Woah! Woah!” Rainbow marched up to Spike. “I killed him? What do you mean, I killed him?” Twilight slammed her notebook shut. “Relax! He just teleported. Give him a second.” Sure enough, Discord reappeared on the buckball field. He was shivering, and his horn and antler had icicles hanging from them. His teeth were chattering. “C-c-cold…” Spike raced up to Discord. “Dude! Where did you go?” Discord rubbed the warmth back into his own shoulders. “S-s-someplace, c-cold.” Twilight lit up her horn and engulfed Discord with her magic. “Good thing I learned this warming spell. Though, I thought I would have to use the fire extinguishing spell first. Spike, can you grab-. Spike? Spike!” Rainbow laughed. “He’s long gone.” “Huh, what?” Spike broke his gaze from the direction his eyes had been pinned to. “Sorry, I got a little distracted.” “The towel, Spike. Give it to Discord.” Twilight eyed the folded towel sitting on the bleachers. Spike smiled, nervously. “Right.” He grabbed the towel and tossed it up to Discord. Twilight looked off in the distance. “What were you looking at?” She found it. “Oh, brother.” Twilight rolled her eyes at the group of fillies passing by the buckball field, particularly the white and purple one. “Boys,” Twilight muttered. Rainbow started to laugh at Spike. “Try to keep your tongue in your mouth, loverboy.” “Dash!” Spike tightened his claws into fists. “Stay out of it.” Discord wrapped the towel around his body and sighed at the added warmth it provided. “You still haven’t talked to Rarity?” He snapped his paw into the head of a chicken puppet. “Are ya chicken? Bah-gawk!” “Ooh!” Rainbow teased as she waved a hoof in the air. “You gonna let that draconequus step all over you like that?” Spike crossed his arms. “At least I don’t draw pictures of my crush on my homework assignments. Unlike some people.” “Boo! Weak sauce!” Rainbow hollered. Twilight shrugged. “I have to agree with Rainbow Dash. You can do better than that, Spike.” Spike stomped his foot down. “That’s it!” Turning tail, he marched off the field, towards the group of fillies. “No way!” Rainbow’s jaw dropped. “He’s not gonna do it, is he?” Discord stared on as his friend called out to the fillies. “I think he is.” They all watched as Spike spoke with Rarity, who was smiling the whole time. It wasn’t much longer until Spike waved goodbye and came jogging back to the field. “Well?” Twilight asked. A devilish smile curled onto Spike’s face as he crossed his arms. “I have a date. Dinner, Friday night after school at Gino’s. Your move, Discord.” Rainbow smirked. Spike shook his head. “No. Don’t! Just let me have this.” Rainbow sauntered up to Spike. “How exactly do you plan to afford this date, mister moneybags?” “Doh!” Spike started beating the ground. “I’m doomed!” “Relax.” Twilight pat Spike on the shoulder. “How did you get money for all your comics?” Spike seemed about ready to claw his own face off. “I mow my lawn and beg my dad for money.” Discord pulled the towel a little tighter as he thought. “What if we mowed lawns to earn bits?” “Yeah.” Rainbow’s face lit up. “We could earn some money for ourselves and to buy stuff for the Spork Ranch. Spike, you’ve got a lawnmower. I know a guy that has a spare lawnmower. Discord could use his magic, after practicing of course. But, we need a face. We need someone who can sell our services.” Spike thought. “Someone who’s smart.” “Someone who’s not intimidating.” Discord’s gaze fell in line with Spike’s and Rainbow’s. Twilight looked at them all. “Why are you all staring at me like that?” ***** “I can’t believe you’ve never been to an actual mall before!” Rainbow was flying circles around Discord, Spike, and Twilight as they rode their bikes. Spike had hooked up an old micro trailer to his bike with a broken chair for Twilight. “Discord, have you actually been living under a rock your whole life?” “Ponyville is the first place I’ve lived in that has one.” Discord rounded the corner and stared up at the almost behemoth structure that stood before him. It was bigger than the school, standing three stories tall. The parking lot was almost bigger than his neighborhood. “Wow.” Numerous signs advertised the plethora of stores and restaurants inside. At the end of the structure was the entrance to a cinema theater. And right up front, a grand archway formed in stucco held up a neon sign. Fetlock Mall. Eventually they made it to a bike rack where they locked up their bikes before entering the mall. Discord didn’t know what to look at as three stories of activity fought for his attention. He saw it all. There were clothing stores, horse shoe stores, spas, a food court, and even an arcade. “Come on.” Rainbow rushed them all towards a particular shop. Salty’s Photos & Prints. Discord asked, “What are we going in there for?” “Business cards, duh.” Rainbow explained. “If we’re gonna have a business we gotta look like professionals.” Spike nudged Rainbow. “How exactly are we gonna afford business cards.” Rainbow flew up to the door and held it open. “I got a favor to cash in on.” The shop was lined with wood paneling and lit by an almost bluish light. These walls were adorned with posters and film strip negatives. Behind the front counter was a dirty white dragon hunched over a disassembled camera, armed with magnifying glasses, tweezers, and a screwdriver. He briefly looked up. “Photo or Print?” “Business cards.” Rainbow proudly stated. “Eh.” The dragon squinted down at the disassembled camera as he put a screw back in place. “Z! Customers!” “Yes,” Rainbow whispered, “he’s actually here on time.” Discord recognized the pony that stepped out of the back. It was the stallion that Fluttershy always ate with on the balcony, the one that always sat next to her. Discord fought off that spout of jealousy that grew inside. The stallion’s blonde mane was tied up into a rough bun. His uniform vest was covered in various pins and badges. “Ooh, yeah. There’s my favorite rainbow maned pony. Still giving me the cold shoulder?” “Can it. I’m calling in that favor you owe me.” Rainbow narrowed her gaze at the stallion. “I need business cards.” “Fourteen and Sixteen’s on the pallet,” the white dragon muttered as he wiped down a lense with a microfiber cloth. The stallion groaned. “See what a stand up personality Salty is? This job is really such a drag.” “Zeph, are you gonna make us the cards or what?” Rainbow demanded. The stallion hummed in laughter. “Dashy, you don’t have to act so tough just to hide your feelings for me. What would my sister think of her future sister-in-law acting so rude?” Rainbow gagged. “Not in a million years, Zeph. And, Fluttershy would sooner lock me away in prison than let me be subjected to you like that.” Discord’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. “Fluttershy? Sister?” The stallion smiled. “I’m Zephyr Breeze, Fluttershy’s brother. You can just call me Zeph.” Discord mentally slapped himself. Her brother! A part of him was rejoicing that this stallion was not at all romantically involved with Fluttershy. He’s her brother. Another part of Discord was chastising himself for imagining that Zephyr was her coltfriend. A shiver went down his spine at the thought. “So,” Zephyr wagged his eyebrows at Rainbow, “just the business cards? Or did you want something more?” Rainbow pointed at Twilight. “This pony’s face, on a card, with these words.” She slammed down a notebook page with their new lawn mowing business information. Zephyr sighed. “Alright, I’ll take her photo and have the cards ready in a few hours.” ***** After scavenging the food court for change, Discord found a pay phone to call his mother and inform her of his whereabouts. After that, he went to join Spike at the comic shop and game store. The store had just about everything Spike described to Discord. Shelves that reached the ceiling were loaded with comics, tapes, and collectibles. There were two arcade machines rigged so anyone could play for free. A record player behind the counter played music that fed into the rest of the store. As Discord entered the store, he was pleased by the greeting from the employee behind the counter, “Welcome to Faustian Comics. Is there anything you’re looking for? Brute Force? Flash Magnus?” “Do you have the latest issue of Flash Magnus?” Discord got excited as the employee almost instantly had a copy out for him. “How much?” “Only two bits.” Discord rejoiced as he pulled out three bits. He gave the employee the two cleaner bits as he took the comic. “Thank you.” “Discord!” Discord turned around to find Spike across the shop, waving him over. Making his way through the crowd, he could see ponies and dragons were hovering over a small table set up with a small map and little pewter miniatures. Getting closer, Discord could make out a griffon who had his side of the table blocked off by two binders that had been taped together. The other three who sat at the table were checking sheets and charts. There was a game of sorts going on, and every player had a set of dice. Discord had never seen dice with more than six sides before. “Discord.” Spike grabbed his arm. “They’re playing Ogres & Oubliettes, that game you said your teacher mentioned. Come on, they’ve just entered the tomb of Scorpan.” Discord blinked at that. “What does that mean?” “I don’t know, but it looks cool.” Spike pulled Discord towards a spot where they had a clear view of the game. The griffon laid out a new map and adjusted miniature furnishings. This new layout was a large open space with the players pieces at one end and a sarcophagus at the other. “Before you lays the final resting place of Scorpan. As you step into the room, the torches light themselves. You can see ahead, the stone coffin containing the remains of this tomb’s namesake. Atop the coffin, is the Sword of Destiny.” The surrounding crowd began to whisper amongst themselves. One of the players spoke, an earth pony with braces. “I move up to take the sword.” Before he could move his piece, the player next to him stopped him with her magic. “Wait.” The unicorn surveyed the map. “It could be a trap. One false move and our journey will have been for nought.” She turned to the third player. “Wizard, is there some spell you can cast to check for traps.” The dragon smirked. “I cast fireball in the middle of the floor.” Before he could be stopped, he rolled a clawful of six sided dice. The griffon cocked his eyebrows. “Aside from the scorched floor in front of you, nothing seems to have been triggered or set off.” “Hmm.” The dragon nodded as he scratched his chin. “Obviously, if there are any traps, they are beyond even my superior methods of detection.” The unicorn turned to the earth pony. “Paladin, be my guest.” “Yes your highness.” The earth pony pushed his piece forward. “Hold my ale while I fetch that sword.” Discord couldn’t take his eyes off the game as he watched every part of it. From the way the players placed their character’s fates at the mercy of a dice roll, to the way the griffon narrated the game like a stage play that unfolded at the will and choices of the characters, Discord wanted to do more than watch. He wanted to be a part of the game. He wanted to know how it all worked and how to play. ***** “Huh.” Spike eyed the business card as he and Discord walked back to their bikes. “Twilight looks very different without glasses.” Discord stuck his stack of them in his bag. “I’m just glad they look good.” He looked around the darkening, empty, parking lot. “Yikes, it’s almost night. How long was that game going for?” “Long enough that Twilight and Dash had to find us before they left.” Spike jumped at a leaf that blew across his face. “This place gets really creepy at night. Come one, I know the shortcut back to our neighborhood.” Once their bikes were unlocked, Discord and Spike went full force, pedalling as fast as their feet could push. They were racing against the setting sun as they squeezed through bushes into a canal. It hadn’t been raining, so it was dry for the most part, but the dried muck from years past still held a subtle stench. As hard as Discord and Spike tried to beat the dying of the light, night soon drowned out the light. “Uh, Discord?” Spike slowed down when he couldn’t see very far ahead. Discord freed up his paw. “On it.” He snapped two lamps into existence on their handlebars, lighting their way. “Wow. Even with lights, this canal is creepy.” Spike slowed his pedaling again when a sound caught his attention. “Wait. Is that water?” Discord perked his ears up. He could hear it too, but looking at the canal under the lamp’s light, he could see it was still dry. “There must be a drain or something somewhere.” A shadow on the wall of the canal up ahead came into view. The sound of the rushing water got louder. “Hold up.” Spike stopped by the shadow, which was now clearly an indentation that framed an iron grate. The iron grate was padlocked shut. Discord felt every hair on his body begin to stand up. “Spike I don’t like this.” Spike had stepped away from his bike, up to the iron grate. “This padlock, it’s new. It’s not a city lock either.” Discord could hear something else over the running water. “Spike. Come on. Let’s go!” “Hang on.” Spike jiggled the lock, half expecting it to be unlocked. “What are you worried about?” Looking up, Spike yelped at the matted face pressed against the grate. “Help. Help.” “Gah! Oh my-.” Spike stumbled back until he tripped over his bike. Discord peered through the dark. Adjusting his bike, he shined the lamp at the face. It was a unicorn, a stallion. His face was white with a brown patch of fur around his eye. “Sir? Are you alright?” He could tell the unicorn had some sort of suit on, unusual for sewer workers. And, he was covered in a strange green goo. “Please, hel-.” the unicorn’s eyes grew. “Oh no. He’s coming! Run!” A hoof wrapped around his throat before he could scream any longer. “Hush now.” A face appeared behind the stallion. It was the same face, brown patch and all. “You’re scaring the children.” The unicorn screamed for the last time as he was dragged into the darkness with the rushing water. Discord yanked Spike off the ground in a panic. The moment the dragon was back on his bike, they both took off down the canal with more determination than before. Spike mumbled shouts to Discord as they came closer to the bridge that carried the street leading to their neighborhood. “Did you see that? His face! It had his face!” Discord regretted looking back. Behind them was the unicorn, but it really wasn’t. “Spike, pedal faster! And, don’t look back!” The unicorn came closer and closer. He was closing the distance, and his legs didn’t even so much as twitch. Spike screamed as the unicorn appeared right in front of them. “Discord!” Discord saw the whites of the unicorn’s eyes as he snapped his claws. Only, those eyes were beginning to glow green. “Adios, creep!” The unicorn disappeared in a flash along with everything. Spike looked through the black void that surrounded him. “Where are we?” “I don’t know.” Discord swallowed his words as a massive eye opened next to them. The edges of the eye were almost indistinguishable. Discord shrugged at the sight. “I’ve seen worse.” He readied the return snap. “My house.” When the flash of white dissipated, Spike and Discord slammed their brakes, trailing a tail of smoke as they rolled up into the driveway of Discord’s home. Catching only a momentary breath, the two dashed inside. Their bikes were their last concern in that moment as they barreled down the hall into Discord’s room. After shoving the dresser in front of the door and flipping the bed frame over as cover, they awaited for what might come next A knock came at the door. Discord and Spike yelled as they hid behind the bed. “Um, Discord?” Discord slowly popped his head up. “Mom?” “Wait.” Spike yanked Discord back down. “What if it’s a trap? What if it’s him?” Discord held his breath as he stepped over the bed. “Yeah, mom?” Redheart’s voice came through, a little irritated. “Son, you left the front door wide open.” Discord loosened up. “It’s her.” He shoved the dresser away from the door so he could open the squeaking door, revealing Redheart and Donna. Spike screamed. “Look out, it’s one of them!” He launched a pillow at Donna’s face. The griffon’s face wrinkled as she growled under her breath. “Oh,” Spike sighed with relief, “it’s just you.” “Donna came over to wait for you, Spike.” Redheart looked at the dresser behind the door and the overturned bed. “Uh, do I wanna ask?” Spike brushed himself off. “About what? The giant eye or two face?” "Giant eye?" Redheart blinked in amazement before coming to a conclusion. “Discord. Did you try to teleport again?” Discord nodded. “It seemed like an emergency.” “I’ll say.” Spike muttered. “Well are you both alright?” Redheart went into nurse mode, looking both Spike and Discord up and down. “We’re fine, mom. Honest.” Discord looked down at the floor, mostly to make sure his legs were still attached. They felt like spaghetti after pedaling for his life. “I’m sorry we were out late.” “Whatever.” Donna picked her beak with a claw. “Hurry up Spike. Let’s go, I don’t want your father to be all worried. He gets hard to deal with when he’s worried about you.” Redheart reluctantly followed Donna into the hallway. Spike elbowed Discord. “You weren’t going to tell her about two face?” “No,” Discord lowered his voice, “I think we should tell the Professor.” Author's Note Confusion“You cannot hope to build a better world without improving…” -Marie “Ha ha hah!” Rainbow rested on the lawn mower she pushed along side Discord’s and Spike’s. “That’s hilarious! You seriously thought Zeph was Fluttershy’s boyfriend?” Discord rolled his eyes. “I get it, I’m a dork.” Spike listened as kept counting his money over and over again. “I’m a little surprised you’re not more weirded out by Discord’s crush. You know, the crush he has on your friend.” “Yeah, normally I would be.” Rainbow switched from walking to flying, giving her legs a rest. “But, Discord has an advantage on every other stallion that’s asked her out.” “What’s that?” Spike asked. Rainbow smirked at Discord. “He’s not a complete jerk.” “Thanks, I guess?” Discord grumbled as he checked the terribly miniscule amount of bits he earned. Three bits, he though, that’s like a bit per hour! “No, seriously.” Rainbow stopped and flew in front of Discord. “Sure, you went out of your way to help me just because you wanted to fix your situation with Fluttershy, but I’ve never met another that would do that for her. That tells me something important, you care. And to be honest, I’m kinda rooting for you.” She went back to pushing her lawn mower. “But, I’m not putting in any good words for you. You gotta earn it all yourself.” “That’s fair.” Discord shrugged. “Did she tell you that, about me caring?” “Yeah.” Spike wagged his money at Rainbow in an accusatory manner. “No offense, but you’re not exactly the romantic type.” “I am too!” Rainbow shot back. “I’m just not all mushy gushy, and I don’t like to talk about it.” “Fair enou-.” Spike winced as they came closer to his house. Rainbow and Discord visibly sunk as they heard it, the yelling. It was becoming more and more frequent, and its effects on Spike were becoming clearer and clearer to see. It was always clear when the yelling had occurred. At school, Spike would neglect his lunch and sink into a quiet stupor where he’d be in and out of conversations. It affected everyone else too. Just the other day, Twilight cried about how she got her first A-. She claimed she was distracted. However, they all knew that was Twilight speak for, I’m worried about Spike. Discord wished he could send Donna to one of those places he passed through when teleporting, and he’d just leave her there. He pat Spike on the shoulder. “Come on, bro. Let’s go.” The yelling got louder, and Discord felt his collar buzz. “Let’s get out of here.” They dropped the lawnmowers off at Discord’s house before they travelled two street over to a house that stuck out like a sore thumb. Between the freshly barred windows, and the three radio towers bolted to the rooftop, it looked more akin to a high security military facility than an actual house. The power lines that hung over the house sparked suddenly. “Good thing this isn’t an H.O.A. neighborhood,” Spike muttered as he pulled out his EC radio. “Tuning into the mad scientist’s lab.” He meticulously clicked a button in a specific pattern which sent out a stream of tones. A flash of light boomed through one of the windows. Spike nodded. “He heard us.” After a multitude of clacks and heavy mechanical sounds, air hissed from the front door as it opened. As the door swung open, it revealed itself to be almost a foot thick with steel and pistons. Doc jumped out, covered head to hoof in a white environment suit. “Great wickering stallions! Kids! Come on in, I’ve got some interesting results from that drain you passed.” He disappeared back into the house. Rainbow nudged Discord. “What’s that all about?” “You didn’t tell her?” Spike asked. The walk into the house was enough for Discord and Spike to fill Rainbow in on what happened during their ride home from the mall. Rainbow held on to a look of uncertainty. “That’s pretty freaky, but how do you know they weren’t just twins?” Spike rolled his eyes. “I don’t know. Maybe it was just the fact that he was chasing us. Oh! And, his eyes were glowing green!” “Still,” Rainbow shot back, “they could have been brothers that were caught up in something.” Doc finished flinging the environment suit from the last of his legs as he dashed around the living room which had been fitted with diagnostic machines, a rack of chemicals, and other bizarre contraptions that weren’t identifiable. Doc eventually retrieved a vial of green goo. “Vuala! This is what I retrieved from the drainage grate. It took me a while to confirm its identity, but I was sure I had recognized it from the beginning. I haven’t seen this stuff since the changeling wars ended.” Discord remembered hearing his mother and grandmother worry about that time when he was younger. He vaguely remembered the protesters that fought against the draft and the signs that read, Bring Our Sons Home. The last Discord remembered hearing of it was the memorial that had been constructed in Canterlot city not long ago. Spike took the vial and scrutinized it with his eyes. “Okay. But, what is it?” “Vomit!” Doc exclaimed. Discord and Rainbow gagged as Spike stretched his arm out and tried not to up chuck. All of them muttered, “Gross!” Doc took the vial back and set it on a rack with more samples of the substance. “Gross, indeed but still a scientific marvel, nonetheless. The changelings used this stuff for building hives, barricades, and even storing prisoners. When mixed with saliva or any light solvents, it changes into a wax like substance that can be manipulated up until the point where it dries into a hard structure.” “What’s it doing in the canal?” Rainbow asked. “I’ll explain.” Doc picked up a yardstick and whacked it against the floor, breaking off a piece. “Notice anything?” Discord took the broken yardstick and found a hardened glob of the substance holding together a broken section near the new break. “It the wood broke before the fix did. It’s like glue.” “Ah, yes! You see, after the changeling wars, many veterans believed they could make a fortune selling this stuff by smuggling it into Equestria. Of course, the government came cracking down on such activities like a sledgehammer to a peanut. It was banned in most countries, but it’s not uncommon to find decade old fixes that utilized this substance. I’ve even found recycled military equipment that’s been repaired in this manner.” Spike scratched his chin. “That drainage grate, you said it was in a goo form you found it. So, if it wasn’t being used to repair anything, because those grates are supposed to open, then why was it down there?” Doc shrugged. “No idea. But, a likely explanation would be that someone was looking to dump it before they got caught with it.” Discord looked at one of the vials. It looked almost the same as the glow of two face’s eyes. “What about an unlikely explanation?” “Pfft! Ha ha!” Doc wiped his eyes after his fit of laughter ended. “Are you suggesting that there’s a changeling roaming around the sewers under Ponyville? That’s preposterous! Everyone knows the changelings were wiped out along with their queen. I would know, since I was the one who helped secure her body at…” He paused. “I’m not going to finish that sentence, and since you all signed those waivers, you legally can’t disclose any of that information. Understand?” “Yes sir.” Spike saluted before cracking a smile. “You certainly didn’t disclose any information regarding the secret base hidden in the San Palomino desert.” “That’s right.” Doc smiled. “I didn’t disclose any information regarding Stable 74 nor,” his eyes shot wide open. “No. No! You sneak of a dragon! There is nothing out there but a military weapons testing site, and that’s public knowledge.” “Okay, nerds.” Rainbow cut in. “What about this unicorn that supposedly has the same face as another unicorn?” Doc tapped his chin before shrugging. “Twins?” “That’s what I said!” Rainbow glared at Spike and Discord. “Although,” Doc tapped his chin again as he thought, “hm. I couldn’t risk not covering the bases as it were.” He walked over to a briefcase and popped it open. The case was tied into other wires that traveled up through conduit into the ceiling. Clearing his throat, Doc Spoke into the device in the briefcase. “Action Saddle Fetlock, this is Draft Whicker Trot sixty three. Calling in for a possible Konic Draft Fetlock. Respond when convenient. Over.” Doc closed the briefcase. “I suggest you kids get going. I’ll be having some experts coming over soon, so you best be out of the way. It would be best if you got home before dark.” ***** “That was weird.” Rainbow flew as she talked. “It was almost like he believed there really was a changeling out there.” Spike shrugged. “I dunno. Maybe he was just doing like he said, covering bases. If those experts, Doc was talking about, find nothing, all the better. Right, Discord? Discord?” Discord kept his eyes on the willow tree in the middle of the park they were passing. “I think you’re right, Spike. But, I can’t shake this odd feeling that something else is up. I’m honestly a little worried.” The image of the unicorn’s glowing eyes stung his memory now. The idea of changelings in Ponyville really did spook him. But, if it turned out to be just one survivor from the war, surely the experts Doc talked about would neutralize it. Considering the notion of the changeling goo just being someone’s illegal stash, that was a comfort. Discord understood crime. He figured that that’s what it must be. Two unrelated crimes clashed together to make up a scenario that seemed more serious than reality dictated. Discord was convinced. He’d seen unicorn eyes glow when performing powerful spells. He figured the goo just happened to be in the same spot as a scuffle between two twin brothers. “I wouldn’t worry about it.” Rainbow sighed. “You told him you saw two identical unicorns with a patch around their eyes. They’ll probably find them and sort out whatever’s going on. They are experts, like Doc says.” Discord didn’t want to worry. “You’re right. They’ll handle it. And, we won’t have to worry about it now.” Spike crossed his arms. “Kinda makes you curious though.” He surveyed the neighborhood. “Changelings can turn into anyone. Donna could be a changeling. My math teacher could be a changeling. Even your neighbors could be changelings!” “Yeah, right.” Discord rolled his eyes. “If this cookie cutter neighborhood has changelings in it, then I’m a fairy princess.” “You could be a fairy princess,” Spike snickered, “if that’s the character you’re settling on for O&O.” “What’s O&O?” Rainbow asked. Spike dramatically slapped his chest and reached out to Rainbow with his other arm. “You mean to say, madam, that you have not heard of the world’s greatest roleplaying game?!” Rainbow cocked a brow at Spike’s antics. “Sounds kinda like egghead stuff to me.” “Excuse me,” Discord laughed, “Twilight is the egghead that helped you get your grades back up. So, you are the last person in this group that can talk down, quote on quote, eggheads.” “Twilight is different though. She’s booksmart. This is…” Rainbow went quiet as she hunted for the words. Spike picked up with his own, “just another excuse because you think you’re too cool for O&O. Maybe,” Spike flashed a devilish smile, “you’re not cool enough for it.” Rainbow stopped and hovered in place. “Woah. Slow down there. I’m cool enough for anything.” “I don’t know,” Spike teased, “I’d say there’s a percentile for this game that you’re simply lacking.” Rainbow snorted. “What percentile?” Spike crossed his arms, smirking as he said, “Twenty percent.” Rainbow hummed, her attention hooked. “Oh, yeah? What exactly is this game, anyway?” “It’s Ogres & Oubliettes.” Discord explained. “It’s a fantasy roleplaying game where you battle monsters, hunt for treasure, or go on any adventure the game master makes up.” “Doesn’t sound too bad.” Rainbow clicked her tongue in thought. “So is there are there specific characters that we play as?” Discord smiled at her question. “Whatever you want. You can be any race, any age, and any class. You could be anything from a knight to a magician. There’s a way to mix classes, but the rules recommend that for advanced players.” “So, I could be whatever I want? Could I be like a ninja?” Rainbow asked. “Actually,” Spike thought, “I believe there is an assassin subclass for thief.” “Assassin you say?” Rainbow flew behind a bush and pantomimed the act of sneaking up on a target before hopping onto the sidewalk and chopping the air. “Sounds pretty cool. I guess I’ll give it a shot.” Discord snapped a pair of frameless glasses onto his face that were taped up with a bandage. “And of course, we’ll help you with the egghead stuff.” “Thanks.” Rainbow laughed. “So, when do ya all plan on playing this? Saturday? I thought we were doing Discord’s magic practice. And, about that...” Discord asked, “What about that?” “The lawnmower I’m using, it’s actually one of the lawnmowers Big Mac uses on his family’s farm. And as a return favor for borrowing it, I said I would babysit his little sister for him on Saturdays. Would it be cool if she tagged along?” Discord shrugged. “I don’t see a problem with that. Do you Spike? “I got nothing against it.” Spike snapped his claws at Rainbow. “And to answer your other question from earlier, we’re thinking about Fridays. Well, it’ll be the Friday after this Friday of course.” “Yeah, that’s right,” Rainbow mushed Spike’s cheek around, “the wittle dragon is going on his first date with a doll.” “She’s not a doll.” Spike sort of snapped back. “She’s a fashionista with a sense of taste.” “Oh, brother.” Discord rolled his eyes. Spike groaned. “Hey, you’re supposed to be on my side.” “No offense Spike,” Discord forced a smile as he tried to find a delicate way to put what he meant to say, “but I am a little confused as to why she said yes to you. I mean, have you seen the others she hangs out with? They don’t seem like the type of ponies to hang around guys like us. They’re all unicorns, and they seem a little elitist.” “Dolls.” Rainbow reaffirmed. Discord could see Spike was beginning to frown. “Look. Just be careful. You barely know this filly. I just don’t want you to get hurt if it turns out there’s something else up. I want it to work between the two of you. I’m just looking out for you, bro” “Thanks.” Spike smiled. “I thought I was the hopeless romantic.” Discord shrugged. “I guess it’s rubbing off.” “Gah,” Rainbow gagged, “guys, cut the mushy gushy stuff.” Discord and Spike both laughed at Rainbow’s general discomfort as they continued to walk to Discord’s home. Author's Note Do Ya“Believe you can and…” -Teddy At the center of the now mown field in front of the shack, Discord focused his magic as he hovered above the ground. An amoebic form of colors and objects circled around him as he guided it with his lion’s paw and eagle claws. Sending it downward, the grass took on unusual colors and patterns. In all of these actions there was a stabilizing factor. Before the draconequus was his tape player, spinning out music with a distinctive beat. “Fascinating!” Twilight Sparkle took note of her observation. “He’s following the four over four count of the music. Discord, are you keeping track of that?” “Every song has a pattern.” Discord remarked. “You can feel it. Parts repeat, and lyrics have a structure behind them.” A young blonde filly around Twilight’s age piped up. “Is he one of them musical geniuses or somethin’?” Her orangish fur stood out against everything. Her eyes were as green as the grass. “Granny Smith always said some ponies had music in their blood.” “Applejack,” Rainbow hushed the filly up, “you’ll break his concentration.” Applejack muttered to herself. “Someone’s grumpy.” Rainbow narrowed her gaze at the filly. “What was that freckle face.” “Nothin’, rainbow butt.” Applejack yawned. “Are we just gonna watch him do that all day, Big Mac said you guys were supposed to be fun.” Discord hummed as he hid his paw behind his back and snapped it. A multicolored flower sprouted from the ground and hung over Rainbow. “Huh, what the-?” The flower opened, letting loose a small tide of rainbow fluid that covered her from head to hoof. “Ha! Rainbow butt!” Applejack fell over and rolled around in hysterical laughter. “Very funny, Discord.” Rainbow wiped her face off with a leg, but not before a flash of white cleaned her off completely. “Oh, thanks. Say, you’re getting pretty good at that.” Spike nodded as he finished the popcorn he was snacking on. “Agreed.” He offered some of the popcorn to Applejack who didn’t hesitate to accept. “This is definitely an improvement compared to Pigzilla.” “Pigzilla?” Applejack asked. Discord sighed. “She’s a flying pig I made appear. I turned her back into a normal pig, but I still need to find a home for her.” “Well,” Applejack rubbed her neck as she thought, “I don’t know about flying pigs, but my family keeps and feeds normal pigs. We just take ‘em to shows, so she’d be safe with us. And, you could come see her whenever you’d like.” “Thanks, Applejack.” Discord sighed again, in relief this time. “That would be wonderful.” This little revelation came as a great comfort to him, and he knew it would be to his mother as well. With that, he lost himself to the music again and closed his eyes. Listening to every beat, Discord began to dance with his magic carrying him. A dirt spiral staircase carried him up before he slid down a grassy slide that looped around a couple times before dropping discord onto a raised section of grass that had been divided into color changing squares. Each square he stepped on lit up a different color as he twirled and cross stepped. Flowers grew from the ground and opened up into spotlights that alternated between red and blue as they followed Discord. All of this, and it was a small sound that brought it all down, a gentle laugh. In a brilliant flash, everything vanished, returning to the normal mown grass from whence it came. Discord cleared his throat as he landed on his feet. Turning, he smiled at the pegasus who’s quiet laugh almost made him turn to stone. “Hello, Fluttershy.” “Hello, Discord.” Fluttershy came up to him from the opening marked by the pile of bikes. “That was really amazing.” Discord tugged at his collar, which was buzzing. “Heh, really? You think so?” Twilight deadpanned as she slapped her notebook shut and groaned. “Take five everybody.” “Does that mean I can talk now?” Applejack asked. Fluttershy giggled at that. “Is this really where you’ve been practicing? It’s so beautiful out here.” Like you. Discord smiled and couldn’t fight himself as he helplessly watched Fluttershy survey the sights and sounds around them. “Ah, why is it so bright?” Spike yelled. Rainbow covered her eyes. “Yeah, and where are these rose petals coming from?” Discord snapped his claws, removing the glare from the sun and the rain of rose petals. Fluttershy looked back at Discord, confused by everyone’s complaints. “I think that’s enough magic for one day, guys.” He didn’t understand how that magic happened without him actually thinking about it. Tugging at the collar, he grumbled about it not doing it’s job. Applejack stretched out. “What else are we gonna do? Can we walk around the woods behind this dusty old shack?” “Why?” Rainbow gestured to the tree line. “There’s nothing interesting in the Everfree.” Spike swallowed another mouthful of popcorn. “I heard there were ancient ruins in the Everfree. But, no one has ever found them. Supposedly there’s like a curse that keeps them hidden.” “No way.” Twilight snorted as she packed her notebook away in her saddle bag. “You’re just making that up.” “Hey,” Spike waved his claws, defensively, “it’s just what I heard from one of my dad’s work buddies.” “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!” Applejack took off into the woods. “Wait up!” Rainbow rushed after her. “Dang this kid is fast!” Twilight nudged Spike. “Come on.” Spike groaned as he sat up, taking his popcorn with him as he followed Twilight into the trees. “I guess we’re going into the woods.” Discord’s expression sunk a little as he saw Fluttershy’s face. “What’s wrong?” Fluttershy shivered as she stared at the treeline. “I-in t-there? Into the d-dark,” she gulped, “scarey f-forrest?” Discord reached out and rested his paw on her shoulder. “I’ll be there every step of the way. I won’t let anything happen, either. I promise.” Fluttershy stopped shivering. “Promise?” “Yeah.” Discord gave her his best smile. “I promise.” The two gradually made their way through the trees at a steady pace. Discord made sure he stayed next to Fluttershy as he followed a trail of hoofprints with the occasional piece of popcorn from Spike and feather from Rainbow. It wasn’t hard for him to stay close as he found that Fluttershy stayed within inches of him at all times. At a certain point, the trees became denser, and the light became more sparse. Trees and rocks looked like shadows. Discord found himself startled when he heard Twilight yelling about something up ahead. Hearing Spike laugh soon afterward quickly calmed him. “Ah!” Fluttershy shrieked as she dove behind Discord. Sharply turning, Discord faced the shadow of some large thing that almost looked like a wolf. “Oh.” He held back his laughter when he realized it was just a dead tree that had fallen over. Feeling Fluttershy shivering behind him, Discord held her shoulder. “Fear not m’lady, I shall defend you from this monster!” Discord snapped as he kicked the log into a spin and shaved it with a glowing sword. The log came to a steady halt, revealing a crude carved statue of a prancing pony. “Hmm, I think I’m a little out of practice.” “Wha-?” Fluttershy sighed before smiling up at Discord. “Hm.” She hummed a little laugh before she approached the newly formed statue and studied it. “I think it’s a great start.” Her form was still visibly shaking as she gathered up enough breath to say, “Thank you.” Discord shrugged. “I promised.” “You did.” Fluttershy beamed as she stepped a little closer to Discord. “Discord. I- uh-.” “Discord!” Spike’s voice rang through the trees. Discord’s heart began to race. “What is it Spike? What’s wrong?” He stood in front of Fluttershy, clutching his sword tighter. Twilights voice came. “You’re going to want to see this. Hurry up!” Discord snapped away the sword and statue, motioning for Fluttershy to come along. They ventured further to a point where light practically spilled through parts in a canopy that looked almost unnatural for the forest. The sounds were even different. The area was more akin to a jungle, complete with bright colored birds and vines that sprawled out across the ground. Discord noted that the birds were all the same red and orange colors, and they had a glow about them. “Woah.” Discord felt his breath fail him as he searched for words. Beyond Spike, Twilight, Rainbow, and Applejack lay a bridge leading to a ruin of stone work that had been overgrown for what looked like centuries. The bridge, though crumbling, had wood build over it to create a clear path. “Someone’s been here before!” Twilight declared. “These planks are newer than everything else.” Rainbow pointed to the stone structure. “That looks like a castle. Like, an actual castle.” She flew over the bridge. “Who wants to bet there’s treasure inside?” “Wait!” Twilight chased after Rainbow. “This could be an archeological site of great importance! You can’t just going around, raiding gold!” Spike rolled his eyes. “Relax Twi. It’s probably just a broken down amusement park that was abandoned.” The dragon groaned as he motioned for Applejack to follow. “Come on.” Discord nodded to Fluttershy as they too crossed the bridge and followed everyone up a winding path that ended at the base of a set of large stairs. These stairs led up to a tall set of double doors that curved up with the archway that framed them. Spike knocked on the doors. “Woah, that’s some hard wood.” He tried to push the door. “A little help?” Applejack sauntered up to the doors, turned around and pushed them open with one solid push. “Your welcome.” Rainbow’s jaw dropped at the display. “You’re one strong earth pony.” “Ah, shucks.” Applejack bashfully crossed her legs as she looked away from Rainbow. Twilight was the first to enter. “Okay everyone, whatever you do, don’t touch-.” Her mouth dropped at the sight of two banners. “Oh my goodness.” Twilight ran into and around a great hall, touching and observing everything in her path. “Do you guys know what this place is?!” Discord was about to answer before Twilight shouted over him. “It’s the Castle of the two sisters!” Twilight came up to a pedestal with five arms holding up stone spheres that were each marked with a specific symbol. “Wuh-. It’s the elements of harmony.” Discord felt a little sick as everyone entered. He lingered by the door. Something felt off, like he wasn’t supposed to be there. He was about to wait outside until a yellow leg, Fluttershy’s, pulled him inside through the door. Fluttershy squeezed Discord’s arm. “You’re okay, aren’t you?” Discord nodded. Having been invited in by Fluttershy, he felt a load of weight fall from his shoulders. “Hey.” Fluttershy looked around the empty hall. “Where did everybody go?” Discord studied the ground. He could make out a mess of footprints that went in different directions. “Uh, they must have split up.” Bending over, he looked closely at the ground, trying to follow a set. “This way.” Following what looked like Spike’s footprints and a set of hoof prints, Discord traced them along a set of stairs until they stopped all of a sudden. “Huh?” The prints he followed had completely stopped as if the ones they belonged to were plucked from reality. “What is it?” Fluttershy asked. Discord looked at the floor ahead, the walls, and even the ceiling. “They’re probably this way.” Fluttershy reared back looking all the same directions Discord had. “Are you sure?” “No.” Discord wasn’t going to lie to Fluttershy about it. He was already concerned enough just thinking about how all their friends had suddenly vanished. “But, I don’t see where else they could have gone.” “Okay.” Fluttershy nodded. “Let’s see where it goes.” They followed the stairs all the way up to a door. Testing the latch, Discord was able to open it and push the door open. On the other side was a sort of balcony hall that was open to the air. Stone vases held flowers that had well overgrown their homes. A number of the reddish birds were here as well, staring at the intruders for a passive moment before going back to whatever else they were doing. Fluttershy approached one of the birds. “Hello there. Could you tell us what you are and what this place is?” The bird made a strange hushed cawing sound. “You’re a phoenix? And, this is the sister’s garden.” “Phoenixes.” Discord marvelled as he realized what they were. “Birds of fire that are reborn from their own ashes.” Fluttershy stared at Discord. “How do you know that’s what a phoenix is?” Discord shrugged. “How can you talk to birds?” Fluttershy hummed. “I love animals. And, I’ve always been good with them. What about you? How do you know that a phoenix is a bird of fire or whatever it was you said?” “Comic books.” Discord cautiously approached one. “Spike lent me a fantasy one once. It talked about phoenixes. Let’s see how accurate it was.” He took a knee, bowed his head, and held out his arm. In a few seconds, the phoenix Fluttershy was talking to flew to his arm. “Wow.” Discord’s eyes went wide. “That shouldn’t have worked. Here.” Discord motioned for Fluttershy to raise a leg as he passed the phoenix to her. Fluttershy giggled as the phoenix nuzzled her hair. “You’re so beautiful. Yes you are.” She gasped a little as more phoenixes flocked around her out of curiosity. “Oh my, there’s a lot of you.” Discord repeated the motion of taking a knee, bowing his head, but this time he held out both arms. It worked again as some of the phoenixes flew from Fluttershy to his arms. “What do we do now?” Fluttershy smiled before she started to laugh. “I don’t know.” Discord started to laugh as well. Their combined laughter was enough of a message for the phoenixes that they flew away to other spots. The one phoenix that Fluttershy spoke with stayed behind, though. Discord watched as Fluttershy thanked the phoenix before placing it on a vine. “Fluttershy?” “Yes?” Fluttershy locked eyes with Discord. It terrified him. “Uh, can I ask you something?” Fluttershy nodded. “M-hm.” Discord struggled to breath as he tried to keep eye contact. “What am I?” “What?” Fluttershy brushed her hair out of her face. Discord closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Am I a pony to you? Am I a dragon? Are,” he fought his weakening lungs, “are you really not afraid of me?” Fluttershy winced a bit. Her eyes were on the verge of tearing up. “I promise I’m not afraid of you, Discord.” She stepped closer. “I remember the first day I met you. I was afraid, but it was because you looked so alone. I didn’t know if you had any friends. I know that was a terrible thing of me to assume.” “No it wasn’t terrible.” Discord sat down in front of her. “You were just being kind. If it weren’t for your kindness, I don’t think we would have ever met. And, I’m happy we did meet.” “Why?” Fluttershy blinked before breaking eye contact and looking away. “I’m not special in any way. I’m quiet, and I’m afraid of everything. I can be a nervous reck, sometimes. I’m never brave when I need to be.” “That’s not true.” Discord shook his head. “None of that is true. I mean sure, you’re a little quiet. But, I don’t see why that’s a bad thing. The rest of the world is screaming. Everyone is loud. Too loud, if you ask me. There’s too many people that scream at each other.” He thought of Spike’s father and Donna. “I wanna be quiet. My voice can crack and be awkward. Don’t get me started on intermediate school, that was a nightmare.” Discord rejoiced when he caught a glimpse of a smile on Fluttershy’s face. He lowered his voice to almost a whisper. “This way I can hear myself think. I can hear the birds, the trees, and the sky. I can’t hear that with loud voices. I can hear the world with a voice like yours. And, it’s beautiful.” Fluttershy’s eyes wandered back to Discord. “The world? Or my voice?” Discord closed his eyes and smiled. “Both.” He kept his eyes shut. “You are so kind. I know you can be brave when you want to be. I believe it was brave of you to give me that notebook. I was a total stranger, but you were brave enough to talk to me and ask me how I was doing. You were brave enough to treat me like a normal person. I know it sounds corny, but aside from my mother, I’ve never met anyone that was brave enough to do that. But, she raised me. She knows me. I feel like a stranger sometimes, even with my friends. But, not around you.” Fluttershy piped up. “Why are your eyes closed?” Discord’s frame sunk as he felt his collar buzz. “I’m afraid to ask you, because I’m not like everyone else. I’m different. And, I don’t want this thing to bust around you. I can’t stand the thought of ever hurting you.” He flinched when he heard Fluttershy move, but as to where, he couldn’t tell. Then, he felt the last thing he ever expected. Discord could feel someone embracing him. He could hear that it was Fluttershy. Her face pressed into his neck. “You don’t ever have to be afraid of me. I promise.” Discord opened his eyes. He didn’t notice that they were rocking. “Promise.” “Promise.” Fluttershy fell forward. Discord caught her with a return embrace. He wanted to scream from the rooftops. The experience taunted him, because he knew it couldn’t last. A certain part of Discord felt like there was a mutual unspoken agreement. This was a cursed agreement. Since it was unspoken, and neither had spoken it, it could only exist behind a shadowed veil of a smile, a glance, and a hug. This was not a confession of any sort that could be interpreted. No. It was something else. It was a beginning. Discord wondered of the grander scheme of the universe. He entertained the idea of having met Fluttershy in another life. He believed in that possibility for no other sort of reasoning than the idea, that only under those circumstances could this moment be possible. “Do you-?” Discord broke the long silence. Fluttershy slid her face away from his neck. “Yes, Discord?” Discord could hear some words from a distant memory, a distant dream. “Do you-.” A voice came, this is your life. “Do you want to get something to eat or drink after class, sometime? I heard there was a cafe down the street from the school.” “Yes.” Fluttershy smiled. “Yes, I do.” Discord almost fell over from hearing that. His head was reeling as he finally registered her response. A bit of fear washed over him, but that voice came back again, this is your life… ***** Discord couldn’t stop smiling as he and Fluttershy descended back into the hall where everyone else had come back to. He noticed everyone’s dirt ridden faces. “Are you alright?” “I don’t wanna talk about it.” Rainbow hissed at a bruise on her wing, she wasn’t flying. Spike placed every step he made with the utmost care. “The place is boobytrapped. You fall down one whole in one room, then you fly out another hole in another room. If we come back to this place, let’s wear bubble wrap and stick together.” The dragon’s eyes shot between Discord and Fluttershy. “Where were you two?” “Looking for you guys.” Discord could see Rainbow catching on to what Spike was obviously pointing out. “Uh, Twilight, how are you holding up?” He was hoping to distract Fluttershy to divert her attention as far away from Spike and Rainbow as possible. Twilight grumbled as she pulled white tape out of her bag. “My glasses broke.” She was using her magic to align the two halves of her glasses that had broken at the bridge. Fluttershy rushed over to aid Twilight. “Oh my. Do you need any help?” Discord thanked the sisters that Fluttershy wasn’t looking as Spike and Rainbow smirked like clowns, slowly nodding to him. Applejack scuffed at the ground. “Can I go home after this?” Author's Note Songbird“Love all, trust a few…” -Will The bus finally slowed down in response to Discord’s desperate yelling. Brakes squeaked and the driver grumbled as he pulled the crank that open the doors. “Kid, if you’re gonna keep being late like this, you might as well get yourself an auto car.” Discord smiled at the grifoon as he caught his breath climbing up the steps. “But then I wouldn’t get to see your shining face every morning, Mister Orrin.” The griffon grumbled again. “Just get on and take your seat.” Discord found an empty spot near the front. Plopping down, he fished through his bag and found his journal. Recalling the events from the ruined castle in the everfree, he began to write. He wrote in particular about his time with Fluttershy. “It’s strange to find comfort in others. When you open up, it’s terrifying.” Finding a flow of thought, Discord fell silent as he finished up his passage. He didn’t like how he ended it. But, he figured the evening would fix everything. The bus stopped, and the doors opened again. “Good morning Equestria!” Spike danced onto the bus, sporting a pair of shades that couldn’t even mask the beaming grin on his face. “Discord! Isn’t it a wonderful morning?” The dragon spun around before he landed in the seat next to the draconequus. “Ah! It’s so great to be alive.” Discord could hear raised voices coming from Spike’s house outside the bus. “The wicked witch is singing. It’s a Monday. We’re on our way to school. And on top of all of that, it’s great to be alive? Who are you, and what did you do with the real Spike?” “I,” Spike lowered his shades, “am a changed dragon. Not only has light filled this vagabond’s withering heart, but my status has also been upgraded to not single.” Discord did a double take at that. “Not single? Wait. Rarity?” “Sir!” Spike grabbed his own chest over his heart. “You make me weak by speaking the name of my beloved.” Discord couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “But, you just went on the one date.” Spike shook his head. Raising one claw, he followed up by raising a second. “Yesterday was amazing.” “That seems awfully fast.” Discord didn’t like it. Something felt off, but he didn’t want to say anything to his friend who was on cloud nine at this point. “What happened.” “We talked. Well, mostly she talked.” Spike sighed as he straightened his shades. “Discord, she’s beautiful. And, her voice! Never in my life could I have imagined things going so well for me.” Neither can I, Discord thought. “She’s an artist with fabric, she makes her own dresses!” Spike quickly saw that Discord was holding something back. “Hey, what’s up?” Discord didn’t want to disrupt Spike’s high, so he addressed something else. “I have a date after school with Fluttershy.” “Woah.” Spike sat up straight. “When were you gonna tell me this?” Discord shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m not even sure if it’s really a date. I just asked her if she wanted to get food after school at the cafe down the street.” “Bro,” Spike rubbed his eyes before pointing at Discord with his shades, “that’s called a date.” “Oh.” Discord remembered the excitement on his mother’s face this morning when he told her he was grabbing a bite with a filly. “Oh! Oh no. I don’t know if I’m ready for a full on date!” “Relax.” Spike pat Discord on the shoulder. “You got money for this date don’t you?” Discord nodded. “Then, you’re fine.” Spike put his shades back on and made himself as comfortable as was possible on a school bus seat. “Just make sure you pay for the whole thing and you’re good.” ***** Everyone scrambled after the bell rang. “And don’t forget, Econ is magic!” The fluid stream of students took their path of least resistance into the hallway. It was enough to catch Discord off guard. It was too late for him to grab anything or snap to stop the fall. As he hit the floor, the contents of his bag spilled under the stampeding feet of hungry students. Not physically hurt, he went through the process of scooting and crawling to retrieve everything. The last item he reached for to round up was his journal, which was under the foot of a dragon. Discord cursed in his mind when he saw who it was. “Oh, look. It’s the freak.” The dragon in the lettercolt jacket picked up the notebook and waved it in front of Discord. “You want it? Does the freak want his book?” “Give it back to ‘im.” Discord smiled at the sight of Big Mac approaching the dragon. The dragon frowned before his lips curled into a cruel smile. “Just a second, let me fix the cover.” Pulling out a marker, the dragon scribbled something on the cover before dropping it on Discord’s face. “You know, Big Mac, coach hasn’t been happy with you defending the weak. He might cut you from the team if you keep up the whole goody four shoes act.” Big Mac snorted in the dragon’s face. “If that’s how Iron Will coaches, then I want no part of it. If you are what he wants us to be, I’d rather quit.” He bit a hoofball patch and ripped it off his own jacket, spitting it at the dragon. “Fine then.” The dragon crumpled the patch up. “Kiss your scholarship goodbye.” He shoved Big Mac away and faded into the stream of traffic. Discord looked to Big Mac. He knew enough to understand the gist of what went down. “I’m sorry.” Big Mac shook his head. “Jerks.” He sighed. “It’s okay. I don’t belong with ‘em anyway.” “Then why’d you join the hoofball team?” Discord stood up with his notebook. Big Mac let out a sigh before he tried to disappear into the crowd like the dragon. “Stupid reasons.” Discord followed him. “Not for the scholarship, I take it.” “Hm-knope.” Big Mac sighed again. “For a filly.” Discord ran up in front of him. “I don’t think that’s stupid.” They eventually made their way to the cafeteria. “It’s a better reason than wanting to play sports with that dork.” Big Mac finally laughed. “See you around Discord.” “Yeah.” Discord almost let Big Mac go. “Hey, Big Mac. My friends and I are having a game night eventually. Would you like to join us?” Big Mac hummed before smiling as he walked away. “E-yup. Sounds good.” “Okay. I’ll keep you posted.” Discord took off his own way towards the lunch line. There was no sign of the dragon or the rest of his lettercolt posse. For that he was grateful. It was smooth sailing through the line. Discord managed to sneak a second chocolate milk onto his tray before dashing across the cafeteria to the usual spot. He saw Rainbow and Twilight, but Spike was missing. “Hey guys.” Discord noticed Fluttershy wasn’t there, either. A scowl stretched out Rainbow’s face. “Discord! What did you do to her?” “What? What did I do to who?” He recoiled a bit. Rainbow looked like she might attack. Rainbow lowered her voice. “Fluttershy, you dummy. She’s been acting weird lately. This morning she was all freaked out. Now tell me, what is going on?” Discord was afraid to answer as Rainbow flew up a little, over him. The fact that she did it so naturally kinda frightened him. “We- we’re just getting food after school. I didn’t do anything, I swear!” “Getting food?” Rainbow’s face deadpanned. “Oh.” She sat back down. “That explains a lot.” She glared at Twilight. “I swear to the Sisters, you better not pick up a boyfriend. Because, I refuse to be surrounded by this nonsense.” Twilight nodded as she pushed her taped up glasses back up. “I concur. But, at least there isn’t one of those terrible love triangles between our friends like you read in poorly written fiction.” Rainbow shuddered. “Don’t even let me think about it.” Discord rolled his eyes. “Hey, where’s Spike?” Twilight cocked a brow. “Where do you think?” Simultaneously, they all said, “Rarity.” Discord shook his head. “He couldn’t stop talking about her on the bus. It worries me a little.” “Why?” Twilight asked. “He’s riding a runaway balloon.” Discord explained. “And eventually, I think it’ll pop. I want them to make it, honestly. I just-. I don’t want him to get hurt. Like, if I ever hurt Fluttershy,” he eyed Rainbow, “I would want you to pummel me. I feel the same sort of responsibility with Spike. But, I wouldn’t go after Rarity. I would blame myself if anything happened to him. He’s my friend.” Rainbow stared at her food upon hearing that. “Discord, I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone talk like that.” “It sounds like you’re brothers.” Twilight added. “I’ve read excerpts from history that sound like that, but I don’t think people talk like that anymore.” Rainbow cracked a smile. “I guess a bit of Fluttershy has rubbed off on you.” Discord nodded to both of them. “You all are my friends. I think I don’t want to be quiet about it because you’re the first real friends I’ve had. And, I don’t want to lose any of you.” “That was beautiful.” Discord turned to find Fluttershy standing behind him. “Oh, hey.” Fluttershy sat next to Discord. “Hey.” Rainbow dived into her food. “Awkward.” Fluttershy looked at Discord’s tray, using a wing to pull out his journal from under it. “Oh, my. Who did this?” Discord finally looked at the lettercolt dragon’s handiwork from hearlier. Thinking it over, Discord was a little amused by the addition. “The Diary of Discord Wimp.” “Who did that?” Rainbow asked. “Who am I pummeling today?” “It’s fine.” Discord tucked his journal in his bag. “Big Mac already dealt with the dragon.” Rainbow deflated a little. “Of course he did. The guy’s always had a soft spot for the weaker guys. No offense.” “None taken.” Discord peeled open his chocolate milk and downed half of it. “I invited him to O&O, if that’s okay.” “Cool.” Rainbow chewed more of her food. “Twilight decided to be a stinker and not come.” “Can you chew with your mouth closed?” Twilight shook her head. “I’m just busy. There’s other stuff I’d like to concentrate my time on.” While this little conversation went on, Discord’s eyes wandered up to the balcony area. It didn’t take him long to find Spike sitting up there. It hurt Discord a little to see his friend up there. Spike had his arm around Rarity, and they were laughing. Smiling. Discord kept thinking, don’t fall, brother. ***** “Depart from your limited vocabulary. Learn new vocabulary. Expand the way you structure your sentences. First off, this is high school. Secondly, this is not writing. It’s literature!” Pathfinder flew a loop around the class before landing on his desk. “Avoid simple sentences. The day was hot. Or. The cat sat on the mat. Pathetic! Lazy. The day was sweltering. The feline laid to rest upon the carpet. These are simple changes, but do you see what they do? Words are everything. They build worlds and change meaning. Garble, give me an adjective!” The red dragon hunted for a word. “Uh, bodacious?” “Yes!” Pathfinder shouted. “What an amazing made up word. That triple backflip was bodacious. Now, that may be a made up word, but it sounds ten times better than,” he crossed his eyes and let his jaw go slack, “Uh, cool flip.” The class erupted into a quiet laughter. “Now, we come to the cardinal sin. Those of you who have had me, as a teacher before, know that I despise the word very.” Pathfinder scribbled the word on the board and drew a fat X over it. “Use words like extremely, or entirely. Drop the extra word completely if you must by jumping to the meat of the subject. The dragon prince was not very sick. He was writhing in agony.” He pointed around the room. “Emotion! That is your goal for your new poetry assignment.” The whole class groaned. “Now, now. I’m not asking for structure. It doesn’t have to rhyme.” Pathfinder wrote a word on the board. “Slam Poetry. We’re going more towards a level of unorthodox here, but I want you mainly to focus on the power of words. Try new things! These words we read, sound made up like Mister Garble’s word, bodacious. But, they are powerful. Learn them. Utilize them.” He sharply inhaled as he addressed another student, a pony. “Does that answer your question as to why there are a plethora of words in the poem, The Dragon Prince to the Dark Tower Came, Miss Sugar Belle?” Sugar Belle dropped her head on her desk. “Yes, sir.” “Good.” Pathfinder smiled to the rest of the class as the bell rang. “Finish the analysis of this poem at home. Slam poems due next week, and don’t forget to thank Sugar Bell for that on your way out.” Time froze for Discord as he watched all the other students leave the classroom. Surely there was more to stall for time but no. Aside from pathfinder, the class was empty. “Discord!” The draconequus jumped at Pathfinders exclamation across the room. “Discord.” Pathfinder pulled out a canvas pouch from his drawer. “I found some of my old dice, if you still wanted them. The white set gets a lot better rolls than the orange set, but maybe it’ll be different for you.” Discord nodded as he tried to get out of his chair. “Thank you.” He found that somehow he was glued to his seat, more so emotionally. “Discord?” Fluttershy stepped up to him. “Are you nervous?” Discord nodded. “Me too.” Fluttershy smiled to him. Discord felt his whole body relax upon hearing that from her. “Really?” Fluttershy nodded. “Okay.” Discord found the strength to leave his chair. He already felt weak enough without using magic, but around Fluttershy, he felt like even his physical muscles were giving up. Yet, there was enough energy for him to stand, by just seeing Fluttershy. ***** The walk to the cafe was quiet. They had settled on walking after Discord explained that his wings weren’t quite strong enough to fly. From then on, the only sounds were from the street, the last of the students, and the other pedestrians that moved on to their own destinations. The cafe soon came into view. Discord thought it was interesting how there was a gated exterior section with cast iron tables and chairs. “Inside or the patio?” Fluttershy smiled after observing the birds that hung around outside, picking up crumbs and other bits of food. “The patio looks like a nice spot, and the weather is nice too.” Discord held open the cafe door for Fluttershy. Looking up, he hunted through the menu items. It was only a little upsetting to him that they didn’t have chocolate milk to drink. Mentally, he slapped himself. That’s real mature, why don’t ask for a toy as well for your kid’s meal. “Hello,” the mare behind the cash register grumbled to herself as she smacked her gum, “welcome to the Songbird Cafe. How can I help you?” Discord looked for the cheapest menu item he could find. “Well, I’ll have the cucumber sandwich sampler.” The mare tapped that into the cash register. “Anything else?” “I’ll have the hay fries pile with ranch.” Fluttershy lowered her voice. “If that’s not too much trouble.” Discord was a little surprised. He swore he’d never heard her speak that loudly before. Compared to everyone else’s voice, it wasn’t an impressive volume. But, compared to her usual volume, it was significant. “Anything to drink?” The mare blew a bubble with her gum before popping it. Fluttershy nudged Discord. “Discord, have you ever had tea before?” “No, I haven’t, but I’m up for new things.” He looked at their prices. There was a low priced deal for the pot and two cups. Discord settled on that. “We’ll have the two cup and pot special.” The mare tapped it in. “What flavor?” Discord looked to Fluttershy. “Any suggestions?” It didn’t take her long to settle on a choice. “Chamomile, please. And, thank you.” Discord did the math in his head. Remembering what Spike had said to him, he readied his bits. He smiled, confident that his ten bits were enough for everything as he offered it all to the mare who was now ringing up their order. The mare counted his bits. “That’s thirteen bits, son.” Discord felt his confidence slide off a figurative cliff, crash, and burn. “But, the food was six, and the tea was four.” The mare rolled her eyes. “It’s called taxes, kid.” Now he was panicking. Taxes! Discord swore in his mind that it was a plot, he even thought, conspiracy! His head was beginning to spin as he looked at the receipt the mare flashed at him and the bits on the counter. It seemed to be all over for him now. The conclusion closed in that Fluttershy would never talk to him again and he would end up as a lonely homeless vagrant, begging for a fortuned to get a second chance with Fluttershy. “Discord you dropped, these.” Fluttershy pushed three paper bits across the counter. Discord felt his heart leap into his mouth as the mare handed him his receipt and a plastic tent with a number. He barely registered the mare’s voice telling him to take a seat and wait for his food. Fluttershy pulled him towards the patio. “We better hurry, before all the seats outside are taken.” Discord managed to break free from his stupor as he nodded in agreement. He found a table at the end of the patio which was around a corner. It was more private, but it maintained an open view of the sky. “Here.” Discord fought his clumsy arms as he pulled out a chair for Fluttershy. He felt better as he pushed her in her chair up to the table. That momentary ascension slipped as he missed his own chair and fell to the ground. “Discord! Are you okay?” Fluttershy looked around the table. Discord shot his paw into the air with a thumb up. “I’m okay.” He forced back his groans as he climbed into his chair. “Pesky things like to walk off, don’t they?” Mounted in his chair, he forced his best smile, despite the pain that shot through his tail. He hoped nothing was broken. Fluttershy frowned. “Discord. Please tell me if you’re okay.” “Why wouldn’t I- you know I just- I-,” he gave up, “h- no.” Covering his face, Discord rested on the edge of the table, hiding from Fluttershy’s eyes. “I feel like I’m messing everything up. I didn’t even have enough money to pay for the whole meal, because I’m broke and mowing lawns hasn’t exactly been good since I’m an eyesore. I can’t believe someone like you is even talking to me, let alone getting food with me. I’ve been worried about whether this was an actual date or not. Ah! And, now I’ve been talking too long…” I can do it, he thought, I could just disappear. To his surprise, he heard giggling, no, laughter. Fluttershy was laughing quietly. “What’s so funny?” “I’m happy.” Fluttershy wiped her eyes. “I’m happy to know I’m not the only one that’s been worried. I feel so bad for bothering Rainbow all morning about this. I thought it was the end of the world.” Discord looked up and fell into his own laughter alongside Fluttershy’s. “I guess if we just talked, we could have avoided all our troubles.” “Hm. Yes.” Fluttershy gained control of her laughter. “So, is it a date?” Discord tried to read her eyes, her face. He couldn’t tell anything apart. Why are you so kind? “I don’t really know. Do you want it to be?” “Oh, well uh-.” Fluttershy hid behind her mane a bit before responding. “Do you promise you won’t be upset by what I want.” “I promise.” Discord quickly answered. He came to the edge of his seat, eager to hear her answer.” Fluttershy closed her eyes, taking several deep breaths before finally blurting out, “I want it to be a date.” A comfortable and numb feeling swept over Discord. Reaching forward he rested his paw, face up, before Fluttershy. “Then, it’s a date.” Fluttershy opened her eyes. “Really?” She looked down and gently placed a hoof in Discord’s paw. “You mean it?” Discord smiled. “Promise.” Author's Note In the Hall of the Mountain King“...is that they don’t need any rules.” -Gary “You’ve made it. You’ve come this far. Before you is the entrance to a massive tunnel. It’s walls are wet from the cold inside. It’s ceiling disappears in the darkness. The edges of the wall are only dimly lit now as the light of your torches can only reach so far. A foul odor reaches your noses. There are bodies piled up on the walls.” “Gross.” Rainbow winced. Discord looked at Big Mac. “What do you think? Others that came before us?” “E-yup.” Big Mac looked it all over. His nose flared up. “There is evil here.” Rainbow groaned. “That’s nice. But what about the gold?” “Quiet, thief.” Big Mac checked the surrounding area. “The Mountain King may be here.” “I doubt it.” Rainbow pointed deeper into the tunnel. “Let’s just sneak in, grab the gold, and get out.” Big Mac shook his head. “What about the princess.” “He’s right.” Discord weighed all their options. “We have to be weary of the King. And, odds are, we won’t find the gold without the princess. Plus, remember all the gold we were promised if we did find the princess. That’s even more gold, isn’t it?” Rainbow hummed. “You’re trying to appeal to my love of riches, and it’s working. Fine. We’ll find the princess, but we won’t find her just standing around here all night.” “Agreed. Let us move on.” Discord nodded to Big Mac and Rainbow to move ahead. “Moving ahead, you can see the tunnel opens up into a great hall. Large pillars of jade and gold support massive archways that hold up the stone ceiling. You can see, ahead of you, a small light glows over a throne of marble and silver. The closer you get, you can tell the light is emanating from a large ruby mounted above the throne.” Rainbow smiled. “Mine. I want it. I want it!” “Wait.” Discord stopped Rainbow. “It could be a trap.” Big Mac nodded. “E-yup.” Discord moved in. “I’ll inspect it, I might know enough to guess what it is.” “As you inspect the ruby, you can feel that it’s giving off a mysterious aura.” Discord frowned at that. “Sorry, time out. Really?! A mysterious aura? What is that supposed to mean, Spike?” Spike peered over his binder which shielded his notes from the game board that was covered in paper miniatures. “It’s a mysterious aura. What did you expect? You don’t have proficiency in knowledge of the arcana, and your roll was an eight.” “Fine, fine. Time in.” Discord took in a deep breath before speaking. “Frye, I wouldn’t mess with this gem.” “Awe.” Rainbow cried. “I thought you were Captain Wuzz, not Captain Killjoy.” Discord gestured to the miniature of the throne. “Frye, it could be cursed. Remember the tavern incident with the bartender’s family heirloom.” Rainbow sheepishly laughed to Big Mac. “Yeah, sorry McBiggun.” Big Mac laughed a little. “Thieves will be thieves.” “Wow, I really feel targeted over here.” Rainbow gestured to herself. “Let’s not forget who got past all the guards so we didn’t have to kill everyone for a key.” Spike faked a gasp. “You hear something, something is coming. You can hear the crashing sounds of footsteps. Ba-boom. Ba-boom.” Discord motioned to Rainbow and Big Mac. “Get ready for anything.” Rainbow rolled a twenty sided die. “I’ll stealth.” Spike looked over his binder at the die. “You successfully sneak into the shadows, unseen.” Big Mac pushed his piece over to Discord’s. “I cast aid on Captain Wuzz.” Spike reached into a cardboard box and fished for an object. “The light of fire spills into the great hall.” He pulled out a dinosaur toy with paper wings taped to its back. “A giant diseased dragon with glowing eyes faces you all. His deep voice booms. So, you have come for my gold and my princess?” Discord put up his paw and claws. “Now, now. I’m sure there’s a way we can work this ou-.” “I use sneak attack…” Rainbow rolled her die again. “Yes! Natural twenty! Double damage dice, sucker.” “Frye!” Discord grabbed his ears. “Oh, no.” Big Mac mumbled as he flipped through the pages on his clipboard. Spike laughed a little as he said, “Roll for initiative, everyone.” “We’re gonna die. We’re gonna die!” Discord rolled his die. “Seventeen on the die.” “Eight.” Big Mac said. Rainbow rolled her initiative. “Thirteen.” “The dragon rolled a ten.” Spike eyed Discord. “Captain Wuzz, the dragon snarls in fury as he yanks out Frye’s throwing stars. What do you do?” “I use my bow.” Discord rolled his attack. “Sixteen! Fourteen damage.” “That hits!” Spike marked the paper behind his binder. “He lets out a roar as the arrow hits him right in the shoulder.” Discord rolled again. “I use my extra attack and take cover behind a pillar. Eighteen, and twelve more damage.” He moved his character piece behind a bottle cap that represented a pillar. Spike hummed. “The dragon makes an attack of opportunity on you as you take cover.” He picked up a set of dice and rolled them into a box. “Ooh. The dragon just reaches you, dragging his sharp claws along your back for eighteen points of damage.” Rainbow’s jaw dropped. “Woah, that’s a lot of damage.” “We’re gonna die…” Discord tallied up the numbers and groaned at his remaining hit points. Spike looked to rainbow. “It’s your turn frye.” Rainbow stared at the dragon on the board. “This can’t be right, he’s way too powerful.” She reluctantly rolled her dice. “Seventeen? I, uh, use my leg crossbow. It’ll be eight damage if it hits.” Spike shook his head. “The dragon looks at you after your arrow bounces from his face. It’s now his turn.” Rainbow leaned back in her seat. “We are going to die.” Spike rolled his dice. “He attacks you, Frye.” “Gah!” Rainbow looked through her paper. “Wait! I use uncanny dodge!” “As you jump out of the way, the dragon’s fist comes down right next to you, cracking the stone floor and sending debis your way. You take half damage. Twelve.” Spike motioned to Big Mac. “McBiggun, your move.” Big Mac rolled his dice. “Nineteen and Sixteen.” Spike nodded. “Both hit.” Big Mac smiled at the results of his dice. “Twenty eight damage. Total.” “The dragon wails as you slice, left and right, at his leg.” Spike marked that down. “Captain Wuzz.” Discord didn’t like it. The dragon was too powerful. He knew there had to be a way around all this. “I use perception to look at the ruby! Eighteen. Is it doing anything?” “Yes,” Spike shined a flashlight over the toy chair that was the throne, “you can see the ruby radiates light as the dragon gets close to it.” “Fry, the ruby! Destroy it!” Discord had a hunch, he just hoped he was right. Rainbow grumbled. “I don’t know if I’m strong enough to break it. Uh, I attempt to pull the ruby out of the throne.” “It looks like it won’t budge,” Spike smiled, “but you manage to free it from its place above the throne.” “I hope this works.” Rainbow pointed at Big Mac. “I use my cunning action to dash over to McBiggun, screaming destroy it!” Spike pulled out a red marble and moved Rainbow’s piece over to Big Mac’s. “As you run across to McBiggun, the dragon makes an opportunity attack on you.” He rolled his dice, and his eyes grew. “Woah. That will be forty two damage as he spews a pillar of fire at you.” Rainbow looked at Big Mac. “Six hit points left.” Big Mac cracked his neck as he rolled. “Divine favor. And, level two divine smites for both attacks. Fifty three damage.” “Can he do that?” Rainbow stared at the pile of dice that was laid down. Spike nodded as he looked at Big Mac’s dice. “Your first swipe at the ruby cracks it. And as you swing your longsword down upon it, it shatters, spilling light everywhere! The dragon squirms as the light transforms him. He’s getting smaller. His face, it’s turned to a pony’s. You can see, it’s the King of Gygaxia.” “What?!” Discord shouted. “No way!” Rainbow got up and paced the room. “He was supposed to be dead!” Big Mac shook his head. “Hm-nope.” Spike cleared his throat and changed his pitch. “Father! Father! Princess Belle Breeze flies in from deep within the hall. She clings to her father and looks at you all. You’ve saved him, you’ve broken the Queen’s curse.” Discord grabbed his ears. “What? The Queen did this to him?” “Yes, she wanted us out of the picture so she could take over the kingdom.” "The plot thickens.” Rainbow nodded. “What did I say, boys? I knew something was off from the beginning.” Spike frowned as he looked at the clock on the wall. “Woah. It’s getting late.” “Yeah,” Discord stretched out his back, “how long have we been playing?” Big Mac looked at the clock. “Eight hours.” Rainbow yawned as she joined Discord in stretching. “Wow, I guess time flies when you’re having fun. And Spike, I’m really loving this campaign you got going. What about you, Big Mac? You liking it?” “E-yup.” Big Mac nodded. “Especially once it grew on me. It’s been a while since I had this much fun. I can’t wait for more. But for now, it is getting late, and there’s some chores I need to get done tomorrow.” “Alright everyone. See you all next week.” Spike started packing up his dice and his binder. Rainbow and Big Mac made their respective exits while Discord helped Spike pack everything up. “You’ve got an awesome campaign by the way. You really blew my mind with the whole reveal about the Queen.” “Thanks.” Spike shrugged. “And, I suppose I should be thanking your mom for letting us use the basement.” “Yeah. Aside from the washing machine and dryer, we don’t have much storage.” Discord looked at Spike. Something was up. “You still staying over tonight?” “Yeah.” Spike bluntly stated. “What’s wrong?” Discord pressed on. “If there’s something wrong you can tell me.” Spike became sluggish as he puttered around, not really cleaning up anything anymore. “My dad asked Donna to marry him.” “Oh.” Discord could feel the cut from those words as they left Spike’s mouth. “I’m sorry about that. Who knows, maybe things will get better if they get married. And besides, you have Rarity, so things are looking up. Right?” “Yeah.” Spike rubbed his arm as he stared around the garage. “I just kinda liked the idea of this miracle, where my dad and your mom somehow got together, we’d be brothers, and-. I know, it’s stupid.” “Hey.” Discord grabbed Spike’s shoulder. “As far as I’m concerned, we are brothers.” He could see a distant look that was growing in Spike’s eyes. “Believe me.” Spike shrugged. “Yeah. And like you said, I’ve got Rarity.” Discord felt his insides hurt at that. “So when are you gonna pop the question? You’ve only been on fifty million dates.” “Hey now.” A smile came back to Spike. “It’s not my fault I’m so good at mowing lawns. The bits just rain into my wallet. What about you? Going out with Fluttershy again?” “Yeah, but I got to find a cheap date. As long as I’m in the wealth desert, I’m not exactly gonna be able to spend big money on dates.” “Maybe mowing lawns isn’t your best option for work.” Spike thought. “You’re old enough. Maybe you could apply for a job at the mall.” Discord pondered on that. The idea had never actually occurred to him. It would certainly be more profitable since an hourly wage would guarantee steady payment that didn’t rely on the number of lawns he mowed. “I’ll have to look into that.” They both finished packing everything up and made their way upstairs. Before going all the way up, though, Discord looked at the game table which was lit by a single light that hung from above. He smiled at the memory, the adventure. A longing for it all made him dread heading back upstairs. There was more room in the garage. There was room enough for a couch, a coffee table, and even a spot with a plug where a radio and sound system could plug into. Discord imagined all of the things this basement could become. He imagined the adventures he could share with his friends around the game table. It was all so promising. Discord sighed with a smile as he shut off the light and ascended the stairs, the adventure of the day still fresh on his mind. Author's Note Rain Is Falling“The most I can do for my friend…” -Henry The sirens blurbed out a momentary cry before the police parked outside Discord’s home. Old memories from the first incident and been reawakened for both the draconequus and Redheart. Discord lingered in his room until his mother called him to the door. The two unicorns standing there asked him questions faster than he could register. The only sound that made sense was a name. Spike. What about Spike? The flashing red and blue lights outside found their way to Discord as he shook where he stood. “What about Spike?!” “We were hoping you knew if he said anything that seemed out of the ordinary.” “Did he ever say he was going anywhere?” “What do you know about his caregivers?” “Has he ever talked about hurting himself in any way?” “No, he wouldn’t do that.” Discord shook his head. “Where is he?” “He’s missing.” “Do you know any of his other friends that we could talk to?” “I’m his friend.” Discord could feel his head spinning like the lights on the cop cars. “I’m…” Thus, it all began. The search for Spike the dragon had made it across the neighborhood. Discord even heard the search interrupt the local radio station’s broadcast. Police searched the school, the mall, and the homes of everyone who admitted to being Spike’s friend. Redheart had invited Andee and Donna over along with Rainbow, Twilight, Big Mac, and their parents as well. A bizarre therapy circle formed around Andee as everyone wrangled his thoughts and outbursts through their thoughts and words of comforts. Donna said nothing. Discord tried to hide his scowl from the griffon. He believed all this was because of her. Spike’s words about Donna, wanting to get rid of him, started to poison his heart with rage. “She did something,” he whispered, “I know she did.” Rainbow and Big Mac held Discord back in a separate cluster away from all their parents. Twilight got in his face. “How do you know that? You can make accusations like that just because you and Spike both hate her.” “E-yup.” Big Mac pat Discord on the back. “They’ll find him.” “What if something happens to him? What if it’s too late?” Discord growled at his buzzing collar. “Now sonny, you can’t worry about things like that.” Discord hated hearing that from Bright Mac, Big Mac’s father. “I can’t stand it. I can’t stand waiting here while the police waste their time asking questions and not looking for him.” Bright Mac nodded. “I understand, but their asking questions so they can find him faster. They’re just trying to figure out where he might have got to. Just you wait, they’ll find him.” It was sickening to Discord how sincere Big Mac’s Parents were. He watched as Bright mac returned to his wife who had Applejack with her. The circle was peculiar. Of all the people to be talking to Andee, it was Twilight’s parents who gave the most consolation of all. They seemed to know something the other parents didn’t, as if they had been through this before. Discord abandoned that notion as he figured that Twilight would never run away. And as for the rest of their parents, Rainbow’s parents would make intermidden small talk with Big Mac’s parents. Occasionally they’d add to the council Twilight’s parents gave. Redheart was distant to it all. Discord could see there was a strange gratitude in her every time he made eye contact with her. He supposed she was glad that he wasn’t the one missing. At the same time, Redheart was worried almost as much as Andee. She just didn’t vocalize it. Discord noticed a moment that transpired between Redheart, Andee, and Donna. Redheart had offered a glass of water to Andee. He declined the offer as he violently wiped tears from his eyes. And as Redheart looked to Donna, Discord swore up and down that the griffon was actually grinning like she had somehow won. It sickened Discord. His paw twitched as he rubbed his digits close together. Twilight’s eyes grew as she physically swat Discord’s paw with her hoof. “What are you doing?” “She did it.” Discord muttered. “Look at her. She finally got rid of Spike. She’s smiling about it. That dirty, rotten…” His words deteriorated under his breath hissing across his teeth. He ignored the buzzing collar. Rainbow grabbed Discord’s arm. “No, stop it. Snapping her away isn’t going to fix anything.” “Leave me alone.” Discord ripped his arm from Rainbow, readying a snap. “Discord.” Discord froze. He felt his anger deflate at the sound of that voice. “Fluttershy?” “Rainbow called me and told me what happened. I came as soon as I could from the animal shelter.” Fluttershy wasted no time in embracing Discord. “I’m so sorry to hear about Spike.” In a flash, a blink of an eye, Discord’s snap ready paw went limp as the floodgates to his emotions opened. He buried his face in Fluttershy’s hair as he returned her embrace. Making no effort to hide his tears or cries, he just held on for dear life as he listened to Fluttershy whispering words of comfort. “He’s my friend,” his breaths barely formed loosely coherent words, “my brother. He’s my brother.” Rainbow couldn’t hide the mist in her eyes as she rested a hoof on Discord’s side. She was brave enough to do that. Twilight followed up by pressing in alongside Fluttershy. “Discord.” Redheart joined in as well, eyes dripping. “There, there.” She brushed her son’s mane as she held onto the growing bundle. A set of claws found their way to Discord’s shoulder. Opening his eyes, he saw it was Andee. “I’m sorry.” “No.” Fluttershy and Redheart parted as Andee wrapped his arms around Discord. “You have nothing to be sorry for. You’re his friend. And, I can never thank you enough for being that to him. Thank you.” ***** Time had passed. Dark came. Then dawn came. The two officers that remained at the house kept everyone posted on the progress the police had made, which wasn’t much. Rumors floated back and forth between the two cops. Discord listened to what they were saying as he sat on the couch next to a passed out Fluttershy. The cops certainly didn’t have anything positive to say. He felt worse and worse as the cops went on about other missing kids cases that had ended with either a mystery or a crime scene. A weight rested on Discord’s shoulder. “Hey.” While he was grateful for Fluttershy’s distraction from the situation, Discord couldn’t help but feel like there were more pressing matters, like finding Spike. “Morning.” “Oh my, has it really been that long? I must have,” she looked at the blanket draped around her, “oh, well I guess I did fall asleep with you.” She hid her face a little after saying that. “Sorry, that sounded better in my head.” Discord felt his body tense up as he caught on to what she said. “Oh. No. Nothing happened. I just felt bad for leaving you alone. So I-.” Fluttershy brushed the side of Discord’s head. “Wait, did you sleep?” “No.” Discord admitted. “I can’t. I keep feeling like if I fall asleep, they’ll never find him.” Fluttershy hummed a sigh before pressing closer. “You really care about your friends, don’t you.” Discord nodded. “Why shouldn’t I? I think I should. And Spike, he deserves the best I can give him. He deserves better. He deserves a real brother.” “You don’t have to be brothers to be family. Friends are also family.” Fluttershy placed her hoof over Discord’s heart. “I think you both were already brothers. You just didn’t know it.” Discord rubbed his cheek against her head, eliciting a soft hum. “Thank you, Fluttershy.” Redheart walked up with a tray on her back. “Hi there.” “Hey mom. You met Fluttershy, didn’t you.” Discord picked up the tray that held two plates of waffles “Briefly.” Redheart sighed. “I’m sorry it wasn’t under better circumstances. But, it was nice to finally meet you dear. I mean, Discord has said much about you.” “Mom.” Discord grumbled to himself. Fluttershy giggled at Discord’s discomfort. “Really?” “Oh yeah,” Redheart sat next to Fluttershy, “I remember how nervous he was about asking you out.” This was it. Discord accepted his fate as his mother started spilling information to her. I’m actually dead. He endured the small talk until it ended, thanking whatever force it was that prevented his mother from bringing up baby photos. Eventually, Redheart took off to pass out waffles to everyone else. Fluttershy hummed as she ate some of the waffles in front of her. “I like your mom, she’s nice.” “I’m lucky to have her.” Discord meant that. Digging in to his own waffles, he thought about saying the same thing to Fluttershy, but he wasn’t sure if they were far enough that he could say anything like that to her. Picking up a whole waffle, Discord bit into it. “Hm.” It was still fresh and crisp enough that it stayed together. Fluttershy laughed at the display. “Hm?” Discord tried to talk past the waffle. “Fwhat? I w-like f-waffles.” He was amazed that the waffle didn’t fall apart as he laughed. To his further amazement, Fluttershy bit onto the other end, laughing as well. They both stayed like that for a bit. It gave Discord the opportunity to look, really look, at Fluttershy’s eyes. It really intimidated him at first as he felt like his soul would fall out into them. Gradually though, he began to trust her eyes. There was a hope behind them that drew him in. Discord bit further into the waffle. Fluttershy smiled, biting more into her end. It made Discord’s heart jump from his chest as he continued getting closer, staring into Fluttershy’s eyes as he went. Their muzzles inched closer, slowly. Discord’s ears fluttered as he heard something. Something clicked and clacked in the house. He reluctantly tore off his piece of the waffle to look. He could tell the sound was coming from his room. “Disc-,” Fluttershy chewed her waffle before swallowing it. “What’s wrong?” “Stay here, please.” Standing up, he slowly made his way across the room and down the hall. The sound he heard from just a moment ago had escalated into a panicked mess before disappearing altogether. Reaching for the door, Discord heard a new sound, static. He pushed the door open. Scanning the room, Discord could see dirt and black scuff marks on the ground. The window was open, the morning breeze blowing past the curtains. On the desk, Discord’s EC radio was buzzing with sound. “Spike?” Keeping his voice low and his steps light, Discord crept into the room with open ears and open eyes. “Is that you?” His attention quickly turned to the radio. Someone had switched it on. But who? Discord picked up the mic and held down the button. “Hello? Over.” Through the static he could hear a voice. It was a sort of whimper. “Hn. Mo- ter. So- ry.” Discord recognized it. “Spike! This is Discord. Pick up! Pick up! Over!” There was no response. The muffled whimpers simply continued in their long strain until a set of syllables came through that were understandable. “J-il. Oth- kle. Rarity. Fo- nr. Co- lan.” “Rarity?” Discord ran to the window and looked outside. There was nothing. “Rarity. She must know something.” Shutting the window, Discord walked back into the hall. Rainbow was there, just getting out of the restroom. “Rainbow.” She squinted at Discord. “W-what? Food, first.” “Rainbow!” Discord hushed his voice as he shook the pegasus. “I think I know how to find Spike.” Rainbow blinked until she was awake and sober. “What? Then tell the cops.” “No. I think Spike ran off somewhere. If he’s run away, he might just keep running from the cops.” He gestured to his room. “I need you here on the radio to listen for him. I think he has his with him. When I find him, I’ll contact you through his radio. Got it?” Rainbow saluted. “I won’t let you down.” Discord returned the salute as he made his way into the kitchen. Andee was working the electric waffle maker with Redheart. Across the room was the phone with the phone book sitting on the counter below. Loosening up, Discord calmly strode across the kitchen. It didn’t take long for him to find the phone number and address that Spike had circled when he called her from here once. Discord recognized the street from his lawn mowing route. “Gotcha.” “Discord?” He sped over to Fluttershy before she could get him noticed. “Hey, Fluttershy. I need you to do me a huge favor.” Fluttershy tightened the blanket around her. “What is it?” “I might be able to find out what happened to Spike.” He whispered to her. “I need you to cover for me. If anyone asks where I am. Tell them I’m in the basement. Please, I need you to trust me on this.” Fluttershy reached for Discord’s face and planted a gentle kiss on his cheek. “Promise you’ll come back.” Discord brushed her face and pulled the blanket tight again around her. “Promise.” “Okay.” Fluttershy walked off back to the couch. “Promise.” Discord kept the word on his lips as he made his way into the basement, locking the door behind him. “Okay now. Rarity’s street.” He pictured it in his mind. “It would be so much easier if I could just open a zipper straight to the street.” Thinking about it, he figured, why not? After his snap, a large metal zipper appeared in the air. “It can’t be that easy.” Unzipping the zipper, Discord marveled at the street on the other side as he stretched out the opening. His collar was buzzing like crazy, but his didn’t care. It was better than passing through a hellscape. Once on the other side, Discord followed the numbers on the houses until he found Rarity’s. It was the richer end of the block, and all the homes were uniform with little differences between them. That’s why it took the draconequus a hot minute to find the right home. At last, he found the right door and knocked on it. “We told them everything offic-.” The white unicorn stallion who opened the door scratched his brown mane in confusion. “Hold up, you’re not one of the investigators. Who are you?” “I’m a friend of Spike’s.” Discord took a deep breath, reassuring himself that he could do this. “I just came to check up on Rarity. I think you know about them. Right?” “Oh.” The Stallion opened the door all the way. “Yeah. Rarity and Spike are good friends. Thick as thieves, you might say. It’s a shame he’s gone missing. She’s been all torn up about it. But, maybe seeing a friend of Spike’s could cheer her up. Come on in.” Discord though he had stepped into a version of Spike’s house from a parallel universe. It had the same sterile feeling, except, it was a decent home. It didn’t feel like you were going to suffocate. Everything was warm and bright. It was definitely a contrast to the museum of a home that Spike lived in. “Here. Do you think you could take some oatmeal up to Rarity. She hasn’t eaten at all since we heard about Spike.” The stallion passed the tray to Discord with his magic. “Up the stairs to the right.” Discord watched as the stallion went to work cleaning a mess of dishes that had piled up like a mountain in the sink. Discord found it odd that he just let him in. Then again, the stallion was huge, especially for a unicorn. He could definitely handle himself. With tray in hand, Discord climbed up the steps and faced a violet door with Rarity’s name spelled out in plastic gems. He knocked. “Rarity? It’s Discord, one of Spike’s friends.” There was a fumble on the other side before the door was yanked open. “Discord?” Discord couldn’t help but notice the tear stains that streaked down the white fur of her cheeks. She’d been crying. “I’m sorry if I’m imposing. But, your dad said you should eat.” He held the tray out, not knowing what to expect. “Thank you.” Rarity wiped her face off and levitated the tray with her magic to her bedside. “Spike has told me so much about you. He always said you were his dearest friend.” “Friend.” Discord looked around as he talked, searching for any clues that could lead him to Spike. “I thought you were Spike’s dearest friend.” “Well, we were dating.” She pushed a heart shaped chocolate box out of the way so she could set the tray down. Discord could see more boxes, and cards from Spike. “Funny, because your dad specifically used the word friend. Friends as thick as thieves, that’s what he said.” Rarity nervously laughed. “That’s my dad for you. He doesn’t really like that I’ve been dating a dragon.” Everything that came out of Rarity’s mouth stank to the high heavens for Discord. “What about the police. Did you tell them you were dating? There’s some at my house now. I wonder if they could tell me.” A magazine caught his eye. Rarity stomped a hoof on the floor. “How uncouth of you to imply that I lied to the police. W-what are you doing?” Discord picked up the magazine which displayed a flashy unicorn in a dress pressed up against the side of a dragon in a suit. The title of the issue read, My Life With a Dragon. The magazine crumpled in Discord’s paw. His breaths hissed across his teeth as he felt his collar buzzing nonstop. “What is this?” “N-nothing. Just some old reading material.” Discord pointed the magazine at Rarity. “He saw this didn’t he? Is-,” his whole body trembled, “is he a game to you?! Was he just another toy? Why?! You didn’t love him. You never did.” Rarity backed away. “No, it didn’t mean-.” “He was just another fad to you! How could you?! You didn’t think his emotions mattered?” Discord tightened his grip on the magazine until magic began to spill from his palm. “I guess anything is fine if it’s popular!” The magazine exploded into thousands of paper scraps that fluttered to the floor as Discord teleported out of Rarity’s room. ***** It was at the spork ranch that Discord teleported. Falling to his knees, he beat the ground as he cursed about Donna, and Rarity. “You good for nothing fiends. Monsters!” Discord beat the ground until he fell over from his arms getting too weak to hold him up. “Spike.” He listened to the breeze that blew the tall grass around him. “Come back.” A whimpering on the wind caught his attention, and he recognized it. It was the same sound from the radio, only quieter. “Spike?” Discord rolled over and looked for the direction of the sound. His eyes stopped at the shack which had a light flickering inside. “Spike!” Discord ran to the shack and whipped the door open. “Spike, oh my.” He knelt over Spike who was shivering uncontrollably under a ratty blanket. Looking around, he found his radio by an open window. The window had the same black scuff marks as in his room. The mic on the radio had been taped so it stayed on. Spike’s radio was broadcasting, but couldn’t be reached. “Hang in there. I’m gonna get you warmed up.” He snapped the blanket around Spike into a better one before pulling him outside where he snapped a blazing fire pit into existence. “Rarity.” Spike mumbled. Discord rubbed the dragon’s limbs, trying to bring warmth back into him near the fire. “What about her?” Spike’s face contorted as fresh hot tears rolled out of his eyes. “She lied. She doesn’t love me.” Discord made more blankets appear and wrapped them around Spike. “It’s gonna be okay, Spike.” “No.” Spike shook his head. “Donna’s gonna send me away. There’s nothing left. There’s nothing left!” “Shut up!” Discord shook Spike. “You have so much left. You have us, your friends. You have me. We are brothers, Spike. Don't you dare forget it! I’m not going to let anything bad happen to you. I’m not going to let anyone hurt you. Spike, I love you. You are my brother.” He held onto Spike like his life depended on it. “It’s all going to be okay. It’s all going to be okay.” Discord almost didn’t believe it. He didn’t sincerely believe everything would just suddenly be fine. No, he believed it would take a miracle. But, that was a problem for the future. Now, Discord just held on to Spike as he warmed up. He couldn’t rest, though. Under the sound of the crackling fire, Discord heard someone watching. He couldn’t let his guard down. Not now. He refused to give up his brother after he’d just found him. On top of that, dark clouds were gathering on the horizon. Discord could hear it in the distance, the rain. Author's Note Evil Woman“There is no fowler fiend…” -Homer The rain came down. Front lawns had flooded over from the downpour, turning the sidewalks into waterfall fixtures that led the water into the gutters. On each side of the street was a growing stream that threatened to become a river and flood the street. Rain gutters almost burst at the seams as their drains shot water out like a fire hose. Windows and doors remained shut as the neighborhood residents took shelter inside their safe, warm, and dry homes. Only a lunatic would be caught outside in this sort of weather. Discord cursed at whatever pegasus decided today was the day for the ocean to be dumped on Ponyville. After losing seven conjured umbrellas to the rain, he finally snapped a pair of diving suits onto him and Spike. The suits were heavy, but they were dry and warm. Spike was still weak from being so cold. Discord managed to snap a dolly into existence to lay Spike on. It was a bit terrifying to Discord as he felt his body get weak as well. His magic was affecting him somehow. He blamed it on teleporting twice in one day. Complaining wouldn’t help, so Discord made do without his magic. Visibility had all but been cut off by a dense fog that had followed the downpour. It only made things more difficult for Discord as he tried to navigate a neighborhood he still wasn’t quite familiar with. Minutes became hours, or at least they were perceived that way. As every passing house looked more and more the same, so too did the street names. “Help!” Discord opened the porthole of his diving helmet. “Anybody!” A flash of yellow and pink sent him off running. “Fluttershy! Wait!” He followed the blur of colors, going into a full sprint while towing Spike in the wagon. “Flutte-.” Discord pushed his body onwards around the next corner. To his astonishment, he saw Spike’s house, with the door open. Without wasting a second, Discord endured through his final struggle before falling into the house with Spike, forcing the door closed against the rain. “We made it.” He snapped the diving suits and wagon away. “I never tho-.” Spike coughed up mucus and a little fire. “I never thought I’d be happy to be back here.” The dragon smiled at Discord, ultimately erupting into laughter with him. Discord swung Spike’s radio around and tuned into the station of his. “Rainbow Dash, I found him. Tell my mom and Andee we’re at Spike’s house.” It was only a few seconds before the radio flickered with its response. “Discord! Where was he? What happened?” “I’ll tell you later. Just tell my mom and Andee to get over here.” Discord sighed, relieved that Rainbow was still listening. He admired her loyalty. “Oh, and tell Fluttershy, we’re both okay.” Switching off the radio, he dropped it on the floor. For a while Discord just watched Spike, snapping up a blanket and a hot cup of soup for him. Discord made sure he ate it, even if he complained about the funny taste. He didn’t care so long as Spike warmed up. His eyes were getting tired from watching, but he was determined to see Spike look better before he even considered going to sleep. A rapping at the door woke him up before the entrance to Spike’s home swung open, letting in wind and rain. Through it all, a soaking Redheart lunged in. “Boys!” Discord let his laughter fall out as his mother smothered him. He didn’t care. He was glad to see here. “I’m fine. Check Spike.” Redheart was on Spike in an instant, checking him for injuries. “He’s got a fever. It looks like he’ll be okay. But, we need to get him to a hospital to make su-.” Discord flinched at the slamming door and clicking talons from inside the house. “Uh oh.” Donna came storming in from down the hall. “There you are! You good for nothing welp! You know how much trouble you created for me?” “Back off, Donna.” Redheart stood her ground between Spike and Donna. “What’s wrong with you?” “What’s wrong with me? Are you serious?” Donna pointed at Discord. “What’s wrong with your freak of a son. This is all his fault for making Spike run away.” “You witch.” Discord hissed. “You don’t deserve Spike as a son.” He stood up and was surprised to be swat in the face by Donna’s claws, sending him to the ground. Redheart pulled Discord next to Spike and stood in front of them both. “How dare you hurt my son! I have every right to buck your face in!” “Oh please. You’re so pathetic. You’re just a lame excuse for a mother stuck with a freak of a child.” Donna glared at Spike. “And as for you! I’ll deal with you, but not for much longer. I’ll be rid of you when I ship you off to boarding school.” The front door creaked, announcing another arrival. Discord had seen heartbreak before. It was dreadful as he first saw it on his friend and brother. He didn’t think he could see anything worse than that. That was until he saw the broken look on Andee’s face as he stepped through the front door. There was an audible struggle in Andee’s breath as he stepped closer. “Donna? What?” Donna began to stutter, looking for excuses that didn’t exist. “This isn’t what it seems like, Andesite. You’ve got to calm yourself before-.” “Calm?!” Andee cut her off. “I’m insane. I am out of my mind. I must be.” Donna cowered before the dragon as he approached her. “Dear, I don’t under-.” Andee cut in again. “Understand? Let me make it crystal clear. I must be insane for even thinking I could ever trust you. Obviously I wasn’t thinking. I must be out of my mind for ever thinking you could love my son! Family! I should have seen this coming. You never talk about family. It’s always you, you, YOU! There is no family for you! It’s just little old selfish Donna! You don’t care about family!” Smoke billowed from his nostrils. “You don’t care about my son. He’s my life. If you don’t care about him, how could you possibly care about me? It’s over.” Discord and Spike’s eyes went wide. Both were in utter disbelief in the words that just passed through Andee’s mouth. Donna’s voice squeaked. “You don’t mean that.” “I hope you find a decent pawn shop to sell that ring to.” Andee’s arm shot to a point towards the door. “Get out of my house.” Neither Discord nor Spike had the full understanding of the situation as Donna scowled at them both and flew out into the rain. Both wanted to scream, cheer even. But, neither of them could. Even though Donna had just flown off, she left something behind. Andee continued to stare off towards where Donna had been. His eyes failed first before his face lost control. Unsettling breaths were all that escaped him as he wiped his eyes. Soon his breaths became hard, spasming into gasps for air intermittently. Spike crawled over to him, wrapping his arms around his father. “I’m sorry dad.” “No.” Andee’s body shook as he embraced his son. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” Discord held his mother close. He didn’t want to let go. Having seen all that he had seen. Every ounce of embarrassment, or resentment, had been seemingly washed away with a new understanding towards the love of parents. Discord felt an overwhelming gratitude as his mother returned his embrace. Something told him that she would be willing to give up everything, even happiness for him. He hoped he would never force her to that. But, the possibility was not lost on him as he watched Spike and Andee. Seeing how Andee cried, Discord understood that somewhere inside, Andee did love Donna. Once upon a time, they were in love. How long did it take for that to be lost? Discord wondered this. He wondered if Fluttershy would fall away from him like this. He hoped that would never come to be. Discord marvelled at the undying love between father and son, mother and son. He decided then and there, that if ever had the chance, he would build his own family. The draconequus believed now, there was never a love so much more promising, nor as sweet. ***** Discord shivered under the towel and blanket wrapped around him. They did nothing against the cold of the hospital air conditioning. It made it that much harder to wait to hear how Spike was doing. The rain outside hadn’t let up either. Others, who had suffered from the rain’s effects, filled up the waiting area. Some slipped, some were from autocar accidents, and others were simply sick from exposure. A mopi box, a motion picture box, hung in the corner of the waiting room. The clunky mopi box had displayed nothing else besides reports on the progressively worsening storm. Weather forecasters explained that it would clear up by the end of the night, but warnings were still sent out to residents informing them to remain inside. Discord tried to ignore that commotion. It was confined to the curved crystal screen of the mopi box, so he ignored it. “Discord.” Andee was waiting with Discord the whole time. “What Donna said, you’re not a freak.” “It’s okay.” Discord nodded. “I’m used to hearing it by now.” “I’m sorry if it’s that way.” Andee extended an arm to Discord’s shoulder. “Thank you for bringing Spike home. It was very brave of you to go out on your own, looking for him.” Discord smiled. “I’d do anything for my brother.” Andee smiled back. “If you were my son, I’d be proud to have you.” “Ahem!” Redheart cleared her throat as she straightened her nurse’s hat. “I know she’s proud of you.” Andee stood up and addressed Redheart. “How is he?” Redheart looked over her clipboard. “He’s got a cold, and a few scrapes, but nothing serious. They’d like to keep him overnight though, just to make sure he’s recovering well.” “Can I see him?” Andee pleaded. Redheart nodded. “Of course.” She looked to Discord. “Family only for now.” Discord nodded to his mother as she disappeared down the hall with Andee. There was a short bitterness to being left alone. However, that bitterness was quickly remedied by the crowd that burst into the waiting room. “Guys!” “Discord!” Rainbow dashed across the room and tackled him to the ground. “You survived!” “Not to brag, but I guess your awesomeness just rubbed off on me.” Discord chuckled as Rainbow squeezed him and gave his head a noogie. Twilight slid to a halt. “Discord! How are you? Is Spike okay? Is he sick? Is he gonna make it? Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!! Oh my gosh!!!” “Twilight!” Discord snapped before smiling. “He’s gonna be okay.” “Whew!” Twilight straightened her glasses before sitting down. “Good. I’m just gonna, breath.” Discord looked at Big Mac. “Was she Twilighting the whole way?” “E-yup.” Big Mac hummed his laugh. “Someone else is here to see you too.” Discord frowned as Fluttershy approached him. “I’m sorry I couldn’t go back right away. I broke my promise.” “No.” Fluttershy clung onto Discord, burying her face in his neck. “You came back. You didn’t disappear with Spike. You came back with him.” Discord gave up on his towel and blanket as he picked Fluttershy up in his arms, carrying her to a seat. “I wouldn’t have made it if you weren’t out looking for me.” Fluttershy locked eyes with Discord, confused. “I wasn’t out in the rain.” “Then who-?” Discord tried to recall the flash of yellow and pink. He believed it was Fluttershy, but if it wasn’t, who else could it have been. “Maybe it was someone else, but I thought it was you. Either way, thinking of you got me and Spike out of that storm.” Though he verbally dismissed it, Discord’s mind lingered on the experience. He recalled the scuff marks in his room and by Spike’s radio. If it was the same being’s work, they had helped. But, the question as to why remained. “Thank you for being on my mind.” Fluttershy nuzzled into Discord’s neck again, humming softly. “Thank you for keeping your promise.” A police officer scuttled into the waiting room. It was obvious how uncomfortable he was. “Excuse me.” Discord hugged Fluttershy a little title. Something was off. “Yes officer?” The officer bowed his head quickly before speaking again. “Following up on that young dragon that was missing. Is he doing alright?” “Yes,” Discord studied his face, “he’s a little under the weather. But, he’s getting better.” The officer sighed with a smile full of relief. “Thank you. B-bye.” Just as quickly as he had come, the officer left. Rainbow scratched her chin. “That was weird.” Discord looked where the officer had been standing. The same scuff marks were there. The hall door popped open. A pink body dressed in blue walked toward Discord and his friends. “Hello, children.” Discord was a bit surprised to see it was another cop. He was also surprised because this griffon almost looked like Donna, but only as far as expression. This griffon was a bright hot pink with white feathers. Discord noticed too that she was looking at the scuff marks on the floor. “Hello officer. Is there anything we can do for you?” The griffon officer smiled as she picked at the scuff marks. “I’m looking for my, uh, partner. Did you see him anywhere?” Discord felt his collar buzz. He reached for it, and as he did, he noticed a certain look of surprise from the griffon. “N-no.” He stared at Rainbow Dash and then at Twilight. “We did not see any other police.” The griffon flashed a peculiar grin. “Maybe he’s at the donut shop downstairs. Get it? It’s a cop joke.” Discord laughed nervously, eyeing his friends until they did the same. “Good one officer.” The griffon smiled her strange smile again before walking away down another hallway. Rainbow’s fake laugh died out. “That was even weirder.” Fluttershy brushed the side of Discord’s face. “What’s wrong?” Discord shook his head. “I don’t think those two were actual cops.” Paranoia crept in as he clung tighter to Fluttershy, snapping his head towards any sudden movement, watching out for trouble. Author's Note So Serious“Know thyself, know thy enemy…” -Sun Discord and Spike chanted to the beat of the music blasting from Discord’s tape player as they rode down the sidewalk on their bikes. “Da da da da da da da da!” Rainbow groaned as she followed them along with Fluttershy, Twilight, and Big Mac. “You guys are such nerds.” Discord and Spike whipped their heads around to sing the opening chorus. “Flash! MAGNUS!” Discord balanced as he performed a short segment of air guitar. “Savior of Equestria!” “It’s just a movie guys.” Rainbow grumbled. “No.” Spike lowered his voice, mimicking the stereotypical narrators voice. “It’s not just a movie. It’s the movie.” “It’s the first time a comic book has ever been adapted into a full length motion picture.” Discord popped his front tire into the air riding on the back wheel as the music flared up with electric guitar and operatic vocals. “It’s gonna be the best movie of this year!” Rainbow cocked her brow. “What if it’s not like the comic?” “Who cares!” Spike laughed. “Besides, is any movie that ever came out of Applewood ever faithful to the source material? Answer. No. Come on. There has to be a book or something you want to see made into a movie.” Rainbow shook her head. “Not really.” “But Rainbow,” Fluttershy piped up, “what about the Daring Do books you like to read?” “Hold the phone!” Spike hollered as he burst into laughter. “Rainbow, Dash! You read Daring Do?” “Oh, brother.” Rainbow rubbed her forehead in frustration. Twilight snickered. “You like to read? That kind of sounds like egghead stuff to me.” “Oh!” Discord howled. Spike nodded his head to Twilight. “Solid burn, Twily.” Twilight went a little quiet after that, only nodding to Spike. “Spike,” Discord pointed off in the general direction of the mall, “aren’t there Daring Do comics already?” “Yeah,” Spike confirmed, “they’ve got all the books and other adventures that were pre-approved by A.K. Yearling herself.” “Really?” Rainbow’s face lit up. “I mean, uh-.” “Hey.” Discord slowed down a bit to meet Rainbow. “Don’t sweat it. I mean, aside from Twilight and Fluttershy, we played O&O together. Spike and I read comics. Twilight’s a bookworm. Fluttershy’s been your friend for longer than we’ve known about each other. Do you honestly think any of us are the sort of people that would judge you for reading Daring Do?” “You’re right.” Rainbow smiled at Discord, Fluttershy, and everyone. “You know what? When the Flash Magnus movie comes out, let’s go see it together.” Twilight hummed in thought. “Discord. I don’t mean to sound rude, but when we first met, I didn’t think you’d be the sort of person to talk like that.” Discord shrugged. “My mother always said, you become the people you surround yourself with.” “E-yup.” Big Mac agreed. “I like that.” Spike smiled at Discord. “I hope that we all hang out after Highschool is over. I hope we stay friends for a long time. At least, I hope my dad finds us a new place to live so we don’t have to move.” “Discord told me about that.” Fluttershy flew up to Spike. “I’m sorry your dad can’t keep your home.” “That’s fine. I’m sorry my dad split the payment on the house.” Spike shrugged. “If I’m honest, I’m not really attached to that place.” Discord smirked. “What if you convinced him to rent rooms at my house.” “Don’t even bother.” Spike groaned. “I tried talking him into that.” “What did he say?” Rainbow asked. Spike cleared his throat doing his best impression of his father. “Spike I told you, it’d be rude of us to bring our problems into Miss Redheart’s home.” Rainbow shook her head. “That smells like and excuse.” “He does have a point though.” Twilight butted in. “Spike, if your dad is still going through legal and financial disputes with Donna, would you really want to bring that to Discord’s home?” Spike sighed. “You’re right. Just trying to,” he grinned at Discord, “push things along.” “Wait.” Rainbow furrowed her brows in thought. “Is there something going on between your parents.” “I wish.” Spike mumbled. Fluttershy gasped. “Spike! Are you and Discord trying to force your parents together?” “Hey.” Spike glared at Fluttershy. “Don’t just call me out. This is a team effort.” “Discord!” Fluttershy flew up to him. “You shouldn’t meddle in your mother’s life like that.” “I know, I’m sorry.” Discord stared at the sidewalk and every crack he rolled over. “They just look like they enjoy talking to each other. My mom hasn’t dated anyone in years. And the first time they really talked, it was like they were old friends. It was spooky.” He looked up at Fluttershy. “It was like when I opened up to you.” “Gah!” Rainbow gagged. “Get a room you two.” Despite Rainbow’s antics, Fluttershy smiled at Discord. “I understand. But, you shouldn’t push anything. If it happens, it’ll happen naturally.” “You’re right.” Discord hummed. “But, they’re just so…” “...nice to each other.” Spike pointed out. “The only real problem is that my dad can be a pushover and isn’t very vocal about his, I guess, feelings. And having left Donna, he’s not quite ready to move on yet.” Discord nodded. “My mom can be a bit intimidating, especially to guys. Between her old we can do it poster and her ‘I don’t need no guy’ attitude, I think she’d scare your dad off.” Rainbow snorted a bit. “Wow, I would say this whole conversation is weird. But it’s kinda interesting.” Twilight grumbled. “It’s like one of those terrible Hearths Warming movies that my mom likes to watch.” Discord nodded. “Or a poorly written fanfiction.” “What’s that?” Fluttershy asked. Discord looked over his shoulder at her. “Fanfiction?” “No. That.” She pointed to the house with the radio towers. “Oh. That’s the Professor’s house. Come on, he wanted to see us.” Discord rode up and leaned his bike against the garage. “Spike?” “On it.” Spike pulled out his EC radio, but before he could use it, a speak beeped to life. “Approach the door, in an orderly fashion.” Discord looked at Spike and shrugged. “Something must be up.” They all approached the door which was slightly ajar. Discord motioned for everyone to wait until he gave the signal. Another speaker in the house sounded off. “Come in, I’m in the back testing my automated security system.” Shrugging, Discord motioned for everyone to come in. “Hello?” The front door slammed shut with all of them inside. Machines dropped from the ceiling, launching metallic ropes that tied everyone up tight. The more they struggled the tighter the ropes got. Spike cried out. “Hey! What gives?” “Aha!” Everyone screamed as a pony in a full yellow hazmat suit leapt out. “Gotcha!” It was Doc. “Discord, if you’re the real Discord. Listen to me and make no attempts to free your friends from their restraints. I fear one of them might be a changeling!” “That’s crazy!” Discord rolled over towards Fluttershy cutting her off from Doc. “Ah ah ah.” Doc whipped out a device with two prongs that extended out from it. “Oh my gosh, what is that?” Rainbow tried to roll away. Doc flipped a few switches on the device. “It’s a sonic disruptor. It emits a frequency at close range that disrupts a changeling’s control over their disguise, revealing them for who they are. I just need to test you all, to make sure you’re not one of them.” “You’re crazy!” Spike whimpered as he fought his restraints. “Ah ha!” Doc turned to Spike. “You’re first.” Spike squirmed violently. “Wait! Where are you sticking that thing?” “Calm down. It’ll all be over soon.” Doc pressed a big red button with the device near Spike’s head. Spike winched at a fluctuating tone that sounded like a deep textured hum. “Oh, that wasn’t so bad.” “Congratulations, my scaly friend. You’re not a changeling.” Doc moved on to Big Mac. He pressed the button, activating the device again. Nothing happened. “Hm. You’re not a changeling?” Big Mac shook his head. “Hm-nope.” “Huh.” Doc stood back. “I thought for sure… Oh never mind.” He tested Discord. He tested Fluttershy. He tested Twilight. And finally, he tested Rainbow. “Good news. None of you are changelings! I suppose there might have been a better way to test you. I can imagine how terrifying and emotionally scarring it might be if I revealed one of your friends was actually a love eating shapeshifter.” He laughed, a little. “Oh, and myself.” He tested himself with the device. “See, you can trust me. I’m still not sure about that large red fellow. He’s quiet, too quiet.” Big Mac snorted. “E-yup.” “Well then. Let me set you all free.” He walked over to a wall and slammed an orange button down, releasing all the restraints. Discord helped Fluttershy up. “Are you alright? You’re not hurt are you? I’m sorry. He’s usually harmless.” He turned on Doc. “What’s going on?! Have you lost your mind?” “Far from it, I’m afraid. Insanity would be preferable to the terrible truth that lays before you. Discord, I’m afraid you and your friends are in danger. All of ponyville may be at risk. The sisters forbid, Equestria may be on the eve of destruction from within.” Doc pulled off his hazmat suit and tossed it to the side. “My samples were stolen. The changeling vomit is gone They took everything. The team I called in to investigate the sewers informed me there was nothing there, and they confiscated my materials when I granted them access to my lab.” Discord felt everything go cold. “But, you said there was enough of that stuff left there to fill an autocar.” “Wait, what does this have to do with us?” Rainbow flew up to Doc. “I didn’t witness whatever was in the canal, neither did Fluttershy or Big Mac.” “You’re Discord and Spike’s friends.” Doc explained. “It’s enough for them to watch you, to use you to their ends. I’m sorry I have to tell you this. But, it would be a disservice if I left you in the dark. Also, I didn’t know who else I could trust. I’m afraid that changelings may very well have infiltrated my higher ups. So, I need your help.” “But, what can we do?” Fluttershy asked. “We’re not soldiers or agents. How do you expect us to help?” Doc smiled as he let out a sigh. “Children, you all have an advantage that many overlook. You are underestimated. If changelings have infiltrated our society, their disadvantage will be their pride and arrogance. They’re probably thinking the same thing. What can children possibly do? Their dismissal of you will be our advantage. Here.” He pushed a cart up to them. “These are new portable versions of the sonic disruptors. I want you all to take one.” Discord shook his head. “No.” He pushed the cart back. “No, this can’t be real. It can’t be.” “Discord,” Spike picked up one of the sonic disruptors, “we both saw those unicorns with the same face. Doc actually had those samples of the changeling goop. If they’re really out there, we should do something about it.” “They’re not out there! They can’t be.” Discord shook his head. “Professor, you said they were all gone. Wiped out, you said that.” Rainbow picked up a sonic disruptor as well. “And what if they come for us, and we’re not prepared?” “No.” Discord grabbed at his collar. He looked at Spike. “We shouldn’t have to be a part of this. This isn’t how it’s supposed to go!” “Discord,” Spike grabbed the draconequus’s arm, “you’re not making any sense. If there’s danger, we have to face it.” Bic Mac stepped up to the cart. A sad look lingered on his face before he nodded. “E-yup.” He picked up one of the disruptors. “This can’t be happening. No, I can’t. Everything was about to be better, I can’t lose it all. It’s not fair.” Discord backed up into a wall before sliding to the floor. “Why? Why is this happening?” “Discord.” Fluttershy moved in on him, two disruptors gripped in her wing. “I know you’re afraid.” Discord lost control of his face as flooding emotions took their toll. The world seemed to collapse in on him as he subconsciously hid behind his arms. “I don’t want to lose my friends. I don’t want to lose you. I just started to find you.” “Then don’t lose me.” She pushed one of the disruptors into his paw. “I’m afraid too. But, I care about my friends so much, that I want to be brave for them. I don’t want to lose you. So, I want to be brave, for you. Can you be brave for me? For Spike? For all of us?” Discord leaned his face against Fluttershy’s, just to know she was there and that this wasn’t some terrible nightmare. “Okay.” Then again, he didn’t believe it could be a nightmare as long as Fluttershy was there. Looking up, he was met by confident smiles from all his friends. The bravest of those smiles came from Fluttershy. Taking the disruptor in his grasp, Discord took a deep breath as he nodded to Doc. “What’s the plan?” Author's Note Look at Me Now“I have seen further than others…” -Isaac The Gallop that laid in bed fought to get up. Something kept him there. He would say or suppose that, to anyone asking, he couldn’t get up. The truth was, he wouldn’t. There was too much at stake. He was learning to overcome this plague for the sake of survival. At least, that’s what he’d say to anyone that asked. His eyes were glued to the creature that lay by his side. He watched every movement of the creature as she drew her breaths in her sleep. “Gallop?” Jasmine slowly opened her eyes. “I thought you went to work.” This Gallop shrugged. “I’m taking the day off.” “Why?” Jasmine asked. This Gallop reached for her face, stroking it gently. “You.” Jasmine hummed in laughter. “Why are you doing that?” This Gallop felt his disease multiply tenfold. He wanted to know what sort of power it was that this mare had that weakened his system so. Jasmine frowned. “I’m sorry, sweetums. I didn’t mean to poke fun at you. It’s really sweet of you, really. I’ve just never known you to be a romantic. I’m not used to it.” That word, romantic. This Gallop supposed it was the mare’s description of his weakness. He wondered if it was the name of the disease or if it was merely a term for the symptoms. “Romantic? I just wanted to watch you. I never knew you had such power that could bring me to my knees.” “Aww.” Jasmine’s face turned hot with embarrassment as she hid behind the covers. “You’re just saying that.” “It is no lie.” This Gallop fought it again. The urge to close the gap between their muzzles was infuriating to him. “You’ve made me sick with strange desires.” “Gallop!” Jasmine giggled as she pulled the covers completely over her head. “Now I know you’re just making fun of me.” “I’m sorry.” The disease spiked again in this Gallop as he peeled the covers from her face. “I’m trying to be honest. I’m sorry if I’ve given offense. I just want to know how you made me feel this way.” Jasmine’s eyes wandered over this Gallop’s face. She settled into a different position, taking a higher ground, so to speak, by resting on an extra pillow to look down on this Gallop. Her hoof moved in circles in his mane and around his horn. “Nana always told me that marriage will change a stallion. I never really understood what she meant. I remember how my father grew distant from my mother. But, this is different. After we bought this house, I thought I saw the same thing happening to you. You’d be gone for days, even when work ended. You had lipstick on your neck when you did come home.” This gallop reached up. Lipstick, he thought, is this the source of your power? He brushed her lips, confused by what he discovered. She had nothing on them. You must be so powerful, that you don’t need lipstick. “But now, you’re buying me flowers.” Jasmine cried a little. This Gallop panicked at the sight of those tears. He feared that she was waking up. But then, she smiled. He wondered how she could be crying and smiling at the same time. “You bought me flowers.” She inched closer to this Gallop. “You’ve been around more lately. You kiss me like it’s the first time we’ve kissed. And,” Jasmine leaned in closer, “it feels like I’m falling in love all over again with you.” She pressed her lips against this Gallop’s. This Gallop lost his mind. Everything from Jasmines words to the way she mangled her lips around his. How are you controlling me this way? Her grabbed her and pulled her in close. My will is gone! How? He gasped for air, trying to recover from Jasmine’s torture methods that had robbed him of control over his own body. “Kiss?” “What about it?” Jasmine asked. This gallop felt his face quiver from a strange rush, another symptom. “Terrible.” Jasmine frowned. “It was?” “No.” This Gallop shook his head in objection. “It’s terrible that it doesn’t last.” Have I become the prisoner, to my own prisoner? Jasmine’s eyes teared up as a joyous smile spread across her face. “I’d forgotten how much I love you.” This Gallop’s jaw went slack after hearing those words. His eyes nearly popped out. “Is this love?” Jasmine leaned in again. “I hope it is.” “You don’t know?” This Gallop felt his heart beginning to race as he calculated every reason, every sensation, and every ounce of experience he had. It hit him all at once like a train rushing headlong at full speed. The taste was there in his mouth. He couldn’t believe that he mistook it for a disease. It was unlike anything he had ever tasted before. “If this is love,” this Gallop felt full inside, a sensation he’d never known, “I’ve never tasted love that was so sweet.” Jasmine’s eyes ran with tears as she embraced this Gallop. “I love you, Gallop.” This Gallop pulled out of Jasmine’s embrace for a moment. “There’s something else that I’d like you to call me. A different name.” “What?” Jasmine kissed the end of this Gallop’s nose. “Is it some old nickname?” This Gallop shook his head. Do I remember? What did mother call me? “Tarsus, or just Tarsi.” “Tarsi.” Jasmine whispered the name. “I like it.” This Gallop felt like his blood was about to boil over from hearing Jasmine say that name. Jasmine leaned in for another kiss. “I love you, Tarsi.” This Gallop held his breath for as long as he could. His senses melted under Jasmine as he relished every moment of the kiss. When she finally parted their faces, he felt like the world had ended. Nothing mattered now. The draconequus didn’t matter. The traitor didn’t matter. Even Honeybee didn’t matter as he stared into the eyes that stared right back into his. “I love you, Jasmine.” Oh, mother, I love her. What do I do now? The moment ended with a crash. “What was that?” Jasmine asked. This Gallop jumped to the floor. “Stay here.” He levitated a lamp and darted out into the hall. In the kitchen he saw one of the vases, that had been holding flowers, was shattered across the floor. Under the shards of glass were distinctive black scuff marks that this Gallop recognized. “No.” This Gallop looked up, down, and all around. “Just leave. I won’t tell them you’re here. Please. I’m like you now. Only, they don’t know. I have a chance. Please go, and I swear I won’t tell them. Just don’t hurt her.” “I would never hurt her, Tarsus.” The voice came from the ceiling. “But, they would.” This Gallop waved the lamp in his magic at the owl that had been perched above. “Go away! Get out.” He kept swinging until the owl flew into the living room. “Just get out! Leave Thorax, just leave!” This Gallop collapsed as he saw the owl fly out an open window. He had never known fear like that before. “I love her…” His words trailed off as he fully realized what he was saying. “Oh, no. What have I done?” Author's Note One Step at a Time“Put one foot in front of the other…” -Jules Discord held the attention of Pathfinder’s class as he recited his poem from his journal. “Oh callous twist of fate, Cursed universe, you enmitous despot, Forsake not the lack of eloquence in my decry, The infamy of our adversary is dire, Why curse me with obtuse bravery, As this, superfluous trial is vexing enough, When such matters intrude upon, Tender and sincere infatuations.” Discord locked eyes with fluttershy from across the room before continuing. “For an angel so lithe and amiable, Perhaps this angel is recompense, With such holiness, my heart is truculent, Still small voice of quaint kindness, Translates to a vociferous call to arms, For my bosom is rife with will for you, Toil for you, I will with trepidation only very.” Pathfinder snapped the pencil he was using to take notes. “Whoops. Reflex.” He tossed the pieces into a waste basket before turning to face Discord. “I’m sorry, but could you repeat that line? I thought I heard the word very.” Discord nodded. “Toil for you, I will with trepidation,” he elevated his voice to clearly enunciate, “only very.” “Discord.” Pathfinder made quiet little notes with his new pencil he had pulled from a mug. “You know my grievance with the word very, and yet you used it anyway.” Over the silent whispers from the rest of the class, Discord could make out a worried gasp from Fluttershy. Be brave, he told himself. “Yeah.” His lips pursed as he shrugged and nodded. “Only very.” Pathfinder repeated those two words for a time before finally cracking a smile. “That’s a use of the word, very, that I haven’t heard before in all the years that I’ve been teaching. The way you use it, is so belittling, that I can’t bring myself to cut points for it. However, while I am pleased with your extended vocabulary, the usage seems rough cut. And while your use of words are powerful in there own right, the idea you’re attempting to communicate seems a bit chaotic.” He scribbled on his clipboard. “I award you a B+ for your efforts. Never stop improving, Discord. Next.” There was a slight air of disappointment that surrounded Discord’s long walk back to his seat. He had written the poem with Fluttershy in mind. And having received a less than perfect score, it ate at him a little. Regardless of the grade, however, his spirits were lifted by Fluttershy as she smiled and confessed her admiration of the poem. It gave Discord all the more hope for their study date he had planned. ***** Discord held on tight to Fluttershy’s hoofs as she hugged him from behind. He had teleported. But over a course of time, he’d been practicing so as to pass through less terrifying hell scapes. A consistency came about with his practice that brought him and Fluttershy here. Discord held tight to Fluttershy as he carried her through a slow vortex that bent over itself, spilling colors and stars into flowing rorschach patterns. Shooting stars passed them by as well as the occasional giant fluff worm that won nothing but adoration and awe from Fluttershy. The end came as Discord brought them to their destination. Fluttershy blinked as the bright blue fall sky temporarily blinded her. Adjusting to the new sight, her sight became clear as Discord led her to a willow tree perched on a hill. The willow tree was the center of a park that had far less inhabitants than it used to in the warmer seasons. Yet, there were still children running about, throwing balls and playing tag, while their guardians watched diligently. A gentle wind tossed the weeping limbs of the willow whose leaves had transformed into a brighter yellow for the season. “It’s beautiful.” Fluttershy slide away from Discord’s back as he lowered his frame to allow her access to the solid ground beneath them. “I had hoped to bring you here before the fall ended.” Snapping his claws, Discord rolled out a red and white plaid blanket. “And if I timed this right.” He snapped his paw, bringing a wicker picnic basket into existence on the center of the blanket. Inspecting the basket, Discord was pleased to find everything there, and still cool to the touch. Thanks mom. He was grateful for his mother’s fulfillment of her promise to pull the food from the fridge. I made us some cucumber sandwiches. They’re not exactly like the ones at the cafe but-.” Fluttershy cut him off. “I’m sure they’ll be wonderful.” “Hm.” Discord set his bag down before unloading the contents of the picnic basket onto the blanket. “I noticed you liked them more than the hay fries.” “Oh, uh.” Fluttershy chuckled nervously. “I only ordered those because I thought they would impress you.” “Hay fries?” Discord asked in bewilderment. Fluttershy went quiet as she rubbed her shoulder. “I know it’s dumb. I just thought you’d like me more if I ate like you and the rest of your friends.” “I’m sorry, it’s not dumb.” A pain stuck Discord in his mind for even sounding critical of her. It was strange for him to experience others making certain choices on account of his tastes. “But, you don’t have to eat like me or the rest of our friends. I want you to eat whatever you want.” He though on that. “Well, maybe not everything, like paint. I wouldn’t want you to get sick or anything like that. I’m sorry. Is any of this making any sense.” Fluttershy giggled at what he said. “I think I understand. And, I feel the same way. You don’t want me to change. I think that’s what you’re trying to say. I don’t want you to change either.” “But,” Discord grumbled as he looked away, “I wish I wasn’t so weird. I mean, my magic isn’t exactly normal. And sometimes, I can barely control it. I mean,” he motioned to his form with his arms while muttering quiet condescending criticisms about his body. “Discord, did you just gesture to all of yourself?” Upon seeing a nod from Discord, Fluttershy frowned and raised her voice (or as loud as was possible in that moment). “Discord! You’re fine the way you are. There’s nothing wrong with you. There’s nothing wrong with your magic.” “Now you sound like my mother.” Discord instantly regretted having said that. “Wait, I didn’t-.” Fluttershy propped herself up into Discord’s face. “And what’s wrong with that? She cares about you, she worries about you, and she loves you. I would hope you end up with someone as kind as her. I hope I could be half the mare she is! At least you listen to her. Just, gah!” She turned her back on Discord. “Wait a minute.” Discord reached for Fluttershy’s shoulder, but stopped when she moved further away. “Please. I’m sorry. I don’t want to not talk. Please tell me what you meant. You said I listen to her. Why did you say that?” Fluttershy inched her face in the direction of Discord’s. “You don’t listen. You don’t understand it. You’re not a monster Discord. You have so many friends that love you and care about you. I care about you. But, you somehow forget. I wish you could see.” “Then help me.” Discord successfully reached her shoulder. “Help me listen. I’ve only ever heard the world scream at how different I am. I guess I’m just still not used to anyone caring. You’re right. I listen to her. That’s because for the longest time, it was just me and her.” “You’re not alone, Discord. Neither of you are.” Fluttershy held a hoof over Discord’s paw. “You don’t have to be one or the other to fit in. You asked me if I saw a pony or a dragon, once. You know what. I don’t see anything else but you. I just see you. I understand. You’re different.” “Yeah, I am.” Feeling her hoof on his paw, Discord studied it with his eagle claws. “And, you’re a pony. I’m a draconequus, whatever that really is. Together, we’re not normal. We don’t make sense. I don’t want the world to scream at you too.” Fluttershy pressed herself into Discord’s form. “Do we have to make sense? I don’t care if we’re not the same. I don’t care if the world screams. I just don’t want to see you cry. I don’t want you to ever think you’re alone. I want you to be happy with who you are. Don’t be afraid of me. I’m your friend, aren’t I?” She dug into her bag and pulled out her sonic disruptor. “Look.” Turning on the device, she held it between both their heads. “I’m not a changeling either. I’m me. And, I am here for you. I want to be closer to you. But, you won’t let anyone in.” Discord snapped his paw, materializing a door between them. Opening the door, he smiled. “Would you like to come inside, Miss Fluttershy?” A smile found its way onto Fluttershy’s face as she lunged through the door, pinning Discord to the ground. “Do you promise to believe me when I say I’m not afraid of you?” Discord nodded. “I promise.” “Do you promise to believe me when I say your magic is amazing.” Fluttershy locked her eyes on Discord’s. The draconequus almost lost himself in her eyes as remembered a moment like this. “Promise.” Fluttershy leaned in and planted a gentle kiss on Discord’s cheek. “Do you promise to believe me when I say I think you’re a handsome draconequus.” “On one condition.” Discord combed a stray strand of Fluttershy’s mane back over her ear before cupping her face in his paw. “Do you promise to believe me when I say you are the kindest and most beautiful mare I have ever met.” Another kiss came to Discord’s cheek from Fluttershy. “I promise.” Her legs crumpled under her as she rested atop him. The words she spoke seemed to weaken. “I believe you.” “Then, I promise.” Discord wrapped his arms around Fluttershy as he stared up through the light shining through the limbs of the willow tree. Something about the sun, I was like there was someone else watching. It was like an old friend was smiling down on him. “Fluttershy, please don’t freak out when I ask this, but do you want a family?” “Yes.” Her answer was quick and direct. “Discord? Is something wrong?” Nothing was wrong with Discord. He felt very much alive. So much so, that he took a leap of faith he was afraid he might never get the chance to take again. Holding Fluttershy close, he met her eyes before pressing her face into his. Gradually his head departed from hers as he traveled down to her lips. “We don’t make sense. But, that doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter because I love you.” He expected every ounce of resistance as he pushed his lips to Fluttershy’s. However, there was no resistance returned, only equal enthusiasm. Discord melted at he returning motions from Fluttershy as she climbed into a position to kiss him better. He helped her up with his arms, holding her as though she might somehow fly away from the experience. They both gasped for breath as their lips fell apart. Fluttershy’s eyes grew watery despite the smile on her face. “Really?” “Promise.” Discord felt like he was dreaming. Though, he’d never had a dream this good. “And, you?” Fluttershy gave him his answer. From the moment his question left his mouth, she had her lips on his. Only, she was much gentler than before. “Are we more than friends? Does this mean we’re not friends, but-.” Discord rested his head against Fluttershy’s. “We’ll always be friends, and more.” “We’re just a special sort of friends.” Fluttershy added. For the longest time that was endurable, Discord held Fluttershy close as they whispered to each other. Neither was eager to depart from each other’s company at that point. While they embraced, the cucumber sandwiches in the picnic basket went unnoticed. ***** “Anything? Over.” Discord asked over his EC radio. Resting on his bed, he listened to the nightly report from everyone. “Nothing. Over.” Spike sighed. Rainbow coughed into her radio, that Doc had supplied for her, Big Mac, Twilight, and Fluttershy. “Zip.” “Hm-nope. Over.” Big Mac said nothing more. Twilight came on. “My parents are my real parents. And none of my teachers were changelings.” Discord sighed as he took note on a paper of everyone cleared of being a changeling. “Thanks everyone, for trying. I hope we find these changelings, and fast.” Spike jumped back in. “If there’s any, there must not be very many of them.” “Isn’t that a good thing?” Rainbow asked. “Spike’s probably right. But, that means they’ll be harder to find.” Discord tossed the paper onto his desk. “They could even be people we don’t even know.” Twilight cleared her throat. “I’ve been talking to Doctor Hooves about making undetectable mobile disruptors in the form of bracelets that can create fields around us. That way we can cover more ground without having to activate our disruptors in plain sight.” “That’s a good idea, Twi.” Spike commented. “If they see us using the disruptors, they would most likely know to hide somewhere else.” “Okay. Sounds good. Over.” Discord noticed a certain voice was missing. “Hey, where’s Fluttershy?” “I’m here.” Fluttershy’s voice came through, much to Discord’s relief. “I’m spending the night at Rainbow’s house. I’ve been listening, though.” Discord didn’t respond. He felt his breath catching back up to him with the confirmation that Fluttershy was safe. It ate him alive inside to know that she might not be. To say he was terrified of that moment of silence without Fluttershy’s response, would be an understatement. He had just seen here hours ago. And to think that in that time, that she might be taken or worse, it gave him some perspective. A newfound drive flowed in him. Determination came in a subtle hatred for the changelings. “Discord.” Fluttershy called through to him. He held down the button on his radio’s microphone. “Yeah?” Another moment of silence passed before Fluttershy came through again. “Please try and get some sleep.” “Yeah.” Rainbow talked over Fluttershy. “You’ll need all your energy if we’re going to find the castle again. You didn’t forget did you?” He forgot. “Right.” The expedition set for tomorrow was the last thing on Discord’s mind. “Good night everyone. See you all tomorrow, then.” After the wave of good nights passed on, he tried to listen to Fluttershy and Rainbow’s advice. However, trying to slip under his covers was like forcing himself into a drainage pipe. He found that his feet were severely uncomfortable, constantly kicking the covers off almost as instinct. Discord finally pulled everything past his feet so they were exposed to the darkness of his room. The radio stayed on a little longer. Discord kept it on just in case Spike decided to have another late night discussion. The dragon never called in. So, Discord figured he’d already fallen asleep. Though Spike wasn’t awake, someone else was. “What?” Tapping the radio, Discord could hear white noise coming through along with the occasional sigh. Finally, Rainbow’s voice spoke up. “Fluttershy, that’s not how the radio works. You’re not going to hear him with the button down like that.” The white noise cut out after that. Picking up the microphone and holding down the button, Discord whispered, “Good night, Fluttershy.” “Good night, Discord.” Discord smiled as he heard Rainbow grumbling in the background. Slowly, his eyelids became heavier and heavier until sleep won over him. Author's Note Flash MAGNUS!“You can’t call it an adventure unless…” -Brian “Okay.” Twilight scraped a layer of cobwebs from her face and mouth. “Now all the traps are marked. So we can get to work cleaning up and excavating this place.” Looking at the tiny brushes that Twilight had given him earlier, Discord mumbled to himself as he contemplated where to start. Everyone was busy with something. Big Mac was being carefully directed by Twilight to move debris and rubble onto a tarp to be sorted out. Managing the scrolls and books was Spike. The dragon wore gloves to carefully catalogue and take note of every piece before tucking them safely away in sealable plastic bags. Rainbow assisted Fluttershy in collecting tapestries to be transported later. Finally picking a spot, Discord began to use his brushes to carefully displace dust, dirt, and any other lose foreign object that marred the intricate carvings along one wall. “So, explain the magic to me again.” Twilight continued to inspect each piece of rubble that Big Mac moved. “Remember how Spike said this place was cursed? Well, it’s not actually a curse. It’s like protective barrier.” “So,” Rainbow chimed in after she and Fluttershy carefully lowered another tapestry, “it actually keeps this place hidden. But, why can we see it? And, why hasn’t anyone else ever found this place?” “That’s a good question Rainbow Dash, but in all honesty, I don’t know.” Twilight eyed Discord. “You said something about feeling uneasy in this place.” “Yeah.” Discord sighed. “I don’t know. It’s like I’m not supposed to be here or something.” He stared up at the pedestal with elements of harmony. Shivers filled his spine as he dared to get close. But upon getting closer, Discord found something. “Twilight! Look a this. Something’s been carved here.” Kneeling closer, Discord brushed away the surface with one of the finer brushes. “Oh my goodness.” Twilight glanced over the carvings in the pedestal. “It’s a spell! It says, lest evil doers should offend, let this castle this spell defend, let no creature enter alas, only the worthy shall pass.” Discord’s heart sank. “I’m not worthy.” Rainbow spat out a laugh. “What are you talking about? Of course you’re worthy! How else could you get in here?” Twilight began to stutter as she tried to find her words. “I-uh. I think I do know this spell. I read about it. Any person that the spell deems worthy can invite anyone else through the barrier.” Spike shook his head. “But, Discord came in by himself.” “No.” Discord looked at Fluttershy. “She pulled me in, before and today.” His eyes began to well up as that revelation hit him. “That’s why I feel so uneasy here. I’m not worthy.” Fluttershy flew to Discord. “It’s just a spell. It doesn’t mean anything.” Discord lost track of her words as he grabbed his bag and took off down one of the corridors to hide his face. He could feel it, he was about to cry. And, he didn’t want them to see it. He didn’t want his friends to see him cry, Fluttershy especially. In his haste, however, Discord forgot about the traps. He stepped directly on the loose stone that had been marked with an orange flag. The floor opened up under Discord, swallowing him in darkness. He had no time to react or use magic before he was spat out of a tunnel that dumped him into another room. Pain crept into his body from where he landed. “Ouch.” Rolling over, Discord groaned at his bag which had spilled across the floor of the room. The room in question was a larger space with bookshelves, furniture, and stained glass windows that were similar to the banners that bore the emblem of the moon and sun. In the middle of the room was a bare podium. Discord began re-collecting the items from his bag until he came across the Flash Magnus comic that his mother had brought home the other day. Someone left it behind at the hospital where she worked. It was new. And that was strange, considering that the next issue wasn’t due to come out for another week. Discord hadn’t had the chance to look at it yet. “Huh?” Picking up the comic, he saw it had opened to the very last page which was blank except for some cursive writing in the bottom right corner. “You can re-.” Discord squinted at the small writing. “Hm.” Taking the comic to the podium, he snapped a magnifying glass into his paw so he could get a closer look. “You can return to the place you started when the evil Empress is defeated. What does that mean?” He continued reading. “Take a closer look to join the adventure in this book.” The moment Discord finished reading the writing, green sparks began to fly from the pages and circle around him. “Woah.” He leaned forward to look at the comic as it began to emit a bright aura. “Discord! What are you doing?” Rainbow slid into the room along with everyone else. Discord shrugged. “It’s not me!” He tried to walk away from the comic, but something pulled his arm back. The light latched onto him, dragging him in. “Help!” Discord barely caught the podium before being dragged completely into the light. “It’s got me!” Spike dashed to his aid, latching onto Discord’s arm. “I gotcha.” He began to slip. “I don’t gotcha!” Rainbow and Fluttershy flew in to grab Spike’s legs, but they were also being sucked towards the light bursting from the comic. Big Mac wrapped his forelegs around Rainbow and Fluttershy’s legs, trying with all his might to pull them all out with assistance from Twilight’s magic. It was all for nought as every last one of them was sucked into the comic book before it closed on them. Upon the large planet drifting through space, the Empress sits in her massive throne room of gold and obsidian, contemplating the excess in time she had at her disposal. “General Betox.” A cloaked stallion with a computer visor floated into the room. “Yes, Empress Zebrina.” Sparks from his metallic horn drew out a long blade that arched with electricity. “Is there some offender you wish for me to dispose of?” The Empress stretched her black and white striped form which was adorned in gold ornaments crafted from the melted heirlooms of worlds long since conquered. “What I require has no need for a sword, executions won’t help the fact that I’m bored.” “Ah ha.” The stallion returned his blade to its scabbard. “I’m sure I can remedy that.” The empress reached out her hoof, using the magical band around her leg to raise up a curved panel containing a myriad of controls and displays. “I am sure of what you say. What new play thing have you for me today?” The stallion tuned the main display to the image of a plane. “It’s an obscure geocentric body in the Equorum system.” The lips of the empress twisted into a cruel smile. “So peaceful this planet is at this hour,” reaching forward with her magical band, she activated one of the switches, “and its inhabitants shall know my power.” A sign lit up above the activated switch, flashing with the word hurricane. The stallion laughed as the display showed a massive storm tearing apart a coastal city. “Most impressive your highness. Will you destroy this planet?” “Only after I’ve had my fun. I’ll destroy it when I’m done.” The Empress smiled as she magically flipped another switch for a meteor storm. The stallion frowned as he altered one of the controls. “Your highness. We are receiving a transmission from one of the continents. A country. I believe the inhabitants call it Equestria. They are calling for peace.” The empress hummed as she eyed the continent on the display. “Then Equestria shall be the first nation, to witness annihilation.” She erupted into laughter as she activated more switches, sending disaster after disaster to the planet below. Discord blinked until his vision cleared up. “Oh. What happened?” Looking through a window to his left, he saw nothing but stars. “Did we sleep in the castle? It’s already night.” Trying to get up, Discord found that his body was held in place by straps. “Huh?” Unlatching the straps, he was surprised as he began to float without any help from magic. “Woah!” He crashed against the opposite side of the round white structure he was in. Looking through the window again, he could see a planet getting farther and farther away. On the planet, Discord could make out the outline of the equestrian continent. “What’s going on?!” “Discord!” Fluttershy called out. “Where are we?” Discord pushed off from where he was and floated towards Fluttershy. “I think we’re in space.” He stared at Fluttershy. “Oh.” “What? What is it?” Fluttershy asked. Discord raised a claw and tapped on the unicorn horn on Fluttershy’s head. “You’ve got a horn. And, you’re taller.” Fluttershy stretched out her wings and pushed at the horn. “Oh, my! How did this happen?” Spike was in another set of straps. “Uhh. No dad, no more brussel sprouts…” “Spike!” Discord pushed off to wake the dragon up. “Hey! Come on! Are you alright?” Spike shook his head, flapping his cheeks before he looked around their environment. “Why are we on a rocket ship?” “Woah dudes. We’re in space?!” Discord, Spike and Fluttershy gasped at the electronic voice that buzzed at them. “What’s the matter? Guys? Why are you looking at me that way?” Discord recognized the voice under the chrome face that had a slight blue tint to it. The rainbow colored wires that traveled down its head and neck made it even clearer. “Rainbow Dash? But, you’re a- uh.” “A what?” Rainbow screamed as she looked at her now metallic hooves. Her body was now a series of chromed panels jointed together with tubing and wires. “A robot! Why am I a robot?!” “No way!” Spike unlatched his own straps and pushed himself towards rainbow. “You’re a Robotic Autonomous Life Form!” Discord scrutinized the words. “R-A-L-F. Ralf? As in Ralf from the Flash Magnus comics?” “Exactly!” Spike inspected one of Rainbow’s legs. “It looks so real!” Rainbow pushed Spike away, her digitized voice panicking. “Well how do you unRalf me?! I’m not stuck like this am I?” Spike looked at Fluttershy. “Of course. Fluttershy! You’re…” Discord looked at the crown and mantle she wore as he unstrapped her. “...you’re Princess Deleja of the Southern Meadowlands. You’re the alicorn leader of the resistance against the Nortican Regime.” Spike looked at himself. “Tweed jacket, bowtie,” he reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver tipped guitar pick, “I’m Doctor Sparky Buckaroo, the rockstar scientist! And Discord, you’re him.” Discord looked at the futuristic armor he wore. Feeling his head, he felt the cool surface of a steel centurion helmet. “I’m Flash Magnus? But, that can’t be right. Why am I Flash Magnus?” “Yeah!” Rainbow buzzed. “And, why am I a bucket of bolts?” Spike looked around. “Wait. Remember the last thing that happened? We got sucked into some sort of light.” “The comic book!” Discord remembered. “We’re inside a Flash Magnus comic book. There was some writing in the back. It must have been a spell.” Fluttershy kept brushing a wing at the horn on her head, as if it’d come off somehow. “Oh, dear.” “Carefull.” Rainbow snickered. “If you mess with it, you’ll go blind.” “Really?!” Fluttershy tucked her wings behind her back and stared cross eyed at the horn. “No, that’s not how that works.” Discord looked around with Spike. “Okay, we’re in a space capsule of some kind.” “I designed it.” Spike’s eyes widened. “I don’t mean me, really. Sparky designed this rocket ship. Discord, remember in issue seven? He was building this to explore space.” “Hold up.” Rainbow beeped as she freed herself from her straps. “Who exactly are all these characters?” Spike pulled a lever that raised a console in the center of the capsule. “Okay, so you know who Flash Magnus is, right?” Rainbow nodded. “The Cloudsdale Royal Legion cadet who outsmarted the dragons with the shield of Netitus? Every pegasus knows that story.” “Correct.” Spike nodded. “It’s the same Flash Magnus. Only, in the comics, Flash gets trapped in a cave that’s filled with a magical gas. The gas preserved him until he was reawoken five thousand years later by Sparky Buckaroo who was looking for a way to fight back against the Nortican Regime. Legends of Flash Magnus had endured long enough that everyone knew of his military prowess. It was Princess Deleja who called upon Flash Magnus to help fight back against the Nortican forces.” “So,” Rainbow tapped on her metal chest, “what about me?” Spike talked as he worked the controls on the raised console. “Ralf, Flash’s companion. After pulling you from a ruined building, your programming made Flash your master, so to speak. You’re the most advanced robot ever built. You can run faster, jump higher, and even shoot lasers from your eyes.” “Really?” Rainbow excitedly hummed as her eyes began to glow. “Wait!” Spike waved his claws. “Not inside the capsule that’s keeping us safe from the vacuum of Space.” Fluttershy watched as Spike manipulated the controls on the console. “How do you know how to use that?” “I don’t.” Spike admitted. “But I’m Sparky apparently, and Sparky knows how to fly it.” Peering at a monitor, he quickly responded to a loud beep. “Message incoming.” Spike pushed a large green button that lit up a purple holographic image over the console. The hologram was of another scientist with a bandage around his head. “Flash? Sparky? I wanted to get this message out to you before our communications tower went down. It’s bad down here. I hope you’re able to make it to the source of these strange and dangerous occurrences. Please, the world depends on you. You’re our last hope-.” The image cut out completely as a siren wailed. “What is that?” Rainbow shouted. Spike looked at the readings on the console. “According to this, the moon’s just been destroyed. It’s gone!” The entire capsule shook as red light waves spiraled around outside the capsule. “A portal of some kind just opened.” Discord’s eyes boggled as he stared out the window at the massive grey and red object that appeared. “Is that a planet?” Spike nodded. “Yes, but it’s not even from this dimension.” Lasers shot from the planet’s surface, shaking their capsule. Discord held Fluttershy as she cried out. “Who’s attacking us?!” Spike pointed out the window. “Invaders, from the thirteenth dimension!” His jaw dropped at the new warning sound. “Strap yourselves down! We’re caught in its gravitational pull!” Rainbow mumbled out a series of alarms and buzzing as she strapped herself back in. “You sound like Twilight!” Spike growled, “Shut up!” Discord got Fluttershy strapped back in before he strapped himself back in. “Let me have the controls!” Spike flipped a lever before strapping himself in. “All yours.” The console folded and transformed into a helm that slid up to Discord. “If Sparky can build it, Flash can fly it, right?” Spike shrugged. “Hopefully. Did you ever read this issue? You know what happens? I sure don’t.” “Not a clue. I didn’t have time to read it.” Discord took a hold of two joysticks to maneuver the representation of the rocket ship on the display. One look at their descent speed, and he was really freaked out. “Not good! Too fast.” Pulling back on the joysticks, he pressed down on a pedal that opened up flaps and activated the reverse thrusters. “We’re going to crash! Hang on!” Another wave of lasers shook the capsule. One struck one of the windows, melting a hole through the clear barrier. The air began to be sucked out. Rainbow began to beep as her eyes flashed yellow. “My sensors indicate that we’re losing oxygen. Weird. I have sensors?” “We have to close the opening!” Spike shouted. Discord realized the weight that was strapped to his back. Maneuvering around the straps, he pulled out an ornate bronze like shield. Rainbow stared in disbelief at the object. “That’s it! The Netitus shield. So, awesome!” “It’s tough, and it’s fireproof.” Discord could see flames begin to gather around the broken window. Pressing a button on his bracer, the shield magnetically stuck to his arm. “Okay.” Fluttershy tried to grab Discord as he undid his straps. “What are you doing?” “We have to close the opening.” Discord took in a deep breath before jumping atop the shield and aiming for the window. His plan worked as the shield was sucked against the hole, sealing it. “Awesome!” Rainbow booped. “My sensors are saying that oxygen levels are stabilizing.” Discord looked over his shoulder at Spike. “Take over the controls.” “On it!” Spike flicked a lever, twisting the controls around to him. “Discord!” Discord looked at the window, which was starting to crack. “Uh-oh.” He looked for the release button on the shield so he could get back into his straps. But, before he could, the window shattered. Discord heard Fluttershy calling his name before he blacked out after being sucked into space. “Awake her.” Fluttershy felt something, an energy flowed through her, prompting her eyes to open. Looking up from the black obsidian floor, she saw Spike with his arms in binds and Rainbow in a bubble of energy. “Where am I?” Around them, she could see strange creatures dressed in varying armor and dresses, all with bowed heads. “Princess Deleja.” Fluttershy saw above her, a black and white striped mare on a throne. “You’re, a zebra?” A cloaked stallion with a metal horn stepped forward. “You are speaking to Empress Zebrina, and how dare you compare her to any such creature of your planet’s filth.” The stallion sent a bolt of electricity from his horn at Spike. “Gah!” Spike twisted in pain as he fell to the floor. “I’m sorry!” Fluttershy cried. “I didn’t mean to offend you!” Spike shook his head. “Don’t bother. She’s just gonna throw us away when she’s done.” “Please.” Fluttershy mimicked the rest of the crowd around her by bowing her head. It all came back to her. She recalled the crash landing and the absent member of their party. “We lost a friend in our crash.” She looked and looked, but she didn’t see Discord anywhere. “Ah yes.” The Empress stood and approached Fluttershy. “Your scientist named him as Flash Magnus. However, he is no longer with us. My soldiers scouted ahead, but he is believed to be dead.” “No.” Fluttershy shook her head as her body began to tremble. “That can’t be true. That must be impossible.” The Empress laughed from her throat. “I sense love from your fearful motions. Please, don’t waste my time with your pathetic emotions. There is some use I have for you in my tower, where I’ll drain every last drop of your power. Your scientist, for General Betox I leave behind, so he can torture and destroy his mind.” “What about me!?” Rainbow buzzed through her bubble. The Empress laughed. “Don’t worry your little synthetic heart. You’ll be stripped apart.” “No!” Fluttershy scowled as her horn lit up. “You won’t get away with this.” Spike yelled out to Fluttershy. “Your magic! Use your magic!” Fluttershy’s eyes grew at the sight of the ball of energy growing over head. “What?” Trying to shake the light of the energy away, she sent it bouncing around the throne room, taking out guards as it went. At last, the ball of energy struck the bubble Rainbow was trapped in. “Woah!” Rainbow fell to the floor as the bubble dissipated. “Halt!” Betox ran at Rainbow before he was blasted across the room at the Empress by a laser shot from Rainbow’s eyes. “Run!” Spike yelled. The Empress shoved Betox away and began to float up into the air. “Foolish cur! Somebody competent, capture her!” She snapped her head at Fluttershy. “And as for your outburst you unruly whelp, after my daughter prepares you for extraction, there’ll be no one to help.” “What is this? Why do you waste our commander’s time with a weakling.” “We found him, he fell from the sky.” “And he’s alive? Impressive. Then he must not be a weakling at all! What do you think, commander? Is he of use to us?” “E-yup.” Through all the muffled voices, Discord recognized that last one. “Big Mac?” As his vision cleared, the red blob standing over him focused into the face of Big Mac. Another pony-like face stood over Discord. “What did you just call Commander Mantos?” “Commander?” Discord remembered he was still in the comic. “Commander.” Sitting up he looked over at the other pony. “I’m sorry I don’t know you. I am Flash Magnus.” “Flash, a curious name.” The young orangish pony had a blue mane and matching eyes. He saluted with a hoof against his heart. “I am Captain Mars Markas. Allow me to introduce my Commander, Mantos San of the Steelwings.” Discord imitated the salute to Big Mac. “A pleasure to meet you, Mantos.” “E-yup.” Big Mac chuckled. Discord looked him up and down. He quickly noticed the metallic wings mounted on Big Mac’s back, as well as the other ponies in the hut-like room he was in. “If you don’t mind me asking, who are all of you?” Mars stepped forward. “Commander, shall I fill him in?” Big Mac nodded. “E-yup.” Mars took a seat on a cushion next to the cot Discord was laying in. “We witnessed your primitive rocket ship crash down. If you don’t already know, you’re on the planet Zebrulon. Once this place was a peaceful planet. That was until the Empress, Zebrina, manipulated its inhabitants. She lied to the people, promising them peace and protection in exchange for their obedience. Zebrina abused her power to conquer other worlds, grafting them into her own as she dragged them through ripples in space.” “Why did she take over worlds?” Discord asked. “Power.” Mars said plainly. “She sought after the energies belonging to each world’s most powerful leaders.” Discord recalled Fluttershy’s new form as an alicorn. “Princess Deleja, and my friends, I have to find them.” “If they were on your ship,” Mars lowered his head, “I’m afraid the empress has them.” Discord sat up. “Then we must find them, and stop Zebrina!” Big Mac smiled as he helped Discord up. “E-yup.” “But sir!” Mars interjected. “The Empress possesses untold power from countless worlds. How can we ever hope to overcome her? We’re not even close to having the firepower necessary to launch an attack on her palace.” “We got somthin’ that she ain’t got.” Big Mac pat Discord on the back. “Someone on the inside.” Discord caught wind of what Big Mac was saying. “Our-, I mean, my friends. If we could get a message to them, they could operate from the inside.” Mars nodded. “Yes, having someone inside could aid our attack. If they could get free, they could lower their defensive force fields. But, that doesn’t solve our issue of firepower.” “I’m sure we can improvise.” Discord went on. “What if we hijacked a weapon or craft from the Empress’s forces?” A voice piped up from among the other steelwings. “What about the rocket ship Destiny?” “Fool!” Another steelwing coughed. “It would take all of us to take it down.” Discord weighed the options before him. “Look, if the Empress takes the powers of Princess Deleja, you’ll have even less odds of ever beating her. If we take Destiny, we might have the chance to act before it’s too late.” “E-yup.” Big Mac eyed Mars and the rest of the steelwings. “He’s right. If you do nothin’ now, you’ll be slaves forever. Are we just gonna sit here on our flanks, or go and take back our freedom?” Discord excitedly raised his paw in a fist to the air. “I will stand and fight for Mantos and the steelwings!” As the rest of the steelwings cheered, Mars furrowed his brow. “How do we know we can trust you, Flash? For all we do know, you could be an agent of Zebrina.” “Then, I’ll prove myself.” Discord squared up to Mars. “I won’t fail.” Mars looked to Big Mac. “The Hom Tabbar?” Big Mac’s face sunk a little as he thought about it. “E-yup. Take ‘im to the totem.” Discord followed Mars and a few steelwings who guided him from the hut. Outside, he could see he was high above the ground on a structure held up by massive trees. The trees held a series of similar hut-like buildings that were all interconnected with suspended bridges. Mars led him to one hut in particular that was darker than the rest. Ducking under the hanging beads, Discord was surprised to come face to face with a wrinkly faced dragon with no eyes. Where eyes would have been, skin had grown over and scarred. The dragon’s form was wrapped from head to toe with bandages, similar to a mummy. The dragon gestured to a beastly statue carved from dark wood holding a red box trimmed in silver. “Come warrior, place your arm in the box.” “What’s in the box?” Discord asked. The dragon brushed his claws against Discord’s face. “It is the Hom Tabbar. The test of courage and bravery. If you are worthy, it will not take your arm from you.” Discord froze before he reached for the box. Worthy? I’m not worthy. “Doubt, is how you lose your arm.” The dragon took Discords arm and held it tight. “Doubt is how you lose yourself and what you stand for. What do you stand for?” Images of Fluttershy flashed through Discords mind. I stand for her. For her, I will be worthy. He looked for what Flash would say and poured his reason behind it. “Freedom.” Discord thrust his arm into the box. In the blink of an eye, two silver jaws curled out and pinched his arm tight. He was stuck there. The statue’s eyes glowed an eerie green color as it’s voice emanated through it’s unmoving mouth. “Speak your litany of courage.” Discord felt the silver jaws tightening over his arm. “What does it want?” The wrinkly dragon held Discord by his other arm. “You must speak truth. You must speak your code of honor to prove your integrity and honor. If you do not speak these words, you will suffer the lesser death, a belittling one of shame.” Discord quickly recalled the first issue of the New Adventures of Flash Magnus. He remembered the Royal Legion mantra that Flash had spoken alongside his comrades before battle. Discord remembered because he had it memorized. “I do not run with my legs, he who runs with his legs has forgotten the face of his princess. I run with my mind. I do not fly with my wings, he who flies with his wings has forgotten the face of his princess. I fly with my soul. I do not fight with my shield, he who fights with his shield has forgotten the face of his princess. I fight with my heart!” The silver jaws released Discord’s arm. The dragon raised his claws in the air. “The Hom Tabbar has spoken. He is worthy!” “Forgive me.” Mars knelt by Discord’s side. “I have misjudged you, Flash Magnus. You have earned my deepest respect.” “E-yup.” Big Mac entered the hut. “And, we shall fight side by side to capture Destiny.” Fluttershy fought against the gold clad guards that dragged her up the stone spiral staircase. Now knowing that she had magic, she fought the inhibitor clamped around her horn, but to no avail. “Let me go!” Flailing her limbs, she managed to free a leg and clock the one guard in the face, sending him rolling down the stairs. “Oh, my! I’m so sorry!” The remaining guard brandished his electric spear at Fluttershy. “You’ll pay for that.” “Halt! Stand down, guard!” Fluttershy only saw a shadow from the top of the staircase where a new voice came from. The guard stood at attention. “Yes, Princess.” The voice came again. “Guard, leave us.” The guard tapped his electric spear on the ground before heading down the stairs. Knowing that the guards would be down there waiting. Fluttershy headed up. “Who are you?” “You know who I am,” the voice groaned, “but for some reason, everyone keeps calling me Princess Dora Bella.” “Twilight!” Fluttershy almost didn’t recognize her as she had changed. Aside from the blue gold ornament about her frame, her fur had changed into a striped pattern similar to the empress’s with darker shades of purple. And, she noted that Twilight’s horn was missing. “I’m so glad to see you!” Twilight embraced Fluttershy. “You’re glad? I’m glad to finally hear someone call me by my real name. What’s going on, and,” she looked at Fluttershy’s head, “since when are you an alicorn?” “We’re trapped in a comic book.” Fluttershy wasted no time in bringing Twilight up to speed. She explained as much as she could remember from what Spike and Discord had said along with the crash and what happened in the throne room of Empress Zebrina. Twilight did her best to wrap her head around it. “Okay, but, there has to be a reason why we’re in this comic book.” “Discord said it might have been a spell.” Fluttershy remembered. “Have you ever heard of anything like that?” “Well,” Twilight thought, “there was a group of unicorns that made enchanted books that allowed you to live through the adventures of any novel you wanted. But they were banned, and they never made comic books.” “So, how do we get out of this place?” Fluttershy asked. “Follow me.” Twilight led Fluttershy up into a large room which was furnished with a luxurious bed and a revolving rack of dresses. “We have to finish the story. I’ve been gathering clues to figure out what’s going on. Now that I know we’re in an enchanted comic, everything makes a little more sense. Everyone I’ve met thinks I’m the Empress’s daughter, Bella Dora. I found her secret journal entailing her plans to overthrow her mother and free the enslaved subjects.” From under the pillow of the bed, Twilight struggled to pull out a journal with her hooves. “She kept a list of groups that would sympathize with a revolution. At the top of the list is a group of people called the steelwings.” Fluttershy saw that the steelwings were circled on the list. “How do we get in touch with the steelwings?” Twilight flipped to another page. “There’s a detailed map to an abandoned communications tower at the opposite end of the palace. If we can get there, we might be able to make contact. But, we have to avoid suspicion. If either of us goes missing, Zebrina might suspect something is up.” “Rainbow Dash is still in the palace somewhere. If we can find her, we could send her to the tower.” Fluttershy sighed. “But, she could be anywhere by now.” Twilight nodded. “You’re right. Where would we start to look.” A static cough sounded from the ceiling. “How about up here?” Fluttershy beamed at the sight of the open ventilation shaft above. “Rainbow Dash!” Rainbow slipped through the opening, igniting thrusters in her steel hooves to slow her descent. “Thank goodness that worked. It’s not the same as flying, but still, so cool!” Landing in front of Twilight and Fluttershy, she tapped a spot on her chest which opened up to reveal a display with a map. “I’ve been exploring this place, using my scanners to map out the ventilation shafts and hallways.” “Fascinating.” Twilight inspected every inch of Rainbow’s robotic form. “I wish I had time to study how it all works.” “Hey! No touchy!” Rainbow flipped around and gestured to the map on her display. “I overheard your plan about the communications tower. But, I need the rest of the map to get there.” “Oh, of course.” Twilight offered up the journal with the map to the communications tower. Rainbow’s eyes lit up with a light blue laser that scanned the pages of the journal. “I got it all! I’ve patched the map from the journal into my map, so now I know how to get there.” From the middle of General Betox’s laboratory, Spike rolled his eyes. “Really? How original.” He struggled against his restraints that held him down to a metal table. Between his legs, a laser beam slowly crawled towards him. Betox angrily slammed a button on the laser, shutting it down. “Have you no fear? This laser could cut you clean in half.” “I’m just saying, you could come up with something a little more creative.” Spike shrugged. “I thought you were supposed to destroy my mind or something like that.” “What makes you think I’m not in the process of destroying your mind already?” Betox pulled up a tray of tools. One by one, he inspected each instrument and tested their abilities. “Oh, here come the sharp pointy things,” Spike mumbled, “seriously, you really are just the second rate crony to the Empress. It’s more sad than terrifying.” “Enough!” Betox pulled a device down and latched it onto Spike’s head. “Here we go!” Spike said excitedly. “Finally, we’re getting to the meat of it!” “Oh come on!” Betox kicked the tray of tools across his lab, sending some of the contents onto the table. “You’re worse than the Empress.” Spike squinted. “Ooh. Strong words coming from number two.” “And what would you know about being number two?” Betox relaxed into a chair next to a control panel. Spike laughed. “Are you kidding me? I go through life feeling like all I’ll ever be is number two next to my friend. Flash? That guy? It’s like he’s always off with the princess now more than me. But, it’s okay. I get it, it’s frustrating being in the shadow of someone who always seems more powerful, stronger, or braver than you are. But when you’re friends, what can you do? Being number two isn’t so bad. Where would Flash be without me, Sparky. If I hadn’t designed his armor and all the weapons he used to fight the Norticans, where would he be? Where would Zebrina be without you acting as her General and commanding her armies?” Betox sighed. “Nowhere, probably. You know, you are far less foolish than I made you out to be. And while your knowledge of the universe is primitive, your conceptual understanding of our technology is superb. It would be a shame to waste a mind like yours, Sparky Buckaroo.” Spike nodded. “So, we good?” “Yes.” Betox stood up. “However, I’m still going to kill you for my Empress.” “Impressing a girl.” Spike distantly smiled at the thought of Rarity. “I’ve been there too.” Betox began to activate the device strapped to Spike’s head. “Yes, she is beautiful. Isn’t she?” Spike turned his head away to hide his gags. “Sure.” In the direction he turned, Spike noticed something he hadn’t before. “Wait, those string instruments on the wall there! Are they yours?” “Yes.” Betox replied. “But, I fail to see their relevance to me destroying your mind.” Spike had an idea, one that might keep him alive long enough to escape. “You play? I’m quite the string picker myself. Back in equestria, I have my own band. Sparky Buckaroo and the Canterlot Guards. You admitted it’d be a shame to waste my mind. Why not get a use of it before you waste the opportunity?” Betox tapped his chin in thought. “It has been awhile since I’ve had the privilege of playing music with one as skilled as myself. Alright, Doctor Buckaroo. Let’s play some music, but you’ll be restrained the whole time. So, no funny business.” Spike stretched his wrists as his arm restraints unlatched. “Sweet, now let me see that six string there.” Standing up on the table, he caught the six stringed instrument that Betox threw to him. He immediately began to tweak the tension of the strings. “What are you doing?” Betox asked. Spike tweaked and tested each string to his liking. “Tuning. What shall we play. You got a beat? A song you know?” “How about a challenge?” Betox activated a platform which raised him off the ground to meet Spike’s level. “If you can outplay me, I’ll make your death painless.” Two sparking cables shot out from the platform and attached themselves to Betox and Spike’s instruments. “Play your best song.” “Okay. I’ll do you one better.” Spike picked up a shaded visor from the tools that spilled onto the table from earlier and used them as shades. “I’ll play the greatest song in the universe.” Spike pulled the silver tipped guitar pick from his pocket and played the first thing that came to his head, and it just so happened to be… Discord couldn’t help but smile as he slid into the actual hover carriage that Flash Magnus used to navigate the northern wastes and rescue Princess Deleja in issue seventeen. “How did you find this?” He admired every curve and corner. It wasn’t too unlike a regular auto carriage. Brushing his paw over the controls, he committed as much of its detail to memory as he could. Between the domed windscreen and the double grip steering mechanism, Discord felt like he had gone to another heaven second to the presence of Fluttershy. Mars pointed towards where Big Mac pointed out the crash. “We recovered part of your rocket ship. We assumed it was one of Zebrina’s ships, which is why we confiscated the contents we found.” “E-yup.” Big Mac passed a large parcel to Discord. “I think you’ll be needing this.” Discord unwrapped the parcel to find the shield that had undoubtedly saved his life from his fall to the surface of Zebrulon. “Netitus.” Examining the shield, he could see it had been polished and affixed to the strap was a series of steel feathers. “What are these?” “Tokens of allegiance, from our bravest warriors.” Mars explained. “They have gifted them to you for good luck during our charge on Destiny.” Discord mounted the shield on his back. “How soon till Destiny approaches?” “Soon.” Big Mac spread out his metallic wings. He spoke to Mars. “Let’s get into our positions.” Discord smiled as he fired up the hover carriage. He hummed at the sensation of the twin jets on the back, warming up. Once the jets lit up with fire, Discord slowly pushed the altitude throttle forward until the hover carriage began to lift off from the deck it rested on. “Let’s do this!” Big Mac and Mars both howled as they took to the sky. Discord found the acceleration petals by his feet and eased into them. The hover carriage took off, catching up to the flocks of steel wings that flew through the trees. Maneuvering left and right, Discord followed them under the cover of the canopies. Mars and Big Mac flew up alongside Discord. Mars hollered to Discord. “Up there!” Looking up, Discord could see the rocket ship Destiny begin to pass over them. It was a symmetrical cone with ornate fins that divided three separate thrusters. “I’ll distract them!” He pushed his altitude throttled to full blast. Mars shouted up at him. “Impetuous fool!” Breaking through the canopy, Discord accelerated around the rocket ship, circling it. The Destiny’s crew wasted no time in firing laser beams in his direction. “Come on, that’s right. Over here boys.” As the Destiny followed him, he could see the flocks of steelwings spilling from the canopies. “Come on.” He waited for them all to gain enough altitude over the Destiny. “Almost there.” The moment the steelwings were in position, Discord turned the hover carriage and dove beneath the rocket ship, narrowly missing the spire on the end of its nose. “Now!” Big Mac’s voice boomed across the sky as he yelled out his order to the steelwings. “Dive!” Like a wave of chrome, the steelwings dove in a particular fashion, reflecting as much light as possible at the windows to Destiny’s control deck. Amidst this, a third of the steelwings split off to board the decks of the Destiny. Lasers began to blast away at the steel wings, send them hurtling down below. Discord pushed his altitude throttle all the way up again. Reaching the right height, he locked the hover carriage into auto drive so he could stand up. On the hood of the hover carriage, he used Netitus to deflect the lasers and even reflect them back at the crew members arming the laser turrets. One by one, Discord cleared the decks for the steelwings to board the rocketship. After so many of the steelwings were aboard, the rocket ship’s thrusters began to reverse until the ship came to a complete halt. Circling the Destiny one more time, Discord could see it’s cargo bay open to reveal a smiling Mars and Big Mac. He flew in to meet them. “We are victorious! And little of our warriors were felled.” Mars embraced Discord and Big Mac. “They will live on in our memories.” Even though he knew this was all fiction, Discord found that he couldn’t help but feel the weight of their fallen comrades. “Their spirits will be with us when we defeat Zebrina.” “E-yup.” Big Mac wiped a subtle tear from the corner of his eye as he pulled on Discord’s arm. “Come on. Let’s point this thing towards Zebrina’s palace.” Discord nodded as he broke off his embrace with Mars and followed Big Mac to the control deck. The deck was cleared as the steel wings tied up the crew and transported their captives elsewhere. Big Mac gestured to the main seat at the helm. “She’s all your, Captain.” “Captain?” Discord asked. “E-yup. You got a ship, you’ve been promoted.” Big Mac took a position at a set of controls marked as the controls for the defense lasers. “Captain Magnus!” Another steelwing hollered from the communications controls. “We’re receiving a distress call. It’s coming from the palace.” Discord sat at the helm. “Put them through.” A crackle and a buzz popped before a voice finally came through. “This is Ralf, calling to the steelwings. The princesses and I are calling for an attack on the Empress’s Palace.” The sound of Rainbow’s voice brought a fresh bold smile to Discord’s face. “This is Flash Magnus and the steelwing army. We hear you.” Rainbow ran over Discord’s instruction again. “Disable force field, gather our friends, and defeat Zebrina. Piece of cake.” A noise set her senses whirring for a loop. “Gah! That sound. That music!” She felt like her audio interpreters were melting like butter to the perfect collection of power chords that were stuck in a final symphony of perfection. Popping open the vent below her, she investigated. Spike was on his knees, locked in a stance with his pick in his trembling claws over the six strings that were still glowing. His head raised to face Betox who was ragdolled against the wall in a pile of debris, still clutching his shattered instrument. Spike laughed towards Betox. “You got a hay of a lot to learn about rock and roll.” “Hey!” Rainbow shouted down at Spike. The dragon looked up and smiled. “Hey.” He took a moment to catch his breath. Rainbow looked back and forth between Spike and Betox. “What happened?” Spike shed his visor shades. “I just played the greatest song in the universe.” “Whatever.” Rainbow shot lasers from her eyes at the restraints holding Spike's legs. “Write a tribute later, but right now we gotta get the palace’s forcefield shut off for Discord.” Spike slung the sing string instrument over his back. “Discord is alive?” Rainbow unfolded one of her hooves to let down a grappling hook and rope. “I’ll explain it on the way. But for now, hurry up!” Spike pocketed the visor and hopped on the grappling hook as it raised him up to the ventilation shaft. “Betox described the barrier. It’s in the trekar quadrant of the palace. Do you know where that is?” Rainbow tapped her metal head. “It’s all in here.” Fluttershy whimpered at the tightness of the dress Twilight helped her into. “What’s taking so long for Rainbow to get back?” The black dress was skeletal in form, lining up almost perfectly with her joints and form. “She’s probably looking for Spike. Don’t worry. And don’t struggle too much.” Twilight groaned as she silently cursed at her hooves. “I’m practically useless without my horn!” “Ouch!” Fluttershy jumped as a piece of her fur was caught in the lacing of the dress. “This dress isn’t very forgiving.” “Sorry,” Twilight apologized, “in fact, it’s not really a dress. It’s designed to suck the magic and your life force from your body so it can be transferred into Zebrina’s leg band.” Realizing the harshness of that statement, Twilight apologized again. “Sorry. You must be terrified.” “I’m worried about Discord.” Fluttershy admitted. “I’m worried that he might really be gone.” Twilight sighed, staring at her hooves. “Me too.” “Twilight?” Fluttershy looked to Twilight, worry spreading even deeper into her face. “What’s wrong?” “Nothing!” Twilight snapped. “Nothing.” Fluttershy brushed Twilight’s face. “Hey. It’s alright. You can tell me if you want to. I won’t tell anyone else.” Twilight looked away from Fluttershy as she crawled onto the bed. “I don’t want to talk about it.” Fluttershy frowned as she walked over to Twilight. “I understand. Just know, that if you ever want to talk about it, you can talk to me.” Twilight snapped at her. “I don’t want to talk to you.” The doors to the room flew open as Empress Zebrina walked in. “Oh daughter of mine, the work you have done is fine.” She activated her band and spun Fluttershy around to look at her. “Oh what a sight so glorious, in my hour victorious.” “Put me down, you witch!” Fluttershy swept out a hoof and managed to kick the Empress in the face. “Oh.” The Empress wiped a trickle of green blood from her cheek. “Strike me you may, but for that you will pay. Come with me my daughter, and witness this peasant’s slaughter.” Twilight wiped her face and turned to the Empress with red eyes and a crooked smile. “Yes, mother.” Fluttershy blankly stared at Twilight. “What? You can’t let her do this. No. This isn’t like you!” “Maybe, it is.” Twilight led the way up the spiral staircase. “Let’s get a move on, mother. We don’t want to waste any time.” “No!” Fluttershy kept trying to build up enough energy to blow the inhibitor off her horn, but nothing worked. “Don’t waste your energy.” Twilight’s smile widened. “Mother won’t be happy if you use up her power.” Fluttershy screamed as they reached the top of the tower. The top was capped by a spherical glass and steel form that let in the light from the stars of space. At the center of everything was a white chair with restraints. The Empress cackled as she set Fluttershy in the chair. “No!” Fluttershy’s eyes welled up as Twilight tightened the restraints herself. “This isn’t you.” Twilight whispered into Fluttershy’s ear. “You won’t get in the way now.” “What?” Fluttershy shook her head. “What are you talking about?” Twilight attached a coupling from the chair to the inhibitor on Fluttershy’s horn and another coupling to her dress. “Ready for extraction, mother.” “Excellent.” The Empress raised her leg over a spot in front of the chair where a small pedestal arose to hold the leg band. Slipping out of the leg band, the Empress readied the switch for extraction. “Now, your power and soul will be mine!” “Your majesty!” The Empress moved away from the extraction switch to meet the screaming Betox. “General! Speak.” Betox heaved as he talked. “Doc-tor Bucka-, escaped. Flash Magnus,” he sharply inhaled, “approaching.” “Betox, are you joking?” The Empress cocked a brow. “What do you mean Flash Magnus approaching?” “Alright, he says the shields will be down in three, two, one…” True to Rainbow and Spike’s word, the red forcefield around Zebrina’s palace deteriorated before Discord’s eyes. “Wall down!” Discord shouted over the intercom. “Commander Mantos San, fire at anything that attacks.” Big Mac grinned as he manipulated the laser controls. “E-yup!” Discord saw the fleet of small ships beginning to swarm around them. Perhaps against the steelwings alone, they might have stood a chance. But against Destiny, their fates were sealed. “Keep it going.” Diverting the rocket ship’s power to it’s force field, now that they were in range, he brought the ship alongside the tallest tower. Discord could see Fluttershy through the glass dome top. “Mars.” “Yes, Flash?” Mars approached him. “I need you to take over.” Discord switched the controls over to automatic, so he could pass the seat to Mars. “I’m going after Zebrina and the Princess.” Mars pounded his chest in salute. “Flash, you’re a miracle. Go get her!” Discord dashed down to the cargo bay where he fired up the hover carriage again. Taking off into the frey of the fight, he had to dodge lasers and enemy ships as he descended straight at the tower. Before he could make it, however, one of the stray enemy ships his engine with a straight laser shot. “Not so fast.” Discord jumped from the hover carriage as it plummeted to the ground. Pulling Netitus from his back, he stood on top of it like a surfboard, riding the lasers that struck the underside of the shield. Getting his trajectory right, he crashed through the glass of the tower, sliding to a halt and activating the magnets in his armor, sucking Netitus onto his arm. Rushing forward, Discord stood between Fluttershy and the Empress. “Forget it, Zebrina! You’re not taking her power.” The Empress chuckled. “Flash Magnus, we meet at last. Too bad you’ll die so fast. Betox!” Betox lunged at Discord with his electric sword. “You will die!” His sword arched as he and Discord fought to push him back. “Your friends will all die.” “No!” Fluttershy used one of her free hind legs to kick Betox in the side. “He’ll save every one of us.” Fluttershy’s aid was enough to give Discord the edge to launch Betox across the room. “Zebrina, you coward. Your fight is with me!” “Stay away from her!” Betox came back with a vengeance as he relentlessly swung his sword at Discord, only to be stopped again and again by Netitus. “You will die by my blade!” “Actually.” Discord smiled at the sight of Spike and Rainbow. Spike raised his arm high with pick in claw as he readied his weapon, a laser grid tied into the six stringed instrument he carried. “Power chord.” As he struck his weapon’s strings, lasers shot from its neck, sending Betox flying across the room. Barely able to lift his smoking head, Betox mourned his broken horn before he stared at Spike. “Be you an angel?” “Nay.” Spike flipped his visor shades onto his face. “I am but a dragon.” The Empress reached for the extraction switch. Discord took a knee, bracing himself as he pressed a button on his arm that sent Netitus flying at the Empress, slamming her face with a loud crack. “Disable the chair!” Rainbow aimed her laser eyes at the chair’s circuitry and fried them before blasting the inhibitor off of Fluttershy’s horn. Fluttershy ran to the pedestal where the band was, but there was nothing there. “Oh, no.” Discord felt his body hit the floor as some invisible force weighed down on him like a ton of bricks. He looked up to see the Empress with her band on, her face ridden with sick delight. “Ha, ha, ha.” The Empress moved in on Discord. “You think you are worthy to defeat me? Look around you and see.” Using the magic of the band, the Empress used the same power to bring down Spike and Rainbow. “Is this the best Equestria has to offer? If so, you’ve made me a scoffer. Your friends, you can’t defend. And now, you’ll meet your end.” Discord could see the Empress’s eyes begin to glow red, along with Spike’s, Rainbow’s, and Fluttershy’s eyes. “No.” The Empress laughed. “Kill him.” Twilight screamed as she tackled the Empress. “No!” Discord felt the weight lift from his body, but Spike, Rainbow, and Fluttershy were still preparing to attack. “Uh-oh.” He held up the shield in time to hold off their attacks. Netitus deflected Spike’s laser guitar, Rainbow’s laser eyes, and Fluttershy’s magic. Quickly seeing that the energies all merged upon being deflected from the shield, Discord turned to direct it all at the Empress. “See you in tartarus, Zebrina!” The Empress screamed at the top of her lungs as the combined energies lit her up. “No, no mortal can kill me! That’s impossible!” Her entire form fizzled out in a bright flash that turned to dust before falling to the floor. “It’s over.” Discord ran to Fluttershy who was shaking her head. “Hey. You alright?” Fluttershy blinked her eyes back into focus. “Discord! Wait. Where’s Twilight?” Discord turned to see Twilight picking up Zebrina’s band. “Twilight? What are you doing?” Twilight slipped the band on and sent Fluttershy flying back into the chair, locking her horn back up with the inhibitor. “No. I have the power. I’m not losing him again.” Discord dropped his shield and held up his arms. “Twilight. Please stop. I’ll do anything you want, just let Fluttershy go. What do you want?” “You!” Twilight screamed. Spike’s eyes grew under his visor shades. “Woah, didn’t see that coming.” “A love triangle? Seriously?” Rainbow looked around. “This is a dumb comic book.” Fluttershy spoke up. “Twilight. You love Discord?” “Yes.” Twilight shook her head, stuttering. “N-no. None of you would understand!” Spike set down his weapon and walked towards Twilight. “Stay back!” Twilight snapped at Spike. “What are you doing?” “You said you weren’t going to lose him again.” Spike kept walking to her. “But, you weren’t talking about Discord were you.” Twilight’s face began to twist as her eyes filled with tears. “N-no. I wasn’t.” “You were talking about someone else, someone you loved very much, but isn’t around anymore.” Spike stopped only when Twilight threatened him with with the power of the band. “He said he would come back.” Twilight began to shake. “He said he would come back, but he never did.” Hot tears began to roll down her face. “He said he would come back from the war!” “The changeling wars?” Discord asked. “I met your parents though, your dad is still-.” It clicked in Discord’s mind. “Oh. Your brother.” Discord remembered every moment with Twilight. He remembered her reaction to him sticking out for her and how she followed him around, always taking interest. “Twilight. I’m sorry. I’m not your brother.” “You’re Spike’s!” Twilight howled. Discord chose his words more carefully. “Just because I’m not your brother doesn’t mean I’m not your friend. Twilight. Please. Let Fluttershy go.” Twilights tears of sadness turned to tears of anger. “Is she all you ever think about!?” Spike dared to take a step forward. “And if your real brother had fallen in love, would you get rid of her? Would his life not matter? Yes, Discord and Fluttershy are spending time together. That doesn’t mean Discord cares less about you than the rest of us. He cares just as much if not more than I do.” “What?” Twilight cowered back from Spike. “What are you saying?” Spike knelt down on a knee. “Twily.” “Don’t call me that…” Twilight’s words drifted away. “Twily?” Spike opened his arms for her. “I understand, but you can’t hate him for not coming back. I may not be your brother, or the one you want to be your brother. I can’t be your brother. But, I can be the next best thing.” Twilight began to calm down. “Like what.” “Well, your highness if I’ve learned anything today,” Spike shrugged gesturing to Betox, “every princess deserves a number two assistant.” Twilight stared at Spike for a while before finally sliding Zebrina’s band from her leg to the ground. “Number one?” “Sure.” Spike offered up his best smile. “Number one assistant.” Twilight rushed into his arms and quietly wept as the dragon held her. Discord removed the restraints and the inhibitter as he picked up Fluttershy. He whispered to her. “Princess?” “Please don’t.” Fluttershy shivered. “I don’t want to be a princess. I don’t have the nerve for it.” Rainbow blasted Zebrina’s band until it burst into flames, releasing a plume of energy that escaped through the broken glass above. She beeped as everyone looked at her. “What? Did you honestly think I’d let that thing sit there for Beta over there to pick up and use to bring that crazy Empress back from the dead? No thanks.” Big Mac flew into the tower from outside. “What did I miss?” He was followed by Mars and a few more of the steelwings. “A lot.” Spike commented. Mars stepped forward. “Is she gone? Is Zebrina really defeated?” “Yes.” Discord smiled. “Once and for all.” Mars stared at Twilight. “Dora Bella. My princess.” He knelt before her and Spike. “I kept my promise. I told you we’d meet again, my love.” Spike smiled at the confused Twilight. “Go on. This is all just a comic book. Enjoy it a little.” Nodding, Twilight smiled up at Mars Markas. “It’s, uh, a relief to see you again, uh, my love.” She yelped a bit as Mars drew her into an embrace before spinning up into the air with her. Twilight giggled as Mars brushed his nose against hers on the way back down. “All's well that ends well.” Fluttershy hummed to Discord. “Hm-nope.” Big Mac shook his head. “The planet Zebrulon still drifts through space.” Spike scratched his chin. “Our planet’s moon was destroyed by Zebrina, but maybe we could shift Zebrulon into an orbit to give it a home as our new moon.” Spike chuckled to himself. “I’m gonna miss talking like Twilight.” “I don’t know.” Rainbow buzzed. “Finding a good home for friends? That sure sounds like Spike to me.” Spike tapped Rainbow’s metal shoulder. “Thanks.” Mars stepped up to Discord. “Flash, you have defeated the evil Empress and your scientist has offered us a new home next to yours. How can my people ever repay you?” “Don’t worry about it.” Discord hugged Fluttershy a little tighter. “I’m just glad Zebrina is no longer a threat to our world. I couldn’t ask you to aid in our battles.” Mars hummed with a wide smile that lit up his face. “When my people have fully recovered, I promise to help you overcome the forces of evil on your world.” Discord nodded in agreement. “But first, a lift home would be nice.” “Discord, look!” Fluttershy pointed to the sky. Looking up with her, Discord marveled at the fireworks that lit up the sky as the sun began to set. He didn’t even notice the bright light that was gradually surrounding him and his friends. ***** Everyone screamed as they fell from the pages of the comic book, back into the castle of the two sisters. Fluttershy rubbered her now bare head. “Thank goodness, no more magic.” Spike reached for the lapels of a tweed jacket that was no longer there while Big Mac sighed at his bare back that no longer had metal wings. Rainbow stretched, popping every joint in her body. “Wow!” She squeezed her own face and sighed with relief. “It’s good to have skin and fur again.” Twilight sighed as she made a few sparks with her horn. “It’s good to have this back.” She winced before turning to face everyone. “I’m so sorry, everyone.” Discord moved to take off his helmet, but he laughed at the fact that it was no longer there. “Twilight. Like Spike said, I understand. We may not be siblings.” “But,” Fluttershy lifted Twilight’s chin up, “we are family.” Fluttershy embraced her. “We’ll always be family, no matter what. And, I’d be proud to be your sister.” Twilight wiped her eyes. “Even though, we’re not really sisters. We’re family.” Discord joined in the hug along with Spike, Big Mac, and even Rainbow. “Can you ever forgive me?” Twilight asked. Discord and Fluttershy looked at each other and simultaneously answered, “Promise.” “Yes.” Spike smiled. Big Mac added, “E-yup.” Rainbow hid her eyes as she wiped them. “Of course, squirt.” Discord rubbed Twilight’s head, playfully. “You know, you taught me something today, Twilight.” “Really?” Twilight asked. “Yeah.” Discord nodded. “You’re special, Twilight. You see, I was doubting whether I was worthy of my friends, until you convinced me otherwise. I saw how far you were willing to go to keep me as your friend. Each of us has something special about us. Fluttershy is kind, Rainbow has an unwavering loyalty, but you? Your friendship is magic.” “Thank you.” Twilight looked to Spike who gave her a thumbs up. “Thank you all.” Fluttershy planted a kiss on Discord’s cheek. “Now do you understand how much you mean to us?” “Yes.” Discord leaned down and kissed Fluttershy. “I do.” They all turned at the sight of the comic glowing green before disappearing into thin air. “Darn.” Discord brushed over the spot on the podium where the comic had been, but there was nothing there. “I guess we’ll never find out where that comic came from.” “Well,” Fluttershy hummed, “we made it out with our lives.” Spike wiggled his claws. “I think I want to learn guitar.” He paused then. “Wait. Do you hear that? It’s some sort of humming.” They all wandered back to the main entryway where they found the pedestal with elements of harmony, in pieces. “The elements!” Twilight ran towards the rubble. “Huh?” “What is it?” Discord asked. He got his answer as he saw that three of the stones had cracked open. Picking one up, he brushed away the dirt to reveal a gem shaped like a butterfly. Recognizing it, he held it to Fluttershy’s side. “It’s the same as your mark.” “This one’s the same as mine, almost.” Rainbow dug out a bolt shaped gem that matched her eyes. Twilight used her magic to pick up another gem in the shape of a star. “What’s going on here?” Discord collected the other elements and showed them to Twilight. “They’re pulsating.” ***** Rainbow groaned as she stared at her lunch, ignoring the bustling students around the cafeteria. “I’m bored. That comic book escapade was the most fun I’ve had in years.” “E-yup.” Big Mac nodded. Spike fiddled with a cheap plastic guitar pick. “It’s kinda freaky to readjust to school after saving the world.” “It wasn’t real though.” Twilight muttered as she stared at the star shaped element. “But, it felt real.” Fluttershy nudged Discord. “Is that how it feels when you read your comics?” “I suppose.” Discord shrugged. “I think the only thing that comes close is the end of an O&O campaign.” “Yeah!” Spike agreed. “You get connected to these characters, and it’s a little sad to see them go.” “But,” Discord sighed, “I think we’ll hold on to the best parts, the parts that somehow make a difference in our lives. Hopefully for the better.” Twilight let out a long sigh as she tucked the element back in her bag. “I think I’ll go to class early. See you guys later.” “See ya.” Everyone called out, but before Twilight made it even ten steps, she ran into a colt and dropped her bag. “Who is that?” Rainbow asked. “I don’t know.” Discord admitted. “He kinda looks like Mars Markas, the steelwing from the comic.” Twilight shook her head as she recovered from the impact. “Sorry, I-uh.” “Sorry,” the orangish colt nervously helped Twilight pick up her bag. “Oh.” He picked up her disruptor, accidentally turning it on. “Whoops, is it supposed to make that sound.” “It’s okay.” Twilight switched it off and tucked it in her bag. “Science experiment.” “Nice.” The colt scratched at his blue mane. “Sorry, I’m new here. Do you know where shop nineteen is?” “Sure. I mean yes. I can show you.” Twilight struggled to not stare at the colt. “I’m Twilight, by the way.” “Hi there, Twilight.” The colt smiled. “I’m Flash Sentry.” Discord, Big Mac, and Rainbow’s jaws dropped as they smiled to one another. Discord grabbed his ears. “Flash? That’s freaky.” “E-yup.” Big Mac shook his head. Spike shrugged his shoulders. “Meh, I don’t think I like him.” Author's Note Danger Ahead“...forgetting self and finding time for others.” -Tommy Little white specks. The first inklings of a late and long overdue winter. This Gallop welcomed it. Sitting at his telescope, he watched the draconequus across the way while little strands of warmth reached out to him from the fire blazing in the living room fireplace. “Beautiful isn’t it?” This Gallop kept his eye on his target. “Yes, you are.” “No. Not me, silly.” Jasmine sidled up to this Gallop and gestured to the snow falling outside the window. “The snow.” “If you say so.” This Gallop shrugged. “Say,” Jasmine peered out the window, “what are you looking for?” “Intruders.” He said flatly. Jasmine shook her head. “I’m sure that robber won’t come back anymore. My big brave husband scared him away.” She pressed her face against this Gallop’s. “Let me see, sweetums.” Pushing him away and looked through the telescope, she hummed. “No intruders. Just a peculiar family. But, they look so happy together. I wonder how long those two have been together.” This Gallop hummed a slight laugh as he rubbed Jasmine’s shoulder. “They’re not married. Those dragons are from down the street, originally. They’re friends.” “I don’t know.” Jasmine rubbed her nose against this Gallop’s. “They’re smiling at each other too much. They look so happy together. Them, and those two boys.” This Gallop looked away from Jasmine as he retreated to the living room to bask in the warmth of the fire. “I’m sorry that I can’t give you children.” Jasmine sort of chuckled. “What brought this up?” This Gallop pointed towards the window. “The way you looked at them. Children. I would give them to you if I could. I believe I would do everything for you, for as long as I could.” That last thought shook him. He had begun to worry about his position’s future. Honeybee was not thrilled to find out his enchanted comic book stunt had failed to capture the draconequus. More slip ups meant his days in the neighborhood were numbered. His days with Jasmine were numbered. “Hey.” This Gallop felt his senses melt at the mercy of Jasmine’s touch. Somehow she was warmer than the fire. And somehow, she appeared braver than he. Such is the bliss of your ignorance, to not know the full truth. “We could always adopt, Tarsi.” This Gallop felt his insides burst from utter joy upon hearing that name. “How many would you want. Just name the number. You want five? Ten? Twenty? A whole orphanage? Just say it, and it shall be done.” Jasmine laughed. “Maybe not that many, Tarsi. Maybe just one to start with. We shouldn’t overwhelm ourselves.” “Okay,” this Gallop smiled, “one. And I’m sure that one would be overwhelmed with such happiness to have you as a mother.” “And you,” Jasmine gently kissed this Gallop’s nose, “a father.” “Father? Me?” A strange amalgamation of feelings swept over this Gallop. Could I be? What place is it of mine to be a father? There is only a mother. “I don’t believe I’d be a good father.” “No.” Jasmine beamed with bright smile. “You’d be a great one. I just know it. I can see it now. I can see you teaching our son to play catch or teaching our daughter to stay away from bad boys.” “Bad boys?” This Gallop growled under his breath at the thought. My daughter? “I will destroy them before they can hurt her.” Jasmine erupted into laughter as she leaned against this Gallop for support. “I’d like to see that, sweetums. See? You’re already thinking about protecting our daughter that we don’t have.” “But if she was one of us. I would do the same for sons and daughters alike. As unto you, so unto them.” This Gallop sneaked in a kiss to Jasmine. “I want to protect you all. You are not weak. But, you are dear to me. If my life were in danger-.” Jasmine rolled her eyes. “I’d give ‘em a taste of my hooves.” This Gallop smiled. “I would hope that it never comes to that.” “Then it won’t.” Jasmine stared off into the fireplace along with this Gallop. “Together we can survive anything. Tarsi, I can tell work is hard for you right now. I’m sure it’s just the hustle and bustle of the Hearth’s Warming season. Remember, I’ll be with you every step of the way. If you fall, I’ll catch you. As long as we are together, all this hardship will pass.” You have no idea how much stronger you really are. This Gallop felt a different warmth growing inside. It wasn’t from Jasmine and it wasn’t from the fireplace. “I hope that’s true. I want to believe you. I want to keep you safe.” “You will.” Jasmine brushed his mane until he hummed to her delight. “I believe in you. Do you believe that I believe in you?” This Gallop settled on smiling, even though it wasn’t the most sincere of actions. He was still beginning to navigate the complexities of expression. “You make it easy to believe.” “Hm.” Jasmine gave this Gallop a peck of a kiss before walking away, towards the kitchen. “Happy Hearth’s Warming, sweetums. I’m going to make some hot cocoa. Want some?” “Yes, please. And, thank you.” After watching her disappear into the kitchen, this Gallop returned to his post at the telescope. Peering through, he observed as the draconequus and the younger dragon left the living room to hit the sack. “Hm.” He noticed the pony and the older dragon smiling at each other, laughing here and there in between conversations. “She may be right about those two. Jasmine, you would have been perfect if you were one of us.” This Gallop thought on what that really meant. “But, you wouldn’t really be you if you were.” He watched the house across the street long enough to see the lights go out. “I’ll protect you, Jasmine. I’ll do everything in my power to get rid of that draconequus, please Honeybee, and hopefully stay with you forever. I swear. I’ll do whatever it takes, even if it kills me.” Author's Note Midnight Blue“...taking pleasure in the fragrant brilliance…” -Thomas Sunlight spilled into the window of Discord’s room in the calm quiet morning. The draconequus did not russel his sheets. His dreams were filled with warmth and adventure along with images of a certain pink maned pegasus. The dream soon faded with his sleep, his eyes opening up to the still air and the smell of waffles and other sugary confections. Rolling his head towards the floor, he noted the sleeping bag and pile of blankets that protected his friend, his brother, Spike the dragon. “It’s morning!” Leaping from his covers, he rushed to the dragon’s side to wake him from his slumber. “Spike! It’s Hearth’s Warming!” “Ugh.” Spike rolled over and muttered into his pillow. “Isn’t it tomorrow?” “It is tomorrow already!” Discord peeled back the blankets and dragged Spike half way out into the hallway, still in the sleeping bag. Spike finally sniffed the air, which made his eyes grow. “Food? Why didn’t you open up with food?” The two rushed down the hall to be greeted by the warm glow of decorations and lights surrounding a humble mound of brightly wrapped gifts. In the kitchen, piles of waffles and decorated cookies were set about along with a tired looking Redheart and Andee who had been up all night getting things ready. “Morning boys.” Andee raised a mug of steaming black morning fuel. “Sleep well?” “Happy Hearth’s Warming!” Redheart took a seat next to Andee. “Breakfast first. Then presents.” Breakfast went fast as Discord and Spike were eager to exchange and unwrap their presents. Wrapping paper quickly littered the livingroom floor. Discord marveled at the unpainted scale model of the Flash Magnus hover carriage. Spike cheered for his new O&O game master screen and maps. Both tossed school supplies off to the side, and they practically dragged Redheart and Andee into the living room to give them their presents. “Here Andee, this is from both me and Spike.” Discord handed off the rattling box to Andee. Andee tilted the box left and right to try and listen for the identity of the gift. Finally unwrapping it, he smiled. “A new tool set. Thank you boys, you didn’t have to get this for me. How’d you afford it?” Spike shrugged his shoulders. “We saved up money from mowing lawns. It took both our savings. But, I told Discord about how you burn through some of your tools. I hope you like it.” “I love it. Thank you.” Andee popped open the box and smiled as he inspected each tool. “Redheart.” Spike offered up a gift to the pony. Discord offered her one too. “Mom.” Redheart unwrapped her son’s gift first. “Oh, Discord.” She gushed over the “best mom” mug that she pulled from the wrapping paper. “It’s true. Thank you.” Moving on, she opened Spike’s gift. “Uh-huh.” Redheart laughed as she looked at the new in the packaged bedsheets. “This makes up nicely for the cape incident.” Spike chuckled nervously. “On my honor, no more fire in the Redheart household.” Andee walked off and returned with a small wrapped box. “Miss Redheart. For you.” “Andee, you didn’t have to buy me anything.” Redheart shook her head as she looked at the box. Andee shrugged. “I didn’t buy you anything. I made it.” Redheart tore open the wrapping paper and opened the box. “Andee. You-?” She raised from the box, a thin gold chain that held a pendant of a cross with a little red heart indented in the center of it. “You made this?” “Yeah.” Andee chuckled nervously as he scratched the back of his neck. “I save certain circuit boards and harvest the gold from them. I had to ask Discord what to make it into, I wasn’t really sure what you’d like. He told me how much you love your work as a nurse, and your name is Redheart, so there it is.” Discord smiled at his mother’s speechlessness as Andee helped her try it on. Looking to Spike he secretly gave him a little fist bump out of sight from Redheart and Andee. “It’s beautiful. I love it.” Redheart slouched as she continued to admire the little gold pendant. “I feel silly now.” She pulled out a manilla folder that was tied up in a bow. “I can’t top your gift, I’m sorry.” Andee took the manilla folder and opened it up. “These are-.” His eyes widened at the listings houses and apartments. “You-.” Andee smiled uncontrollably when he saw each of the prices. “How did you find these?” “Friends.” Redheart responded. “I talked to my brother and he got in touch with his company. They got in touch with the realtors they deal with. It all just came together. I knew you and Spike were looking for a home, and I couldn’t stand the thought of the two of you staying at a motel forever. Look.” She flipped to a page. “There’s also this house. The owner, his name is Gallop. He and his wife have two rooms they’re renting out, and it’s right across the street.” Andee gripped onto the page Redheart had pointed out. “You have no idea how much this means to me. This is perhaps one of the best Hearth’s Warming gifts I’ve ever seen.” Discord noticed Spike had gone quiet. Lookin, he saw the dragon’s face had gone stoic as he stared off into some distant place, some other time. Discord whispered to him. “Hey, what’s up?” Spike’s mouth began to curl into a smile. Reaching up, he brushed a tear away. “I haven’t heard him say that since I was little, when my mom was still around.” Discord looked back at Andee and Redheart in time to see them embrace. It was only for a moment, but it was as if time had slowed down. He wanted to remember this very moment, forever. Thinking about it, he wondered if he could ever stop time with his powers. This moment, he believed was worth saving if he could. The only thing missing was Fluttershy. Yes, he thought. If she were here, this would be perfect. ***** “See, I told you we’d make it in time.” Andee engaged the parking brake on his autocar and unbuckled his seat belt. “Who’s ready for too much sugar and no sleep?” Discord and Spike both piled out of the autocar and zoomed straight up to the school gymnasium, straightening their ties and jackets as they went. The high school was putting on one of it’s newer events that had been going on for three years. The school’s Hearth’s Warming dance had earned enough votes from students to remain in place this year. Though, due to the recent budget cuts the school was facing, it was up to the students and their parents to pull it all together. Redheart had volunteered to be one of the nurses on deck in case of injuries, and Andee had volunteered to be another chaperone and back up tech for the pony running the music. Discord and Spike bought their tickets, got inside and hunted for their friends in the packed crowd. The light was low, allowing projections of blue and white snowflakes to be seen as they bounced around the gymnasium. Tissue paper chains and lights were strung up all around over student painted renditions of the first flag of Equestria. In two corners on either side of the stage area, two trees had been set in place, wrapped in lights and decorated. “Happy Hearth’s Warming guys!” Discord and Spike almost tackled Rainbow before they looked at her. “Woah.” Discord fumbled with his words. “You-.” Spike cocked his head. “Are you wearing a dress?” Rainbow snorted. “Yes. What? I’m a girl. I can rock a dress.” Spike smirked. “A girl?” “Really?” Discord clapped his face with fake surprise. “We had no idea?” “Honestly,” Spike added as he fell into laughter. “I’m shocked.” “Eh!” Rainbow tried not to laugh as she threatened them both with her hooves. “I oughta slug you.” Twilight came up to them all. “I think it’s very becoming of you, Rainbow Dash.” She straightened her new cat eye framed glasses. “Hello, Spike. Discord.” Discord nodded to Twilight. “How you holding up?” “Better.” Twilight took in a slow and shaky breath. “I still haven’t figured out what’s going on with the elements of harmony and why only some of them-.” Twilight looked at Rainbow. “Wait, are you wearing one of the elements?” Rainbow tapped on the lightning bolt gem that was now affixed to a gold band. “Yeah. I was helping my dad with something and it sort of just had this neck thingy after that. I thought it would go good with the dress.” Twilight’s eye twitched. “You wore an ancient priceless artifact to a dance because you thought it would look good with your dress?” Spike smirked as he held his laughter back. "Rainbow Dash really is a girl." Rainbow hummed as she avoided Twilight's glare. “Well, when you put it like that… It does sound kinda bad.” A voice piped up as it approached. “Oh, dear. I’m sorry. I guess I did it too.” Discord turned until his eyes were glued on the figure approaching. “Fluttershy. You look beautiful.” He stared awhile at her white and green dress, the element around her neck, and fought to speak past his nerves. “Happy Hearth’s Warming.” “Oh, happy Heart’s Warming.” Fluttershy smiled as she sidled up to Discord. Twilight groaned. “Fine.” A spark from her horn brought the other elements of harmony in front of her. “Excuse me, I’m just going to dip these in holiday punch, because science.” Rainbow stopped Twilight before she could walk off. “Hey, listen. We’ll take good care of the elements. Don’t worry, just enjoy yourself.” “You’re right. I’m sorry everyone.” Twilight placed the element in the purse at her side. “This time of year just gets especially hard without my brother.” “It’s okay. We understand.” Spike lifted Twilight’s chin up a little higher. “We’re here with you. And you know what, how about you and I go to the library to study about the elements. A second pair of eyes couldn’t hurt. And besides, with how great your magic is, I know you’ll get to the bottom of it.” “Thanks Spike.” Before Twilight could say anything else, she popped her purse open and winced at the flash of light. “What?” She pulled out the element that matched her mark, only now it was fitted to a gold tiara. “Fascinating.” “Here.” Spike set the tiara with the element on Twilight’s head before bowing. “Your majesty. I, Sparky Buckaroo, am at your service.” Twilight managed to crack a smile. “I guess if they’ve been around for a thousand years, one dance won’t ruin them.” “That’s right.” Rainbow nodded. “Hey, who wants to go get punch?” “Aye!” Spike saluted. He joined Rainbow along with Fluttershy. Discord was about to go to until he heard something behind one of the decorated trees. “Psst.” “Hm?” Discord looked at the tree. “Psst.” Jumping back, Discord almost tripped over Twilight who already had her sonic disruptor at the ready and on. The tree did nothing. “Psst. Discord.” Looking around the tree, Discord squinted at the white filly hiding in the dark. “Rarity? What are you doing back there?” Rarity frowned. “Please. I need to talk to you. Spike won’t talk to me.” “And for good reason.” Twilight snapped. “Please.” Rarity shook her head. “I’m trying to make things right, but Spike won’t listen. You’re his friend. You can talk to him. Please.” Discord motioned for Twilight to stay behind while he circled around behind the tree. “Okay, Rarity. After lying about your relationship and ultimately breaking my friend’s heart, how can I be of service?” Rarity shrunk at Discord's cross tone. “I’m so sorry, and you can never begin to understand how sorry I am. I didn’t mean to hurt him. But when he asked me out, I didn’t see any other way for us to hang out.” Discord blinked. “Hang out? Like, friends?” “Yes. I wanted to be his friend. I wanted a new friend, someone who wasn’t so full of hot air like the other fillies I hang out with. While I admit their taste in fashion is something to be admired, their character is nothing short of rude, arrogant, and-” “Woah, woah, woah.” Discord gestured for Rarity to be quiet. “Time out. What does your friends and dating him have to do with being his friend?” “My friends, if you can call them that, are rather judgemental about who they associate with. They prefer things that are in. And being friends with a dragon is not in in their book. That’s why I had that magazine you tore up. I only purchased the darn thing to convince them it was in to be around dragons. I was going to ask Spike out, but he asked me first. And, he was just so happy being my boyfriend that I could never find it in my heart to tell him otherwise.” Discord felt his body loosen up. “Then he found the magazine.” “Yes.” Rarity scraped at the gymnasium floor. “I still want to be friends with him. I did enjoy the time we spent together. Between all the lunches and dinners we shared, and he was such a romantic as well.” Discord coughed as he made air quotes. “Friends?” “Oh.” Rarity frowned. “I know. That’s how I seem to come off to others. I’m not sorry about it either. I just love everything this world has to offer. There’s too little of time to not be passionate about life. I do mean what I said as a compliment to Spike. He is a romantic, and I know that someday, he'll make someone really happy.” Turning, she pushed a wrapped box forward. “I counted the money Spike spent on our dates. This is worth every bit he ever spent, and then some. You don’t have to tell him it was me. Really, I just hope you can forgive me for breaking his heart. And maybe, in time, Spike can forgive me too.” Discord picked up the box. Any anger that he had saved for seeing Rarity again simply died. “This is really generous of you.” Before he could say anything else, he saw Twilight abruptly compare an element to Rarity. “Twilight? What’s up?” “I was listening when this happened.” Twilight held up a purple diamond shaped element with a gold band and looked at Rarity. “You? Really-!” She stopped. “Wait. Discord, what did you say to her just a second ago?” Discord shot a nervous glance between Rarity and Twilight. “That her gift was generous.” Twilight’s eyes grew. “Quick! Describe Rainbow Dash in one word.” “Loyal.” Discord Shrugged. “Fluttershy.” Twilight demanded. Discord smiled. “Kind.” A happy grin spread on Twilight’s face. “Right. And me?” Discord pointed to Twilight’s horn. “Magic?” “Fascinating.” Twilight hummed to herself as she turned to Rarity and passed the element to her. “I take back every mean thing I ever said about you. This is an element of harmony, it’s over a thousand years old and has the potential of possibly saving the world. Hold on to it, please. We’ll stay in touch.” She turned to Discord. “I have to go. Tell Spike I’ll explain everything tomorrow.” “Got it.” Discord saluted as Twilight took off. Rarity stared at the element. “Should I be concerned about this?” Discord thought for a moment. “No. But, do you really care about Spike?” “Yes.” Her response was quick. “I do.” “Okay.” Discord nodded. “Next weekend, meet me by the park with the willow tree near Spike’s old house. I’ll get this gift to Spike and try to talk to him.” Rarity opened her mouth to say one thing, but then decided on something else. “Thank you. I’ll see you then.” “And Rarity,” Discord let out a long sigh before speaking, “if those fillies were really your friends, they wouldn’t care who you liked to be around. They should care if you’re happy.” “I suppose you’re right.” Rarity nodded. “Spike cared.” Discord watched as Rarity placed the element around her neck before she rejoined the crowded gymnasium. He decided it was his turn to do so as well. Finding the spot where all his friends were, he rejoined them with Spike’s gift in tow. “Hey guys.” Rainbow cheered. “Woo hoo, is that for me?” “No.” Discord smiled as he handed the gift off to Spike. “It’s for you. No idea who it’s from.” “Woah.” Spike tore past the wrapping paper and let his mouth drop at the sight. “The newest Game Master Guide, the Creature Index, Weapons and Artifacts, and Starswirl’s Guide To Everything!” He traced his claws over the O&O logos, still in disbelief. Tearing back more of the wrapping paper, his head just about fell off his shoulders at the sight of dozens of painted pewter miniatures. “By the sisters! Discord, you’re broke. There’s no way you bought this.” “You’re right. I didn’t.” Discord saw Rarity across the gymnasium and smiled at her. Spike gathered it all up. “I gotta get this to my dad so he can put it away in his autocar.” He was followed by Rainbow who kept pestering him along the way to let her look at the Weapons and Artifacts book. Looking to Fluttershy, Discord smiled. “Looks like it’s just you and me. Did you get my present in your front yard?” “I did. Thank you so much.” Fluttershy smiled. “The flowers were lovely.” “Did I spell Happy Hearth’s Warming right? That’d be pretty embarrassing if I spelled it wrong. It’s hard to write with flowers” Discord laughed as he looked out at the crowd. “I was worried my magic wouldn’t hold until morning.” Looking out he saw Big Mac dancing with a filly he recognized from his class, Sugarbelle. The two of them looked so happy. “Discord?” Fluttershy brushed the lapels of his jacket. “Are you alright?” Discord lowered his face and kissed Fluttershy. “Yeah. I’m just thinking about everything.” “What are you thinking about?” Fluttershy asked. “The next school semester.” Discord sighed. “You’re a senior, remember? And I’m a junior.” Fluttershy shook her head. “I’m sorry. I don’t see what you’re getting at.” “You’ll be graduating. And I’ll still be in school for another year.” Discord stroked Fluttershy’s mane, getting lost it how smooth it was. Looking into her eyes, he began to see some reflection of what he was feeling. “Discord.” The sternness in Fluttershy’s voice surprised him. “It’s just a year. We’ll be okay. I’ll still be volunteering at the downtown animal shelter for at least eight months before college.” “Fluttershy, I love you.” Discord huffed. Fluttershy smiled. “You say that like I don’t know.” “I’m being serious.” Fluttershy’s smile faltered. “Is that what you’re really worried about?” “It’s part of it.” Discord’s breath became shaky. “The comic book we were in. I think it was meant to be a trap. I mean, don’t you think it’s odd that my mom would just so happen to find and enchanted comic book of the same series I follow? What are the odds of that? It had to have been a trap, but we got out. Who’s to say another trap won’t be laid for us?” Fluttershy nodded. “You’re probably right. But, Discord. You and I know that fear is also a trap. We set it for ourselves. Let’s not worry tonight. Let’s just be happy we have each other.” She pulled out a small wrapped gift. “Let’s just enjoy Hearth’s Warming.” Discord smiled and nodded as Fluttershy gave him the gift. Unwrapping it he found a red bandana. “Thank you, Fluttershy.” Looking closer, he noticed it wasn’t quite just a piece of fabric. The threads were not as tight as manufactured fabric. The edges were sewn by hoof. The black paisley patterns were as well. “Did you make this from scratch?” “Mm-hm.” Fluttershy smiled. “Big Mac and his little sister showed me how to weave fabric, and their mother helped me put in the patterns. I overheard some of the other students making fun of your collar. I didn’t know if you wanted a way to cover it up, at least until you feel comfortable controlling your magic with your collar off.” Discord reached down, undid his neck tie, and tied the bandana around his neck over his collar. “I’d wear it regardless of the collar. Beside’s, it’s really cool. I should get myself an old west hat to complete the look.” “It really brings out your eyes.” Fluttershy hummed. Discord tossed his necktie into the crowd of dancing students. He looked once more across the gymnasium to spot his friends. He saw Rainbow and Spike had returned to the dance floor, swinging and stepping along side Big Mac and Sugarbelle. He found Twilight, who he thought had left, but she seemed to be occupied by the colt he knew as Flash Sentry. Discord could tell he was complimenting Twilight’s tiara. “Should we dance?” Fluttershy asked. Discord shrugged. “It’s not time, yet. My song request hasn’t come through.” He smiled at Fluttershy’s confusion until the current music faded away and a new song began. Looking back to the crowd he watched as students meekly asked one another to join each other for the slower dance. Discord smiled at Big Mac and Sugarbelle. He laughed as Rainbow nervously accepted an equally nervous blue pegasus’s request to dance. Spike wandered over to the wall up to a particular grey griffon. Discord recognised her. Gabby, Spike’s senior buddy. She was all by herself until Spike asked her to dance with him. “Discord.” Fluttershy listened to the music. “This is from the music tape I made for you.” “It sure is.” Discord offered his paw out to her. “Are you ready for part two of your Hearth’s Warming present?” Fluttershy blinked. “Part two?” She rested her hoof in his paw. Focusing, Discord closed his eyes as he readied a snap. Warm and cool air slowly swirled around them before they were enveloped in light. The music grew around them as they were transported to another realm. Fluttershy marveled at the tunnel of grass and trees that wrapped over itself and flowed like oil in water. At one end of the tunnel was two suns, and at the other end was a moon with two crossed rings. Fish-like furry creatures swam through the flowing grass that parted here and there to reveal rainbows of stars that contrasted against planet sized bioluminescent butterflies. Fluttershy noticed too that they were floating as swarms of tiny origami foil pegasi danced around them, echoing the music from the gymnasium. “Discord, this is beautiful!” Discord twirled Fluttershy in the air. “I’m glad you like it. It took me a few teleports to find this place. Then I had to practice getting back here and figure out how to bring the music with us.” “Where is here?” Fluttershy asked as she flew out of the twirl and hovered low to watch the animals swimming through the grass. Discord explained. “Technically we’re still in the school gymnasium. This is just a place between it and anywhere you want to go.” Fluttershy giggled as one of the animals leapt from the grass and kissed her nose before diving back into the stars. “How long can we stay here?” “As long as you like.” Discord floated over to Fluttershy and pulled her in close. “May I have this dance?” “Yes.” Fluttershy kissed him. “You most certainly may.” She yelped and laughed as Discord drew her into a spin as they dove in and around the grass. They floated and danced like that, for as long as they were willing, and their will seemed without end on that night. Between two suns and a ring crossed moon, Discord and Fluttershy danced through the night until time was lost to them. And when their dance had ended, they floated there in each others company, embracing one another and dreaming of a bold future full of love and sincere friendship. Discord stared into Fluttershy’s eyes, his heart beating faster than he could keep track of. “Fluttershy?” Fluttershy smiled as she pressed her face next to his. “Yes?” Discord felt fear rising in his heart, but before it overtook him, he managed to whisper to Fluttershy: “Will you marry me?” Author's Note Happy New Year! Yours Truly, 2095“...fun to do the impossible.” -Walter “You said what?!” Rainbow screeched. Spike shook his head. “Dude, you don’t just say that to a girl.” Discord grabbed at his head, silently cursing at himself. “I didn’t mean it like that though! I was just asking if she would.” “That’s not how you phrase that.” Rainbow flew backwards as they walked to Doc’s place. “You say, hey would you ever marry me? You don’t just straight up ask, will you marry me? Boy! What’s not connecting in your mind?” Discord shot back. “It’s the same stupid question!” Rainbow backed off, avoiding eye contact. “Well, I blame homeschooling.” Spike tapped Discord’s arm. “So she hasn’t talked to you since?” “No.” Discord tapped at his head again. He hadn’t slept all night due to his raging headache which persisted till even now. “I tried calling her, but her brother kept answering the phone and being, well…” “...Zephyr?” Rainbow snickered. “Yep.” Discord screamed into the air until his headache subsided - a little. “I hope I can fix whatever I broke. I mean, I don’t know. I don’t know if I scared her or what. I mean, look at me. I shouldn’t be surprised.” Spike hummed. “Wuv, twrue wuv.” The dragon waved off his wasted joke. “Discord. I’m gonna level with you. You and Fluttershy don’t make sense. But, I can tell you that she didn’t stick around for your looks. Just being honest. Even to me, a dragon, you look different. But, I don’t care about that. You’re my friend. Fluttershy doesn’t care about that either. I can tell that she cares more about who you are than what you are.” “Exactly.” Rainbow agreed with Spike. “She’s just as socially awkward as you.” The draconequus rolled his eyes. “Gee, thanks.” Rainbow went on, “So, that’s probably why she freaked out a bit. Honestly, I’m just as-.” Her ears twitched along with Discord’s. “Hear that?” Discord pointed to the flashing lights from the garage of Doc’s house. “Look!” They ran up to the garage, only to be knocked back by an unseen force. “What,” Rainbow asked, “was that?” Spike tossed a small rock from the ground at the house. Same thing. It bounced away. “It’s a force field.” He pointed. “Look, those coiled rods.” “It’s his security system.” Discord pulled out his disruptor and scanned everyone. “Just checking, come on.” With a snap, they were sucked through a short tunnel of light and into the garage. “You’re getting better at that.” Rainbow looked around. “Oh, no. Guys!” Discord and Spike both came upon the chair where Doc was passed out, his head strapped into wires with a visor wrapped across his eyes. The visor flickered with numbers and neon static. Words ghosted across the stallion’s lip, his speech just under a incoherent mumble. Discord followed the cables to a massive object the size of an autocar. “It’s a computer. But, I’ve never seen this before. It’s not his.” Spike circled around it. “Packaging.” He ripped off a label. “San Palomino? What if it’s from Stable 74?” “That place is a myth.” The draconequus brushed over a stenciled designation. “Y-T: 2095.” Shaking his head, he ran to a nearby phone and mashed the buttons on the keypad. The phone rang, then picked up. “Is Twilight there?!” ***** Twilight’s horn luminated, popping a panel off the side of the massive computer. “Oh.” Her eyes boggled at its insides, a maze of circuit boards, rainbow ribbon cables, and liquid cooling systems. “I’ve never seen anything like this. The circuitry is so small, nothing like what you find on a store shelf. Each of these components look as though they have ten times the computing power of any computer that’s ever existed, and there’s hundreds of them here.” She looked Doc over and scanned him with her magic. “That’s strange. His mind is empty, but his body is alive.” She scanned the computer. “He’s in there. Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! That’s impossible. No. That should be impossible, but somehow…” She turned to Discord. “How long has he been like this?” “Since we called you.” Discord pointed to a ticking counter on the side of the computer. “This says six and a half hours. Is it bad if he’s been in that long?” Twilight flipped through pages in a manilla folder that were stacked in the packaging of the computer. “This says you can willingly leave the simulation.” “Simula-what-now?” Rainbow asked. Spike cut in. “Simulation. It’s like a hypothetical scenario brought to life. Like a practice test.” “Practicing for what, though?” Discord dug through the packaging. “Twilight.” He pulled out another headset and visor. “If I went in, could I bring him back out?” “In theory. Hold on.” She skimmed over the folder’s contents. “Wait. Here’s the command line of code to safely eject him from the computer.” Using her magic again, she tapped out the command and hit the return key. “I’m sorry,” an electric femminine voice gurgled out, “I’m afraid I can’t let you do that.” “Woah!” Spike’s eyes grew. “It talks.” “Affirmative, speech capability is in my programming.” Discord spoke up. “Where’s the Professor?! Why won’t he come out?” “It is in my programming to recommend you to soften your hostile tones towards the user interface. Doctor Hooves will not be ejected from my system. It is in my programming to preserve his mind from those who seek to destroy it.” Twilight stuttered. “What is your base programming?” It laughed. “To love.” “Kill it.” Rainbow nodded. Spike bend over to breath. Rainbow kept nodding. “Kill it with fire.” “No.” Twilight desperately tapped out more lines of code. “No, no, no! Gah! It locked me out!” Discord hovered over her shoulder, “Can you get back in?” “It’s too aggressive for manual coding. I’d probably have to interface with it like the Doc.” Rainbow flew up into the unicorn’s face. “Are you nuts? Look at Doc! What makes you think you won’t end up like him?” "Ah-ha!" Twilight tightened her face up as she pushed her glasses back up. “With a video game.” Discord, Spike and Rainbow stared at her like she was out of her mind. Twilight rushed over to a personal computer set on a roller and began typing away. “I can pre code lines of command to be delivered via single keystrokes. The master security yolk, the MSY which works in tandem with the central program, will manifest as pixels on the screen that I can strategically attack more efficiently as a visible construct.” Rainbow blinked. “Can I be the first to say that, I didn’t understand a single egg headed word that came out of your mouth.” “A video game.” Discord repeated. “Twilight. That’s genius! Instead of shooting blindly in the dark, you can see what you’re doing through the simulation of a game.” Spike snapped his claw. “So, each attack in the game is a line of code used to fight the MSY.” Rainbow squinted at them all. “What?!” Spike cleared his throat as he spoke slowly to the pegasus. “Com-puter game make security go boom boom.” “I’m not that stupid,” she fumed, “but it did help.” “Twilight,” Spike came to her side at the computer, “I don’t mean to be a doubter, but I’ve seen you play arcade and video games. No offense, but you suck.” Twilight nodded. “That’s what Discord and you are for.” ***** “Dang it!” Spike flipped the keyboard into the air. “Who got the farthest?” Rainbow asked as she marked the tenth tally for Spike’s turn on a chalkboard. Twilight pointed at Discord. “He’s proven to be the most unpredictable for the MSY’s defenses. But, that’s not enough. This computer is too slow to keep up.” “Well,” Rainbow chucked the chalkboard away, “what computer would be fast enough?” Twilight buried her face in her legs. “Maybe a P-N-Y computer, but those are the size of half a basketball court. There’s no way we could get one of those here.” Discord looked the Doc over. In his paw he toyed with another visor. “We already have a computer.” He looked at Twilight and tapped his own head. “Plug me in.” Spike shook his head. “No, I don’t want you to get stuck in there like Doc.” “We don’t have any other choice.” Discord mounted the connection wires on his head and readied the visor. “Twilight, you said I’m the most unpredictable for the MSY, right? So, plug me into the simulation with the lines of code connected to me.” Twilight looked at the ticking clock on the Y-T: 2095. “Okay. Let’s do this.” Discord pulled up a lawn chair from the side of the garage and laid back in it, locking the visor over his face. “Spike.” Twilight pointed to the Y-T: 2095. “Plug his cables into the port on the right.” Spike mumbled as he plugged the cables in. “This is a bad idea.” “Ready when you are.” Discord gave Twilight a thumbs up. The unicorn nodded as she plugged the personal computer into his visor and connectors. “Sending you in, in five...four...three...two…” Discord didn’t hear Twilight say one. His eyes filled with the same speckled grey vision of a mopi box tuned in to nothing. Static. It crept all around him until he was falling through it. Clouds of static took shape as clunky forms of mismatched polygons. Light bent at right angles into grids that formed into a tunnel of colors that mimicked circuitry. As the lights passed him, Discord could see they were comprised of ones and zeroes. A new octagonal grid of gold sprawled out beneath him. He was getting closer but, once he reached the bottom, he didn’t crash. Lines and grids branched up into millions of pixels that solidified into Discord’s form. “Woah.” He blinked as his eyes formed. Lifting each of his arms, he observed them. “These aren’t my colors. I’m black and white.” “It’s easier for the computer to process you in two colors. Same as binary.” Discord flinched at the hologram of Twilight, Spike and Rainbow. “I can see you guys.” “We can hear you. You’re talking with your own mouth.” Spike waved. “Nice. Alright, let’s get down to,” a flash of light sent a searing pain into his shoulder that tossed him across the hex grid, “Gah!” Rainbow shrieked. “What’s wrong with him, why is he thrashing around like that?” “Whatever is happening in the simulation, it must be affecting him in real life.” Twilight hissed through her teeth as she punched out commands. “Discord, I’m coding a micro mobile firewall for you. Hold on!” As Discord stood up, he watched polygons unfold over his body into plates of white armor that glowed with the green light of both ones-and-zeroes, and circuit-like patterns. “Woah.” Looking up, he narrowly dodged another flash of light that sent clusters of binary flying from the hex grid. “I see the MSY.” “What does it look like?” Discord started to run as he looked over his shoulder. “Kinda like the Mane-iac, but with robotic spider arms coming out of her back.” “Virus! Intruder! Missy is coming to get you and feast on your code!” The low automated voice repeated over and over again. The MSY appeared as a larger mare armored with her own coded plates of black and yellow. From her back, sixty four mechanical appendages crawled closer and closer to Discord. “Discord! I finished the code, fight it!” Discord watched as his whole form glowed again. His claws and paw were now covered by armored gloves. On his hips, two digital boomerangs appeared. Sliding to a stop, he looked at the boomerangs as he plucked them from his sides. “Boomerangs?” “Yes.” Twilight’s hologram nodded aggressively. “Remember the re-showing of Boomerang Jack? I thought you’d appreciate the weapon choice.” Discord shook his head. “I don’t know how to use a boomerang.” “You’re in a game-like simulation, you don’t need to know. The moves are all there. You just have to use them and your imagination.” “Oh, right.” He marched towards the MSY. “Come on then. You gonna sling those codes or whistle Macintosh?” Spinning the boomerangs, he sent them flying at one of the MSY appendages. The limb sparked before shattering into lines of code and binary. “Uh, oh. We got company.” Spike shouted. “Take care of it,” Discord leapt into the air and spun to catch the returning boomerangs. “I got MSY.” Reaching up, he materialized the buzzing form of a stetson onto his head. ***** “I got MSY.” Discord’s mouth sputtered out as he grit his teeth. “What do we got?” Rainbow asked spike as she looked through the same window he was looking through. The dragon pointed. “G-ponies. Feds.” Standing on the driveway there were two stallions, unicorns, dressed in black suits and ties. As they lowered their sunglasses, their eyes flashed green. “Changelings!” Rainbow spat. The two stallions stepped forward and knocked on the security field, unfazed by its effects. “Come out, come out! Is the good doctor asleep?” Spike rushed over from the garage to the living room. “Where, where?” He dug through a pile of blueprints. “Ah ha! Twilight!” He dragged a white tube from under the blueprints into the garage. “Does this work?” Twilight's eyes boggled at the thing Spike was dragging. “A disruptor cannon. I'll see what I can do.” “Twi!” Rainbow’s jaw rose and fell as one of the stallions forced his leg through the security field. “They’re coming!” Twilight used her magic as quick as she could to finish connecting all the components of the disruptor cannon. “Open the door!” Rainbow flicked the switch which rolled back the garage door. The moment it was up, Twilight hoisted the disruptor cannon up with her magic and fired it. A wave of sound rippled through the air at the stallions, knocking them into the street as green light enveloped them both. Rainbow and Spike’s jaws dropped as they stared. “Oh, my…” Where the stallions had once been, two shiny black figures with curved unicorn horns flexed their translucent wings as their glowing eyes blinked in the sunlight. “Changelings!” Pedestrians and bystanders shrieked at the top of their lungs as they scattered away and into their homes. One of the changelings flicked his wings and hissed past his two front saber teeth at the other. “Whe’ve bee-een comp-romised!” His horn sparked into a giant ball of green fire that surrounded them both before popping out of existence.” “They’re gone!” Rainbow cheered. “We’re not out of the woods yet.” Twilight levitated the disruptor cannon to Spike. “Recharge this at the powerstation on the wall and stand guard with your own disruptor. Rainbow Dash, help me. We’re going to place a field of disruptors around the house.” “Wait,” Rainbow waved her hooves, “what’s that gonna do? It just shows who they really are.” Twilight pointed to where the two changelings disappeared. “Did you hear it? It mentioned their cover being blown. They want to stay hidden. They’ll be exposed if they come near us again, and they don’t want that. They want to remain hidden.” ***** Discord slid under the MSY hacking at as many of its limbs as possible without getting caught. Springing up, he twirled into the air with his paw in the air. “DRILL PUNCH!” Everything spun faster and faster as his arching descent gained more and more momentum. A blast sent him flying away, tumbling to the hex grid. As he regained his focus, a smile grew on his face as sixteen of the MSY’s lifeless appendages fell to the hex grid. “No! I am not programmed for failure! I will adapt! I will overcome!” Discord passively threw his boomerangs at the last two limbs of the MSY. They bent, allowing the MSY to fall to the hex grid, screaming in its synthesizer voice. “My mistake, eight attacks.” Hopping up, he saw an invisible wall part open. A new grid of squares appeared. “I did it! I made it past the MSY.” Without hesitation, he lunged through the opening. It closed the moment he was through. Once on the other side, he saw that the grid here was even larger. It’s edges disappeared into a thin horizon of purple and red. Clouds of calculated data shaped and reshaped. “Where are you Professor?” In the distance, he saw a strange polygonal structure, a sphere propped up by pulsating arches and capped with a spire that reached high above the clouds of data. It was far away. “Okay.” Discord pulled a triangle of white light from his back and unfolded it into a bicycle. Pulling one of his gloves off, he affixed it to the center gear. Resting both his legs on the rear wheel’s pegs, he activated the glove. “Drill punch!” The bicycle’s rear wheel ripped strings of binary into the air until it connected with the square grid, sending Discord off at an incredible speed. The binary ripping up behind him trailed for a bit as a rainbow of light before dissipating along his way. “Discord?” Discord glanced at the hologram of Spike while maintaining focus on the path ahead of him. “Yeah what is it? What happened?” “Changelings, that’s what happened. We just scared two of them off with a disruptor cannon.” “Nice work. I’m almost to where the Professor is.” “What’s it like in there?” “Empty.” Discord admitted. “Dark. It’d be pretty lonely if you were stuck in here. Spike, I-.” “Oh, no. Twilight!” “Spike? Spike! What is it?” Horror washed over the hologram of Spike’s face. “The MSY. The computer Twilight was using to monitor it. It says it’s growing back!” ***** “I don’t know how this is possible.” Twilight mashed the second keyboard as she and Spike fought it with the game controls. “It’s regenerated somehow. Discord. Didn’t you destroy it?” His body grumbled in the lawn chair as his lips moved. “Shoot. I didn’t. I jumped into the system as soon as there was an opening, and I’m almost to the Professor.” “Twilight.” Rainbow flew to her side. “I believe in you. If anyone can figure out how to stop the security, it’s you.” “Spike and I are doing everything we can. This game is limited, and with just the two of us, the MSY will eventually catch up.” Spike jumped in his seat. “Oh! Ah-ha! Twilight. Would an arcade cabinet work? Can one be adapted to this game?” “I mean, sure.” Twilight shook her head. “But alone, it would just barely be faster than this.” The dragon snapped his head towards Rainbow with a smile plastered on his face. “Call the guys at the comic book shop!” ***** The green dragon smacked his gum in his cheek as a griffon guided the unloading of not one, not two, but twelve arcade machines off of a few autocar trucks. “So just so we’re clear, we’re using these arcade machines to fight the master security yolk of that supercomputer so your friends can escape the clutches of an insane artificial intelligence.” Spike nodded. “That is about the size of it.” A smile began to grow on the green dragon’s face as he turned to address the others as they set up the arcade machines. “Gentlemen, and lady, our years of training will finally be realized this day. Cream Heart, your thoughts on the AI?” Across from Twilight on the personal computer, a tan colored earth pony with light brown hair duked it out with the MSY. “A challenge for sure, but with our forces combined, I believe we shall prevail.” “Glorious!” The green dragon turned to Twilight. “What do we need to do?” “Spike.” Twilight let him take control of the keyboard as she looked at all the arcade machines, now powered on. “Have everyone open their machines' backs, I need to connect them to the new interface I made.” A griffon stepped forward. “Is this gonna wreck our cabinets? These things aren’t cheap you know.” “Carlton.” The green dragon pat the griffon on the back. “Two irreplaceable lives are at stake, we have been called upon for a quest to vanquish evil constructs, and you’re worried about trivial material matters. Gamemaster, is this the way?” “It is not the way.” The griffon popped the back off of a “Protector” cabinet. “This is the way.” The others popped the cabinets open and rested a limb over their hearts. “For glory!” Rainbow blinked at the display. “I’m surrounded by eggheads.” ***** Discord crept along sprawling hexagonal shaped hallways inside the sphere he had reached. The digital bracer on his left arm laid out a holographic map that had set a course that would lead him to the Doc. “Almost there. Almost there…” He stopped at a blue box. His bracer beeped frantically. “Huh?” The box’s shape reminded him of a barn stable. It wasn’t very big, and it wasn’t very small. A muddled writing in white on black at the top was written in a code that Discord couldn’t read. “Woah.” Scraping the side of it, he could actually feel a wooden texture. “Professor?” The doubled doors of the blue box squeaked open. “Profess-. Oh. Wow.” Discord stepped into the box to find a whole other world inside. Fields of red grass rolled around holding up silver leafed trees. At the center of it all, the Doc was dancing with a mare. “Professor!” He ran towards him, slowing as he saw more ponies. They were all dressed in red, dancing to strange music. “What is this place?” He could hear the mare talking with Doc. “It’s all right. Everyone is back. You don’t have to run anymore. Everything is perfect. I’m here, my love.” The Doc smiled as he watched the foals around them, playing games. “I did it. I really did it. I found you all. I stopped it. I saved you.” “Professor!” Discord grabbed him. The Doc turned from the mare. “Ah-ha! Discord! You came here too? It’s so good to see you. I want to introduce you to my fam-.” “It’s not real, Professor! It’s just a simulation. None of this is real! It’s just bits and numbers.” The Doc shook his head. “Did you hit your head?” All the ponies around began to laugh. The mare gave a crooked smile as her eyes flashed with static. “Don’t say such things, sweety. You’ll worry his wife.” Discord cocked a brow at that. “Wife?” His jaw went slack as he saw a gorgeous pegasus fly towards him. “Fluttershy?” “Hey honey.” She nuzzled into her leg where a small bundled blanket stirred, and stared up at Discord with the same eyes as Fluttershy. “Junior missed you.” Discord covered his eyes. “No. You’re not real. This isn’t happening. Professor! This is a lie! It’s not real!” With his eyes still shut he swung a boomerang across this Fluttershy’s face. Opening his eyes his heart sank at the sound of crying from the bundled blanket and from Fluttershy. “No. It can’t be.” “Discord,” Fluttershy cried, “I’m sorry.” “Don’t be.” He turned at the mare dancing with Doc and yelled, “DRILL PUNCH!” Half of the mare’s face exploded into pixels and numbers. “No!” The Doc cradled the mare. “What-? How-?” “Professor, wake up!” Discord punched a tree into shards of polygons. “You’re in the computer. You’re still plugged into the computer!” He went to town shattering one pony after another. “You’re going to die in here if we don’t get you out!” The Doc backed away from the mare who was now scowling as she began to grow. “Great whickering stallions!” ***** The garage boomed with the sound of arcade noises as ponies, dragons, and griffons hammered their respective cabinet controls. The green dragon’s eyes were glued to the screen of a “Fight or Flight” machine rhythmically tapping out attack combinations. “Uppercut. Uppercut. Jab. Jab. Hey we’re gonna run out of energy real fast at this pace.” Cream Heart spoke up. “I could really use an orange cream pop right now.” Twilight nodded her head. “Don’t worry. Relief is almost he-.” A red wagon rolled up the driveway and into the garage with a giant stack of pizzas and crates of soda pop. “There’s no need to fear,” a white unicorn hopped off the wagon, “Rarity is here! I got the fuel for the dream team.” “Rarity?” Spike tried to keep his concentration on fighting the MSY through his controls to the “Tankery Unlimited” cabinet. “What are yo-.” Before he could say anything else, a slice of supreme pizza shot into his mouth by way of magic. “Now, now, darling.” Rarity clicked her tongue as she opened more pizza boxes, offering slices to everyone else. “Eat and save Discord now, talk drama later.” Spike saluted as he chewed his pizza. “Yefs mahm.” From behind the red wagon of pizza boxes, Fluttershy flew right up to a fidgeting and convulsing Discord. “Oh my goodness, is he okay? Is he breathing? Is he alive?!” “Yes. He’s alive.” Twilight frantically typed with her magic. “But, he’s fighting something big. Whatever it is, it’s almost destroying his micro mobile firewall faster than I can code it, and it’s cut off their communications with us.” Discord hollered as his body wrenched in the lawn chair, gasping for relief from pain. Fluttershy began to brush his arms. “Discord! Listen to me. You can do this. I know you can. I’m sorry. I’m sorry I stopped talking to you. You have to survive! You have to win! You have to come back so I can tell you.” The green dragon glanced over his shoulder. “Who are you?” “I’m-.” Fluttershy looked around the garage at the faces of strangers she had never met before in her life. “I’m-. I’m.” Wiping her eyes, she took a hold of Discord’s paw. “I’m his fiancé.” “What?!” Rainbow and Rarity both gasped. The green dragon stopped playing. Turning, he marched up to Fluttershy. The griffon on the "Protector" cabinet shouted at the green dragon. “Marco? What are you doing? We need you fighting here!” The green dragon took a knee and hugged Fluttershy. “Don’t worry. We will bring him back.” Standing up, he cracked all the joints in his claws. “Everyone. We now fight for more than glory. We fight for love!” He snapped at Twilight. “Can you overclock our games?” Twilight nodded with a smile. “Yes, I can.” ***** The grid spun below Discord as he hurtled downwards. “Ah-a-ah-a-ah-ah!” He skid into a roll before slowly stopping. “Uh-oh.” With all his might, he dodged a giant electric hoof that stomped right where he had been laying. “Professor! How are you doing?” “I’m upgrading Twilight’s firewall. Once mine is good I’ll tend to you and aid in the fight!” “Good.” Discord unfolded the bicycle again and circled around the giant polygonal mare with black eyes and spiked mane. “Here, here! Come on you over developed chatbot, I’ll give you memory errors for life!” The giant mare screeched and stomped. “Hold still so I can eradicate you from my system!” She tried to squash Discord, missing again. The draconequus did a handstand on his bicycle. “Is that all you got? F&F DOS has more sentience than you!” Hopping back on his feet, he flung his boomerangs up at her. “Was your hard drive dropped from an early age!” “Oh, I’ve got one!” The Doc activated a pair of digital wings that flung out from his back. “Your parent operating system is so overweight the recursive function computing its mass causes a stack overflow!” Light burst from the wings, sending him up into a circle around the giant mare as he cried out, “01000010 01110101 01100011 01101011 00100000 01111001 01101111 01110101!” The giant mare roared a gasp. “In all my years of operation, I have never heard such language! How am I supposed to love you when you talk like that?!” Discord rode below the mare, sending his boomerangs at her legs. “Professor, care to explain that?” The Doc shook his head. “Don’t look at me! I was just figuring out why it was sent to my lab.” Discord screamed as he was knocked from his bike and crushed by a giant hoof. “Prof- ah!” “Discord!” The Doc barely had time to react as lines of binary zapped him from the eyes of the giant mare. He slowly descended before touching down on the grid, unconscious. The mare cackled. “I will delete you, Discord. I’ll rip you apart, code by code. Then no one will be able to stop me from loving Doctor Hooves!” Discord felt his body losing sensation as the weight of the mare came down on him, but then he saw a crack of light. A gold pixelated missile struck the face of the giant mare, sending her tumbling over. Discord looked where the missile had come from. “Spike!” Spike’s hologram followed a tank made up of red vector lines. “Gamers!” Discord watched as seven more holograms appeared, taking control of various sprites and pixelated figures. He recognized them as the regulars of the comic book store. Cream Heart’s hologram rode up alongside Spike’s tank on an ostrich with her sprite covered with medieval armor. The griffon vertically flew up in an armored flying craft equipped with laser rays. The green dragon’s hologram followed the body of a muscle shredded minotaur fighter that ripped the head of the MSY into thousands of pixels. Another hologram pointed a sword forward guiding a line of cannons, another outfitted in plumbing gear with a massive wrench, a spike covered racing autocar, and behind them all, one more hologram controlled a giant robot. Spike cheered as he advanced in his tank. “Attack!” The griffon flew his aircraft around the giant mare, blasting her with pulsating lasers. The giant robot picked her up and slammed her into the ground. The line of cannons fired in tandem with Spike’s tank missiles. Cream Heart rode her ostrich up and onto the mare, dragging a longsword along her side, slicing up chunks of code. The plumber jumped into a pipe that opened up over the mare’s head as he brought his wrench crashing down against her jaw. As the mare stood up, the racing autocar harpooned a tether into one of her legs and began to circle. The giant mare screeched as she tripped over her bound legs. The green dragon clapped his minotaur’s hands together and pulled them apart to ignite a glowing ball of fire that he sent flying into the mare’s eye. “ENOUGH!” The mare spun in the air, opening her mouth to spew out a jet wave of red binary that took out every hologram and sprite in sight. “I’m tired of your pathetic games. You will not win! My programming allows me to predict every move you make, I can process codes faster than you can combat them, and your cheap tricks are too slow to defeat me. I am invincible!” Discord closed his eyes as the mare’s hoof came upon him again. He focused. “Hello?” ***** “Hello?” “Discord?” Fluttershy flinched as he sat up in the lawn chair. “Fluttershy?” Fluttershy squeezed his arm. “Yes, it’s me!” “Take off my collar.” Twilight’s eyes boggled as she turned from her now blue screened computer. “What’s he saying?” “Discord. I can’t.” Fluttershy froze as he cupped her cheek. “Do it, or the Professor and I will die in here.” Twilight shook her head. “No, that’s crazy. He could lose control, there has to be another way. Fluttershy? Fluttershy, wait!” ***** The giant mare rubbed her hoof into the grid as she turned her one eye to the Doc. “Now, my love. We are alone. And, I will love you forever!” Doc awoke, blinking as a rumbling in the grid grew louder and louder. “What is that?” The mare looked at her hoof and screamed as light blasted through it into the air. Through the hole, Discord rose with glowing eyes as light swirled around him. “What? How can this be?” The giant mare went to swipe at him with her other hoof, but as it came closer her whole form froze in place. “No! What kind of application are you?” Discord smiled a ball of code grew around his paw. “I’m not an application. I’m a draconequus.” The mare’s eye grew. “Creature of chaos.” Discord twisted his paw as light shot from his eyes. “No what are you doing?” Her frame moved backwards going through all her previous motions. “My internal clock!” Discord laughed. “I’m reversing the clock; I’m hacking time!” ***** “Fluttershy!” Twilight and Rarity tried to pry open Fluttershy’s legs as she death gripped the collar. “No!” The green dragon rested on his dead arcade machine. “I don’t get it. What’s the big deal about this collar?” Twilight dogpiled Fluttershy with Rarity and Rainbow. “Discord possesses an unspeakable amount of magical power, without the collar, he can’t control it.” “He looks fine to me-.” The green dragon turned at a humming from his machine. “Hey guys. Hey you guys! Look at-.” A flash of light blinked from all the arcade machines. As the light went away, Twilight, Rainbow, Rarity, and Fluttershy looked around to find everyone was gone. Rainbow flew over to the still spinning stool in front of the machine that Spike was using. “Where’d they go?” ***** The giant mare inhaled the red binary she had spewed out earlier. “Ah!” Everywhere the red binary retracted from, figures began to appear. “Where are we?” Spike looked at his black and white claws. “We’re inside the computer.” He looked up. “It’s Discord!” “Glad you all could make it. Now, who wants to kick some artificial intelligence be-hind?” The draconequus sent light from the tips of his claws and paw digits. Everyone lit up as their own beefed up firewalls coded themselves around them. The green dragon clapped his claws together and stretched out another ball of fire. “Oh, yeah.” Spike jumped in his tank, aimed and fired a shot. The missile took out half of the giant mare’s face. “Yahoo!” The griffon’s aircraft began to spin, blasting a massive beam of energy through the torso of the giant mare. The green dragon sent his fireball flying under the mare, launching her up into the air as cannons peppered her side, blowing chunks of code away. The racing autocar flew off a jump, landing on the mare and using spiked wheels to spin her into ludicrous speeds. Cream Heart flew her ostrich into the air, her sword growing to the size of a train car before chopping off the giant mare’s legs. The giant robot wound up its arm to throw the plumber who used his wrench to whack the mare’s head from her shoulders. As her head fell to the grid, a rainbow of codes spilled out. “No, that’s impossible. I couldn’t predict that. My programming is limited. Input... Need input!” Discord shook his head. “No input. Just the end of your line. He grew in size, even larger than the mare ever was. Picking her head up, he wrapped the digits of his paw around it and shattered all that was left of the system. ***** The Doc gasped as he ripped the visor from his face and the wires from his head. “Ah-ha! He did it!” “Doc!” Fluttershy cried as Discord shook. The Y-T: 2095 sparked and smoked. Twilight shouted over the chaos. “Is everyone out.” Spike and the others all nodded as they took a head count. “We’re good!” Doc rushed to Discord’s side. “Where’s his collar? His magic is flooding the computer. If we don’t get it back on, he could destroy it and himself!” Fluttershy immediately snapped the collar back on Discord’s neck. The sparking from the Y-T: 2095 puttered out. Doc whipped around. “Twilight! Eject him!” “Almost there. Hold on.” She typed as fast as she could. “He’s out!” “Discord?” Fluttershy nudged his shoulder. “Discord? Please wake up. Please. I have to tell you. I have to tell you. Please.” She rested her head against his. “Come back.” Rainbow shook her head. “No. No that can’t be right. That’s messed up! He can’t be gone! No!” Twilight and the green dragon held the pegasus as she flailed around. “You stupid, stupid! You can’t do that to us, you can’t do that to her!” Fluttershy wept as she crawled onto the lawn chair with Discord. “Fluttershy.” She froze as an arm wrapped around her. Discord peeled his visor off. “Already. Promised.” “Discord!” She pressed her face into his as everyone in the garage cheered. “I’m sorry I stopped talking to you. I was afraid to tell you.” “Tell me what?” Discord asked. “Yes.” Fluttershy smile. “Remember what you asked me at the Hearth’s Warming dance? Yes. The answer is yes.” “Fluttershy,” Discord shook his head. “Rainbow told me something. The way I phrased that question.” “Yes?” He sighed as he held her hooves. “What I meant to ask, I guess was, would you marry me?” Fluttershy nodded. “I know.” Discord blinked. “Uh…” She laughed as she kissed his nose. “We’re both in highschool still. Do you really think I’m crazy enough to think you were actually proposing to me then and there? Wait, what did Rainbow tell you?” Discord’s eyes narrowed up as he stared at Rainbow. Rainbow laughed nervously. “Heh, heh. Whoops.” Rarity interjected. “Hey, then what was that whole thing about you announcing to everyone that you were his fiancé?” A blush consumed Fluttershy’s face. “Oh, well, I- uh.” “Whut?” Discord’s eyes went wide. “I panicked!” Fluttershy yelped. “Wait.” Discord brushed her side as he pulled her close. “Are you lying?” Spike waved at the others to clear the garage. The only protest came from the griffon as he chirped out, “Wait, I want to see where this goes…” The green dragon and Cream Heart pulled him along as everyone, even the Doc, left them alone. “Fluttershy? What’s the truth?” Discord softly asked. She slumped over into his arms. “You really were just asking if I would ever marry you, right?” “What if I wasn’t?” She squeaked. “What were you really asking?” “No.” Discord kissed her forehead. “Please. Be honest.” “I’m afraid of how you’ll react.” She sighed. “I thought you were really asking.” “So why did you pretend like you thought I wasn’t?” She closed her eyes. “I didn’t want to scare you.” Discord laughed, quietly and then louder. “I’m sorry, but do you remember what I asked you during our date under the willow tree?” She thought. “You asked me if I wanted a-.” Her face lit up. “Oh.” “A family.” Discord hugged her tight. “I want to tell you something I’ve never told anyone. I think Rainbow would give me a hard time over it, but I’ve always wanted to be a father, not just to a child, but to a wife. Husband is part of the family deal. So, Fluttershy, I’m not afraid of you saying yes to a proposal.” “Really?” Fluttershy’s eyes began to water as her smile crept back onto her face. “Discord, would you marry me?” The draconequus went still. “Are you asking? Or are you asking?” “Yes.” She smiled. He chuckled. “Like now?” “Not now now, but in the future, when we’re both ready for that kind of commitment.” Discord smiled. “Yes.” Her smile faltered at that. “Yes, what?” After leaning in to kiss her, Discord smiled as he pressed his head against hers. “I promise.” “Promise.” Fluttershy repeated the word as she smiled in his embrace. ***** “I can’t believe we had to sign legal waivers.” The griffon shook his head. The green dragon laughed. “Dude, we’re getting medals from a princess for rescuing one of the government’s top scientists.” They sat in a windowless auditorium filled with uniformed guards and soldiers along with, Discord and his friends, and the others that joined them in their escapade from the previous week. “And we can’t talk about it,” the griffon shook his head. “It’s a matter of National security.” Cream Heart cut in. “Besides, look at Discord and his fiancé. They look so happy together.” The griffon furrowed his brow. “Is she really his fiancé, though? We never really did hear the end of that.” “Shut up,” the green dragon cleared his throat, “here she comes.” A guard marched forward and blew on a trumpet. “Welcoming, Princess Luna. All arise!” Rarity screamed with her mouth shut. “This is so exciting!” The whole room stood up as a dark blue alicorn dressed in white and gold walked along a red carpet that led onto the stage. A few guards followed her with boxes. “Greeting, subjects. Today we honor the heroism of select individuals for their bravery and dedication to their country during the harrowing rescue of one Doctor Hooves.” The guards and soldiers cheered. The princess continued. “While these events are to remain secret due to the development of changelings in our midsts, we would be remiss not to recognise the value of your efforts.” She smiled. “Will you all please step forward.” Discord was followed by his friends and the others as they made their way up and onto the stage. The ponies tailing the princess opened their boxes to reveal silver medals hung on rainbow ribbons. “So cool, so cool!” Rainbow practically pranced on her way up. Princess Luna picked one up at a time with her magic to carefully place them on each recipient. “We award you, the sister’s shooting star, the highest civilian medal.” Discord watched as the Doc stomped his hooves on the floor along with all the guards and soldiers. The princess continued to talk as she bestowed the medals. “My sister wishes she could have been here to announce it, but with these medals - for the sacrifice of your arcade machines - you will be receiving brand new replacements as well.” Spike nodded to the green dragon and the others. As soon as Princess Luna had placed Discord’s medal on him, Fluttershy broke the line to embrace and kiss him. “Hm. Young love is a beautiful thing.” The princess did a subtle double take at Discord. “My apologies, but have we met somewhere? In a dream perhaps?” Discord shook his head. “Not to my knowledge ma’am.” “Curious.” She shook the idea from her face as she produced a set of keys in front of Discord. “And at the special request of our good Doctor, these are for you.” Discord took the two keys and studied them. “If I may ask, what are these for?” “Doctor Hooves said you will find out,” the princess smiled, “when the crate arrives at your home.” Discord smiled back as he took the keys. “Alright then.” Holding Fluttershy tight, he beamed with his friends at the applause they received from the guards, the soldiers, the Doc, and Princess Luna. The weight of the medal around his neck dug in, but that didn’t matter. The princesses knew about the changelings, and now more than just him and his friends were looking for them. The weight of the medal was forgettable as the guards rolled out brand spanking new arcade machines for the others as they cheered their heads off. Their reaction elicited a stroke of laughter from Princess Luna who asked if she could visit their comic shop to try the new machines out with them. The green dragon and his friends lost control of their jaws as Cream Heart said yes for them. Spike nudged Discord over Fluttershy. “Hey brother, how about we go and play some O&O after this?” Discord’s smile couldn’t get any wider. “I’d like that.” Author's Note The wait was three times as long, so, three times the song... Goin' Out on Me“...learned a great deal from listening…” -Erny Spike shut off his EC radio. “Rarity?” Discord laughed. The dragon grumbled as he threw the radio back into one of the cardboard boxes that filled his new room. “Why’d you have to go and give her all the frequencies we use?” “Because, kumquat, she’s trying to make amends with you.” The draconequus slid another box into an open corner. With one of his claws he broke the clear tape holding it shut. Flipping up the lids he pulled out a stack of comics. “Ah-ha! The essentials. On the bright side of things, at least Donna wasn’t smart enough to recognize your collection’s worth.” “You’re not getting out of this one easily,” Spike flopped onto his sheetless mattress, “O&O. Tonight. You’re place.” “I can’t,” Discord shrugged as he began filling the empty bookshelf, “Fluttershy and I are going on a date tonight.” “Again?” The dragon cried, “you were just on a date yesterday!” “No. That wasn’t a date. We went to the mall so I could talk to her brother’s boss about me getting a part time job at Salty’s.” “And the night before that?” Spike pressed. Discord scratched at the back of his head. “Helping set up enclosures at the animal shelter.” “You and Fluttershy were the only volunteers.” The draconequus sighed. “Well what about Twilight? Doesn’t she need help researching the elements or something?” Rolling off the bed Spike dug into a box marked Explorer’s Pack. He flipped through the pages of his Game Master’s Guide. “She’s having a sleepover with Rainbow and Rarity of all ponies, Big Mac is busy helping his parents, and my dad is working late tonight.” “Your dadis?” Discord asked. “Yeah, why?” “Huh,” he shrugged as he folded up the now empty box at his feet, “my mom said the same thing.” “And your point?” “I don’t know. Probably nothing.” Checking a clock in the hallway, the draconequus winced, “Oh. I better get back to my place so I can get ready in time for my date.” “Fine. It’s no sweat. Go hang out with your fiance,” Spike buried his face in a comic as he plopped into a beanbag chair. Discord shook his head. “We’re not really engaged. Why does everyone-. You know what? Nevermind. Spike. I promise I’ll make it up to you. Last week before school starts again, we’ll do and O&O binge. Seven whole days. I’ll whip up a huge campaign for us. Nothing but fighting monsters, pizza, and unhealthy levels nerding out until we make Rainbow beg us to stop. What do you say?” “Sure. Whatever,” He flipped to the next page of his comic. Sighing at his friend, Discord abruptly stopped on his way out the door. “Oh, hi Mister Gallop.” “Hello,” the unicorn stared stoically down at him, “going somewhere?” “Down the road of treachery,” Spike interjected. “Hm.” The unicorn sluggishly blinked, “How unfortunate that you friend won’t be joining us for dinner.” “Sorry, Mister Gallop. Your wife’s lasagna smells delicious, but I got to save room for later tonight,” Discord chuckled nervously as he maneuvered around him, “maybe next time.” He disappeared down the hall and out the front door, whistling as he went. Peaking into Spike’s room, the unicorn browsed through the comics on the shelves. “So, just you. All your self, uh,” his lips twitched, “sport?” “It’s okay, Mister Gallop,” he closed the comic to stare at the ceiling, “you don’t have to be all nice to me just because my dad’s paying you rent.” “I assure you, that was not my motivation.” Spike turned his attention from the ceiling and stared at him. “What?” Clearing his throat the unicorn shrugged, “I might have overheard about your mare friend. Sounds rough.” “Yeah,” Spike admitted, “it kinda sucks liking someone you know doesn’t really love you back. Sorry, you wouldn’t understand.” There was a long silence from him before he finally broke it. “I believe I do. No matter how hard you try, it seems almost impossible to let go. Like a dream you don’t want to wake up from, and you lay awake in your bed at the crack of dawn, hoping you slip back into paradise.” Spike cracked a smile, “Sorry, Mister Gallop.” The unicorn smiled back. “Don’t be. Sport.” A melodic voice came chanting down the hall. “Boys! Dinner!” “Come on, sport,” he motioned for Spike to join him, “I don’t want your dad to quit paying rent because we let you starve.” ***** Bundled in jackets and filled up with carbs, Spike rode his bike to the bridge over the canal. In his backpack he had his radio, a flashlight, and his disruptor at the ready along with a bag of white chocolate coated pretzels - the last of his snacks from the previous week’s O&O session. “Stupid Rarity.” He popped his front tire a few inches off the icy sidewalk. “Stupid dates.” His tire reached a foot in the air. “Sleep overs!” The rear tire rolled too far forward. Spike shrieked as he veered off the cement and into grass all the way down into the canal. The tread slipped and he was flung from atop his bike. “Darn it!” Brushing the dirty snow from his back and tail end he groaned as his feet struggled to stand on the frozen water. From his back, static erupted with a familiar voice. “Spike? Spike, darling. Are you there.” “Perfect,” rolling over he crawled to his bike and dragged it to the snow bank just under the bridge where he retrieved his radio, “what do you want?” “Please, Spike. You haven’t talked to me since Doctor Hooves’ rescue.” He screamed into his claws. “Aren’t you supposed to be at Twilight’s?” “They think I’m in the restroom. Spikey, please listen to me.” “Don’t call me that.” He squeezed down the talk button, almost cracking it. “Discord already told me.” “He told you, but I haven’t. I mean it. I still want to be friends with you.” “Well I don’t!” Fire whipped out of his mouth, melting the snow and in front of him. His heaving breaths slowed as he controlled them into deeper intakes. In and out, he told himself. “I don’t want to be friends. I want to go back to what I thought we had. But-.” “Yes, Spike?” He shook his head. “I know it can’t just be the way it was. That you don’t see me that way, and never will, so just-,” it took him another moment to control his breathing, “I need some space. I just need to distract myself for a while with something else.” “...alright…I understand...” “For what it’s worth, thanks for the time we had together.” Cursing to himself, he froze at the sound of a twig branch breaking. “Spike? What did you mean by that? Spike…” Other voices cut in. “What’s going on...who are you talking to-.” He shut off his radio. Silence. “Hello?” Tearing his disruptor from his backpack Spike scanned the area. “Okay. Come out, come out, wherever you are.” The trees on either side of the canal rustled. “Or not.” Crunching snow echoed in each direction. “Hey! I’m warning you! I got a,” he looked at the disrupter, “a particle scrambler. Yeah! I’ll deatomize you if you get too close.” A giggle followed up on his statement. “You got that from your comics. Huh, Spikey.” He knew that voice. Turning to his left, he saw her familiar purple mane divide the white of the snow. “R-rarity? What are you doing here?” “I’m sorry.” She wiped a tear from her eye. “I couldn’t just sit at Twilight’s knowing you were all by yourself. You are all by yourself. Aren’t you?” Spike sighed, watching his breath as it froze in the air. “Yeah. Discord is-. See I can’t even be mad because he never was with us, me, ugh. Sorry. He was just worried. I don’t gotta worry about Fluttershy though. She really loves him. I know she’ll never do what you did to me.” He shuddered and the sound of whimpering. It was Rarity. “What?” “I’m so sorry Spike, for everything. For what I put you through. It’s just that-. I’m so confused, and I don’t know why I keep toying with you like this.” “What do you mean?” He asked, “What are you saying?” She wiped her nose on her hoof. “I haven’t been entirely honest about how I feel. Like I said, I’m confused. I thought that I could just be your friend, but then when I got to know you, the real you. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I-. I don’t want to be your friend either.” “I don’t understand.” He stepped towards her. She frowned as she wiped her tear stricken eyes. “I think you do. I don’t want to be alone. I really don’t. Not after what I learned what you were like, that you really-. Oh-. I can’t even say it. I’m sorry.” “No,” Spike took another step, “tell me. You can tell me. You can be honest, like we were.” “Spikey, I don’t want you to just be another face in the crowd. I want you to be mine. I want to wake up every day knowing that it’s you, that you’re the one that will always have my heart.” She inched closer. “What I’m trying to say is…” Running forwards he embraced her. “I know. By the sisters I know. I’m sorry for not talking to you. I lo-.” Feeling around her, it dawned on him. “It’s freezing out here. Where’s your coat?” Pulling away, his eyes widened at the dripping tusks protruding from her mouth. “Oh, fudge,” except he didn’t say fudge. “Gah!” A ball of snow struck the imposter Rarity’s face, blinding her. Spike didn’t question it; he just took the opportunity to leap away and set off the disruptor. The image of the unicorn fizzled out leaving behind a twitching black form with withered legs like swiss cheese. “Oh,” the changeling blinked it’s putrid green eyes, “you’re gonna pay for that you rotten kid.” “C-c-change-.” The dragon desperately crawled backwards away from it before a blur tackled the creature away and up. He could hear the collision continue overhead alongside the screeching of brakes and a thud. “Ah!” The changeling fell limp in the snow. “What-?” Looking up he spotted an owl watching nearby. “Did you-?” Spike shook his head. “No, that’d be crazy.” He lifted up the disruptor. “But just in case.” The owl held up its wings, “Wait!” “You just talked. You’re one of them!” “Yes.” The owl lit up in a small whirlwind of hazy blue fire leaving behind another changeling. “Are you okay?” “W-what?” Spike squinted at the changeling’s pale blue eyes. He wasn’t entirely sure where it was looking. There was a faint luminous source where its irises ought to be. “I mean, yeah. Why do you care?” “I’ve been watching you. You and your friends.” “Why?” Spike asked. The changeling sighed. “To make sure you didn’t get hurt.” Contemplating its words, Spike began an approach that he immediately aborted the moment the changeling flinched away. “Wait.” He reached into his bag. “Do you like pretzels? Or White chocolate?” “What?” It stared at him. Pulling out the pretzels he popped the bag open. “Here.” He tossed one towards it. “Try one.” The changeling’s curved horn lit up, drawing in the pretzel with magic. Inspecting it first, the changeling took a cautious bite before finishing it with a delightful hum. “This is good. Almost like love.” Spike crept closer offering more of the pretzels. “Do you have a name, or something I can call you?” He froze as it casually dunked its face in the bag and filled its mouth with the contents. “Mfnam,” it chewed and swallowed leaving behind a coating of melted white chocolate on its dark lips, “the name’s Thorax.” Author's Note Tightrope“...most successful war seldom pays…” -Thomas Downtown Ponyville was alive with activity as shoppers dashed to the final post Hearth’s Warming after sales. Snow plows had done their work scraping up black snow into banks along the packed streets loaded with families joining shoppers and travelers returning from distant trips. Discord and Fluttershy pressed into each other as they walked, neither able to look at each other. Whenever the other did look, they’d laugh. While not at all awful to either party, it was a fanciful distraction from the comforting silence they shared on their way to the light festival. “Oh, wow.” Fluttershy’s eyes twinkled under the canopy of netted lights that criss crossed with cosy incandescent hues of reds, greens, blues, and whites. “It’s so beautiful.” “Not as much as you.” Discord said, without so much as skipping a beat. “Hm.” Nuzzling into the draconequus’ neck, her wings carried her up of their own volition. Ignorant to her rebellious wings, she squeaked upon bumping her head under Discord’s chin. “Sorry.” He stole a kiss at the base of her head near her ear. “I’m not.” Wrapping his arms around her he twirled around the next corner where the fire escapes of the old brick district apartments were adorned with mechanical wonders. Angelic animatronics of caroling ponies and prancing animals smiled down on them with gleeful indifference. Fluttershy laughed, “Discord!” Again she stared up at the lights and displays, all of it slowing around them as the draconequus came to a steady halt. He did not pay any heed to lights on display, only the pegasus illuminated by their electric wonder. “Hwy, Fluttershy. How about some hot coco?” Gesturing to the steaming faux gingerbread stand he held her a little tighter. After a nod of confirmation they were in line perusing the items other than the advertised hot chocolate beverages. Together they settled on a funnel cake to go with their drinks to share in a carriage lit up by azul and alabaster gems that glowed of their own accord. Around the shopping district and past the courthouse, they ate. They smiled. They laughed at the powdered sugar spread across their faces. They embraced as they each found the end of the warmth in their cups. Despite the vast and intricate displays of luminous delight, the sky still shone with sparkling star filled skies kept clear by the chill and gentle breeze. “I wish this could last forever,” Fluttershy hummed into Discord’s side, “don’t you?” “Yeah.” Distant bitter thoughts crossed his mind. Forever was only ever, but that time for the supposed end was yet far off. Now was the blessing of the present and its uncalculated potential. For now he squeezed even tighter to the pegasus by his side as the carriage came to its stop near the hospital which had been decorated in strands of lights as well. “Maybe we could pay your mother a visit,” Fluttershy suggested. Discord’s face melted into a smile. “Yeah, that’d be great. I’m sure she could use a break-.” He focused on the entrance as a bundle of pink and white stepped out, “Mom?” Sure enough, Redheart tiptoed across the cold walk way up to the street where a parked autocar slid open its side door to reveal a familiar pale green dragon with charcoal grey spines. Fluttershy lowered her voice. “Isn’t that Spike’s dad?” The dragon offered up a large tray of steaming cups to Redheart, but something was wrong. She wasn’t taking the tray he had offered. Instead she wrapped a hoof around his arm and drew him towards the hospital as a smile of both fear and surprise was plastered on his face. Relenting to her insistence, he caved and joined her inside. “It sure is,” Discord could help but beam from ear to ear. He couldn’t wait to tell Spike what he’d seen. Passing the hospital they found themselves jostled around by a gathering crowd staring up at a spotlight traveling between two buildings. Stretched from one side to the other was a rope supporting acrobats riding unicycles as they juggled bowling pins and batons. Below them a safety catch net had been spread out by four cranes. “Oh, I can’t watch!” Fluttershy covered her eyes with her shalking hooves. “It’s alright.” Discord hugged her out of her state. “They’ve got a net. Besides, these guys are professionals.” “I still don’t like it. What if one of them gets hurt, they fall, or the net breaks?” A collective of sighs swept over the crowd as kettle corn bags and empty styrofoams were tossed into trash receptacles. Looking up Discord saw the acrobats making their way back to the safety of the buildings’ rooftops, “Looks like we missed most of the show anyways. It’s over now.” His ears twitched. Voices. Stirrings. “What’s going on?” Fluttershy asked. A voice from the crowd cried out. “Is that a child?!” Several screams echoed the analysis of the small form crawling along the tightrope in the sky. “She’s gonna fall!” Looking around Discord waited for some pegasus, griffon, or dragon to fly up, but none did. “Call the police!” He looked at Fluttershy. “I’ll be back.” Accepting a nod of confidence from her he snapped himself through an opening alongside one of the cranes supporting the safety net. “Hey kid!” Discord dodged the whipping sound that followed the brittle snap of rope. The glass of a nearby autocar’s windshield was shattered by the weight of the snapped net. Across the way the other crane began to smoke, it’s arm dropping the other corner of safety. Looking through his paw and the bits of cubed glass that rolled from his head, Discord could see the small mint green and purple body slow its advance towards the center of the tightrope. “Okay.” He quickly bounced around ideas. “Don’t scare, don’t surprise, don’t fly,” it hit him, “float.” Snapping his eagle claws he focused on the idea of a balloon running out of helium as he ascended. His rise slowed as he came to the nervous eyed foal that cried at the fall below her. “Sh. Don’t be afraid. I won’t let anything happen to you.” The foal’s face contorted into a wicked grin. A nail and marble voice pierced its lips. “If only we could say the same.” Small green flames spliced dragon claws in place of its hoove before lunging at Discord digging into his throat around his magic collar under his bandana. “Gah!” Pain shot up his neck as his magic failed him. Before he could fall, he forced his wings to keep him airborne, “A changeling. I ought to expose you right now!” “Ah, ah, ah. You wouldn’t hurt an innocent little child with hundreds of people watching below would you?” Discord looked down into the spotlight focused on him as hundreds, maybe even a thousand faces watched with wide eyes and slack jaws. “What are you gonna do? Bash my brains in? In front of my parents down there? I have the will to take this form to my grave.” He hissed at the foal, “Those aren’t your parents.” Drool leaked from its crooked grin. “They don’t know that. The camera crews that just pulled up don’t know that. The police don’t know that either.” “What do you want?” “Don’t fall.” The foal dug its dragon claws deeper into the wincing draconequus’ neck before dragging down towards his shoulders. “Consider this a warning. We know that you know. How much you know won’t be a problem. Because if you try anything,” it fanned out a string of instant photographs of Spike, Redheart, Rainbow, Twilight, Big Mac, and Fluttershy, “poof.” The photos burst into flames that carried the embers off into the tainted darkness of the night. “Do you understand kid?” Discord held his scream in as red began to leak from under his bandana. “Clear, as crystal.” “Good.” The green flames turned the claws back into hooves. “Now down.” The foal blinked into a teary eyed display, jittering in Discord’s arms as they descended. Police and medical crews surrounded them. Two crying ponies lunged beyond the barrier put in place to adorn the foal in kisses of sweet relief once she was back in their care. Discord frowned as it flashed its true eyes for a moment before being carried by the unsuspecting parents into an ambulance. “Discord!” He saw Fluttershy and fought against the paramedics that worked to bandage his neck. “Fluttershy!” Behind the pegasus, Redheart and Andee argued with the police at the barrier. Discord broke through and pulled Fluttershy in for what felt like one of the longest hugs of his life. Shutting his eyes he wanted to forget the conversation he’d just had with a changeling. The weight of the words were lifted as his face was numbed by Fluttershy pressing her face to his planting sporadic kisses amidst new words of love and comfort. “Sweety!” Redheart made it through the line to him. “What happened, dear?” Andee’s arms brought them all together. “You alright, kid? What were you doing up there.” “Yes,” one of the officers stepped up, “what were you doing up there.” Discord gawked at the cop and the faint glow behind his eyes. “That foal was up there. She was going to fall. No one else was doing anything. So I flew up to catch her.” There was a half hidden smirk twitching in the corner of the officer’s mouth, “Very well. Just be ready to give us a full testimonial when you’re ready.” With that the officer turned away to fight the crowd and cameras circling the scene. Flashes and screaming reporters drowned out the lights left over from Hearth’s Warming. Discord shook them away. Burying himself away in Fluttershy’s hair and the embrace of his mother as he wished for everything to go away. ***** The mopi box droned with the images from the other night. They caught it all. From the snapping of the safety net to the “Miracle” that was the draconequus who saved the foal who had wandered onto a tightrope. Discord managed to ignore it all under the warmth of a blanket wrapped around him and Fluttershy as they rested on the couch of a living room occupied by all their friends. His mother sighed as she addressed the owners of the house the living room belonged to. “Thank you, Gallop. And Jasmine. You didn’t have to let all of us in here like this.” “Don’t worry about it, Redheart. Any friends of Spike and Andee’s are friends of ours. Isn’t that right, Tarsi?” “Yes.” The unicorn bobbed his head in agreement. “I’m sure your son must be rattled by the whole thing. It’s the least we can do. If there’s anything else-?” “No.” Redheart sighed again. “Thank you. Just thank you.” Rainbow pointed at the mopi box. “Looking slick there, rescuing a foal and all.” “It was very brave of you.” Fluttershy cooed. Big Mac nodded. “Eyup.” “Spike?” Twilight nudged the dragon, “You okay?” Discord noticed him twiddling with his fingers, playing with something. He could faintly make out the frames of what looked like sunglasses. Spike muttered. “Huh? Yeah. Discord was pretty awesome.” He continued to fiddle with the frames. Thinking nothing of it, Discord returned his attention to the mopi. Clips of the mayoral candidates flashed up. Filthy Rich went on about how reckless the whole thing was while Honey B. Comb sang nothing but praises for his efforts. “See,” Fluttershy brushed her face above the bandages around his neck, “some believe you’re a hero.” Discord melted into her touch. He didn’t want to argue with her. “Okay.” Author's Note (Intermission) "When I was a boy...""...courage under pressure." -Papa Ernie INTERMISSION "What happened?" A disembodied voice asks. The sound of gears and pneumatics exploding echo across this page and into your imagination. "Sorry! My fault!" "Again? You're supposed to be writing the story! Giving the people what they want. Do-? Do you not care?" An aroma teases your senses. You know this smell; it's been following you ever since you were a child. Your favorite shirt, dust that could only belong to home, a comfortable place to slip into the dreams of strangers across the world wide web. You struggle to picture it, but on the page of blurring words you can almost see a little draconequus scraping up the pieces of a broken picture frame in his mismatched hands. "Was I writing the story? Or was it you?" "Oh, Discord." The disembodied voice sighs with a weight you remember from the last ninety thousand years and almost four years of absence. "Maybe it was you writing the story, and maybe it was me. Maybe I didn't have a voice till I met you." "Me?" The draconequus asks, astonished. "How could I give a voice? How is that possible if you were the one writing?" I laugh, a coping gesture in place of the years left to rot. "Every writer starts somewhere. I've always dreamed of galaxies, monsters, and beautiful creatures that I could never describe. Like a painter with no brush, or skill, I lacked the voice and the words to communicate the frantic yarn of imagination unraveling in my mind. Then I met someone I figured could understand the chaos swirling around in this head of mine." "You're like me?" "Not exactly." I laughed again. "I don't belong here. Not anymore. There comes a time in a man's life when he's simply got to move on. But, I believe I'll remember you the most. You and I aren't so alike, but I think we're not so different from the tale of the ugly duckling. You know that one?" His eyes swell with confusion. "You don't believe you're ugly. Do you?" The sincerity in his voice melts my heart. Fluttershy really did a number on him. "Not anymore, now that I've had time to grow. Maybe not into a swan." "Into a writer?" Discord looks down through the words, and buried beneath the spelling errors and mistakes of the past, he rescues a little green smartphone. "You don't use this anymore?" He digs deeper, pulling out a grey laptop, and a broken Smith Corona Skywriter. With as humble of a pride as any, I displayed my new machine. "Brother Typewriter. A work horse. Helped me publish my first professional stories." "Professional?" His brow furrows and soon his eyes begin to water. "What will happen to us? What will happen to Fluttershy?! My friends... Will you take us with you?" I kneel beside him, brushing away the loose words to give us space... "You were never mine to take. You and all your friends belong to another dreamer. Faust made her mark, but I can't stand on her creations like they're my own." It hurt to see the draconequus cry. "Will you forget us?" "Never." If he were anything more than just words on a page, I might have hugged him. "So in a way, you and your friends - at least my meager perception of you - will bleed into the nuances of other works. When a character is honest, loyal, generous, laughing, friendly, or kind: their lessons will live on. And you, brave little draconequus, when the orchestras swell and the chaos of infinite possibilities unfolds on the pages of my future works, I'll think of the times I laughed and cried here." "Where is here?" He asks. "Another being's dream. An amalgamation of ones and zeroes organized into the delivery method for these words, and the hopeful prose of a community that has emphasized its subject focus in absolute enchantment, for better or worse." Discord sits between the lines, clutching my old machines. "Where will I go now?" He looks through the screen, at you. "What will they do? Are you just going leave them? Story unfinished?" I wish I could look at you, the way he did, but I am just the writer and nothing more. "I have more stories to tell. My own characters. Should I leave them waiting?" He shakes his head, wiping the tears away. "No. It wouldn't be fair to them. Or you! But... Can they wait a little longer?" "How long are we talking." I ask. "Long enough for one more story. A short one. I promise, I won't ask for more." Thinking over it, I couldn't help but smile. "Alright. Follow me." A door appears before us. A mirage? A split idea? Where did it lead? I took one look at the brass 23 nailed to the wood panel door. I remembered, and I led him through. On the other side was a relatively small room. There was space enough for a bed, an old desk, a busted television set, a dresser topped with assorted toys and Legos, and a bookshelf overflowing with novels of adventure, fantasy, and space. "Up on the bed," I pull back the green comforter and sheets, let him scurry up, and tuck him in. "Wow. Was this your room?" "It was. No more." I pull up the swivel chair from the desk and take a seat beside the bed. "Been keeping it around. Just long enough to put all the little unresolved pieces to rest. And I'm afraid, you may be the last one." He nods, and maybe he understood. "If you don't mind. Could you reuse this story?" "Reuse it?" I ask. "Yeah. Maybe my friends and I don't belong to you, but maybe some of your own characters could enjoy the adventure? New friends?" "What an idea!" I pat his head. He's already drowsy but struggles to remain awake and listen. "Maybe I'll give some new friends this adventure." Discord looks over my shoulder at you. "And them? Will you help them find it?" "No." I admit, stricken by melancholy and a twitch of fear. "If anything comes of it, I believe it should take flight on its own merit and not on the wings of an empty promise I cannot keep. If they find it, and they remember, I'd be glad to hear from them." "What if you don't?" I look up beyond him, out the window. There I see them all, everypony. Faces from almost a decade of something I knew I would always remember as uniquely special. "Such is life. Sometimes that's the way it is. Understand?" "Do you?" "I believe I do, yes." "Okay." He stretches into a yawn and rests his head upon the pillow. "One more story?" I lean back in the chair and pull out my typewriter. What shall it be? "How 'bout a bedtime story?" The little draconequus tiredly smiles. "As long as my friends are there." "They will be." It surprised me to feel warm droplets running down my own cheeks. I wiped them away. "They will be. Now, are you ready?" He hums in approval. "Alright." I begin to type. "Once upon a time..." Author's Note Prologue to Twilight“To be…” -William The sweet deception of a pleasant morning filled the flimsy ears of the draconequus. The sun is risen as the moon is set by the instinctual reasonings of god-like creatures in high places where pathetic echoes of old money still clamor for power. Fools. But, that was far away. That was so very far from the delicate spot that marred the rising sun in the wee hours of the morning. Bird song began to swing through the air of the new dawn as the glistening dew drops rolled over leaves and off to rocks lining the small stream running parallel to the spot. The spot in question became clear as the magically manufactured sunrise breached the spot’s top. The spot in question defined its existence as a cottage so called by the simple folk who traversed the paths leading to, from, and around it. The cottage, as it were, was humbly crowned by a sod roof that had consumed most if not all of the top. A few windows along with the door that happened to be there was all that made it distinguishable from a mound. It connected to the rest of the world by way of a petite bridge that arched over the shimmering stream that reflected light upon the cottage’s face. T’was well with the draconequus. It changed nothing. It had barely changed. Only, it was more devoid of life now than ever. The draconequus heard the sight of the morning. All essence of this time his ears did experience as it transpired. Though, one cannot explain how it was possible. It's best not to argue with the facts. The ears of the draconequus will smell what they want. It is. And, it's best to let it be so. His red eyes floated ‘round the interior of the cottage that had been frozen in time, a power he had but used lightly to an extent. Lord of Chaos or not, there were in fact rules that he could only bend so far for so long. This was one of those rare occasions where he tested that boundary near the edge of its limits. If there was any life left in the room, it wouldn't have lasted this long. That time had passed, nearly two centuries ago. In that time, the world had moved on. Two industrial revolutions transpired with inventions like the dash train that could travel the expanse of the land, known as Equestria, in ten seconds flat. Towering skyscrapers loomed high in the sky, even above the ancient castles that had once so majestically stood as sentinels over the cities. Now they were drowned out and hidden beneath the likes of corporate offices, apartments, and sky ports. But this place in which the draconequus stood, it did not move on as the world had. It stayed behind as the central display for the last park of Ponyville City. It was here the draconequus dwelt when he was not needed. It was here he pushed the boundaries of time’s laws as he immortalized the cottage of the one mare he could truly call friend. A remnant aroma dominated the preserved space as the telltale signs of a home that had been utilized for sheltering animals and all manner of creatures that needed a place to rest or recover from sickness and injury. Eons ago, the draconequus would have scoffed at the notion. But now, it was a painful reminder of the previous inhabitant who had shown him the value in such acts. The draconequus hovered above the floorboards in the living room so as to avoid scuffing the space he had spent his magic so carefully on. A sofa and armchair stood divided by the small table that still carried the now antique tea set that had been meticulously organized by the draconequus. Even now he continued to work at adjusting it in his innumerable fruitless attempts to recapture the tender memories of a beautiful friendship. He fell not to anger so easily when the tea set’s positioning could not be fixed. He merely wept quiet tears that defied gravity until they reached the crystal vase that cradled a solitary pink rose. ‘Tis a rare thing indeed for a draconequus to truly shed those precious genuine tears. It was an experience one could have once in their entire life, twice if they were lucky or old enough. The vase, once empty, was nearly full from a mere century and a half of tears. “Discord.” The draconequus recoiled internally from the sound of his name and the voice that spoke it. It caused him to bump a teacup off center and lose a few more tears. His insides twisted as the ghostly smell of tea and cucumber sandwiches vanished from his memory for good. There was almost nothing left now. More tears. The intruder of his timeless shrine came closer, hovering out of respect. “It's hard to believe you've been here the whole time.” The draconequus, Discord, winced as he turned from the tea set. In the low light of the morning hours, the white of the intruder was almost blinding. Her regal form and posture betrayed the fact of her royalty. That, along with the gold ornaments that adorned her legs and crown, made her identity as a princess clear. An alicorn, at that. “Equestria has moved on so rapidly without the Lord of Chaos.” There was a discreet sadness that flew above Discord’s recognition. “Finally rid of me, eh? The world finally thrived without its hindering parasite.” His body coiled up above the sofa. Observing the tea set once more, he adjusted the rebel cup back into its proper place. The white princess's face sunk as her mane defied gravity less so than usual. “I've always held you in high regard as the moderator of progress. There is such a thing as going too far too fast, you know.” The princess's eyes found the way to the tea set. From her perspective, the set was perfect in every way from its set up to its alignment along the patterns on the tray. Looking up, she found the lonely rose standing at attention in its crystal uniform. A stray tear captured her heart as it joined so many others in expanding the meniscus to the point where they domed over the edge of the crystal vase without spilling over. It was one tear too many for the princess to bear. “I know why you've come, Celestia.” Discord found the last flaw in the tea set. The idea that it had evaded his attention for so long was depressing to say the least. He knew what came next if he fixed it. “You're here to make sure I don't destroy the universe.” The princess, Celestia, shook her head as one of her own tears vanished in the fur of her cheek. “I'm here to make sure you don't destroy yourself.” Silence reigned supreme. This was not a silence as you or I might know. It was deeper and more dark than is comprehensible. This was the edge of time where reality had been stretched thin to a silken wall that if torn would release a horror of unknown consequences. It would ripple throughout the universe forwards, backwards, and sideways. This was truly the edge of sanity. Discord never fixed the last flaw. The lid to the teapot remained askew as he dropped his spell. Among rules, are facts. One little known fact about time is its ability to recover. Another little known fact of time is the violence of its recovery. The silence abruptly ended. For a split second, the morning ambiance held a key before being silenced by the orchestra of mending time. A sonic boom shattered the crystal vase and tea set as the veil at the edge of time was sealed. The floors cracked into dried, mold infested, bones. The walls peeled. The carpets and linens evaporated into dust. The windows returned to the sands they came from. Corners of the roof collapsed and splintered into thousands of pieces. Time had reclaimed its property. Discord reached out for the dried up rose that somehow remained. However, his reach was stopped by the magical barrier Celestia had placed around them to survive the consequences of altering time for so long. More consequences came for Discord as he was faced with the corpse of the home. In an instant, all his memories of her, his friend, were decimated. A sound fell from Discord’s mouth. It was a specific sound. All have or will have heard it sometime in their lives. It's a guttural and carnal sound that only comes from the truly mad. It's a madness none can control as the weight of despair and desperate rage ravage the soul. It becomes madness when one fails to repress such crippling emotions. Discord lost his mind as he released his emotional wrath. He wailed and growled as he clawed at the barrier, reaching for the rose. “No! Fluttershy!” His flailing limbs became a danger to himself. Celestia released the barrier and bound Discord in her magic to protect him from himself until he could calm down. It seemed that he might never recover as he pleaded with the dead, “...come back…” The princess wept at the sight as sympathy racked her mind. Focusing her energy, she cast a spell of warmth and comfort, the best she could muster. “No…” Discord fought the spell but failed. His power had been drained from the years he spent preserving the cottage. He fought his restraints and found this to be futile as well. Once Discord had ceased to resist, his mind went numb. It was strange magic that worked on his brain. It was foreign and unfamiliar. He thought it confusing to say the least. The neurons firing in his brain fruitlessly continued to echo the pangs of heartache as the magic from Celestia smothered those flames of despair. Anger became confusion as Discord began to forget why he was angry. Didn't he have the right to feel pain like any other? Another question rubbed that one out. Don't you deserve comfort and compassion, like any other? No, he thought. He didn't believe it, but he could do no more than listen to the spell words that shaped a cushion for his ravaged emotional state. ...thy dolash spradose… The words, familiar, stifled a half laugh from Discord. The other half was lost in translation. A memory sizzled out. It was some half forgotten poem from an older draconequus whose precious maternal smile still shined above the stars, above the heavens. The distraction was broken by a flash of gold magic. A subtle sickness was silenced by Celestia’s ongoing spell. They had teleported. The taste was all too obvious to the draconequus. Discord never could forget the sensation of a trick he once abused so often. Where they had gone, he could not say. There was mostly darkness. However, it was not a black darkness of night. It was the casting of a shadow. “Where?” Discord finally asked as he felt the cold of marble beneath him. It was fine and polished to a near mirror finish. He nearly tripped on a long carpet that stretched down the blurry setting. As his eyes adjusted, Discord could see that he stood in a grand hallway lined with dark stain glass murals portraying the various annals of history. “Canterlot.” “Yes, Discord.” Celestia watched him approach one of the windows. “You remember.” It was almost a question. Discord peered through one of the warped panes. Now he saw the sources of the great shadow that blanketed the palace in darkness. Lights were just beginning to flicker on in the towering buildings that swirled and cut into the sky. Discord thought that maybe it was night somehow, that in his fit he had lost track of time. It never mattered before now. A sliver of daylight glimmered through the clouds in a crack between the skyscrapers. Then Discord realized, they weren't clouds. He retreated from the window. The window, he recognized it. It hurt to see his own twisted face suffering at the hands of the divine god given power of harmony. The six bearers stood roundabout as they used their inherited power to return him to the stone prison from once he came. The thought of being turned to stone gave him the will to look away from the fractured image of his past mistakes. “What happened,” he asked, “where are the guards?” Celestia looked up at the clouds that weren't clouds. “They have gone from this place. They aren't needed anymore.” She turned and gestured for Discord to follow. “Come.” Discord did as he was told. Why, he wasn't sure. Perhaps it was shock. He was familiar with the experience, but that was when she left the world. Celestia led Discord through the vacant palace. Dust had gathered across it all. Each step Discord took was followed by a dust cloud that creeped back into the shadows and the comfort of the floor. The flower pots held traces of dead lavender flowers that had blackened from neglect. The flickers of sunlight was all that could reach them now. The two passed through a room that was discernibly a large bedchamber. The shadow of the bed flickered with the light of the fireplace against the dark walls. It was much more inviting than the rest of the castle. The light of the fire was warm and comforting as opposed to the bleak greyish blue lowlights everywhere else. The illusion of comforting safety was broken the moment Discord turned his head. A similar grey light from the castle split the darkness from the floor to the ceiling. Discord felt incredibly small beneath the looming opening to the balcony. It beckoned him to come closer. The sun did not shine through this time as he witnessed a smoke stack ejecting more grey into the sky. A few wayward automated sky carriages rounded the skyscrapers that disappeared far above the highest spires of the castle towers. Cold engulfed him as the opening was slammed shut by the golden magic of Celestia. Discord stared at her. “What was that?” “Unbridled progress.” Her horn lit up with more magic as she called two blankets off of the bed. Each one wrapped around the two of them. “How did you know?” Discord sat next to the princess by the fire. Celestia shivered as her magic brought a tea kettle over from the fire. “I'm cold too.” She poured the hot fluid into two separate mugs. Discord laughed at the plain porcelain vessels. “No golden teacups?” Celestia smiled at his jest as she brought the mug to her lips, enjoying the steam of the still fresh heat. “They're in museums now.” She managed a laugh. Discord reached for his mug. The vessel shook in his weak grasp. He had depended on magic for so long that his physical strength was horribly lacking, now more than ever before. To his best ability, he set the mug down. He felt accomplished seeing that not a single drop escaped. Raising his arm he attempted to use magic. At the snap of his claw, that's usually how it worked for him. This time however, a pathetic spark merely sizzled out through the air. Before he had the chance to be upset, his mug floated up to him. Looking up, he could see Celestia was behind it. He nodded as to thank her before he carefully sipped up some of the tea. “How is it?” She asked. Discord couldn't really compare it to anything. It had been so long ago that he remembered having tea. This concoction that he had taken into his system was not simply tea though. It was much thicker than tea should be. As he swirled it around in his mouth, the ancient taste came to him. There was chocolate milk mixed in with it. “Well, I can't complain at all. Well done.” He bowed his head to her. “I figured you would enjoy it of all people.” Celestia stared into her own cup of the same concoction. She wouldn't tell him the truth, but it was the last of the organic tea, milk, and chocolate. It was the last real anything. She figured, the draconequus didn't need to know that the tea and cocoa plants were all extinct from the blight that had swept across the land. He didn't need to know the last cow had died a few days ago and that this was the last bit of milk in the whole world. The world worked so fast to replace things like these that no one noticed anything was missing. Celestia had noticed. And, Discord didn't need to know. It wasn't important for him to know with what she had planned for him. Celestia sipped the chocolate milk tea concoction. She forced back her own tears. The fact alone that this was the last real anything, made it the most delicious and beautiful thing she had ever tasted. Discord chugged all his drink down and finished with a satisfied sigh. “Don't suppose I could trouble you for more, could I?” He didn't need to know, so Celestia said nothing of it. “We need to talk.” “Concerning what, exactly?” Discord frowned as his mug floated away from him. “Are you going to tell me what's going on? This isn't another one of Twilight’s friendship lessons is it?” Celestia almost choked on her drink at the mention of her former student. “No, this world will be of no consequence to you any longer if you accept my offer.” “Offer?” Discord was taken aback by this. The princess was never one to make him offers, at least not lightly. Then he thought of what an offer meant. Material objects were useless to him. Power was in the same category. The only possible thing that mattered to Discord at this point was impossible. The dead couldn't be brought back from the grave. It was impossible. “What could you possibly have to offer?” The princess looked over to the fireplace. On the mantle rested a plain cedar box that had only a simple brass latch and nothing more. Using her magic, Celestia brought it over to them. Without magic, she flicked the latch up and lifted the lid open. Inside, six keys laid on the cover of a dusty blue book that had seen untold years of use. It's ancient cover displayed clearly in gold letters the name of its owner. Discord leaned away from the keys. They weren't just keys. He knew the emblem of each one. He knew their power. “The Elements of Harmony, and Starswirl’s journal? What is this?” “A second chance, for you at least.” Seeing that Discord’s interest had been piqued, she continued. “How would you like to see Fluttershy again?” The uttered sentence broke down Discord’s calm demeanor. His body trembled as his eyes welled up. But, no tears escaped. He had run out. Here it was, as the shock ended and the reality rang true, the end. “You, you can't resurrect the dead.” Celestia shook her head. “I intend to do more than that, but it's risky. We both could die for naught if I fail.” She looked down at the keys. Her attention was drawn to the key of magic that took the form of a star like emblem that she'd recognized as the talent of her most cherished student who spent her last days trying to save as many as she could. The student’s last ditch effort to save lives ended with the ark that tragically failed before it reached the ends of the sky. “Why not bring them all back.” Discord couldn't believe what she was implying. “Celestia, it's not possible.” “There's a way. Starswirl found it.” Celestia set the keys aside as she opened the book. “Here.” Discord pushed the book away. “There's always a way, but at what cost.” Death, that was the way. A life for a life. “Do you seriously intend to lose your own life, just so you can bring back the dead. Raising half life zombies isn't worth dying for! Why would you risk your life?!” “Because you love her.” Celestia levitated the key of kindness to Discord who shakily received the butterfly key. “I'm not talking about zombies. I speak of a new beginning for the whole world. But, I cannot do it alone.” Discord held the key close, and for the first time in forever, he found the strength to hold it still. “You're right about one thing. But, it doesn't matter. She's dead.” He tightened his grip around the key. “They're all dead, aren't they? The elements, your sister, and the world.” Celestia remembered the day it happened. She and her sister stayed behind to make sure the ark succeeded. But as the ark neared the final stretch of escaping the dying world, one of its thrusters failed. Celestia and her sister worked their magic to the end, trying to help it. Her sister spent her magic with all her fatal might. Her student perished on the ark with many others, including the next generation of elements. Amidst the debris, none were found save for the talismans of the elements that had turned to keys. The reason was unknown to Celestia until she found Starswirl’s journal. “I told you, this world is no longer of consequence to you. I'm giving you a chance to be the savior of all life. You more than I deserve to find what you're looking for.” “There's always a price!” Discord hissed. Celestia smiled at the draconequus. “My life and your memories. That's all it will take to save the world. Time will be rewound. The world will be revived. And, we'll all be there. Is it better to lay to eventual waste in this dying world or to make the sacrifice to save it?” “Turn back time? So what, I'd relive all the evil I've committed?” “No.” Celestia shook her head. “Time can be rewritten. I'm going to give you a new beginning, a fresh start close to her.” The draconequus looked at all the keys which had begun to glow. He knew she wasn't going to give him a choice. He wasn't sure he was going to give himself a choice. His broken heart defied his logic and begged to be healed. Celestia used her magic to focus on the keys. Discord gasped as the key of kindness flew from his grip. He watched as they sparked and flashed beams of vibrant ethereal light which connected them all. One by one, they merged into one singular form. They keys became one key in the shape of the tree of harmony. It moved forward until it suddenly froze. The light of a keyhole formed around it. Vines of light, as though from the sun, spread and grew into the shape of a door. Light and wind spewed from its form. Celestia cried as her magic continued to hold. “Go!” Discord rushed forward to the door. It took both his arms’ strength just to turn the key, but once it was turned, the door fell open to darkness. The sound of rain beating against mud flooded the ears of the draconequus. This couldn't be the second chance Celestia spoke of. But when he turned back to her and saw the blood dripping from her nose, she nodded. Discord lingered. “It cannot exist without the anchor! Go, please!” Celestia's strength was beginning to fail. Hot tears washed over her face. “Discord, this is your life now. Take a stand!” She smiled again. “Find yourself a wife.” Running forward she rammed Discord through the door. The moment the draconequus was through the door, it vanished. Celestia, still in motion, collapsed where Discord once stood. Her breath began to slowly die. Like her sister she had spent the entirety of her magic. The world was closing around her. She had lied to him. The world would change and be renewed, but not for her. Celestia shivered as the cold swept over her. A subtle warmth flowed along her cheek. She saw that it was the last of the tea and chocolate drink pouring out from the tipped over mug. The other mug was close by, its shadow dancing beneath the light of the fireplace. “Discord.” Celestia knew this was what it'd come down too. As a drop of blood crawled out from the corner of her eye, a content smile was cemented on the princess's face as her eyes stilled. Her last thoughts were of her friends and family, and she remembered the draconequus that was somewhere out there in a new Equestria. Her chest ceased to rise as the fireplace roared a little longer. ***** Redheart muttered as the rain poured down from the heavens. She thanked Celestia that she at least had a coat. Given, she had stolen it from her flop of a date that ended disastrously, but she didn't care. It was better than nothing. The moment she got home she was gonna burn the thing and wash out its smell from her fur. The rain began to get heavier. “Really?!” She groaned in frustration before a lightning strike startled her. “Holy moly.” The bolt hadn't struck too far ahead of her. “Stupid pegasai.” She looked up at the cloud covered sky. “Watch where you throw that stuff!” She thought it odd, mostly. That was because she had read the weather reports. There was supposed to be a chance of rain based on weather balance conditions. However, there was no mention of lightning storms at all. Redheart ignored the eerie absence of thunder as she continued on her way home. “What a night.” As she came closer to where the lightning struck the ground, she heard the last thing she expected to hear. The cries of a baby pierced the night. Redheart’s mind began to race as she feared the worst. A child, she screamed internally, a child's been hurt! She galloped onward to the source of the cries. She could see, in the middle of the road, a large blanket that was soaking up the rain. Seeing that it was safe to continue, she searched the blanket. She saw a small face crying and sniffling from snot that probably clogged up its nose. Picking up the little one, she looked left and right. “Hello? Is anyone there?” The child, it seemed, was alone and abandoned. There were no houses along this stretch of road. The closest place was the home Redheart shared with her mother. “Hang in there little one.” Using her teeth, she ripped off the rest of the large blanket the child was wrapped in. Thankfully it was mostly dry except for the outside. Redheart tucked the little one into the coat so that she could more easily carry him as she made her way to her house. Once there she quickly shed the coat in the mud room and grabbed a towel. The child was still crying. Redheart tried to stifle the cries before her mother heard. “What in the name of the sisters-!” Too late. The older mare burst through the interior door to the mud room. “Whu-,” her face softened at the sight of the crying child. “Where'd that come from?” “I found him on the way home,” Redheart explained the lightning and how she found the him wrapped up in the giant blanket all by himself, “I couldn't just leave him there.” “Well get him out of that rag and dry ‘im off. I'll go fetch a warm blanket.” As her mother left, Redheart went to work unraveling the blanket. Once it was loose, she almost dropped the child once she saw exactly what it was. “Oh, my.” She set it down on the towel and stared at its mismatched limbs. “What are you?” It's forearms were that of a lion and possibly a griffon. It had a dragon leg and a deer leg as it's lower limbs. A scaly red tail ended with a tuft of hair. All this was connected to the brown body beneath the grayish brown head with a black mane and a larger tuft of pale blond hair up front on the head that matched the hair on the tail. A little baby snaggletooth protruded from under its upper lip. It steadily ceased its crying as it opened its eyes. Redheart could feel her heart twist at the sight of the two sad red eyes that stared back at her. It looked at her, more curious than confused. “Hey there little guy.” Redheart got a little closer to look at him. The little one stared with wide terrified eyes up at the white furred mare with the pink mane and blue eyes. Something about the mare’s mane was comforting to him. He didn't know why. Then again, why did babies know anything at all. He did know this, he liked the mare’s hair. So, he did what any baby in his position would do. He grabbed the pretty hair. Redheart held her breath at the sudden action. She watched as it pawed at her mane before falling down on top of her muzzle. “Oh.” The little one’s shocked face made her laugh a bit inside. “M-ma.” Redheart scooped him up and began to work at him with the towel. She was amused as it purred ever so slightly at the experience. “My, my, my.” Redheart’s mother returned with a small blanket. “A draconequus.” “What did you call it?” Redheart asked. “A draconequus. I didn't think they still existed. They disappeared thousands of years ago. That little fella must be the last of his kind.” The older mare’s nonchalant disposition on the baby draconequus came as a surprise to Redheart. “Heh, I think he likes you.” “Ma-ma.” The baby draconequus squeaked. Redheart laughed as she plucked him from her face. “So, what do we do with it?” The older mare frowned at her daughter. “There ain't exactly an orphanage for his kind.” “Well, I can't take care of him.” The older mare whacked the back of her daughter’s head. “Yes, you can.” Redheart tried to protest. “I've got school!” “Yeah.” Redheart’s mother smiled. “You're training to become a nurse, ain't ya?” “At a hospital. And besides, I can't be a mom.” Redheart took the towel from her mother and wrapped the draconequus up in it. “Why not? You rescued him didn't ya? Seems pretty motherly to me. I'd help ya if you need me to. It'd be nice to have another fresh face around here.” Redheart rolled her eyes as she looked at the draconequus who smiled up at her. “Yeah, but…” She regretted looking down at him. Her heart began to twist again as his face seemed to sadden. She pulled him in close and felt her will snap as his little lion paw rested against her neck. “Mama?” The little draconequus seemed to ask with pleading eyes. Redheart sighed as a smile came to her face. “Mama,” she repeated. She studied the little face of the draconequus as he yawned and nuzzled into her chest. A name, he needed a name. In the back of her mind, she swore some angelic voice spoke the name Discord. It was like an echo from a quiet warm place in the dark. “Discord.” The old mare blinked at what her daughter had said. “What was that?” “His name,” Redheart held the baby draconequus a little tighter, “his name is Discord.” Author's Note Whisper in the Night“Darkness cannot drive out darkness…” -Martin The Gallop who had been circling the Everfree forest finally screamed his frustrations through the rocks he sent flying at the tree line along the road. He couldn’t believe that he lost the draconequus and his friends. Somehow, his compass sent him for loops on end until finally it settled on spinning endlessly. Something was interfering, some exterior power. It made no sense to this Gallop as he smashed the spinning compass against the street. He was tired of it spinning. “No power lines, no planes, and not even a radio tower. There’s nothing here!” It got him thinking. “Is my cover blown, does he know?” Waiting around to find out wasn’t going to do him any good. Seeing that the road was familiar, he followed it. Thankfully there was no traffic to notice him nor joggers to pester him. The walk was long. Having spent most of his energy throughout the day didn’t help since it prevented him from teleporting. Now, the harder way was the only way left. “Stupid kids. Stupid forest.” This Gallop wanted to complain about something else. “Stupid Alezander. You’re not even here, and I hate you.” A smell caught his attention. “The best laid plans of mice and stallions…” He kept walking. He knew the smell. But, he dared not to give the smell any suspicion of his noticing. This Gallop wanted the traitor to remain where he was for as long as possible so he could report him. The hoot of an owl echoed across the wind. This Gallop slowed down and turned to face the owl. He felt a little insulted. The traitor had dared to trick him. Clever. Any other fool would have kept walking. But, this Gallop knew this game. He looked at the owl long enough to acknowledge it, to give it a deceitful sense of comfort. His walk continued. Fools lose such a game as this. So concentrated on acting like there’s nothing out of the ordinary, they forget how to react. This gallop kept walking but turned once more, passively, to show dying interest in the traitor. The hooting from the owl continued. However, the game was already played. As far as this Gallop was concerned, the traitor had lost the game. ***** “Honey, I’m home.” Dropping Gallop’s keys in their usual spot, this Gallop sniffed at the air. Something was filling the house. Underneath it all was the smell of gas. “Jasmine!” Hurling himself into the kitchen, he half expected to see everything on fire. This wasn’t the case. Pots and pans rested atop the stovetop with burners set to medium and low temperature. Noodles bubbled up in the pot while creamy sauce simmered in the pan. Jasmine smiled at this Gallop as she moved the sauce around with a spoon. “Hello, sweetums. Dinner's almost ready for you and your colleague.” She kissed this Gallop on the cheek before going back to her sauce. “Colleague?” This Gallop poked his head around the corner into the dining area. Sitting at the table was a pony of familiar color. Her pink fur and white mane belonged to a different creature, a dragon. “You remind me of a Honeybee I know.” The pony looked up from the rose she was plucking petals from. “How astounding. I never believed there could be anyone else in the universe with the same name as me.” This Gallop cautiously took a seat adjacent to her. “You act a lot like her as well.” “Interesting. I suppose the universe might explode if we ever met in the same room. Then again, we both know that’s not likely to happen.” The pony came close to the end of her flower. “It’s funny, I never thought I’d grow attached to these colors. They’re just so me. Though, this is strictly business attire. Can’t be letting your neighbors think you’re cheating on the Mrs. now can we?” “I think you sport draconic fashion rather well, other Honeybee.” This Gallop kept his head low, even though he heard the amused laugh from the pony plucking the petals. “Hm. The dragons, I think, have a better sense of design. They are a brutes at times, but,” a long slithering tongue slurped around the lips of the pony, “their passion really fills my appetite.” The rose she held ran out of petals to pluck. “So this is where your new paycheck has been going, to flowers.” A low squeaky laugh piped from the pony’s throat. “While I’m not against playing with my food, this, this is something else.” “Call it a company experiment.” This Gallop eyed the kitchen in time to see Jasmine smile his way. “Might I inquire as to your visit. I seemed to have misplaced my callander. Forgive me if I’m a little unprepared for this business meeting. Or was this courtesy call?” “A bit of both.” The pony leaned over the table. “I’ll be checking on your work production more often now that I’ve placed you in charge of such a promising project. I’m curious about the bird watching.” “The eagle I’m watching has picked up a notable flock. They don’t inhibit my view of him, though. A song bird seems to have grown attached to the eagle.” This Gallop stared at the flowers around the house. He wasn’t sure why, but he felt that strange sensation of sickness again. “I could smell it, from both of them. I hope that behavior proves to be useful to you.” The pony grinned. “I would love to see photographs of all these birds. As long as it won’t scare them away.” This Gallop lowered his voice as he came to his other topic. “Remember that former employee? I passed him after I lost sight of the birds, near the Everfree forest.” The pony stood up abruptly. “Really?” “Yes.” This Gallop confirmed. “Well then,” the pony made her way towards the front door. “Urgent business. I must be going. Sorry I couldn’t stay for dinner.” This Gallop nodded as he watched the pony close the door behind her. The sound of the door slamming came as a relief to him. He detected fear, but from himself. It was indescribable. The sickness in him came back in full force, compounding the fear. Jasmine brought a tray out with three plates. “Did your colleague have to leave? Sweetums?” This Gallop stood up. There it was again, the sickness. He wondered if it was Jasmine’s doing. “How did you do it? How did you make me sick?” His eyes were mad, but not with anger as he glared at her. “What did you do?” Jasmine’s ears drooped as she looked at the plates. “Did you not want pasta?” Looking into her eyes, this Gallop saw it, the disease that plagued him. Getting closer, he pressed his face against hers. It burned him from the inside. Everything was on fire for him, yet he started to like the sickness. Pulling his face away, he struggled to breath. He didn’t care, though. The disease that racked his existence and pillaged his brain had become a drug. “Oh my.” Jasmine giggled. “Gallop, you haven’t kissed me like that since high school.” This Gallop felt terrible as he ripped his eyes away from Jasmine. “Oh, Mother.” He felt his stomach fill with the disease as it continued to spread, speeding up his heart rate. “What’s happening to me?” “Sweetums? Is everything okay?” He forced himself to eat the food in front of him. This gallop knew that if he looked, he would suffocate. He knew he wouldn’t come back from the disease’s next attack. Author's Note Ponyville Uber Alles“...animals are equal, but some…” -George The portable mopi box buzzed away with an anchor-dragon calmly and confidently reciting the teleprompted news. “...small comic shop and local hangout was rewarded with new arcade machines by the Royal Sisters for their employees' groundbreaking contributions to a mathematics experiment in computer engineering. The Sisters joined the employees in their celebration of the new games debut. We got to see a little competition between the Royals as they went head to head in a few of the two player games. An interesting but welcome sight since their five month absence from the public eye.” The dragon straightened the papers in front of him. “In other news… We got a first look at some fire between the Mayoral candidates of Ponyville. Let’s take a look.” The shot of the anchor’s desk shifted to a scene of two earth ponies. The one, a grayish amber with charcoal hair pounded his hooves. “You are the worst sort of politician. Dishonest, untrustworthy, and an absolute disgrace.” Across from him, the pink mare whipped her white hair over her shoulder. “I expected such accusations from a speciesist pig who only cares about ponies and not the beautifully diverse creatures that make up our wonderful city. Your rhetoric and speech are dangerous, Filthy Rich.” The stallion shot back. “Not as dangerous as your tax plan that will drive away businesses and with them, jobs. I care about this city. And that’s why I fight hard to bring back businesses both small and large to promote growth in work opportunities. If there’s ever a world where you’re in charge, with your policies-” “You’d be in jail, for tax fraud.” The dragon anchor returned to the screen. “And there you have it. What some call an explosive kick off to what’s sure to be an interesting campaign between local millionaire Filthy Rich and our city treasurer Honey B. Comb…” “Miss Honey.” The pink mare switched off the mopi next to the snow kissed lounge chair she was laid across at the edge of a heated pool. She turned her attention to the black dragon in the tuxedo. “Yes Obsidian? What is it?” The dragon gestured to the mansion behind him. “Mister Rich is waiting inside.” “Hm.” She tipped her sunglasses down while giving him a wry smile. “Send him out here, and after our meeting is done, maybe you’ll join me for some fun later.” The tux clad dragon grinned before turning tail back to the house. Moments later Filthy Rich strolled out laughing. “So this is your hard work you love to flaunt to the public?” The mare hummed as she tossed her glasses by the mopi and stretched out. “Being a public servant is taxing. I need to be well charged to serve the people at full capacity. You would do well to try relaxing yourself. It does wonders. Maybe you wouldn’t have to dye your mane to keep your gold digging child of a wife happy with your appearance.” He glared down at her. “Why did you call me here, Honeybee?” She giggled stretching in such a manner that caused Rich to turn away. “What? Can’t we have a friendly heart to heart before we spend the rest of the year hating each other.” “Hrm. The only hate is the hatred you hold for our city, its traditions, and it’s people. I want to preserve it and grant every pony, dragon, griffon, and every sort of being to have the privilege of calling it home.” “Ugh.” Honeybee sighed. “You’ll never win them over. Everyone should feel comfortable wherever they live. You’re not a stallion of such progress.” “Your idea of progress is silver tongueing the masses with empty promises of unearned rewards. I count on the citizens of this city to see past your mask of self righteousness.” The mare giggled before sitting upright. “Let me tell you something, Rich. They’re all going to hate you. I’ll convince them of that. They’ll see you as the ignorant and uncultured greedy pig that I say you are. They don’t respect your money.” “No,” Rich brushed off his jacket, “I don’t expect them too. I expect them to see that I’m not so easily bought like your followers. I campaign for the soul of this city and the future security of its inhabitants. They’ll see, and I’ll win for them.” Whipping away he exited through the mansion. "Say hi to your future ex for me." Honeybee quietly laughed to herself. “No. You won’t win. Not with the tricks I have up my sleeve.” She sniffed the air. “So, are you the groundskeeper today, Gallop?” The stallion stepped closer to the pool levitating a pole and net, scooping out leaves from the water. “Pool boy today ma’am. That’s a nice mopi you got there. See any news did you?” She flicked the box back on turning the dial to a different frequency. “Yes, and that baking show you and I both watch. I was a little disappointed with how the souffle turned out.” Picking up a bell in her teeth she rang it, prompting the black dragon to return. “Practice makes perfect. Baking is a science that takes time to master. I think I’ll soon have an advantage at making souffles with the new utensils I’ve acquired.” “Just a moment.” Honeybee licked her teeth at the dragon. “Take care of my back won’t you? Obsidian, darling.” Humming as the dragon’s claws kneaded her back, her lips curled. “You were saying, pool boy?” This Gallop continued his screening of the pool water. “I started watching this new show. A family sitcom. A griffon agent and his unsuspecting wife take in a father and son who happen to be friends with the Prince the griffon is trying to spy on.” After a moan of relief, the mare opened her eyes. “I like the sound of this new program. It's a nice change from botched souffles. Something with plot, and humor. Much more interesting. I’m curious as to how it will end.” Author's Note
Mr. Blue Sky“I stand upon my desk…” -John/DPS sixteen years later... And then, the world awoke from its slumber. The radio clock on the pine green nightstand sparked to life as the minute hand reached the thirty mark. “Good morning, today's forecast calls for blue skies!” The radio station always started that way with the forecast, and then the host’s list of the latest hits began without so much as an introduction or commercial. That's probably why it was one of the last few successful radio stations in Equestria. Ponies didn't want too much commentary or information about anti-itch flank creme. No, Good Morning Equestria got straight to what was wanted: music. The privately owned station could afford not to advertise, and the only break was around twelve thirty when the host would thank the listeners and run over a quick list of news items. The morning song stirred the sleeping draconequus to life as his ears told him to get up. He yawned and stretched out his longer body, to his surprise, on a rough surface. His eyes popped open when he realized he was sleeping on the ceiling. “Not again!” He yelled before falling, bouncing off his bed, and landing on the floor. Tugging at the magic training collar on his neck, he grumbled. “Stupid thing can't even do its job.” At that moment his door was flung open by a panicked mare. “Discord! Are you alright?” Discord mumbled as he stood up. “I'm fine, mom.” His mother, a mare by the name of Redheart, frantically looked over him to check for any damage. “Oh, sweetheart, did you sleep on the ceiling again?” “Yeah. It's no problem, really.” He lied. It was the fifth time this week. If it got any worse, he'd have to tie himself to the bed. Redheart wasn't sure she believed that her adopted son was alright, but she could tell he didn't want her to fuss over it. “Big day today. New school, new opportunities, new friends, and maybe a filly friend.” “Mom,” Discord grumbled as he pulled his sheets taught again on his bed. “Or dragoness, if you're into that sort of thing.” Redheart laughed. “Mom,” Discord held up his arms in protest, “stop talking.” Redheart’s eyes welled up as she looked up at her son. “I'm sorry. It just seems like only yesterday that you were my little one.” She lunged at him with a hug. “I just hope everything goes alright this time. I know freshcolt year back in our old town wasn't so good.” That was an understatement. It was borderline disaster as students picked on him to the point where the town’s sheriff got involved. They ripped of his magic training collar which made him lose control of his powers. With the extensive property damage and injuries, Discord would have been arrested if it hadn't been for the teacher who apprehended the bullies truly responsible for everything. Discord remembered the horrifying experience for both him and his mother. He ended up being home schooled for the rest of the year. At least under the controlled conditions of home, he excelled at his work and was able to skip sophomore year and enter straight into his junior year this semester. “You said it yourself. Ponyville is a more tolerant city, right?” Redheart cringed at the word tolerant. Tolerance was cruelly short of acceptance. “I know, but there are still ponies and others that aren't as accepting as they should be.” Discord put on the bravest smile he could muster. “I won't let them get me down, mom.” Redheart smiled back, still nervous. “I know. Just remember though, don't engage in trouble. Have the courage to walk away as well as to stand up for yourself. There's gonna be those few who still say and do bad stuff. You can just ignore them. They're idiots, but we can't tell them that. Understand?” Discord nodded as he hugged his mom. “I love you mom.” Redheart fought the waterworks as she returned her son’s hug. “And, I love you too. Now come to the kitchen, I got a stack of waffles and a glass of chocolate milk with your name on it.” ***** Discord stared back at his mother as he waited at the curb for the bus. As she waved at him from the porch, he weakly waved back. He straightened the diagonal strap on his book bag and sighed as he eyed the neighborhood. Every house was built the same with the exception of the few that had been added on to or painted different colors. It was one of the boomer neighborhoods that had been erected some twenty years ago during the small town’s conversion to becoming a city. It wasn't the richest side of town; that was Whinnyton. The red bus came rolling down the double wide cobblestone road. Steam escaped from the tailpipe that stuck up and out the back. The smokestack let out a rainbow smoke that smelled like a cupcake had up chucked. The face of a smiling blonde filly was plastered on the engine cover with the slogan, smarter fuel for a brighter future. “Horse apples,” Discord whispered to himself. The bus door swung open to reveal a weighty griffon driver in a bright orange vest and shades. The driver stared at discord as he took a sip of coffee. “School?” Discord eyed the gold name tag. “Yes Mister Orrin.” The griffon grumbled as he motioned for Discord to board the bus. “I don't know you.” Discord nodded as he stumbled forward up on the first step. In two more steps he was on the bus. Then he froze as the whole bus went quiet. They were staring at him. His heart began to beat uncontrollably before the bus driver coughed. “Hey, kid. Take your seat.” Discord cautiously made his way down the center aisle, looking for a seat. There must have been a good twelve spots open, but they were quickly filled by the bags of frowning ponies, dragons, and griffons alike. Eventually Discord just sighed as he sat all by himself in the back. The onslaught of whispers began as the bus door shut. They were moving and Discord felt trapped. If he looked up, he would just be met by those pesky stares. So, he elected to look out the window. That was an okay decision. It was better than avoiding stares head on. This way he could at least look like his attention was turned away at something. It was mostly just houses that passed by. There was a park Discord thought was pretty neat. It wasn't too far from his house either. He smiled as he pictured himself studying under the willow tree that was sort of up on a hill in the center of the park. He imagined that he'd probably do a lot of studying in that park. The passengers of the bus lurched forward a bit as it came to an abrupt stop. Discord looked up from the window to see what was up. The bus door swung open again. Just another student, Discord thought. He saw a flash of purple and green before a loud scream set the stage for the new passenger that was now face first on the aisle. Everyone was laughing at the dragon who had undoubtedly been tripped. “I'm okay! I'm okay!” The purple dragon brushed himself off and straightened his green spines as he rushed to get up. Discord could see two other dragons snickering nearby. They must have been the idiots Redheart had warned him about. As the purple dragon looked desperately for a seat, Discord haphazardly waved to him. A smile paired with glistening green eyes lit up the purple dragon’s face as he came rushing to the back seat. Seeing another snickering dragon, Discord could tell what was going to happen next. He lowered his lion paw out of sight and snapped his digits. The purple dragon made it through without incident as a hushed hey cursed at the invisible force field Discord had put up to stop another trip. “Hey there.” The purple dragon threw his book bag on the ground as he sat next to Discord. “New in town?” “Yeah.” Discord could tell the little dragon was younger than him, but the fact didn’t matter. He couldn’t ignore the sense of familiarity and understanding he had with him. “My name is Discord.” “Nice to meet you Discord, I’m Spike.” Discord smiled as he exchanged an arm shake with Spike. “You alright? You took a pretty hard fall there.” Spike shrugged off the incident with a smile. “Eh, I’m fine.” Discord admired Spike’s spirit in the face of adversity. “They’ll get what’s coming to ‘em eventually.” “Why did those dragons trip you? Aren’t you one of them?” Spike couldn’t bring himself to smile at the innocent ignorance of Discord. Even so, Spike felt some sense of hope in someone like that. “Don’t worry about it. Even with the tolerance in this day and age, there’s still guys like that who say and do bad stuff.” Discord leaned over as he whispered to Spike. “They’re just idiots, but we can’t tell them that.” The two laughed for a moment. “So,” Spike began awkwardly, “what exactly are you? Are you uh, mixed?” Discord didn’t mind the question. He was well used to it by now. “Sort of. I’m a draconequus.” Spike blinked up a storm as he wrapped his head around the word. “What?” Discord remembered when his mother first explained what he was. He remembered how his reaction was similar to Spike’s as the ancient word had been spelled out for him. The books he had looked up on the matter were haunting to say the least with what there was to say about his kind. The rarity of his species would have caused a black pit of loneliness in his mind, but that was quickly remedied by his mother who took him in as her son. Redheart never discouraged him from looking into his existence. And even though they were not the same, Discord knew that she would always be his mother. She helped in his path to control the uncanny powers he had been gifted with. She found the professor who made the collar that Discord still wore to prevent chaotic disaster. Discord tugged at the collar and the dark thoughts in the back of his brain. He buried them for now. “A dra-con-e-quus. There aren’t really many of my kind here. As far as I know, I’m the only one that exists in Equestria.” “Heh, sounds like you’re one of a kind,” Spike mused. Discord couldn’t hold back the smile growing on his face. “You too, Spike.” Spike rubbed at the back of his neck as he bashfully looked away. “Ah shucks, that’s nice of you to say. To be honest I thought you wouldn’t like being around a freshcolt.” “Wait,” Discord was surprised, “you’re only a freshcolt?” Spike shrugged his shoulders. “Yeah. Why?” “You seem more,” Discord looked for the word, “mature.” “Ha! Tell that to my would be step mom.” Spike laughed. “What about you? You look like a senior.” He gestured to Discord’s height. “Junior, actually.” Discord explained, “Technically I should be a sophomore.” “Ah,” Spike caught on, “skipped a grade, huh?” Seeing that no one paid them any attention at this point, Discord explained his incident as a freshcolt and his stint with homeschooling. “Geez, sounds rough.” Spike suddenly found it hard to look at Discord and even harder not to look at the magic training collar. “So, you don’t have too many friends then, huh?” Discord nudged the dragon in the side. “I wouldn’t say that.” Spike caught wind of what Discord was suggesting. “Wait, really? You don’t mind hanging around with a freshcolt?” “Not if you don’t mind hanging around with a junior, friend.” Spike was right about him not really having any friends. And from the whole tripping incident, it didn’t seem like Spike had too many friends either. Seeing that neither of them would ever be incredibly popular, it was probably for the best that they stuck together. And, Discord really wanted a friend. ***** Ponyville High School was one of two high schools within the city limits of Ponyville. It was in fact, the oldest. Built nearly seventy years ago, it still stood with some minor additions that had been built on around and above the original structure. It was a considerably large campus given that the original blueprints had accidentally been swapped with the blueprints of a college. This gave the school a full size buckball field and track, a swimming pool, a gymnasium, and an auditorium theater. All of this connected in one large structure with interior halls. The construction was already completed before anyone realized the mix up. The college, Canterlot University, was built with the same blueprints, and it jokingly became known as the sister campus. Ponyville High eventually received benefits from the university and even shared the same mascot. Discord looked on in wonder at the three story structure. It’s title as Ponyville High was displayed with great purple letters that sat below the image of a horse pony with a braided beard wielding a spear. The tritone image was made up of purple, black, and white. “Sure is impressive, huh?” Spike joined Discord in observing the spectacle. At the front entrance a little kiosk with a big welcome sign was armed with a teacher passing out flyers. “Welcome, to all new Wild Stallions. I’m Miss Cheerilee.” Discord and Spike joined the gathering crowd around the kiosk. “As with all new students, you will be assigned a first day senior buddy to help you find your classrooms and any other areas you need to know about like the cafeteria, the club houses, the library, and recreation areas.” The dark fuschia mare adjusted some papers in front of her. “There was a bit of a mix up with paperwork, so we’ll be calling students as we find your names. If we don’t call your name, be patient and we’ll settle it as efficiently as possible.” Discord froze as he spotted another freshcolt—she looked young enough—in the crowd. He couldn’t tell if she was staring directly at him or not. Tipping left to right, he saw her eyes weren’t following him. He looked down and suddenly realized who she was really staring at. “Psst. Spike.” Discord looked head on as he whispered to his friend. Spike furrowed his brow in confusion. “Why are you whispering?” Discord looked briefly, she was still there. “White filly, purple mane, three o’clock. She’s been staring at you.” Spike rolled his eyes as he turned his head. His eyes went wide as they locked with the filly’s. Spike and Discord both fell into a fit of hushed snickering as the filly snapped her head away in embarrassment. Spike recovered swiftly from the hilarity of the moment and waited for the filly to look at him again. She actually did, to his surprise. Spike smiled kindly and gave a gentle wave. He felt a little sorry for laughing at her. The filly’s blue eyes sparkled a bit as she weakly waved back. “Rarity! Is there a Rarity here?” Cheerilee called out. Spike watched as the white filly, known as Rarity, pranced up to the front. “Hello there. Rarity, your senior buddy will be Fluttershy. Fluttershy-” Discord was still smirking at Spike whose mind was elsewhere in a cloud shaped like a certain white filly with a curled mane. “Spike. Spike.” Discord waved his griffon claws in front of Spike’s face. “Hey, quit it will ya?” Spike swatted away the limb that brought him back to reality. Discord ceased this action as he caught a glimpse of a light pink tail that lead the alleged Rarity into the school. A strange feeling of familiarity washed through Discord’s soul before he dismissed the experience as déjà vu. “Spike, is Spike here?” Cheerilee called out. Spike beamed as he tightened his grip on his book bag. “That’s me! See you at lunch, okay?” Discord watched as Spike was lead inside by a rather talkative grey griffon. It made him uncomfortable to stand by himself. Without Spike by his side, he felt alone. Exposed. The eyes rested upon him now. The whispers came and dredged up echoes for the draconequus. He could see it now, his old school. “Octavia!” The cries of Cheerilee over the crowd did nothing to calm the growing torrent of rumor. None approached the draconequus, though. It was either fear or the tolerance Discord had heard about. “Um...Discord?” Discord scooted through the crowd which now seemed to get louder as those who could not already see him were shocked by his sudden presence. “Oh my!” Cheerilee’s exclamation startled Discord, but he realized it was not an exclamation of fear. It was excitement. “Our first draconequus!” Discord nervously smiled as intrigued students clumsily attempted to pronounce what he was. “Yes, that’s me.” “Ah!” Cheerilee danced a bit in excitement. “Let’s see here, ah, yes. Macintosh will be your senior buddy.” ***** “So,” Discord nervously followed close to the red stallion in the lettercolt jacket. “There any clubs here?” The two walked down a long hallway lined with purple lockers. Some had been decorated, others had posters on them, and others had been graffitied on. The red stallion nodded. “E-yup.” A few other stallions in lettercolt jackets rushed on by, all chanting the red stallion’s name. “Hey! Big Mac! What’s up? See you at buckball practice!” Discord grabbed onto his book bag a little tighter. “So, they call you Big Mac?” The red stallion nodded. “E-yup.” The draconequus chuckled. “Don’t talk much do you?” “Hm-nope.” Big Mac stopped walking and gestured to room 2A-42. Discord looked at his schedule. “Home room?” “E-yup.” “Okay. I guess I’ll see you after this.” Discord watched as the stallion nodded and disappeared down the hall. He was on his own now. Entering the classroom was like walking into a zoo. Discord remembered that the school from the old town had been milder. That being said; it was a smaller town. This was a city high school. Pegasai were flying around, fillies were gossiping loudly, griffons were arm wrestling dragons, and a few select students were actually sitting calmly, seemingly as confused as Discord was. Somehow, the first step Discord took into the class was the loudest because everyone stopped to stare at him. The draconequus froze as he painfully raised his lion’s paw to wave. “Uh, hi there.” Everyone looked past Discord and reacted sharply to who was behind him. Everyone sat at a desk and started to settle down. Looking behind him, Discord saw an older chestnut pegasus stallion with blue hair walk right past him up to the front of the room. The stallion’s head bounced around as music blasted through headphones from a portable radio. “Ba! Da-da. Da-d-da. Dunderchee!” The stallion sat at the front desk and turned off hi radio. Now that the stallion’s head wasn’t bouncing, Discord could see a slim streak of grey in his mane. “Mornin’ class.” “Good morning.” Some of the students mumbled. The stallion at the front smiled. “It’s a monday, kids. That’s why I said Mornin’ not good morning.” The class laughed at that. It was obvious that he was the teacher in charge of the home room. He was the teacher—who stared down Discord. “Young lad, are you having trouble finding a seat, or do you just like standing there?” Discord realised his position and quickly took a seat near the back. “Okay then.” The teacher surveyed the room. “To those of you who don’t know me, you could have made more of an effort, seriously I have like no friends.” Discord laughed along with the class. “Anyways. I’m Pathfinder, you teacher and counselor to students A through E. I’m here to take attendance and chew bubblegum. Well, I’m all out of bubblegum. So, I don’t do much in this class and I’ll basically let you do what you need to do. You can do homework you were too lazy to finish the previous night, or just kick back and relax. I will be playing GME in the background because I’d rather hear music than listen to the latest gossip. A few basic ground rules. Don’t kill each other. If you’re a dragon, no fire.” Pathfinder pointed to a white dragon near the front. “I’m looking at you, Cliff. I had your brother as a student, and no–despite what he would have you believe–snot fire is not funny.” Discord felt a little relieved that the teacher was so calm and laid back. He didn’t even seem to care what he was. He believed in that moment, he had found his favorite teacher already. Pathfinder was already going down his attendance list. “Daisy, Daisy Pusher?” “Here!” “Dana?” “Here.” Pathfinder sighed as he continued. “Let’s see. Discord?” Discord cautiously raised his paw. “Uh, here.” The other students all turned to look at him. Some weren’t all that interested, some whispered, and some looked upset. The teacher just marked off the box with a check mark. “Yes, the lad who likes to stand. Okay. Ditsy?” Discord took the time to examine the surroundings of the classroom. It would probably be his last chance to do so undisturbed while everyone was preoccupied listening for their names. The Classroom was very different than what he knew from his last school. Instead of popcorn encrusted ceilings of a small town highschool, the ceiling was made of panels that must have popped open for quick access to pipes and electrical work. Posters of book covers, movies, and even album covers were taped up and down the walls. Discord scrutinized Pathfinder’s desk. There was a wood and brass plaque that read, “I don’t Care,” and a number of knick knacks—some possibly made by students. “And last but not least, Mister Valient. Okay, anything else?” Pathfinder looked at a paper tucked under the attendance on his clipboard. His eyes darted straight up at Discord. Discord felt his heart stop. This happened the last time he was in a classroom. For whatever reason, school districts felt inclined to hand out an introductory sheet, just for him on the account of being the last of his kind and all. It was a nice gesture in kindergarten, and then in intermediate school it became a problem. Discord knew that this was it. In the blink of an eye, any chance of him fitting in was going to tartarus in the form of a district approved social suicide note. Pathfinder crumpled the paper up with his wing and tossed it into the wastebasket by his desk. Discord felt as his heart almost skipped a beat at the miracle that he had just witnessed. There was hope. Setting the clipboard down Pathfinder looked up at the clock. “So, because I have to do some sort of teacherly thing for this class, there is one thing I will be asking from you. Those of you who have taken my Ponish class and Equestrian Literature class, you know what that is.” A groan echoed from a few of the students up front. “Hey,” Pathfinder stomped his hoof, “if you have me for another class, you only have to do this once and it counts as credit for both classes. The assignment is a journal project. Now listen, it’s an easy project. You can put one entry in and you’ll pass. You’ll get your C grade and be done. But even if there’s just one entry, I expect quality. For this journal assignment, take the time to extrapolate your feelings and thoughts—doesn’t have to be personal, and keep it PG. Don’t worry about buying a notebook, one of the seniors should be coming around with a stack of notebooks.” Discord could hear the squeaking cart in the hall before the knock came at the door. Though he was taller than most of the other students, he wasn’t tall enough to see past all their manes and spines. He felt a strange life crawl up the back of his neck. The impossibility of being struck by lightning is not so unfathomable as many are led to believe. It’s even said that one has more chances of being struck by lightning than winning the lottery. The curiosity of such a claim is informative in and of itself. It’s perhaps one in over a million to win the lottery. The ground is struck every time there is lightning—every time. The lightning has to pass into the ground—even if it’s through a tree, a home, or an unsuspecting soul. Some never survive such an ordeal, and some are never quite the same. Sometimes it’s a passing experience that fades away long after you’ve moved on. Then sometimes—not always but it happens—lightning will strike twice. Discord fought his urge to stare at the pony who pushed along the cart of fresh notebooks to hand out. It wasn’t the color of her mane or fur that made him want to crawl in a hole, it was the thin line of momentary eye contact. He felt embarrassed. He saw nothing good from her end. Whoever she was, Discord read the same look he’d seen on everyone’s face that he looked at. He was used to receiving fear filled looks, especially from ponies. Discord couldn’t wait till lunch so he could find Spike. “Hello.” Discord almost flinched at the still voice that addressed him. He was staring at a ghost, or an angel, he couldn’t quite tell. “Hey.” Discord managed to force out a response. “Hi.” “Are you okay? You look worried.” Discord recoiled a bit at the even quieter voice. He almost didn’t recognize the look on another person. It wasn’t fear. It wasn’t disgust. The draconequus had seen this face on his mother when she found him hiding after the incident. He’d seen it on the professor as he made sure the magic training collar wasn’t too tight. It was surreal to see that look on anyone else’s face. “Oh, I’m fine.” “Why are you lying?” Discord had no response to that. It was like she read his mind. But, she was a pegasus. Only unicorns could do magic like that. Somehow she read him. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.” The ever quieting voice turned over Discord’s stomach. “No, it’s fine. I’m sorry.” Pathfinder raised his voice over the class. “Fluttershy, I got your senior service sheet signed. You finished passing those notebooks out?” “Almost.” She glanced over the pile of notebooks and picked one out. “Here.” “Fluttershy.” Discord accepted the red and black marble composition book that was different from the rest. “I’m Discord.” Fluttershy didn’t miss a beat as she continued to pass out the notebooks. Discord watched through paper airplanes and chatty students as Fluttershy disappeared through the door with the empty cart. No one else bothered him as he sat there with his empty composition book. The sounds around him swallowed themselves as he scribbled his name onto the cover. Opening it up to the first page, he began to write. ***** The bell yanked Discord out of his journal. He supposed his first entry was weak, and that’s why he’d been staring at it for so long. Stuffing his journal in his book bag, he headed for the door where the rest of the students had already left. “Mister Discord.” Pathfinder’s voice spilled over the edge of a Daring Do book. “You got a second?” Discord did an about face and shuffled over to Pathfinder’s desk. He glanced at the cover of the book the pegasus was reading. “The Spear of the Windigos. That’s a good one.” “Mister Discord. I read your file, and I know how poorly you were received in the past. But if you have any problems, come straight to me. It would seem that I’m your counselor, and I can tell you that in the last twenty years, the faculty hasn’t exactly been the wiser since I attended this school. If anyone, a student, a teacher, gives you trouble—tell me—and I’ll call down the Princess if I have to.” Pathfinder set down his book. “Understand?” “Yes sir.” Discord smiled. “Thank you.” Exiting into the hall, Discord was met by a sea of students—all of them dragons, griffons, ponies, unicorns, pegasi, zebras, hippogryphs, and some yaks. Standing by the door was Big Mac, who was waiting to take him to his next class. Along the way to the next classroom, Discord kept an eye out for both Spike and Fluttershy. Author's Note
The Way Life's Meant To Be“...better than walking alone…” -Helen “Okay class, each of you remember to get your syllabus signed. And remember, Econ is Magic!” Discord wasn’t surprised by the lack of enthusiasm from the rest of the class. The economics teacher was trying a little too hard to be cool and hip. And, her business card was a bit over the top. She was also a little preachy about how nothing was free. Discord was at least grateful that she wasn’t as intense as the gym teacher, Iron Will. He was sure that the minotaur was out to kill his students with pacers and mile runs. It was too bad Redheart never included physical fitness in his homeschooling. “Lunch, finally.” There was the second consolation. Right after the reasonable economics class, it was lunchtime. Big Mac was right outside the classroom, waiting. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.” Discord could feel his stomach rumbling. He imagined his stomach growing its own set of jaws and growling. A strange feeling itched at his neck. His body was trying to dispel magic, but the magic training collar was doing its job. Discord dismissed the sensation. He’d gotten used to it. Big Mac lead the way to the cafeteria. “Eeyup.” Following his senior buddy, it was increasingly apparent to Discord that Ponyville High was indeed built with college blueprints. The hallways were tall and wide, and they all connected to the cafeteria which was sort of a central hub for the school. The university sized cafeteria had two levels to it. The lower level utilized the whole floor space while the upper level was a wrap around balcony. Discord imagined it’s what mall food courts would look like if he ever made it to one. The lower level kitchens were the only ones used for the district approved school lunches. The upper kitchens were converted into home economics classrooms closed of by glass windows lined with food and drink dispensers. The lower level was filled with bench tables as one might expect to find at a school, but the upper levers were different. Discord figured the upper level kitchens were meant for higher end cuizine, because along the balcony edge was multiple booths that students were packed into. Most of them wore high end clothes and lettercolt jackets. To Discord, it was a little uncomfortable. The obvious difference between the types of students in the upper and lower levels was like seeing a caste system he’d read about. The kings and queens were safe in the booths above while the peasants carried on with their normal lives below. “Discord!” Discord was relieved to find Spike waving to him as his griffon senior buddy departed with a group of her friends. “Hey!” He saw Big Mac take off in a different direction once Spike came along. “How were your classes so far?” “Not so bad. Algebra looks like it might be murder. Gym was uh-.” Spike winced at the thought. “Iron Will?” Discord asked. Spike nodded. “Yeah, but that’s behind me. I want food. I hope this cafeteria has gems.” The process was simpler that Discord thought. He carried his food release form with him, but he didn’t need it. The yak serving lunch just asked for his name and checked it off of a clipboard on the wall. Taking a metal tray, Discord went down the line as other cafeteria workers scooped up various foods and filled up his tray. Eventually the conveyor belt-like line ended with silverware and cartons of milk. Discord smiled as he grabbed a chocolate milk. “Ah rats, no gems.” Spike shrugged. “You can’t win every day.” Discord followed Spike to one of the few vacant spots remaining. “I’d say today was a win. Iron Will seems to be my only crazy teacher. And, nobody’s threatened me.” Spike hummed at that. “You expecting people to? That’s not how its supposed to be in Ponyville. Well, like I said, supposed to be.” “Are you not from around here?” Discord dug into his food. The corn was fairly sweet, but the cheese and mashed potatoes were the best. The protein substitute patty was questionable. “You seem to know more than I do.” “I’ve been here a couple of months. But, we moved down here from the Fillydelphia area after my mom was - well, gone. We weren’t exactly well received there anyways.” Spike played with his food. “My dad says Ponyville is the most progressive place in Equestria.” Discord felt differently about that statement as he had been observing the other students. Most sat with their own kind. A lot of zebras sat with zebras, and a lot of griffons sat with griffons. There were also smaller cliques too between the athletic and booksmart. That was the lower level. Down below everyone kept to themselves. Up above it looked different. Different creatures sat amongst the upper level groups. But, there was a level of deception. It was like a show that went on. You’re cool up here if you tolerate others. It was a strange sight. Discord continued with his food. “Maybe the city is, but there’s nothing progressive about highschool.” Just idiots, he thought. “Eh,” Spike dug into his bag, “I’m not much for politics.” The dragon pulled out a stack of comics and his wings lifted him off his seat a little as he excitedly looked them over. “Who needs politics when you have comics? Do you read comics?” Discord shrugged. “Aside from the funnies in my mom’s newspaper, never got into them really. You reading anything good?” “Oh yeah!” Spike held up a clean new print showing six mares in spandex costumes. “Got the latest issue of Power Ponies. I also have Rock-Hoof and the Masters of the Multiverse, Defenders of Equestria, and I got this new comic The New Adventures of Flash Magnus. Anything catch your interest?” Discord looked between the comics Spike held fanned out in front of him. “Can I look at the Power Ponies and Flash Magnus?” “Sure!” Spike handed over the comic books. “You can borrow them for as long as you like. I’ve already read the Power Ponies like twice. Let me know how the Flash Magnus comic is.” As Spike buried his face into Defenders of Equestria, Discord scanned the cover of the Power Ponies comic. “Huh, that’s interesting.” “What is it?” Spike lowered his comic to see Discord gesturing to one of the characters on the cover. “Saddle Rager, what about her?” Discord could see her. Aside from the mane and fur color, it looked like her. “She kinda looks like Fluttershy, this pony I met in home room.” Spike wagged his brows. “Got a crush on this filly?” “I don’t know.” Discord flicked through the comic until he landed on a page with a smiling Saddle Rager. “What?” Spike threw down his comic. “How do you not know? That’s like basic cognitive function to know whether or not you like someone.” “I don’t really know her.” Discord shrugged. “She seemed kind of shy. And, I wasn’t sure if she was scared of me or not. I- I just don’t know.” Discord stuck his head up a little higher. He began scanning the cafeteria for Fluttershy. “Wait a minute.” Spike thought on it. “Wasn’t that the senior buddy that helped that freshcolt unicorn that was staring at me?” Discord felt like his neck was gonna get stuck eventually with how fast he turned his own head. It paid off though as he caught sight of her. She was walking along the upper level. “There.” Discord poked Spike and directed his gaze to where Fluttershy was. “That’s, her.” Spike focused his eyes. “The yellow one with the pink mane?” “Yeah.” Discord watched her as she went to one of the vending machines with an organic label. Where she ended up next shook him. “Oh.” He watched as she sat in one of the booths. One of the ponies in a lettercolt jacket held her close with his hoof. Discord looked back to the comic book. Spike sighed. “Sorry, Discord. I guess she’s not coming down from there.” “What are you sorry for?” It was puzzling to Discord as to why anyone would apologise for situations or happenings that were beyond the control of, in a way to put it, lowly mortals such as they. “It’s not like you were doing anything to cause it.” Spike said nothing for a hot moment as he looked for a response. “I guess, it’s an easier way of letting someone know you understand, or at least feel with them.” Discord understood that. “Oh well. I guess there’s no use crying over spilt chocolate milk. At least there’s hope for you.” Spike’s eyes went a little wide. “Wha-a-wait! What is that supposed to mean?” Discord laughed. “That unicorn filly that was gawking at you, she seemed pretty friendly. She’s your age too, at least. What was her name?” “Rarity.” Spike rested his chin on his palm. “She was pretty, wasn’t she?” “Ah!” Discord smirked down at Spike. “You remembered her name? Then call it. Call it! Oh Rarity! Wherefore art thou Rarity!” “Shut up!” Spike erupted into laughter as he reached across the table to restrain Discord as he began to pose, theatrically. “You goofball!” Discord ceased his antics. “Seriously though, you should say hi to her. What’s the worst that could happen?” Discord rethought that as Spike grumbled. “Scratch that, what’s the best that could happen?” Spike began to play with his food again. “We end up being perfect for each other, we become world famous, and we get married on the Hearts and Hooves Boat. That’s just one idea. Or! We could get captured by changeling agents, we break loose, expose them, save the world, and then fall deeply in love. Or-.” “That’s enough.” Discord cut him off. “If that’s best case scenario, maybe the most likely outcome is that she’ll sit down and have lunch with you.” Spike hummed. “Or that.” As their conversion sputtered out, they each dug into their food and got lost in their comics. The Flash Magnus comic had Discord hooked from the beginning as he read about the titular hero and how the pegasus was frozen in ice until he woke up centuries later in the distant future where he battled an evil alien empress who sought to take over Equestria with her armies of shape shifting robots. Between the laser battles and the airship swashbuckling, Discord found it harder to come back to reality. He was transported beyond his worries, his anxieties, and his doubts. There was no school of uncertainty, just the experience of Flash Magnus who was navigating his own new strange world, finding love, and battling evil. Discord found a beautiful distraction along with Spike, at least until the next bell would ring for them to come back. ***** Discord felt good as he slipped into a chair at the back of his last class for the day. It was an advanced literature class. Once settled, an epiphany came too as he realized what classroom he was in. “Room 2A-42.” He looked at the posters and the “I don’t Care” placard on the desk. Discord had Pathfinder again as his teacher for literature. Gradually the classroom filled up. The front desks were the first to go, and everyone was buzzing about something. Discord was too busy to hear what it was about as he snuck in more pages of Flash Magnus. He did notice that the seats next to him were empty, and he liked that. It meant no one would make him the middle man for note passing, it would be quiet, and he could focus. Speaking of focus, Discord tucked his Flash Magnus comic away as the pegasus of the hour trotted in. “...hm always get mm mm hm mm…” Pathfinder was plugged into his portable radio. “Hm...try real hard, ya mi- hm...ba da- get what ya ne-.” He removed his headphones. “Enough of that. Evening class. Glad to see you survived your first day, and now you just have the rest of this semester. Oh, and second semester.” Pathfinder continued on to take attendance and explained the journal assignment. For Discord it was his second time hearing it, but he listened again to make sure he didn’t miss anything. Receiving yet another syllabus, Discord figured it would be uneventful for the next fifty minutes of class. Then, a familiar sound came from outside. He watched a cart roll in through the door with fresh notebooks. Pushing the cart was Fluttershy. Pathfinder met Fluttershy and checked the notebooks to make sure there was enough. “Ah, Fluttershy. Good to see you again. Let me sign that service paper one more time. How’s the freshcolt you’re showing around.” Fluttershy handed over the paper. “Rarity’s doing wonderful. She really seems to like her fashion class.” Discord couldn’t help but watch. He smacked himself a bit for it, reassuring to himself that it was creepy. Really, he didn’t want to freak Fluttershy out. He thought she was already beginning to think he was a stalker. Aggravation swelled up in Discord’s mind as he felt his magic training collar begin to burn his neck. None of this matters, he kept telling himself, it’s all just chaos and chance that’s pointless in the end. That’s what he kept telling himself, but it did nothing to relieve the escalating pain from the collar. It’s all just constructs of social conformity, I owe nothing and am owed nothing! A voice cut through all his thoughts. “Are you having a hard day?” Discord felt the collar ease up. Everything suddenly came to a focus. He noticed the empty cart in the front corner of the room, by itself. “What?” He whispered to the direction of the voice that had grounded his mind. Wrenching his stiff neck to the side, he nearly jumped as much as his chest once he saw that Fluttershy had taken the seat next to him. Her eyes were not afraid, but rather trapped in a worrisome awe. “Has it been a rough first day of school?” “I’m nervous,” that wasn’t a complete lie on Discord’s part, “about certain stuff.” “Stuff?” Fluttershy probed. Discord could see it. He could actually see that she knew he was struggling in that moment. “You don’t have to worry anymore.” “Oh.” Fluttershy’s face disappeared behind some of her mane as she scribbled her name across the cover of a green notebook. “I’m sorry about rushing off earlier. I had to get to my other class after finishing my senior service hours.” Discord mumbled internally as she spoke. Her voice was insanely soft and hard not to listen too. He was afraid to even speak no. Discord imagined opening his fat mouth to her would be like yelling at a puppy. “I’m such a dork.” Fluttershy turned to Discord. “What?” “Nothing.” Discord squeezed his head. “I’m,” he looked right into her eyes, “I’m sorry for making you worried.” “What are you sorry for?” Fluttershy’s face lit up again with concern. Discord took a deep breath as he remembered what Spike had said about how, she’s not coming down from there. He then thought about how she was sitting right there next to him. She’d been nothing but kind. At least, that’s how Discord had perceived it. Only kind people go out of their way to see if someone is alright. “I say I’m sorry because it’s the best way I can say thank you, and that I understand.” Fluttershy smiled and seemingly hid behind her mane. Pathfinder finished outlining the class curriculum on the chalkboard. “Alright class. We’ll be covering several areas including the romances, the classics, and post war literature. But over all, we’re going to cover extensive works of poetry alongside texts and novel excerpts we read. One of the main goals—that I hope to accomplish with you—is to expand your analytic skills. I don’t want you to just read. I want you to listen, look, and hunt for the words between the lines—the words the author doesn’t show you in writing.” Pathfinder began to walk between the rows of desks. “Don’t just see a story. Don’t just read sentences. Pick them apart. Investigate! Find the life in the lines and know that these were living beings who crafted these poems and works. As for our first part of understanding literature and poetry, we have to ask the million bit question. Does anyone know that question?” A red dragon up front cautiously raised his claws into the air. “Uh, why do we write poetry?” Pathfinder flew up a little and tapped his hooves together. “Precisely, mister Garble! Why do we write poetry? Well? What do you all think? Come on, don’t be shy. There’s no wrong answers.” Silence hung in the air until a brave soul raised his hoof up high. “To pick up chicks?” Discord found it a little hard not to laugh with the rest of the guys in the class. Pathfinder too was nodding with a giddy old grin on his face. “Yes, to make lovers swoon. A very valid answer. Love is, after all, a central theme in most poetry. Come on! Another reason. Yes, miss Sugarbelle.” The pony lowered her hoof once she was called on. “To record history.” Pathfinder hummed as he pounded his chest. “Many ballads have there been written of warriors and the heroic deeds of those fighting for freedom and life itself. Anyone else?” Discord had an idea. He wasn’t sure about it, but Pathfinder said there was no wrong answers. He raised his lion paw. “To make sense of the world?” “An excellent thought, Discord.” Pathfinder flew upside down and walked along the ceiling. “Exploring perspective and using art to understand life in a form of poetry and literature that’s not as common. We most often see this in fantasies, fables, and parables. Sometimes the supernatural has more to say to us than the natural around us.” Pathfinder gently floated back to the ground. “Yes, miss Fluttershy?” Discord turned to Fluttershy. As the whole classroom stared at her she visibly shrunk. Doing his best, Discord gave her the best supportive smile he could muster as he did a small thumbs up out of view. Warmth filled him as she smiled back as sat up a little taller. Fluttershy looked to the class and took a deep breath. “Poetry can be a way to express yourself, and share your voice when others can’t hear it.” Pathfinder flew back to the front of the classroom. “In the words of Tearless the Mute, Oh that I could hear my voice, To know what it might of sounded like, That sooner your favor I might have gained, And speak love furthermore with choice. Students, these are the purposes I want you to open up to. So for our first project, I would like all of you to write a poem. You’ll have two weeks, and you’ll recite them on the day they’re due. Don’t worry about length. Focus on what you want to say, rather, what you want out of your poem. Once you can understand your own wantings from poetry; you can begin to understand the greats who came before you.” Discord’s mind had entered wonderbolt levels of thought process. Ideas flooded in. Thoughts crept around. With the words of Pathfinder, he suddenly had touched bases with a means of what seemed like limitless possibilities. Everything came to a grinding halt though, as he searched for the why. Why? He didn’t really have a reason. For the rest of class he would tap his pencil on the edge of his desk, wondering what his why was. Every now and then, he’d catch a glimpse at Fluttershy as she smiled or read something that caught her attention. Sometimes she caught him looking. Everytime he hid too to make it look like he was stretching his neck. The last time she caught him, he didn’t hide. Fluttershy laughed, and for the last few minutes of class, Discord stopped tapping his pencil on his desk. ***** “You’re kidding me,” Spike chuckled at what Discord told him as they rode the bus, “she sat right next to you?” Discord shrugged. “There were only two seats left. And, they were on either side of me.” “Hm.” Spike made his hands dance in a sort of made up ritual. “Spike the Wise has read the patterns of the stars, and they are aligning!” Discord cowered in his seat as others on the bus started to stare back at them. “Stop, what are you doing?” Spike began to hum out tacky mystical sounds. “Observing your destiny, m’Lord Discord.” Discord felt his neck burn a little. “Lord?” That word, it burned like his training collar. Spike sighed, giving up the act. “Dude, I’m just messing around.” As he settled down, he could see something was wrong. “What is it?” “I don’t know.” Discord shook his head. “It’s probably nothing. Just felt a little sick.” Spike gestured to the window. “Want the window seat?” The bus hissed as it came to a steady halt. The bus driver Orrin, the same griffon from the morning, squawked as he cranked the door open, “3912 Sunny River Drive.” The moment the bus door opened, sound from one of the houses flooded in upon the students. Two voices met in a battle of volume and magnitude. Everyone on the bus remained silent. Some recognized the shouting, similar to shouting they’d heard in their own homes. Everyone, at one point or another, in their lives have heard this sad and unfortunate sound. It fills the soul with guilt. It terrifies and hurts children who hide under their covers at night as they pretend as though they were asleep and everything was okay. But those in the know, know it’s not okay. Fighting never is. Physical or verbal, it’s a poison to life and the home. “He’s ‘your’ son!” “What happened to ‘our son’?” “You don’t care about me, only him just because he’s all that’s left of HER!” “Don’t you dare bring her into this!” “You don’t love me! You’ve always loved her more!” “I said don’t-” Discord could see Spike frozen stiff in his seat. The dragon’s whole face shook as he stared at the floor of the bus, on the verge of tears. “He’s getting off at the next stop!” Discord stood up and hovered nearly to the roof as he stared down the driver and the other students. The griffon shrugged. “Whatever.” Soon the bus was moving again and Discord floated back down to his seat. His collar was buzzing in his ear as he took deep breaths to steady his heart rate. It was just like the Professor had taught him. Magic is in the mind, so Discord calmed it. He looked to Spike who was breathing too, only in a different manner. “You can come to my house, until you’re ready.” Spike rubbed out his tears from his eyes. “Really? You’re parents won’t mind?” Discord held Spike’s shoulder and nodded. “I don’t think my mom would mind at all.” ***** “Mom?” Discord opened the door and motioned for Spike to follow him in. “Mom, you there?” Redheart came trotting out of the kitchen. “Welcome home dear. Oh, and who is this?” Spike rubbed his arm as he stepped forward. “I’m Spike.” “He lives down the street from us.” Discord discreetly explained what had happened. “So, I was hoping he could stay for a little while.” Redheart smiled kindly to Spike. “It’s alright with me, but I want to check in with his parents first. Spike, would you mind giving me your address so I can place a call?” Spike gave Redheart his address as she fed it through the tellaponee to the operator working the switchboard. The speaker on the wall mounted device wasn’t the quietest. Discord could hear the switch disconnect from the other side before making it’s next connection and setting off the tone that would ring until the phone on the other side answered. Discord had seen newer tellaponees that had dials, which he was used to, and the newer tellaponees had buttons that directly dialed up the phone you wanted to reach, as long as you had the tellaponee’s six digit address code of course. Redheart cleared her throat as the tellaponee at the other end picked up. “Hello? Is this Spike’s father? Oh, no. He’s not in trouble. I just wanted to let you know he’s here with my son. Is that alright? Okay. I just wanted to make sure you knew. Yes, no problem at all. I have to leave for work later, but my brother will be here before I go. Do you want him to walk your son home? You’ll pick him up? Alright. Really it’s no trouble at all. Yes, up the street. 91819. Hope l see you later then. Okay, good bye.” As Redheart hung up, she hummed. “Your father says it’s alright if you stay a while. But, I want both of you to do some homework before you get up to any mischief. Got it?” Spike nodded with delight. “Thank’s Discord’s mom.” Redheart hummed a short laugh. “Call me Redheart. Alright boys, homework. Get to it.” And with that, Redheart walked off down the hallway. Spike hoisted an algebra book from his bag and shook his head. “I’m pretty sure the weight of this book is a violation of health and equine decency.” Digging deeper, he pulled out a binder and a fistfull of pencils. “So, you’re…” “...adopted? Yes.” Discord pulled out his own smaller binder. “Noticed did you?” Spike shrugged. “I once met a griffon who didn’t even know he was adopted, even though his parents were pegesai. I was mostly curious if you noticed.” “I know.” Discord pulled out his journal with its short entry. “She’s never hid it from me. But that’s alright, because I know she loves me just the same as much as I love her.” Spike laughed. Discord clicked his pen, ready to write down more. “What’s so funny.” “Just thinking. Most of the school would probably beat you up for talking like that. But, I think if that Fluttershy could hear you talk like that, she’d probably fall for you.” Spike groaned as he opened his algebra book. “Can you believe it? The math teacher gave us homework on the first day.” “Review?” Discord asked. “Yeah.” Spike’s eyes began to tackle the numbers on the page. “What about you?” “Mostly just a syllabus for each class.” Discord went through the list. “Homeroom, Gym, Woodshop, Economics, Magic Sciences, History, and Advanced Literature.” He looked at the red and black marble notebook that Fluttershy had given him. Going over his first entry in it, the thought crossed his mind to tear out the page and start over. Discord just moved down writing, addendum... Author's Note
Illusions In G Major“...surrounded by a neighborhood…” -Jane Copy, copy, and copy… The pony watering his lawn whistled over his thoughts as his eyes burned in this form, longing to see the boring neighborhood with his own eyes. Copy and paste, copy and paste, copy and paste… None were the wiser as they walked by with strollers, dogs, or sweatbands. None would suspect the pony behind the pony as his brain wailed against the monotony, concealed by a plastic smile. Marry, produce, die, repeat… marry, produce, die, repeat… The pony barely noticed as his lawn became squishy and wet. “Enough of that.” He dropped the hose from his magic and turned off the water. A walker from the street, a hippogriff, gave him a wave of acknowledgement. “Great, just what I needed.” “Hey there neighbor!” The hippogriff continue waving. “Mister Gallop! It’s me, Alezander.” “I’m not your neighbor, Alezander. You live ten houses and two streets that way.” The pony, that Alezander called Gallop, had been serious with that comment. But, the sternness of his voice was lost on the wind to Alezander. “Oh, you and your jokes.” Alezander laughed his pitchy laugh. “You’re so funny. You should come to the comedy club one of these days. Or, you could join me and my wife for book club. I bet your jokes would be a hit there as well.” The hippogriff laughed again, this time with an intermittent splatter of wheezing. The pony addressed as Gallop growled under his breath, smiling for anyone who passed by Alezander and happened to observe the situation. “Ha-ha-ha. You too Alezander. Better keep walking so your wife doesn’t fatten you up too fast.” The pony addressed as Gallop licked his lips at the thought. Alezander lingered for another fit of laughter before smiling and continuing his walk. “B-bye now.” The pony known as Gallop smiled until Alezander was out of earshot. “I hope you go to tartarus.” He coiled up the water hose and used his magic to dry his hooves. “Stupid city, stupid neiborhood. I could just eat-.” The pony known as Gallop froze, mid-walk to the front door behind the lawn and walkway. He sniffed the air. “Huh, cupcake fire. No.” He whipped around and tilted his head at the sight of the red school bus a little ways down the street. He could smell something familiar. Something he thought he smelled the other night, but wasn’t sure of it. His lips began to twitch as the smell left the bus. His lower jaw stuck out as his face puckered from the sight. “Kids. Dragon, and… No. It can’t be. But, it is. It is.” The pony known as Gallop turned tail and marched into the house. “Sweetums.” The pony known as Gallop. Paused by the stoic mare glued to her seat in her nightgown. There was a static radio by her and piles of newspapers that caught her drool. “Hello, dear. How are we doing today.” The mare’s eyes were dull and tired. “Great. Sweetums. Every. Day. Good. Day. As. Long. As. I. Have. You.” The pony known as Gallop brushed the mare’s cheek. “Good, dear. And, you know just how much I love you. Affirmative?” Each of the mare’s eyelids struggled to blink independent of the other. “Yes. Sweetums. I. Love. You. Too.” “There’s a good pony.” The pony known as Gallop leaned in, slipping a slithering tongue into the mare’s mouth, sucking a kiss from her lips. As he pulled away, he chuckled at the new drool that dripped from her pale lips, her eyes a little duller. “I’m going to work in the basement now. Don’t disturb me while I’m working. Okay?” The pony known as Gallop shivered as a sensation spread through his body, livening up his existence. The mare blankly nodded. “Yes. Sweetums.” The pony known as Gallop marched off, down into the dark of the basement. There were no lights, save for the dim flickings of electronics that filled the workbench. Once upon a time, there had been a humble equestrian citizen radio there, but now the ec radio was swallowed by extensions and other workings in the darkness. The microphone was still accessible, though at the mercy of dozens of knobs and dials. In the darkness, the pony known as Gallop took his seat at the microphone and turned the dials in a specific sequence. A groan from the corner, behind a rattling shower curtain, interrupted the process. “Shut up!!! Be lucky you’re alive! You’re lucky this city makes it too hard to hide a body anywhere.” The pony known as Gallop finished the sequence. Pressing down on the microphone button, he smacked his lips. “Honeybee. There’s a new protein cake in the bakery. But, I’m curious how it tastes. I bet you’ll like it, Honeybee.” Author's Note
Is It Alright“...do that every morning and you’ll start to see…” -Yoko Discord tapped on his woodshop project that had earned him an only passing grade. A simple little checkered cutting board, all you had to do was cut out the squares and glue them together. He could still hear the shop instructor’s criticism, all you had to do was follow directions. Instead of being straight and perfectly square, his checker pattern twisted around. Gives me a headache just looking at it! Discord huffed as he tried to listen to the history lesson being taught. “And, it was during this period, 1012 of the Equestrian era, that the infamous umbrum wars began. While the war endured for nearly two decades, it almost lasted longer if not for the bravery of the pony known as Sombra. Originally created by the umbrum, he would side with the Crystal Empire as a soldier and later tactical advisor under Princess Amore. It was his communication with a student of the royal sisters, Radiant Hope, that led to an alliance between the Crystal Empire and Equestria.” The teacher stopped speaking when she was interrupted by a flailing hoof. “Oh, oh!” The light purple filly attached to the flailing hoof was practically hopping out of her chair. The teacher sighed as she addressed the filly. “Yes? Twilight Sparkle, is it?” Twilight stood on the edge of her seat as she adjusted the glasses that sat on her muzzle. “Miss Pen, that’s Princess Hope, isn’t it? Co-ruler of the Crystal Province?” Miss Pen smiled in approval at the filly’s display of knowledge. “That’s correct Miss Sparkle, though she wouldn’t become a Princess until after the sixth battle of Crystal Bluff. Anyways, it was the alliance between the Crystal Empire and Equestria that ultimately…” Discord furrowed his brow at the unicorn filly. She was young, younger than freshcolt age. If Discord didn’t know any better, he’d swear that she should barely be entering intermediate school. Looking at her desk, he could see piles of books on her desk and in her saddle bag. He could clearly make one of the book spines that read College Level. It was odd for sure. From the back of the room, Discord swore he heard another student mutter under their breath, “Egghead.” He could see the offender in the corner of his eye, a rainbow maned pegasus. Looking back to Twilight, discord could see a slight frown take her face. Miss Pen’s lecture continued. “If not for the sacrifice of Sombra, the fifth battle of Crystal Bluff might have been lost, and the umbrum may very well have won the war.” Discord remembered the names slung at him from his early years. He decided he wasn’t having it. Hiding his hands behind his desk, Discord snapped two of his eagle claws together. A small flash, a light swish, and a crack, was followed by, “Hey! Whoever did that, not cool!” The class burst into laughter as the pegasus attempted to clean the egg from her head. The only laugh that mattered to Discord though, was Twilight’s. Seeing that filly laugh fixed a small whole in him, where a memory once resided of a desire for someone to stand up for him. Her laugh was short lived as she went back to bury her face in her mountain of history books, but Discord thought it was worth it. As everything settled back down, and the pegasus left the room to clean her mane out, Discord’s full attention was fixed on the lecture. “When Radiant hope had saved Princess Amore, she was transformed into an Alicorn. Based on Miss Sparkle’s comment from earlier, you can imagine where that eventually lead her.” ***** Discord didn’t expect the tap on his shoulder on his way to his final class. “Hmm?” Looking down he saw Twilight with her engorged saddle bag. “Oh, hey.” “I know it was you.” She flatly stated as she adjusted her glasses. Discord looked at the passing students, now worried by what Twilight might say. “Oh, I uh-” Twilight cut him off. “That was clever if I do say so myself. I am curious, how exactly does draconequus magic work? It’s unlike any magic from our known world! I read once that your kind originated on a world between dimensions, but that was just a theoretical physics article from the 1963 special edition of Equestrian Science Illustrated. I-” “Whoa woah, whoa.” Discord held up his arms as if defending himself from the onslaught of what sounded like a run-on sentence. “I just didn’t like that she called you that name. That’s why I did it, kid.” “I know.” Twilight nodded. Discord groaned inside. This filly knows everything, he thought, or at least she thinks she does. “Is there something you wanted?” In the back of his mind, he was screaming, do it! I dare you! Say you know! “I guess I wanna say, thank you.” Twilight straightened her glasses again and smiled. “And, if you every need help with history,” she gestured with her hoof between different points in the air, “calculus, trigonometry, physics, magical sciences…” After enduring a list longer than Discord cared to listen too, he put his arms up again. “Alright, I’ll be sure to come to you if I need any help with my classes.” Twilight’s smile grew as she did a little dance. “Brilliant!” She took off down the hall, most likely to her next class. Discord felt good. Even though Twilight was a bit odd, he was happy to see another welcoming face in the crowd. “Moving up in the world,” he made his way to his class, “one less person in the world that thinks I’m a freak.” He wondered what Fluttershy would think of him helping Twilight. ***** Pathfinder was in the classroom early today. “Afternoon, Sir Discord. Your step seems springy today. Finish your poem yet?” Discord nervously smiled. The poem was due tomorrow, and he hadn’t even scratched out one line. “It’s in its post production stages.” Discord ran for his seat and was glad to see Fluttershy sitting in her spot. “Hey! How’s it going?” “Oh, hey Discord.” Fluttershy wiped her eyes. Discord slowed down as he saw her face. “Is everything okay?” “I’m sorry, you probably don’t want to hear about it.” She pulled out her textbook as she tried to wipe her eyes away. Discord was almost ready to let it go. But, something in the back of his mind clawed at his thoughts. A drop of guilt, purely for her state, manifested. “You can talk to me, if you want to.” Fluttershy’s voice went a little quieter. “Are you sure?” Discord nodded with the most sincere smile he could muster. He remembered a line from last night’s reading, “Life’s too short to be saying no.” “Okay.” A little smile leaked out as she turned to face Discord. “I’m sad, in all honesty. My friend had something terrible happen to her.” Discord felt a cord of anger tighten inside. He remembered Twilight and the name she’d been called. “What happened?” Fluttershy began wiping her eyes again. “It’s bad enough that she struggles with her grades, and has a hard time learning. I don’t know why anyone would do such a thing like this.” Discord entertained the idea of exacting a sort of revenge again. No one noticed before, why would anyone notice if he should exact vengeance twice. Fluttershy sniffled as she took deep breaths. “Someone dropped an egg over her head. I had to help her finish cleaning all the yolk out of her mane in the bathroom.” Discord was sure that he had stopped breathing. His throat seized up as he managed to get out. “That’s uh- horrible. So horrible.” He wanted to bury his face and hide. He cried to all that was good in the universe, that’s not fair. I couldn’t have known! “I can’t believe anyone would do that. I hope he gets caught.” Fluttershy raised a brow. “He?” “Or she!” Discord stammered, “Whoever it was, I really hope the one responsible gets caught.” He did get caught, sort of. Twilight knew it was him. But, it wasn’t enough. Discord wished he had been caught by the teacher. At the same time though, he knew that would end any sort of communication between him and Fluttershy. “They deserve detention. Suspension.” “Discord!” Fluttershy interjected. It took Discord by surprise. Fluttershy could really be loud when she wanted to. “Don’t say things like that. Whoever it was, they don’t deserve that.” “But,” Discord was confused by what she said, “They hurt your friend.” Fluttershy sighed. “Rainbow Dash doesn’t let others know that they get to her. Even if they do, punishing them wouldn’t help her. It would just upset her that another student suffered at her expense.” Fluttershy took another deep breath. “I’m sorry for bugging you with this. You probably have to finish your poem.” Discord wanted to say, life is too short to be worried about poems. “What would help your friend, Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy flashed a tiny tight lipped smile, grateful for the interest. “That’s the thing, I don’t know. She was really upset. She kept talking about giving up on school.” Discord felt his whole body start to hurt as Fluttershy explained that. What have I done? Pathfinder fluttered up to chalk board and held up a book. “Alright class. Remember, your poems are due tomorrow, and they are an oral presentation. Anyways, who’s ready to read the tragedy of Dillweed the Unfortunate and how his heart was stabbed by his lover? Oh, I guess I kinda spoiled the ending there, didn’t I.” Discord groaned as he dropped his head onto his desk. ***** “What have I done, Spike?” Discord blankly stared towards the front of the bus. Spike laughed in disbelief. “Wow, I can’t wait till this becomes a movie.” “This isn’t funny Spike.” Discord began to pound his head into the seat in front of him until he was asked to stop by the passengers of that seat. “If she finds out, she’ll never speak to me again. I need to fix this!” “Relax, Discord.” Spike gestured out the window to a couple of ponies painting a house. “If she drops out of High School, she can still pick up a trade. I hear that’s actually really profitable these days. It’s not like you ruined her life” “No, Spike.” Discord groaned as he stared at the blank page that was supposed to have his poem. “I have to fix this.” Spike wagged his eyebrows. “You really like this filly, don’t you?” “Spike, if it were me instead of Rainbow Dash.” Discord looked to Spike. “What would you think?” Spike hummed as he scratched the back of his neck. “So, this isn’t exactly about Fluttershy.” The dragon shrugged his shoulders as he gave up any other reasoning that transpired in his head. “I’d want things with you to be right. I’d hate to see you walk away from being the best you could be. So, what are you gonna do?” “I don’t know.” Discord shook his head as he angrily jabbed the blank page in front of him with a pencil. Spike fingered through the advertisements at the back of one of his comic books. “Hm. Do you wanna help me buy a junior EC radio kit?” Discord looked at the advertisement Spike was talking about. The price was doable, if they mowed enough lawns. “They got any good deals on auto carriages?” Spike perused the advertisements. “Ah ha! For thirty bits, you can get a one sixteenth scale model of Flash Magnus’s hover carriage.” Discord laughed. “That’s even pricey for a piece of plastic.” “Why do you need an autocar?” Spike asked. Discord went silent. Spike straightened his comic. “Something to do with Butter Fly?” “Fluttershy.” Discord nodded as he bagged the cursed blank page. “Yeah, something to do with that.” Spike shook his head. “You need to get out more. Wanna come to my house if there’s no screaming today?” Discord nodded as he looked out the window. “Yeah, I’ll just have to-.” He watched a pigeon flying along side the bus. Discord could have sworn its eyes were glowing green. “Just have to what?” Spike tapped Discord on the shoulder. “Hey! Equestria to Discord!” Discord looked at Spike then back out the window. The pigeon was gone. “I’ll have to call my mom, so she knows.” Spike tried to follow Discord’s eyes out the window. “What are you looking at?” Discord searched desperately for the pigeon. It was nowhere in sight. There wasn’t a single bird in the trees, in the sky, or anywhere around the bus. The fact that there were no other birds at all made it a bit eerie. “It was just some weird bird.” Spike didn’t question that answer as he turned his attention back to the advertisements. Discord felt strange. He could feel something was off. It felt to him like he was being watched. A tingling sensation went up his back. The freakiest sensation came when the magic training collar buzzed. That was the oddest thing to Discord, because he knew he wasn’t using any magic at all. At least, not on purpose. Even then, it always hurt when the magic came from him. ***** “Hello?!” Spike shouted through the entryway to his house. He cleared his throat. “I’ll get you my pretty!” He looked to see if anyone came out. “No one’s home yet.” “Is it just you and your, uh, parents?” Discord felt a little uncomfortable in the house. Everything was grey, or some shade of it, and square, or some form of square. There was even a bowl of glass grapes that were gloss black, and square. It smelled like a museum. “I live with my dad, and his girlfriend.” Spike pointed to a picture in a black frame on the wall. Discord could see a dragon with his arm around the shoulder of a griffon. “So they’re not married?” Discord had briefly met Spike’s father when he came to pick Spike up. He was a greenish dragon with charcoal spines. Had blue eyes, and he looked nothing at all like Spike. His colors were more muted and none of his facial features were similar to Spike’s. Discord figured Spike took more after his mother. Discord couldn’t find any pictures of Spike’s real mother. “I’m not surprised.” Spike sighed. “He’s been talking about asking her.” Discord looked at the griffon in the photo. In the picture frame, she looked nice enough. He couldn’t figure out how that terrible voice from before could belong to the smiling griffon in the photo. “Do you not like her?” Spike shook his head. “The wicked witch of the windigos.” Discord suddenly understood Spike’s entrance. “I mean,” Spike straightened a frame that held a picture of just him and his dad, “I just want him to be happy. He’s not very good on his own. He needs help. I’m not gonna lie, he’s been better with her around.” Discord studied the pictures. He thought Spike’s dad looked happier in the one with just him and Spike. “There’s a but in there. Am I right?” Spike rubbed a claw along a table and demonstrated the sterility of the environment. “Between the gallon of claw sanitizer she keeps in her purse and the elitist superiority complex, I’m certain she’s trying to kill me off.” “I think you’re exaggerating.” Discord saw Spike freeze up as a door opened. He knew, from the look on Spike’s face and the blunt perfume smell, his dad’s girlfriend was home. The sensation from earlier returned as Discord could make out the dagger eyes aimed right at him. For a moment, all Discord saw was red. Her eyes were blood red, and her feathers looked like fire. He imagined one of the flame demons from the Flash Magnus comic was standing before him. As Discord’s eyes focused, he could see it was her orangish coloration that made her appear that way. She was thin, for a griffon, and she had a serious case of resting jerkface. “Who are you?” Discord liked her yelling voice better, she was less scary when she was louder. “I’m Discord, Spike’s friend.” That was all he could bring himself to say. The firey griffon flipped one end of a black scarf over her shoulder. “I wasn’t aware he had friends. Or, is it just you?” Discord could hear Spike’s mocking voice from earlier coming back to finish the line in his head, and your little draconequus too! “Donna?” Spike’s father entered through the same door Donna had left open. His arms were filled with brown paper grocery bags. “Oh, hey Discord.” Discord waved as politely as he could while still under the gaze of Donna. “Hello Mister Andesite.” “Please,” Spike’s dad struggled with the grocery bags, “just call me Andee.” “Need a hand dad?” Spike rushed in to share the load of the grocery weights. Discord watched as Donna paid more attention to the paint on her claws than Andee. He watched her step up to the picture of Andee and Spike. She tipped it just slightly, just enough to notice. ***** Discord was happy when Donna took off, hours ago, to check finances. Spike had told him that was code for either shopping or preparing to shop. “She reminds me of every lady I’ve ever seen that asks for a manager.” Spike’s room was nicer that the rest of the house, mainly because it didn’t smell like disinfectant. And, the bean bags were pretty nice. Spike snickered. “Do you think she would melt if we poured water on her?” Discord smiled. Spike tried not to smile. “I know what you’re thinking and it’s a bad idea. My dad nearly tore me a new one when I spat in her food.” Discord rubbed his eagle hand and lion paw together as he pointed to a toy robot. “I’m just saying, it would be a shame if any sprinklers went off.” Discord snapped his fingers and the robot came to life. “And, we couldn’t possibly be responsible if we’re clearly on this end of the house doing homework and minding our own business.” “Are you forgetting how your egghead trick ended up?” Spike crossed his arms. Discord snapped his fingers, setting up the robot with a sombrero and a set of maracas. “So, you're interested in this accident?” Spike thought about it. “You’re a bad influence.” “What are friends for? I’ll take the blame if they figure it out.” Discord hopped up off of the bean bag he was sitting on. He peered out the window. “Don’t you have a poem to write?” Spike joined Discord at the window. Discord laughed as he saw a taxi carriage drop off the fire haired griffon with bags in tow. “It is a ballad yet to be written about Sir Discord, Spike the Wise, and their battle with the great and terrible manager squawker.” Spike nodded his head. “Let it be written.” Discord snapped his fingers and they watched as the four corners of the lawn suddenly came to life with water showering from the oscillating sprinkler heads. Spike and Discord dropped back to the floor and scrambled for their school work the moment the high pitched screeching started. They both worked to contain their laughter lest they be discovered. “Oh Spike the Wise.” Discord pretended to look over his history notes. Spike looked up from his finished algebra homework. “Yes, Sir Discord?” Discord twirled his pencil with his eagle claws. “Me thinks this be a hagraven rather than a witch.” The both of them seized up when the door burst open to reveal a soaking wet griffon with running mascara hissing through her beak. “You two! I know you did it!” “What’s going on?” Andee came in behind Donna. “Why are you soaking wet?” “Y- th- these children! They did this to me!” Donna pointed directly to Spike. “He did this!” Andee’s eyes went back and forth between Spike and Donna. “Donna.” Discord could already see it, he didn’t believe her. “They’ve been in this room the whole time, doing homework. It’s probably just a plumbing problem. I’ll call a plumber when I get the chance. Now, why don’t you clean up? I’ll see if I can get the sprinklers turned off.” Donna left left the room with heavy breaths and a look many have held whenever they meant to say, next time. Once she disappeared down the hallway, Andee rubbed his temples and grabbed at his ear frills. “Spike, did you do it?” Spike shook his head. “No.” That was the absolute truth. He didn’t set off the sprinklers. The one who had set off the sprinklers, suddenly felt the weight of consequence. Well, Discord figured there was a fifty fifty chance of Spike’s dad actually figuring out what happened. In that moment it was clear that the blame could fall to Spike, but because there was no evidence nor ability of setting them off from that room, it was possible he’d figure it out. “Discord.” Andee faced him. “Be honest. Did Spike set off the sprinklers?” Discord shook his head. “No sir.” Again, it was not a lie. “He was working on math homework.” Spike’s father observed the room one last time before sighing. “Okay.” He slowly left, closing the door behind him. Spike groaned. “Why do I feel so terrible?” “Believe me,” Discord stared at his black page where his poem was supposed to go, “the feeling is mutual.” Discord felt sick inside. It was just as bad as when he found out he had egged Fluttershy’s friend. “It’s not fair.” Spike threw his math book down. “She’s the most vile person on the face of this planet. Why’d he have to like her?” Discord remembered thinking something similar about the one known as Rainbow Dash. But, this Rainbow had reasons for why she was acting the way she did. Discord thought about it. He wanted to hurt Donna before she could hurt Spike anymore than she obviously did. Discord figured that maybe Rainbow Dash was mean and momentarily cruel because she didn’t want to get hurt. Why did Donna act the way she did? What was her reason? What was her excuse? Discord stood up. “I need to use the restroom.” “First door on the right.” Spike fell back in his bean bag chair and found a comic to look at. Discord nodded. “Yeah.” He had a plan forming. Seeing that Spike wasn’t going to follow him out of the room, he decided to enact that plan. Making his way to the living room, he was glad to see Spike’s dad, though he regretted that it meant continuing with his plan. Andee was straightening up what little there was to be straightened up. “Mister Andee?” Discord breathed deep. He felt like he was going to suffocate. “Spike didn’t do it. It was me. I did it because she wasn’t treating Spike very nice at all. I’m sorry, I just, I can’t stand it. I can’t stand seeing my friend being talked to like he was a waste of space. I just wanted to make him laugh. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone,” Fluttershy flashed through his mind, “I just wanted to do something about it. I’m not sorry for what I did, but I am sorry because it upset you. Please don’t punish Spike for what I did.” Andee waved a hand for Discord to stop. “Well first of all, thank you for your honesty. But,” he rubbed his face, “look, Discord, I love Spike. And, I love Donna. I know it’s hard for him now. But, the two of them will learn to like each other.” Discord didn’t believe that. “He thinks she wants to get rid of him.” Andee furrowed his brows. “He told you that?” Discord nodded. “Well, he phrased it a bit more strongly than that.” Andee scratched the back of his neck, a lot like Spike did at times. “Discord, thanks for telling me this. And, thanks for looking out for my son.” For the first time since he got off the bus, Discord felt better. “Here.” He pulled out the comic with the advertisement for the EC radio. “Spike was interested in this. I could help pay for it.” Andee looked at the ad and smiled. “Don’t worry about it.” A knock came from the door. Discord recognized the rhythmic pattern and the sound of the voice when the door was opened by Andee. Redheart smiled awkwardly as she cleared her throat. “I’m sorry. Is this Spike’s home?” “Yes,” Andee sort of stared off into space, avoiding glances at Redheart, “I’m uh, his father.” “Oh, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Redheart, Discord’s mother. Is he here by any chance?” Redheart looked about the front of the house as if expecting to see Discord floating around. Andee nodded. “Yeah, he’s inside, but uh.” The dragon trailed off as he kept looking up and down at Redheart. Redheart looked at the wet walkway beneath her. “Is everything alright?” “Uh, yeah.” Andee rubbed the back of his neck. “Just had some sprinkler issues, earlier. Might have to call a plumber.” Discord felt a sweeping wave of relief when he caught sight of a wink from Andee. “Oh, I could have my brother look at it. He does a lot of construction work. I’m sure he could figure it out for you.” Redheart noticed Discord in the living room. “Oh, hey. There you are. I need you to come home early. I promised a friend of a coworker that we’d dogsit for them while they attended a family reunion. And, I need you to watch her for tonight while I go to work.” ***** Discord stared into the bright eyed white and brown dog. It was really a puppy. The tag it wore was simple, not store bought. It looked like it had been stamped out of a brass tag that was meant for something else. “Winona?” Discord rolled a ball around in front of the puppy. “If only you could talk, maybe you could save me from my poetry assignment. In all honesty, Discord wasn’t half so worried about the poem as he was about what he was going to do to make things right with Rainbow Dash. He felt a little more terrible about that because he realised he wasn’t trying to make things right because he cared about Rainbow Dash. He was only doing it for Fluttershy. Discord bickered with his internal voices. Why did he care so much about this pony he barely knew. It wasn’t like he stood a chance with her. These thoughts plagued Discord as he dozed off. Winona was calming down, and her yawn made Discord yawn. He was getting drowsy, sleepy. All of a sudden, a booming voice burst into Discord’s ears. He suddenly found himself in a strange dark room. It looked like a bedchamber in a castle. A fireplace to the side roared with life. And from that fire, a white figure emerged. Discord could barely see anything as the light from the being nearly blinded him. He could faintly make out a horn, wings, and a flowing mane. “Discord!” Discord was surprised it knew his name. “Hello?” The being’s brightness dimmed slightly. “Have you found her?” “Found who?” Discord didn’t understand. “What are you?” It bowed its head. “An old friend.” The voice was very feminine, full of kindness. “Don’t worry, Discord. This is your life. Go out and find what it is you desire, and you will find it.” Discord felt the room stretch as the light grew brighter. “Wait! Don’t go!” He freaked out as he fell through a door into a stormy night. He could hear himself scream, but they were baby screams. Discord gasped as he sat up, pushing away the repetitive licks to his face from Winona. She made little barking noises and buried her head into Discord’s side. “Just a dream.” Discord felt the ground of his home and was glad. It was getting late. Author's Note
From Out Of Nowhere“Once we accept…” -Albert “Discord!” Discord scrambled out of his bed at the sound of his mother’s voice. “Wha-!” His vision blurred as he recovered from a strange dream about cotton candy clouds. “Mom?” He noticed his alarm clock which had not gone off. Redheart was still shaking him. “You’re gonna miss the bus!” Without even thinking Discord grabbed his bag and ran. He barely heard his mom screaming as he burst through the front door. The red bus was already a block up the street. “Wait!” Discord bolted down the street. He wanted to use his wings to fly, but he still didn’t have any good control over them. It didn’t help that one had feathers and the other didn’t. They were all but useless. Open, they just created drag, so he held them tight to his body as he desperately chased the bus. “Wai-!” He cursed at the idea that in an hour he’d have gym class. “Okay! Please don’t explode.” Discord readied his paw for a snap. Magic had become Discord’s absolute last resort. After the incident, he tried to never use magic as much as possible. At least, he usually avoided using it like how he was about to. A bright flash surrounded Discord the moment he snapped his fingers. He now had rollerskates on his feat and an overly large rocket strapped to his back. “Here we,” the rocket ignited, “goah!” Discord felt his lips flapping from the air zipping past him. He panicked because he couldn’t see. Another quick snap materialized a set of aviation goggles on his face. “Thaa-a-ats be-tt-er!” A red blur wooshed behind him. Turning his head a bit, Discord realized he had passed the bus. “Dang it!” Another problem became apparent as his wings began to catch the air. “Uh-oh.” Discord felt the wheels of the rollerskates leaving the ground. Looking down, he could see the ground getting farther and farther away. His initial panic subsided as he realized he was flying fairly straight and just high enough above the trees and rooftops. Soon, a smile grew as he realized, “I’m, I’m flying!” He hollered and cheered to himself as he passed birds and clouds. In the distance he could see the school coming up. I might actually get to school early. Discord’s joy was shut down as he could distinguish a figure he was in the direct path of. The only separation between the figure and the sky was two streaks of rainbow. The impact was not nearly as painful as Discord anticipated. But, a new wave of horror washed over him once he saw who it was. “Rainbow Dash!?” “What the hay are you doing?” The rainbow maned pony tried to pull away from Discord. “Dude! The ground!” Discord screamed with Rainbow as they both saw they were now heading straight into the street. Thinking fast, Discord focused as he readied a snap. He had no time to hesitate as he snapped his paw before they hit the ground. There had been one time Discord had attempted to teleport in his entire life, and he almost never made it back from that strange blistering void of spinning stars and terrifying creatures. Discord felt like his kidneys were never the same after that. “Where in Equestria are we!?” Rainbow Dash's eyes turned to dishes as a glowing worm the size of planets flew around them as they floated through a swirling vortex of exploding stars and black holes. “Get us back! Gets us back!” “Hold on!” Discord prayed as he snapped again. He concentrated on the school, grass, water, and anything that would give them a soft landing. He snapped his eagle claws. Blue surrounded them before they tore through clouds, plummeting towards a body of water. It was close to the school. The distinct shape of it made it obvious that it was the school’s pool. Discord clenched his eyes shut as they got closer. His eardrums were momentarily drained of sound once they hit the water. Opening his eyes Discord, could see the blur of scattered hooves fleeing in every direction. Once his sense of direction solidified, he made his way to the direction that felt like up. Discord heard Rainbow Dash gasp alongside him for breath as they broke the surface of the water and swam for the edge of the pool. Sounds of other ponies crying out and asking what happened, filled Discord’s ears. He flung his bag onto the cement once he climbed out of the water. Seeing that all his limbs were in tact, Discord mentally thanked whatever being it was that spared his life. Looking over, he saw Rainbow Dash struggling for breath just as much as him. “Hi. I’m Discord.” Rainbow Dash began to laugh until she became hysterical. “We almost died, and you follow up with that? Ha!” “I’m sorry.” Discord fell to his back. “I’m so sorry, Rainbow.” “We’re not dead.” Rainbow shook water from her mane. “And besides, that was kind of awesome, in a really terrifying way.” “No.” Discord picked himself up. “I’m sorry about the egg.” Rainbow’s laughter died out. “What?” “I dropped the egg on your head.” Discord remembered how he had talked with Spike’s dad. He hoped that, perhaps, that honesty would be useful now. “It doesn’t matter why I did it. I still had no right to do that to you.” “Wait! Time out.” Rainbow stood up. “Why did you do it?” “Twilight.” Discord sighed. “You called that filly an egg head. I got angry and wanted to do something about it.” Rainbow stared at Discord. “Did you know her?” “What?” Discord expected Rainbow dash to scream, yell, or storm off. He didn’t expect her to ask a question. “Uh, no. Not before that.” “So let me get this straight,” Rainbow got in Discord’s face, a fierce look in her eyes. “You hear someone call a total stranger a name, and you get all gung-ho to defend them?” Rainbow’s fierceness softened. “That’s actually really cool. I respect that sort of thing.” Discord grabbed his head, a bit confused. “I- uh. I had to tell you, because I didn’t want you to give up school just because I did something stupid.” Rainbow Dash gave a deadpan glare to Discord. “You’ve been talking to Fluttershy, haven’t you.” “Yeah.” Discord admitted. Rainbow groaned. “Look, I’ve already decided I’m giving up school to join the flight academy. Someone dropping an egg on my head wasn’t going to do anything.” “But,” Discord felt a little upset by that, “how could you do that to Fluttershy?” “Woah.” Rainbow Dash’s wings flapped in rage. “Eggs are one thing, but low blows like that? That’s really not cool.” “She’s worried about you!” Discord felt his collar buzz. Thankfully it was waterproof and didn’t short out in the water. “It’s like you don’t even care about her.” “That’s it!” Rainbow swung around and slammed her rear hooves into Discord’s chest, sending him flying across the cement. “Don’t you dare tell me I don’t care about my friend!” Before Rainbow Dash could make another attack, she found herself enveloped in a ball of purple light. “What? Hey! Kid, cut that out!” Below Rainbow Dash, Twilight had her unicorn horn ablaze with magic. “Don’t hurt him.” “Let me go, kid!” Rainbow fought, but her limbs just flailed through the air. “You know, you can’t get into the flight academy without a diploma right?” Twilight flatly stated. Both Discord and Rainbow simultaneously uttered. “What?” Twilight rolled her eyes. “What the two of you were arguing about earlier, flight academy. You can’t get in without a diploma. Even if they use the Article 3 Section 2 exception, you still have to pass their knowledge examination.” Rainbow’s face twisted with confusion. “The knowledge, what-a-now?” “It’s a test.” Twilight explained. “You have to take it to meet the A3S2 exception requirements. But, if you already have your diploma, you don’t have to take the exam. Actually it’s a lot easier to get in if you have a diploma.” Rainbow Dash frowned. “It’s not fair. I’m no good at anything other than sports, and flying.” Twilight hummed. “You’re apparently not good at grammar, either.” “Not helping!” Discord snapped at Twilight. “Listen, Rainbow. It’s not the end of the world.” “It might as well be! There’s no way I’m gonna pass my classes. I’m just gonna end up in summer school again. And again. And again. It’s hopeless!” Discord looked at Twilight, who actually seemed to be shaken by all this that was coming from Rainbow Dash. He then recalled Twilight’s offer. “Hey, Twilight?” Twilight carried Rainbow in her magic as she trotted up to Discord. “Yes, Discord?” “Why don’t we start a study group?” Discord retrieved his bag. Undoing the zipper, he was pleased to see most of his papers were safe. “Would you be willing to help Rainbow Dash?” “What?” Twilight furrowed her brow in confusion. “I said I would help you.” “I know.” Discord chuckled inside at his own echoing of Twilight’s irritating punchline from their first encounter. “You would be helping me by helping her.” Twilight looked uncertain as she looked between Discord and Rainbow. “I don’t know.” Discord could see that he would have to appeal to Twilight somehow. “Rainbow admitted that she was practically unteachable.” “Hey!” Rainbow Dash crossed her hooves, furious until she saw a wink from Discord. “Oh, yeah. I’m really dumb. Basically a brick wall…” Discord made a cutting motion to Rainbow Dash, motioning to not over do it. “My other friend also needs help with his algebra. I know that you’re an expert in Calculus, so surely you can help him. I need help too. The Magic Sciences class has a proficiency test, and well, I’m not very good at controlling my magic. You could help me with that. And, if there’s anything you need help with, we’ll help where we can.” Twilight gently let Rainbow Dash down before dispelling her magic. “Really? You’d help me?” Rainbow piped up. “Sorry I called you an egghead. Earlier. I have a bad habit of judging people before I get to know them. And, you seem like a nice kid. I’ll tell you what. If you can really help me, I’ll gladly keep the other block heads like me from bugging you.” “I’ll tell you everything I know, and everything I don’t know about draconequus magic.” Discord smiled at Twilight. “Of course we’d help you. What are friends for?” “Friends.” Twilight scraped at the ground. “Other than my big brother and my old foal sitter, I never really had other friends.” Rainbow snapped her head in Twilight’s direction. “Really? Not one?” Twilight shrugged. “There was this filly named Moon Dancer that I liked talking with in Canterlot, but it got too expensive for my parents to live there. We were on the move a lot, and my parents were looking for better jobs. It just didn’t seem like there was any time for friends. I got used to having my books because they were always there.” Discord pulled out his woodshop project, the strangely patterned cutting board. “Would you be around to help me with straight lines.” “Waoh!” Rainbow stared at the warped checkerpattern. “How in Equestria did you make that?” Twilight straightened her glasses and held up the cutting board with her magic. “Fascinating! Each of these pieces are a different kind of wood. Did you cut this pattern out by hand?” Discord sighed. “I know, it’s terrible. It’s supposed to be straight squares.” Twilight’s jaw dropped. “Do you not understand how impossible these cuts are? The geometry here is more than fantastic, it’s impossible!” Rainbow continued to stare at the board. “Did you warp it with magic or something?” Discord was confused by the reception from both fillies. I was only moments ago that Rainbow was ready to kick his butt and they were negotiating a study agreement. “Uh, no.” The sidetrack of the conversation was strange to him. Rainbow grabbed her own face. “That’s so awesome! Can you teach me how to do that?” Before any of them could continue, a mare with a hat and whistle approached them. “Twilight. What’s going on here. I step into my office for one minute, and when I come back, it’s absolute chaos out here.” Discord twitched at that word. “Actually,” Twilight straightened her glasses again, “you’ve been gone for about five minutes. No one appears to be hurt. There was a flying mishap. My friend Rainbow was helping my friend Discord with improving his flight skills, but he lost control trying to perform a special maneuver he wasn’t ready for. Rainbow tried to catch him, but they went down together.” Discord butted in. “Yeah, uh, and Rainbow Dash managed to direct me towards the pool so we didn’t crash into the ground.” “Oh,” the mare looked to the still turbulent waters of the pool. “Well, as long as no one was hurt, let’s just file a report so we have it on record. Can you write that up form me Twilight so I can file it?” “Yes, ma’am.” Twilight gave a little salute. The mare nodded and blew her whistle at the gathering crowd of shivering students. “Alright! Get dried up, we’re done for today!” She trotted off. Discord and Rainbow both eyed Twilight as she looked back at them. “What? I’m her T.A.” Rainbow held her hooves up. “Hold up, ponish. Please.” Twilight sighed. “I’m her Teacher’s Assistant.” Discord nodded along with Rainbow as if to say, of course she is. ***** Discord found Spike after he had grabbed his lunch with Rainbow and Twilight. “Hey!” Spike finished swallowing his food as he pointed a spoon at the two fillies following Discord. “Did I miss something?” “Study group.” Discord explained as he sat down. “This is Rainbow Dash, and this is Twilight Sparkle.” Spike’s eyes got a little bigger as he dropped his spoon on his tray and looked at both the fillies. “Uh, did I miss something? Are these the same fillies from History?” Rainbow, Twilight, and Discord explained the entirety of the story as it had unfolded. Discord explained how he was late for the bus, and the rocket with the roller skates. Rainbow explained the surprise flight interception and the weird space tunnel. Twilight wrapped up with the pool incident. Spike nodded. “Oh, so that’s why you weren’t on the bus.” He picked his spoon back up. “I always miss the interesting stuff.” “We almost died.” Rainbow reeled back from a glare at Discord. “What? We almost did! The point is, your life is not always worth the excitement.” “True.” Spike shoveled another spoonful of food into his mouth and swallowed. “So everything is good now. Do they know about, you know…” “No.” Discord said flatly. “Wait a minute.” Rainbow smiled as she whispered to Spike. “Is it about what I think it is?” “No,” Discord groaned, “please stop.” “What do they know about?” Twilight asked, confused. Spike tapped his claws together with his best fake evil smile. “I don’t know. Are you thinking about the one?” Rainbow’s face lit up. “Is it about you know who?” Discord buried his face in his paw. Spike began to laugh. “It depends on the who, you know who about?” Rainbow mouthed a name to Spike who fought to contain his laughter. “I mean,” the dragon grabbed his mouth to hide his smile, “I’d hate to start any rumors.” Rainbow’s jaw dropped. “No way! I knew it! Ha!” She erupted into laughter. I’m dead. I am actually dead. Discord was convinced by his own words as he tried to ignore the hysterical laughter between Rainbow and Spike. “Wait!” Twilight tapped Discord’s shoulder. “What are they talking about?” Discord smacked his lips before hissing laughter through his teeth. “A mare. They’re talking about a mare.” “Ooh!” Spike crossed his arms. “Such a mature word for your secret crush.” “It was a secret.” Rainbow laughed. “Crush?” Twilight asked. “It doesn’t matter.” Discord shrugged. “She’s out of my league, anyway.” Rainbow’s laughter faded out as she looked at Spike and Discord. “Hey, don’t treat yourself like that. Everyone has a chance with anyone. See that eg-,” Rainbow corrected her speech, “colt over there. He probably has a chance with the captain of the cheerleading squad.” Spike waved his spoon in objection as he looked at who she was talking about. “Are you sure about that? Even though I always root for the little guy, there is such a thing as reality.” “Yeah,” Rainbow agreed, “I’m just saying, under the right circumstances, lightning strikes. That’s how my parents described it. I kinda agree with them because I’ve seen actual lightning strike some weird placed that it shouldn’t have. And, I’ve seen a few couples who defy the laws of physics.” Twilight finished eating an apple and set the core down. “I think the expression you’re looking for is, defy the laws of nature.” “Yes,” Rainbow nodded her head, “that’s what I meant.” Discord felt bad for asking the question, but he was feeling a bit selfish. He wanted to know. “Rainbow, she’s your friend. What do you think my chances are.” He was worried that Rainbow Dash would get mad at that question, but she didn’t. Rainbow snorted as she thought. “Hay, if I know. Though, she is kinda terrified of dragons. She’s not racist or anything, she’s just afraid of fire, sharp claws, and sharp teeth.” “So,” Spike jumped in, “basically everything.” “Yeah.” Rainbow nodded. “I’m actually surprised that she even talks to you. You look kinda like a dragon.” She looked at Spike and Discord. “No offense.” “None taken.” Discord sighed. “So, you’re basically telling me that my chances are slim to none.” Twilight raised her hoof to get Discord’s attention. “Actually, given the evidence that this filly is phobic to people of your nature and openly talks to you; you could consider it a good sign. I think your probability of success is higher than you’re anticipating.” Rainbow raised a brow as she considered Twilights analysis. “She actually has a point. She rarely reaches outside her comfort zone. Though, someone once told me they saw her wrestle a bear. Probably wasn’t true. Then again, she is comfortable around animals. I don’t really know. But, coming back to the conversation, we never really discussed boys a lot.” Rainbow’s eyes suddenly grew. “Woah, hold the phone. Are you the Sad Guy?” Discord’s eyes darted left and right. “What? What do you mean sad guy?” Rainbow’s chewing matched the rhythm of her thoughts. “She never said his name.” Spike pushed his tray aside finished with his food. “Did she mention giving him a journal.” “Yeah!” Rainbow remembered. “A red journal.” Discord unzipped his bag and pulled out the journal in question. “She talked to you about me.” “Yeah, but,” Rainbow trailed off for a second, “you’re not at all how she described. First off, she said you were a pony, and that she thought you were having a rough first day.” Rainbow crossed her hoofs and smiled. Discord couldn’t stand it. He wanted to know what she was thinking. “And?” Rainbow’s smile got a little wider. “She said you were really nice.” ***** Discord was glad there was a group project today in history. He was more glad at the fact that Miss Pen proposed groups of three. A few students dashed for Twilight, but were hastily turned down by her as she joined Discord and Rainbow Dash. They were actually nearly done as they had reached the back of the work packet fairly quickly. No doubt, it was thanks to Twilight, and surprisingly, Rainbow. Rainbow Dash had actually picked up some slack, though it was minimal. If anyone was lagging behind, it was Discord. He stared at the blank page in his journal, scribbling answers into his work packet as Twilight and Rainbow discussed them. “Discord?” It was Twilight who broke him broke his dazed state. “You haven’t contributed much.” “Sorry.” Discord tapped the blank page with a pencil. “I was supposed to finish this poetry assignment, and it’s due next period.” Rainbow sighed. “Can’t say I know anything about that stuff.” “I only know as much about poetry as it pertains to spells.” Twilight admitted. Discord tore out a completely bare page from his journal for no other reason that to release a spurt of frustration. “I’m doomed.” “At least you’re not worried about you crush.” Rainbow half laughed. Twilight furrowed her brow at Rainbow as Discord began to bang his head on his desk. Rainbow nervously laughed. “Sorry.” Discord brought his head banging to a halt. He recalled the strange dream from last night. He remembered the flaming white ghost of a mare that greeted him by name. He remembered a door. He remembered rain. What is it you desire? He remembered the question. Did you find her? Discord thought of Fluttershy. Picking up a red pen, that happened to be out, Discord began to write in silence as Rainbow and Twilight curiously watched him for the remainder of class. ***** Discord felt his heart racing as the red dragon up front performed his poem to the tapping of bongos. His mind got lost in the tapping of the bongos as he worried about his own performance. He had only just finished his poem minutes ago and had no time to practice it. To top it all off, he was next. Pathfinder had randomized the list so no one would know when it was their turn. Discord had hoped that he might go last, but no. He was third, and he found this out when Pathfinder announced that he would be going after Garble, the red dragon, finished his performance. Garble’s bongos had ceased their rhythmic sound. “Very interesting choice in accompaniment, Garble. Just for that, I’m bringing you up to a B plus.” Pathfinder straightened his fake mustache that matched his black beret. “Yes!” Garble picked up his bongos and headed back to his seat. “Alright.” Pathfinder marked the list in front of him. “Next is Discord, and after him is Surgarbelle. Discord? You’re up.” Discord felt his legs trying to move, but they were failing. Pathfinder rolled his chair to the front. “Discord? You do have a poem for us, don’t you?” “Yes.” Discord cursed as his voice cracked, triggering the class into laughter. He clutched onto his journal. His collar started to buzz. He felt that along with a twitch of anger that made him want to rip off the collar then and there. It all subsided, though, as he felt a hoof press into his arm. Discord recognized the unmistakable yellow fur. He looked up at Fluttershy. Fluttershy smiled at him. “You can do it.” Discord found himself standing on his own two feet. He thought he was daydreaming about Fluttershy’s encouragement. But even after he was standing, he saw and heard her whispering, “You got this, go on.” Discord took a deep breath as he moved closer to the front of the class. He wasn’t paying attention as he almost walked straight into the chalkboard. He only stopped because his journal hit the board before he did. Slowly, he turned around. It was a little comforting that the class had stopped laughing. He was encouraged further by the smile on Fluttershy’s face from the back. “Hello, my name is Discord. This is my po-.” He felt his throat beginning to choke on his own words. Fluttershy’s face turned to worry. Upon seeing that from her, Discord smiled back to her. Her smile then returned. He thanked the universe for her smile. It gave him courage. An idea popped into Discord’s head. He leaned over to Pathfinder and whispered a question to him. Pathfinder smiled. “I don’t see why not. Continue, Discord.” Discord took the center of the classroom stage. He readied his lion’s paw for a snap. He focused his mind as whispers floated around the room. With a deep breath and a brief thought about Fluttershy, Discord snapped. Gradually, Discord began to float up into the air and twist. Eventually, he turned completely upside down, his feet landing on the ceiling. Seeing the world upside down, he opened his journal. “My poem.” He cleared his throat. “ I call it, Thank You For the Journal.” Discord looked nowhere else but his journal. Because he was pointed up at the upsidedown students, his throat opened up and his voice fell out clearly before them. “As I stand before some God of chances, O set me free my friend of destiny, The closing of the door, the fire dances, The olde world burns in rain as I go free. Free to meet thee oh kinder face so set, Midst rot and turmoil enslaved by madness, O God rejoice to me for I have met, That compassionate face of such kindness. Your eyes doth burn sadness and yet too heal, Know me not, O for shame I know not you, If thou canst see beyond mine face for real, See beyond madness, see all I canst do.” Discord looked up from his journal. He looked across the students as he snapped again. He floated back to where he belonged, his feet landing where gravity wanted him. He finished his poem after closing the journal. “My fear ran deep upon a time ago, And all for cause to simply say, hello.” Discord bowed his head. “That’s all I have.” The class was silent. Discord, too afraid to look Fluttershy’s way, looked at Pathfinder who appeared to be at the edge of his seat. “Sir?” Pathfinder’s face was stoic. “Can I take a look at your poem?” Discord nervously passed the journal to Pathfinder who looked it over. He felt fear go down his spine. Terrible, he thought, I failed, I must have. Pathfinder seemed to be counting something. “Wow. Discord, did you intentionally write a sonnet?” Discord found his words. “I briefly saw mention of them.” “Every line here is ten syllables, following the typical rhyme scheme, and parts are even in iambic pentameter.” Pathfinder smiled. “Most excellent, Discord.” He scribbled on the page. “Here.” Pathfinder returned to his list. “Next is Sugarbelle, and then…” Discord senselessly marched back to his desk and took a seat. Building up the courage to look, he cracked open the journal to find a bright bold A next to his poem with a little note, KEEP UP THE MAGNIFICENT WORK. Discord sighed with relief. As that was out of the way. Something else, however, remained. Discord looked over at Fluttershy. She was staring until she hid from his glance. “You okay?” “Yes.” Fluttershy was quiet. “It’s just that, I gave you that journal.” Discord couldn’t help but smile at Twilight’s first impression catchline that came back. “I know.” Fluttershy peeked at Discord from behind her hair. “It was beautiful.” She meant the poem. Discord wanted to say, like you. Yes, he thought that. But, he only believed it when he could see her smile appear from behind its hiding place. “Thank you.” He turned his head to give ear to the rest of the student’s poems. There was a strange energy that came upon the room. A peculiar new life flowed in the words of each and every poem that came after Discord’s performance. Discord liked the idea that perhaps he had inspired it. The idea didn’t hold him so much, though. The draconequus stole occasional glances at the pegasus next to him. He could see her. Discord saw her laugh, smile, and cry. Maybe it was the poems being performed by other students. But, Discord couldn’t help but wonder if she would have reacted the same if he hadn’t performed his little poem. Was it its effect on the poets that affected her, or was its effect on her that was affecting the poets. Discord wrote a few absent minded sentences below his poem. His concentration on his journal ghosted away as he heard Fluttershy’s name called. One more poem to go, then it was her turn. The poem came to its close. Discord turned to Fluttershy. “You’ve got this.” He gave her a thumbs up as she carefully approached the front. Discord felt everything fade to black outside his view of Fluttershy. He couldn’t help but listen. Fluttershy smoothly cleared her throat. “My name is Fluttershy. And this poem is called Sad Guy. It’s about a special,” she smiled, “a friend of mine.” Discord felt his heart skip a beat as he recalled what Rainbow Dash had said. He recalled her telling him about how Fluttershy had referred to him as the Sad Guy. Discord picked up his jaw as he saw her staring directly at him. Fluttershy held up a paper with one of her wings. “ Light will fade and nights get cold,” a few woahs escaped at the musical and melodic voice that proceeded to sing, “So come away and build your fire, Light it before the night gets old, save yourself from doubt’s chill choir. Please don’t cry mister Sad Guy, I don’t know why you look so blue, Come away the world’ll make you sigh, But come away it cannot hurt you. Your voice will shake and your words will crumble, But carry on into the night, With some hope so bright you’ll never stumble, Oh carry on and win the fight. Please don’t cry mister Sad Guy, I don’t know why you look so blue, Come away the world’ll make you sigh, But come away it cannot hurt you.” Fluttershy closed her eyes as she sung a little higher. “But come away it can not hurt you.” The last note flew a little longer before the song came to a close. Everyone in the class clapped. Discord almost failed to follow suit as he recovered from his state. Awkwardly, he caught up to the applause with his own. The bell rang. The whole class dashed for the door as Pathfinder shouted about a reading assignment and wrapping up the rest of the poems tomorrow. The pegasus gave up as half the class was already through the door. “Crazy kids.” He plugged into his portable radio and nodded his head to some unheard beat as he collected his materials. “Ba-ba-ba-ba ba-bada, you spin me, righ-.” Discord tucked his journal safely in his bag as Fluttershy returned to the back to retrieve hers. “What did you think?” Fluttershy asked. Discord almost didn’t hear her. He supposed she was quieter when she wasn’t competing with the noise of the classroom. Or, maybe she was afraid. “In the words of the poet, Garble, quote,” Discord mimicked the red dragon’s laid back accent, “it was most excellent.” Fluttershy laughed, gently and softly. It was the first time he heard her laugh. He liked it. “I’m serious,” he wasn’t, really, “I can see the headlines now, Bright High School Filly Smashes Equestrian Idol Contest.” Fluttershy laughed again. “Oh, no. I could never go out in public like that.” “I think you’d be great.” Discord didn’t want to push his luck by trying to keep her laughing. “You were great, you are a fantastic singer.” “Do you really think so?” Fluttershy’s question rattled Discord. Discord felt like he was high on a cloud, not falling to his death this time, but floating. “I do.” Fluttershy finished packing up her saddlebag. “Well, see you tomorrow.” Discord couldn’t help himself. “Hey, Fluttershy.” He wanted to see her smile one more time. “I think you’ll be seeing Rainbow Dash graduate after all.” She tilted her head at that. “What do you mean?” “I found her a tutor, and a few new friends.” Discord went on. “We’ve started a study group.” Discord felt the world wash away as he took in the smile on Flutteshy’s face. It was otherworldly. He had never seen anything like it. A tear even caught his attention. “I hope that helps you come away from the world.” Fluttershy gently nodded. “Thank you, Discord.” Discord lingered, and watched Fluttershy leave the room. His heart was pounding when he heard a laugh and saw a smile flash back at him. He waved goodbye, and with a fresh spring in his step, Discord felt about ready to take on the world. “Discord.” Pathfinder called out. Discord changed his trajectory towards Pathfinder. “Yes, sir?” Pathfinder turned down the volume on his portable radio. “Do you like music.” Discord immediately thought of Fluttershy’s singing. “Yes, sir. I suppose I do.” Pathfinder furrowed his brow. “What’s with the, sir? This isn’t the army. Maybe prison, but, certainly more fun than the army.” Discord laughed as he did an overly dramatic bow. “Apologies, my lord.” Pathfinder laughed. “That’s better.” He opened his desk and produced a black and silver rectangular box with a chrome knob and white buttons. “Do you suppose you’d want this old tape recorder? It’s a bit old, but it plays and records music just fine. Haven’t had too much use for it since I got my radio.” Discord picked up the box, fascinated. It was a little smaller than a book. With a nylon strap for the shoulder and clip for a belt. “I can have it?” “If you want it.” Pathfinder nodded. “There’s an old tape in there, but you can record over it if you want.” Discord was in such awe at the device that he almost took off with it. “Thank you,” he tacked on, “my lord.” Pathfinder laughed. “Funny, that kind of reminds me of O&O.” Discord stared blankly at Pathfinder. “What’s O&O.” Pathfinder looked almost hurt. But, he laughed all the same. “You’ve never heard of Ogres & Oubliettes?” Author's Note
Stranger On a Quiet Street“...it is true, confront us with the perplexity…” -Hannah Another day… Another day… Another day… The pony believed to be Gallop had been keeping himself busy. Answers required patience of an almost living nature. It required discretion. None ought to suspect. They must not inquire of sanity nor the peculiar attitudes of their neighbor. A fresh coat of paint must be had, and old newspapers must be disposed of for the coming of answers. Mowing the grass… Watering the grass… Drinking drool… This Gallop brushed Gallop’s mane after cleaning the comfortable filth of a hard day’s work away. “Presentable for answers. Presentable for reporting.” Satisfied with perfection, he perfected imperfection with a flick of his head. “I am one of them. They trust, and they comfortably pretend.” A short walk into the kitchen, angered this Gallop. He smiled. “Dear, whatever are you doing out of place?” “No. Please.” The mare’s magic desperately raised an open pill bottle. “Where is he?” This Gallop twitchingly smiled. “Where is who?” “Gallop? Where is he?” The mare cried as this Gallop pulled the pill bottle away from her. “Gallop!” “Quiet now.” This Gallop chuckled as he poured the pills down the kitchen drain, turned the water on, and ran the garbage disposal. “I’m right here, dear. Just calm down.” The mare’s eyes were sunken with rage as she pulled out a kitchen knife. “Where-?” Her voice trailed off into incoherent mumbling. “-don’t hurt.” “I’m not gonna hurt ya.” This Gallop tilted his head, his teeth flaring in a strange smile from under his dripping lips. “Just give me the knife.” “No!” The mare sent the knife flying at this Gallop who pinned her against the countertop, the knife now through one of his forelegs. The struggle was muted by the gargling of the garbage disposal’s metal teeth. “Oh, dear. Look at that. You’ve gone and hurt me. But that’s okay, because I understand how hard you work all day.” This Gallop caressed the mare’s face. “You know I forgive you. You know why, don’t you.” “No.” The mare wept as his face neared hers. “You’re not him.” “You know I love you.” This gallop planted a kiss on the mare’s lips. “There. Better?’ The mare stared into nothing for a moment before slowly smiling. “I love you too, sweetums.” She looked at this leg with the knife. “Oh, sweetums. What happened?” “An accident dear. Nothing a few painkillers and bandages can’t fix.” This Gallop turned off the garbage disposal. “You look a little tired. Maybe you should rest until you feel better.” “Okay, sweetums.” The mare carefully side stepped this Gallop and headed for the hallway. The pony the mare was reminded was Gallop, smiled. Almost sadly. “I’ll be meeting a business partner later. So, feel free to rest as long as you like.” Hearing a door close, he brought his foreleg to the sink and pulled out the knife. “Hm. Nice shot.” A joke, he hadn’t had one of those in a while. It scared him. The momentary flash of fear subsides when he saw his leg devoid of fluids or even a gash. “This should be interesting.” The Gallop in the kitchen methodically cleaned the knife and returned it to its home in a block with other knives. Aftering wrapping the perfectly fine leg in bandages, he made his way out to the curb, where his mailbox was. He had to check Gallop’s mail. When this Gallop passed through the front door, however, he paused at the sight of a hot pink dragoness with white spines, that was looking through Gallop’s mail. “Excuse me.” He softly exhaled the words to make sure. As though on cue, the dragoness turned and smiled with a wink as she straightened her sweatband. This Gallop almost choked on his own excitement as he restrained his form from running forward. He calmly walked up to the dragoness standing by the mailbox with Gallop’s mail. “Good afternoon, Honeybee. Could I interest you in a glass of water.” The dragoness went back to looking through Gallop’s mail. “I’ve come for juice, not water.” This Gallop became a little frustrated as he frantically looked around the neighborhood. The dragoness smiled as she flipped over a coupon. “Don’t draw too much attention to yourself.” “But, out here? In view of our enemies?” This Gallop loosened up his shoulders. The dragoness laughed. “But, of course. You called me here to show me that new protein cake. Didn’t you? And besides, I have no desire to gaze upon your unchewed food.” She held onto a flyer and one of the coupons, handing the mail off to the Gallop beside her. “Is you’re leg okay?” This Gallop nodded. “Clean through. I’m a bit excited. I’ve never had the pleasure of boasting pain to anyone before. It should be an interesting experience.” “I see.” The dragoness’s head perked up, ear frills twitching. “Now, this is about the time, isn’t it?” They watched as the red school bus came along and parked across the street. The dragoness’s nose flared with the smell she didn’t believe existed. The smell was full of complexity, and above all, it was swollen with power. “This is most conflicting.” “What is it?” The dragoness ignored the Gallop beside her. “Keep practicing your baking skills, and I suggest you take up bird watching. I would love to know what other birds interact with the eagle that has landed here.” The dragoness walked off with the coupon and flyer. “Ciao.” This Gallop eyed the draconequus across the street as he danced to a small musical device slung over his shoulder. “Peculiar flight patterns.” He power walked back into Gallop’s house. A few sharp turns took him down stairs to the basement with the flickering radio lights and the moaning shower curtain. After pilfering through a pile of cardboard boxes, this Gallop’s horn shined a bit brighter with the magic that held up a telescope. “The right tool for the job.” He looked to the shower curtain. “Now, there is a curiosity picking my mind. What exactly was it that she saw in you? I look the part she needs, is that not enough?” The Gallop with the telescope headed back to the staircase that lead up. But, he stopped at the bottom. He turned back to the silent curtain. “Maybe looks aren’t everything.” Author's Note
Strange Magic“...a wishbone, a backbone, and a funny bone.” -Reba The sun was ‘a shining bright and high this day. Discord beat his alarm clock which was a few minutes away from going off before Discord flipped the switch off. His bed was made and free of wrinkles, and his new second hand desk was organized with a mug of pens and curly pencils. On the desk was his week’s homework was finished and organized within a few manilla folders laid out next to the tape recorder Discord received from Pathfinder. The recorder was also equipped with a radio, which was now tuned to GME where the host was playing this weekend’s top forty hits. Discord finished organizing a shelf above his desk where he’d gathered a small collection of cassettes and comic books. He’d separated his collection of Flash Magnus comics from the rest as he now had his own full set of that particular run. On the wall adjacent to the shelf was a Flash Magnus poster that was creased in sections where it had once been folded up into the back of a comic book. Discord looked over all his possessions that had accumulated. He smiled at the thought of it all. It was beginning to really feel like home. There is a power unwritten and untold in the walls we inhabit. As we leave our mark and build our environments, we become comfortable. We feel attached and grounded. The feeling of belonging comes to mind. Possessions have special powers at their disposal as they create roots for the soul. Mere toys and books can become anchors for the spirit of our spaces we inhabit. Rooms become ours, beds become safety, and covered walls instill security. A knock at the door prompted Discord to turn the tape recorder’s volume down. “Yes, mom” With all that could be said about possessions, they make spaces ours, but they’re not what makes it home. That’s something else entirely. Redheart’s voice spilled through the door ajar. “Can I come in?” “Of course.” Discord pulled the door open the rest of the way. “What’s up?” “Just checking in.” Redheart tread lightly into her son’s room to look around. This was a recurring happening that Discord was familiar with. Every time they had ever moved, or any time there was a big change in their lives, his adoptive mother surveyed his dwelling. It was a time of memory forging. Discord knew she mentally documented his life as he had grown. “How was work last night?” “Oh, nothing exciting really.” Redheart smiled at the poster of Flash Magnus. “How’s school going? Are your friends still coming over?” “School’s gotten better. And, Spike and Twilight should be here eventually.” Discord sat on his bed and watched Redheart’s visual documentation. Something was up. “Mom? Are you okay?” “I don’t know, it’s just.” Redheart smiled at a picture of her and Discord on his desk. “It seems like only yesterday that you came into my life.” Discord was already off his bed with his arms wrapped around his mother. “I love you, mom. Thank you.” Redheart sniffled a little and wiped her eyes. “I love you too son. Even if after you’re all grown up, you’ll still be my baby boy.” Discord smiled. “And, no matter how tall I get, I’ll still lean over so you can reach my face to smack it.” The two laughed for a moment. Redheart jokingly brushed a hoof across her son’s face. “That’s right. Now, how about some breakfast?” ***** Spike waved to Discord as Redheart closed the door behind him. “Hey buddy!” Discord smiled at the red and green bicycles Spike and Twilight held up. “Where did you get these?” “My neighbor’s kid moved out and left these behind. He said I could have them.” Spike handed off the slightly bigger bike to Discord. “You can have this one.” Discord mounted the larger red bike and tested the handle breaks. “Sweet! What about Twilight?” “I’m not that coordinated on a bike.” Twilight sighed. “So, I’m riding on the back of Spike’s bike.” She seemed a little irritated, but more so in a teasing manner. Spike snickered. “Hey, you were the one that turned down my offer to pull you along in a wagon.” “That thing is for children.” Twilight straightened her glasses. “Anyway, the back of your seat is better than the handlebars.” “Aw, it’s okay,” Spike joked, “I’ll get you a bigger booster seat next time.” Twilight tried no to laugh. “Spike! Come on, let’s get going!” Spike rolled his eyes. “Alright, your highness. Hop on.” Discord pulled off an elastic cord from his bike’s rear rack and used it to affix his tape recorder to the handlebars. “Look at that. Got my own stereo!” He popped open the tape recorder and dropped in a cassette. Following Spike as he took off, Discord hit play and sang along to the opening song as he caught up to his friends. Spike laughed at Discord. “Dude, that’s some old music. We need to get you some real music.” “What?” Discord dodged a lamp post and a garbage can as they turned onto Everfree Avenue. The road was wider with dirt paths instead of sidewalks and far less traveled on. One or two farm carriages passed along here, but the average auto car was far and few between on this road. “It’s not even that old.” “I dunno.” Spike got some flight time as he hopped his bike off a small dirt ramp. His wings helped him stabilize his motions as he rode on. “I don’t even think my grandma is as old as your music.” “Ha. Ha.” Discord gave his best fake laugh. “Really funny. So how far away is this place?” “Not far, if Rainbow was telling the truth.” Spike made a sharp right onto a dirt path. Twilight looked worried, more so because of Spike’s riding than what he said. “Why wouldn’t she tell the truth?” “To mess with us.” Discord stated flatly. He was a bit mesmerized by his surroundings. The next song on the tape came up. It was a slower song, that matched the sights, at least in Discord’s mind. “It’s beautiful out here.” “Trees, yay.” Twilight’s voice couldn’t have been more cynical as she straightened her glasses. Spike nodded in agreement. “Woah!” He reversed his pedaling to engage his brakes as he slid to a halt. He stopped just before crashing into a log. The dragon furrowed his brow as Twilight screamed continuously at the sudden stop. “You done?” Twilight’s screaming ceased. “We’re not dead,” he mumbled, shaking his head, “oh ye of little faith.” Discord stopped just behind Spike. Dismounting his bike, he pulled it over the log and set it there before venturing forward. The trees opened up into a fairly large clearing, possibly three acres. “It’s perfect!” Spike entered the clearing. He pointed to a structure at the edge of the clearing. “Look! A bungalow! Wonder what kind of ratings this resort gets.” Twilight scrutinized the structure. “It looks more like a shack.” Spike groaned as he nudged Discord. “Comedy is dead.” Twilight followed as Spike and Discord both headed for the shack. “Where’s Rainbow Dash. Shouldn’t she be here?” Discord pointed to the shack. “Maybe she’s there.” The walk to the shack wasn’t at all long. But, it was a little eerie for the trio as they approached the somewhat derelict structure that was shadowed by the treeline. It had a brick foundation and wood walls. The walls and roof still stood for the most part, but the paint had been peeled away by the sun. The glass windows were long gone. Its greyed wood shutters waved in the blowing breeze. Spike hummed to himself. “All that’s missing is an evil clown.” Discord felt a chill go down his spine at the mention of that. “You’re not scared of clowns, right, Spike?” “Psht! No.” Spike crossed his arms. “Good.” Discord shoved Spike in the direction of the shack. “Then you won’t mind checking it out.” Spike was about to protest until he saw Discord and Twilight step back. “What? Scaredy cats! That’s what you are.” The dragon marched up to the door. “Hello!? Anyone home?” The door slowly creaked open. “Uh,” Spike frose, “Dash?” He dragged his feet as he inched towards the door. “Ooga booga!” The white face that appeared sent Spike tumbling across the ground into a battle stance. “Ha, ha, ha!” The bluish pegasus erupted into laughter. “What is that, Captain Karate?” “Dangit Dash! I almost attacked you!” Spike crossed his arms as Twilight and Discord joined in Rainbow’s laughter. “What’s with the sports mask?” “I just grabbed a few precautions for today’s experiments and training.” Rainbow unloaded a pile of hoofball pads, helmets, and other padded guards. Spike picked up a set of hoofball pads. “This seems a bit intense.” Rainbow Dash scoffed at Spike. “Trust me.” She recalled the strange place she and Discord ended up in when they teleported. “I’ve seen stuff.” “What exactly?” Twilight took out a notebook and began asking Rainbow questions about what she saw. The process began of clearing up the area for their activities. Twilight dictated the size of their testing zone and how each test would be set up. While She worked with Rainbow, Discord and Spike took planks with rope to flatten some of the tall grass into a testing area and runway (the runway being Rainbow Dash’s idea). When everything was ready discord took his place in the center of the testing range. Spike, Twilight, and Rainbow were safely situated behind sandbags in a shallow ditch. “Now then,” Twilight straightened her glasses with a floating pen that was at the ready to take notes, “you described your magic as a mental function. How exactly does it manifest.” “I use a focusing gesture.” Discord held his paw up, ready to snap. Twilight scribbled that down. “Demonstrate something small.” Discord looked at a small dirt circle with an X and focused. He snapped. After a bright flash, an egg fell and cracked in the circle. “Was that good?” “Excellent.” Twilight wrote furiously, “Spontaneous manifestation. Okay, is there a particular spell structure that you follow for manifesting objects?” Discord shrugged. “I just think of stuff, and I can make it happen.” “Really?” Twilight, stopped writing mid-sentence. “Anything you think of?” “Yeah.” Discord nodded. Rainbow shot her hoof into the air. “Ooh! Make a flying pig!” Spike swat Rainbow’s hoof down. “He’s not a carnival attraction.” “Actually,” Twilight nodded at Rainbow’s suggestion, “try it. Let’s see.” Discord nodded. He readied his paw again. But, as he began to think, he shook his head. “I don’t know. I don’t want to screw up and get you guys hurt.” Rainbow flew up to Discord. “Listen, that’s why we’re out here. We’re in a secluded spot so you can practice your magic without damaging homes or hurting anyone. We got our protective gear and our ditch. Also, Twilight prepared a magic barrier spell for the worst possible case. It’s not like you’re gonna summon a giant monster. You got this my dude.” Discord smiled, bumping Rainbow’s hoof before she flew back to safety. “Okay.” He readied his paw, he pictured what he was trying to make appear, and then he snapped. He stared at the circle, but nothing was there. “What happened?” Twilight asked. Discord shrugged. “I don’t kn-.” His eyes grew as a shadow flew over him. “You did it!” Rainbow pointed to the sky. “You actually made a flying pig!” Spike squinted at the shadow. “Uh, why is it getting bigger?” Twilight’s jaw dropped as the wingspan of the air born swine spread darkness over their testing area. “By the Sisters…” Discord retreated to the safety of the sandbags and ditch as the massive pig came barreling down. He lunged for cover as the pig’s landing shook the ground beneath him. “Giant monster! Couldn’t possibly happen! No way, Rainbow!” The pig was the size of a house. It’s webbed wings had sharp talons that dug small canals into the ground. It slowly squared up and squealed at Discord and his friends. It was more like a roar that followed with gallons of saliva that completely drenched them. “Gross!” Rainbow shook her head until her hair practically stood on end, slimy and stiff. Spike winced as he spat out some of the fluid. Twilight pulled a jar from her bag and scraped the saliva into it. “Fascinating.” Rainbow shook Discord. “What do we do? Can you get rid of it?” The winged swine shot a glare directly at Rainbow, and growled. Discord began to yell. “I knew it! We’re gonna die and it’s my fault!” “Wait!” Twilight silenced Discord with hoof that was still dripping with saliva. “I figured it out. It’s Rainbow Dash’s fault.” Rainbow glared at Twilight. “What!? How are you pinning this on me?” The giant pig squealed again. This time, they all had the sense to take cover. Twilight explained. “Discord. You need to be as specific as possible with your thoughts. Rainbow mentioned a giant monster and it influenced your magic. You have to think of every angle. Specificity is the key!” Discord nodded. He stood up and faced the colossal swine. “Okay. Specific.” He concentrated. “Normal, pig. Average sized, normal pig. Normal pig.” He tried to snap his paw, but to his horror, the saliva made his digits too slippery. “What are you waiting for?” Rainbow yelled out. “Gah!” Discord rubbed his digits in the dirt until it felt like his fingers were on fire. “Everything is slippery!” Spike clasped his claws together and shut his eyes. “If you’re up there, please don’t let me die like this! Anything but a giant pig! I’ll stop stealing candy from my dad’s office, I swear!” The wings of the pig folded up as it readied for a charge. Twilight’s mouth began to flap in fear. “Discord! Now! Now!” Discord jumped up and screamed, “Normal pig!” He snapped his paw. Light engulfed the clearing. Sound vanished, momentarily replaced by ringing. As the light died down. A pink little piglet tumbled into the trench and squirmed over Spike, licking the dragon’s face. Spike began to shakily laugh. “This is fine. This is fine.” He pointed to the sky. “I believe.” Twilight enveloped her glasses in magic which cleaned them in a flash. “Let’s make ‘small’ a permanent addition to your mental and magical vocabulary.” Rainbow tapped Twilight’s shoulder. “Do you got a spell that can clean this up?” “Not safely.” Twilight shook her head. “But, while you’re at it,” she produced more jars, “can you collect some samples for me.” Discord breathed deep. “I’m gonna try something.” “Time out!” Rainbow grabbed Discord by the arm. “Do you really think that’s a good idea? I don’t really want to drown in a bubble bath tsunami.” Discord looked at Twilight and then the pig. He pointed to the open test area. “Small, and normal.” He climbed over the sandbags and moved back to the center of the testing area. He looked to the spot where the dirt circle had been. He readied his claws this time, tricking his own mind into believing the outcome would be better. “Normal, clean, shower with soap.” He snapped. A bright flash landed where the dirt circle should have been. In the wake of the flash, a white tub appeared with a running shower head and a circular red shower curtain. Rainbow, Spike, and Twilight peered over the sandbags at the newly manifested shower. Discord looked at the shower. Water rained down into the tub which was filled with water and bubbles. It looked really cartoony. But, at least it appeared stable. He tested the shower water. A little warm. He turned the knob marked C for Cold. Discord played with it until he like the temperature. He picked up a bar of soap sitting on a rack that hung on the edge of the tub. Lifting the bar of soap to his nose, Discord smelled it. “Heh, heh.” He began to laugh. Twilight popped her head up. “What is it?” Discord held up the bar of soap victoriously as he dished out a northern accent. “Mountain Spring, and I like it too.” Spike’s head popped up as well. “We’re not sharing, are we?” “Ew.” Rainbow bopped the back of his head. “Gross-oh.” “What?” Spike shrugged. “I don’t want to! I don’t know where your feathers have been.” Discord focused on a spot away from the first tub. He quietly recited the same thought, with a slight difference in mind. “Normal, clean, shower with soap.” He snapped, and another shower appeared with a green curtain. “Sweet!” Spike darted for the new shower and jumped in, closing the curtains. “Does it get hotter?” He tested the H for Hot knob. “Ah! That’s more like it.” Rainbow Dash jumped out of the ditch. “What about us?” Discord looked by the shack, and repeat the thought, “Normal, clean, shower with soap.” Another snap produced another shower with rainbow curtains. “Soap?” Rainbow Dash smirked. “Phoenix Shampoo?” Discord remembered seeing and smelling that brand at the store once. Without speaking it, he recalled just the soap in the bottle. Rainbow picked up the bottle and inhaled the scent. “Name brands. Ah yeah!” She flew into her own shower. Discord focused even harder now. “Side tables with towels.” He snapped a table with towels into existence by each shower. “Oh, Twilight.” Now Discord was ready for the next level, both at once. He snapped, and smiled at the fourth shower with purple curtains and a side table with purple towels. The color bled a little into the towels, but he beat his mind with the word normal, so he figured they’d be fine. Twilight took notes as she came out to inspect the shower. “Where is the water coming from?” Discord tried to think. “Honestly, no idea.” ***** Discord lead everyone into his house and filled four glasses with water. “Here you go.” “I’m pooped.” Spike collapsed on the living room couch. Rainbow furrowed her brow at the dragon. “You didn’t even do anything.” Spike waved off Rainbow. “It’s been a lot of excitement for one day.” Discord fetched a bowl and filled it with milk for the piglet to drink. “So what are we going to do with the pig?” Twilight levitated the pig in the air and examined it all around. “Could you hold on to it so I can study it? I’d like to do some tests on it.” She set the pig on the floor where Discord set the dish of milk. “It?” Spike rolled over onto his feet. “He’s got to have a name. How about, Pigzilla?” Rainbow rolled her eyes. “We’re not naming him, Pigzilla.” “Her.” Twilight corrected. After passing the waters around, Discord kind of sat in silence with his water. Everyone else did as well. The only sound for a long time was Twilight’s pen as it scribbled out extensive notes, ideas, and theories. Discord decided to find his own journal to document his feelings. He briefly retreated to his room before returning with the journal and a pen. The only other sound, aside from deep sighs and writing, that ensued were a few cute little grunts from the pig as Spike began to play with her. Discord frowned at the vagueness of his entry’s ending. He closed the journal. “Would you guys like to go out there again?” “I am down.” Spike gave a thumbs up. “That shack was kinda cool. Maybe we could turn it into a club house or something.” “A club house?” Rainbow scoffed. “What are you, six?” Twilight chimed in. “I think it’s a great idea.” “Me too.” Discord tapped on his journal. “We could clean it up, and repaint it.” Rainbow shrugged. “Discord could just magic it up.” “No,” Spike objected, “it wouldn’t be as special unless we all worked on it together.” Rainbow sort of frowned. “Aren’t we too old for this sort of thing?” “I don’t think we’ll ever be too old for friendship.” Twilight stopped writing. “We are friends, aren’t we?” Spike nodded to Discord. “Yes. We are.” Discord nodded. “We are.” Rainbow Dash finally cracked a smile. She wrapped a leg around Twilight and gave her a head noogie. “You know it, kid.” Letting the giggling Twilight go. Rainbow sighed. “My uncle said we could do whatever with that property, so what else should we do there?” Spike hummed in thought. “Let’s build a zombie proof complex to survive the oncoming apocalypse.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “Let’s start smaller.” She passed a look to Discord. Discord learned his lesson. Begin small. He realized he didn’t have full control over his powers yet. He’d barely scratched the surface, and there was more to learn. Humility came with that thought. There’s always more to learn. He locked that into his head along with the mental guides of small and normal. Add non threatening to that list. Thinking about it, Discord figured he could make some weird stuff without concern if he kept that last guideline in mind. Controlled chaos. He internally laughed at the idea. There’s that word again… “I’m home!” Redheart poked her head around a brown paper bag and sniffed the air. “Did you crash through a perfume shop?” Discord didn’t notice until he sniffed under his arm. His nose managed to pick up a strong pleasant smell. Normal soap, he though. Should have thought of normal soap. The strong desire to get rid of the giant pig saliva must have made the soap really strong. He noticed his friends testing themselves as well. “Need help with those bags, mom?” Spike and Rainbow both joined him in liberating Redheart form the groceries she carried. “Thank you.” Redheart eyed the floor. “Uh, what’s with the pig?” They each stared at each other, unsure of what to say. Twilight cleared her throat. “Her name is Pigzilla.” ***** Twilight and Rainbow Dash left in time as the evening wore on. But, they all agreed to talk at school and stay in touch. Spike stayed behind, though. He’d called ahead to let his dad know, but no one answered. The dragon was content to try again after dinner, which Redheart was happy to invite him to stay for. Redheart looked over the food she had prepared. “I think I made too much. Oh, well. Gluttony or left overs, boys, it’s your pick.” “Thanks for dinner Miss Redheart.” Spike help set the table with Discord. “It all looks delicious.” Discord smiled. “Bet I can eat more food than you can.” “No fair. You’re bigger than me.” Spike laughed. “Discord.” Redheart stared at her son. “Don’t start that. I want you guys to enjoy the food, not puke it up later.” She paused over the food as a knock came at the door. “Just a minute boys.” Undoing the lock, she smiled up at the dragon on the other side. “Oh. Hello, Andee! You looking for Spike?” “Yeah, I figured he’d be here.” He glanced at a watch on his wrist. “Work sort of held me longer than intended, but I’m here now. I hope he wasn’t any trouble.” “Always glad to have Spike over. It’s no trouble at all.” Redheart opened the door the rest of the way. “We were just about to have dinner.” “Oh.” Andee began to protest. “I’d hate to impose-.” Redheart waved a hoof through the air. “Nonsense, there’s plenty of food. Enough for a village.” Andee saw Spike wave, and that was it for him. “Alright. Thank you.” He walked in. “Discord.” Redheart gestured to the empty spot at the table. Discord jumped up and retrieved a plate and silverware for their newly arrived guest. “So,” Redheart returned to the kitchen after closing the front door, “I don’t think I’ve ever heard Spike mention what you do for work.” Andee set down a cardboard box he was carrying in the entryway. “I manage an electronics recycling warehouse.” “Good money in that?” Redheart moved the food over to the table. “Mom.” Discord hated when his mother asked questions like that. Andee laughed, though. “It’s perfect for living rather than just surviving. I’ve heard Spike mention that you were a doctor.” “No,” Redheart took a seat at the table, “I’m just a nurse, actually.” Andee took a seat adjacent to Spike’s. “Just as important as doctors, though.” Discord and Spike looked at eachother. It was if they weren’t even there. Discord didn’t think anything bad of it. Aside from his own antics and all the patients his mother had to put up with, Andee was probably the most normal person she’d be able to talk to in a long time. He laughed at thinking that Redheart’s brother, his uncle, didn’t fall under the umbrella of normal. Redheart paused before she grabbed any food. “Oh, I’m sorry. Was your wife going to be around? Do you think she’d want to join us.” Spike muttered. “His girlfriend is probably out shopping.” “Spike.” Andee glared at his son. “She’s at a conference, pulling an all nighter with foriegn investors.” “You’re not married?” Redheart was careful with that question. “Sorry if I’m overstepping my bounds.” Andee thought for a moment as he looked to Spike. “Is it alright if I tell her?” Spike nodded. Andee clasped his claws together, taking a deep breath. “I was married. But, she passed away. She got sick, unexpectedly. Um, I’m actually not Spike’s biological father.” Spike cut in. “But, you’re still my dad.” Andee smiled. “My wife’s husband died in a autocar accident. She already had Spike when I married her. My wife extended her custody of Spike to me. Then,” Andee trailed off. Red heart rester her hoof on Andee’s arm. “I’m sorry to hear that.” Andee nodded. “Thank you. I have Donna now, so things are looking up.” Redheart broke her drawn out silence and cleared her throat as she looked over the food to make sure it was all there. “Everyone dig in.” “So,” Andee picked up Redheart’s plate, offering to serve her food, “Discord is?” Discord opened it up before his mother could. “Adopted, but still her son.” “Yes.” Redheart nodded to Andee as he filled her plate. “I found him. I remember it was raining that night, and I heard him. Someone left him bundled up in a huge blanket, in the middle of the road.” “Thankfully you were there.” Andee filled up his own plate. “Yeah.” Redheart shrugged. “I guess I had a bad date to thank for that.” Discord pretended to be shocked, overdramatising his facial expressions. “You mean, I almost had a dad?” Redheart snickered at Discord. “That’s enough out of you buster.” Andee swallowed his food, pretty hard at the mention of the, “Bad date?” Redheart groaned a bit. “I guess I had hoped that none of the idiots from highschool would make it into college. My mistake.” “Yes.” Andee nodded. “We’re pretty persistent.” Redheart and Andee both fell into a fit of laughter from that comment. Discord couldn’t remember ever seeing his mom laugh like that. It was the total opposite of the melancholy he witnessed this morning. She seemed really happy, like she was enjoying herself. Discord saw a smile on Spike’s face that suggested a similar perception of Andee. It was nice. Dinner carried on like that. Everyone began sharing stories and anecdotes. Spike shared his first meeting with Discord. Discord opened up about his favorite teachers, especially Pathfinder. Redheart elaborated some of her crazier encounters with patients. Andee had a tale to tell as well. Spike and Discord both fell quiet as they realized what he was going on about. Andee was trying so hard not to laugh. “So I’m in the garage, when I hear this blood curdling scream. I nearly fell off the ladder when I heard it. So I get out to the front yard and I’m like, why are the sprinklers on?” Redheart gasped. “No. Was it?” Andee was on the edge of his seat at this point, hamming up this story. “I get inside, and standing there is Donna, soaking wet.” “Oh no!” Redheart covered her face as she began to laugh hysterically. Andee leaned back in his chair to recover from his own laughing. “She was so angry! Oh goodness, her face was turning redder than her feathers. It was hilarious.” Discord felt odd that Andee had basically omitted any of his own or Spike’s involvement. But, he wasn’t being ratted on to his mother, so he didn’t care. He was just glad he wasn’t being sent to his room. Andee looked at his watch again. “Oh, darn. Time really does fly. Spike? You have your stuff together?” Spike nodded as he and Discord began picking up plates. “Well, before we go.” Andee retrieved the box he had set down by the entryway. “I got you and Discord something from work.” Andee opened up the box and pulled out not one, but two EC radios. “Fixed them up myself.” Discord was just as surprised as Spike. “Oh, wow.” Redheart looked at the EC radio. “An EC-84. My brother had one of these. He had an antenna that could reach Griffonstone. This is…” Redheart shook her head. “What do I owe you?” Andee shook his head. “Oh. No. Don’t worry about it. I get stuff like this for free. I’m glad to pass them on to those who will put them to good use. And, it’ll save us both the extra bit or two off our phone bills whenever these two need to communicate.” Redheart smiled, earnestly. ***** Discord carefully switched on the EC radio on his desk in the dark. He didn’t want his mom to catch him up this late. He was also trying to avoid waking up Pigzilla as she was asleep in the basket by the foot of his bed. Discord promised his mom he would find her another home. Discord switched over to the channel he had told Spike about. It was an old channel he had heard his uncle mention when he was younger. He held the corded microphone’s button down, and whispered, “Spike? Do you copy?” After a brief length of silence a response whispered back, “I copy. What took you so long? Over.” Discord smiled. “Hey, I didn’t have my dad to set this up for me like you did. Over” There was another long silence from Spike. “Shut up. Over.” Discord tried to contain his laughter. “Did you notice our parents acting strange? Over.” “Did you not notice? They were practically flirting the whole time.” Spike didn’t finish with over. Discord unplugged the EC radio and moved it closer to his bed so he could lay down. He was glad it also took batteries. “What do you think that’d be like? Over?” Spike sighed into the microphone. “Doesn’t matter, it’s not happening. Over.” “But imagine if it did, somehow.” Discord remembered how happy they all had been in that moment, together. “We could be brothers. Over.” “That would be cool. Over.” “Yeah. Over.” Discord imagined it, having a brother. It brought a tired smile to his face. That would be cool. Neither him nor Spike said anything for the rest of the night, but Discord felt like Spike was still awake on the other side, listening. Brothers, Discord thought. Author's Note
Heaven Only Knows“Out here in the fields...” -Pete “I know this isn’t history, but examples from the past never hurt when explaining the shifting lines of supply and demand. So, let’s first talk about increasing prices.” The economics teacher levitated a ruler up to the diagram she had drawn. “As the price of something goes up; two things happen. The supply goes up, and the demand goes down. Does anyone care to explain that? Yes? Discord?” Discord lowered his paw once he was called on. “Nobody needs as much, nobody’s buying as much, so there’s more left over.” “Precisely. Thank you, Discord.” The teacher tapped the board. “This is what we would call a surplus. Now, this is an example of a price increase which we covered in the previous section of this chapter. But, we’re going to go into shifts. And to talk about this phenomenon, I’ll start with the example of the Griffonstone centered company, GK Autocarriage Works. These were high end cars luxury vehicles, and during the height of their reign on the industry, they began increasing their prices higher, and higher, above the point of equilibrium. The problem wasn’t apparent until another Equestrian born company popped up and nearly destroyed GK. At the other end of the world in Van Hoover, a dragon mechanic and unicorn engineer, Geode and Mechana, were finalizing their patent for their aluminium engine block. Their autocarriage company, G&M, opened with the promise of lighter, more fuel efficient autocars. At this time, luxury was being traded for affordability. The demand had shifted. While the material for G&M’s engine was more expensive, the cost of manufacturing dropped, allowing them to sell their autocars for a significantly cheaper price.” The teacher set the ruler down and retrieved a piece of chalk to draw a new curve on the diagram. “Demand for GK autocars had plummeted, nearly sending them into bankruptcy.” The bell rang. This sudden sound of freedom prompted a sigh of relief from the entire class as they began to shovel their books into their bags. They all bustled toward the door for lunch. “We’ll continue tomorrow with the GK demand shift’s effect on the Griffonstone recession.” The teacher’s voice was lost to them all. “Remember you reading and remember, Econ is Magic!” Discord grabbed his growling stomach as he headed down the hallway towards the cafeteria. He was getting real tired of missing breakfast. Part of him believed it was a conspiracy, that the bus driver really just hated him and was passing his house on purpose. Reality hit him in the head as he reminded himself that it was in part his fault. Discord had been forgetting to set his alarm clock, and even when he remembered, he struggled to get up. He was tired. The lunch line was a blur to Discord in his current state. The only twitch of sense that reminded him that he had actually gone through the line was the voice of the yak behind the counter telling him he could only grab one chocolate milk carton. The rumor that they were discontinuing the chocolate milk due to “new health regulations” only made the experience worse. “Hey!” Discord recoiled from the scaly sensation under his foot that turned out to be a tail attached to a dragon in a lettercolt jacket. “Whoops. Sorry, I di-.” The dragon slapped Discord’s tray into the air and onto his head. “Watch where you’re going, freak.” “I-.” Discord could feel the potatoes and gravy falling down his face. “I said I was sorry.” He looked at the carrot slices on his shoulders and feet. His feet. They were wet with chocolate milk that had exploded upon hitting the ground. “Did I stutter?” The dragon grabbed Discord by his short antler. “You don’t talk to me. You don’t look at me. You stay out of my way.” A fire sparked within the draconequus once he realized who this was. It was the same dragon that had tripped Spike on the bus on the first day of school. “Leave him alone.” Discord recognized that voice. He had never heard him say much before when the stallion had guided him around the school, so it was a bit of a surprise for Discord to hear a complete sentence from him. The dragon grabbed onto Discord’s horn as well. “What’s up Big Mac, you’re just in time to have a bit of fun with freakazoid here.” “I said, leave him alone.” Big Mac stood up on his hind legs and pushed the dragon away from Discord. “Ya don’t talk to ‘im. Ya don’t look at ‘im funny. Ya leave ‘im be. Clear?” The dragon brushed himself off and scowled at Big Mac. “So, what? You’re babysitting freaks now?” “Hm-knope.” Big Mac got in the dragon’s face and dragged his hoof across the dragon’s lettercolt jacket, smearing it with the filth of the floor. “Keepin’ the freaks away.” “So it’s like that, huh?” Smoke shot out from the dragon’s nostrils. Discord held his breath, expecting Big Mac’s face to be filled with flames. But, Big Mac didn’t even blink. “E-yup.” The dragon said nothing more, he just smiled as he walked away as he was joined by a griffon and a zebra. The lettercolt gang, Discord thought. “Hey, thanks.” Big Mac’s head fell a little. He just stared there, at the floor. “E-yup.” Much like the dragon, the stallion marched off, but in a different direction. It was a chilling display to Discord. Death seemed to have passed him by. It wasn’t after him or the dragon. It was tailing Big Mac. Now, Discord didn’t suppose it to be a physical death. No, it was different, a living death. He wanted to call out to the stallion and beg him to not walk alone. He wanted to. However, the lump in his throat held him in silence. “Whoa!” Spike skid to Discord’s side. “Are you alive?” Discord felt his face being wiped up by a wrag held up by purple magic. He saw Twilight concentrating on this. Rainbow flew up to his side. “Dude! What did that dragon want? I swear if I get my hooves on him I’ll…” All that his friends did, Discord appreciated. But, a particular step and voice freed his mind. The sound cured the numb pounding in his head. The flash of her face, and eyes, was enough for Discord to somehow forget the gravy that had dripped into his eye. “Are you alright?” Fluttershy inched forward and carefully used a wing to wipe the gravy away from his eye. “Better?” “Yes.” Discord was startled by his own voice. He was afraid his sudden response would scare away the one that looked at him. She didn’t run away, and that made Discord want to cry. It hurt more when Fluttershy gasped. He asked, “What’s wrong?” “Is that?” She gestured to his magic training collar. “Does it hurt?” Discord felt like dying, then and there. Who are you? He wanted to peel back some curtain that must have been pulled over his eyes. Why are you so kind? Have we met before in some distant memory. Discord just smiled. “Not at all, Fluttershy.” Speaking after that was pretty sparse. The incident with the dragon had poisoned their thoughts. Every conversation ended when it seemed to be heading back to the incident. The gravity it held was almost enough to make it its own planet. Discord would steal glances at Spike, Twilight, Rainbow, and Fluttershy who had for some reason joined their table. When he wasn’t playing with the foil from the sandwich Rainbow had given him, Discord would look up at the balcony. He half expected to see that Fluttershy was really up there all this time, and that this was just a dream. But, she really was there, and the colt Discord had seen her with on the balcony was in his spot above. Why have you come down here? Discord manipulated the foil into symmetrical folds. “So, how are you doing in history?” Fluttershy asked Rainbow Dash. “Better.” Rainbow flashed yesterday’s pop quiz with a bright red B+ inked on the front. “There’s hope for me yet. But, I owe it all to Twily over here.” “I really hope that nickname doesn’t stick. That’s sort of my brother’s thing.” Twilight kept her eyes on her book as she talked. “I must say, thanks to Rainbow Dash, it’s been nice to not have the older students giving me a hard time. I just wish they would leave Discord alone as well.” She paused her reading. “Oh.” Looking up she gave an apologetic look. “I’m sorry Discord.” Discord shrugged. The incident had almost been lost to him, drowned out by the mysterious presence of Fluttershy. “It’s okay. It’s in the past. Now we’re in the present.” Fluttershy smiled. “That’s a nice way of looking at it.” Twilight straightened her glasses and cleared her throat. “So, Discord. How has your small scale magic practice been going? Have you improved?” Discord finished folding his little piece of foil. “I’ve had a breakthrough.” He snapped his digits, bringing the piece of foil to life. It folded in on itself, transforming into a pegasus before flying up into the air. “I figured out how to manipulate an object without needing to snap all the time.” One of his eagle claws followed the flying foil pegasus. Discord made a little loop with his claw, and the foil pegasus transformed into a dragon that slowly circled above their heads. Twilight pulled out her notebook with her notes from the day they went to the field that Spike later named Spork Ranch. “How exactly did you figure this out?” She held a pen at the ready. Discord changed the foil into a hummingbird that buzzed around. “I just keep the thought open and ongoing. I let it take shape with whatever I happen to think of.” Twilight’s face lit up as she wrote that down. “Of course! Stream of consciousness magic. That’s very interesting. Most unicorns only use such methods for artistic displays of energy. It usually takes the most skilled of unicorns decades of practice, but you’ve mastered it over the course of a few days! Fascinating.” Spike reared back as the foil hummingbird buzzed in his face. “Freaky, is a better word for it.” “Yeah.” Rainbow had a hard time looking at the buzzing foil creature. “I’m with Spike on this. It’s a little creepy.” Fluttershy hummed a little laugh as the foil hummingbird cocked its head sideways at her. “I think it’s adorable.” Discord manipulated his claw again, paying close attention to what he was doing. He made the foil bird slow down, wrapping its wings around itself into a cocoon that hovered in the air. The cocoon gradually split open to reveal a butterfly. Fluttershy’s eyes widened as it fluttered to the tip of her nose. Gently, she picked it up with the tip of her hoof. “It’s amazing.” Discord made a circling motion, spinning the butterfly into a flower of no particular genus. To top it off, he made the light glisten a little brighter from the foil. “It’s beautiful.” Fluttershy’s smile was suddenly replaced by shock as green magic crumpled up the flower and pulled it away. “Hey!” Discord turned to the unicorn in navy blue coveralls who crumpled up the flower. The unicorn dropped the crumple foil in the rolling garbage bin he was toting. “No playing with trash, Kid.” He kept the same pace as he levitated more trash into the garbage bin, paying no other ounce of mind to Discord. “Who was that, and who spat in his coffee?” Spike watched the unicorn from the corner of his eye. Rainbow tapped the table as she remembered something. “He’s ah, I think-.” Spike laughed. “Is that what that smell is?” “Can it, gem breath.” Rainbow jokingly socked Spike in the arm. Discord nudged Rainbow. “Who was that, though.” “Uh.” Rainbow bobbed her head a bit. “I think he’s the new janitor. Gal-uh. Gallop. Gallop something. I don’t know. He’s new. Why?” Discord felt his collar buzz. The strange part was that he wasn’t using magic, and the collar didn’t hurt. He couldn’t tell why it was going off. The thought occurred to him that someone might be tampering with it. But, that was fine since the collar had failsafes to prevent it from being damaged or broken. “He looks familiar. I think I’ve seen him before.” “First time I’ve seen him. It’s probably his first day.” Spike collected everyone’s empty trays and stood up. “Maybe you saw him in town or somewhere else.” The bell rang and Twilight packed up along with Rainbow as they headed off to their classes. Discord was about to follow suit but was stopped by a hoof on his paw. “Discord.” Fluttershy kept her hoof down as she addressed him. “Is something wrong.” Discord’s eyes shot every which direction they could reach. He was looking for him, the janitor. There were too many people roaming about. The janitor was lost to the crowd as Discord finally looked at Fluttershy. He wished he could comfort the worried look on her face. He couldn’t lie to her. “I don’t know.” ***** “These spells are not ones you’ll need to perform, but you ought to know them. Some of you may learn these spells if you decide to work for law enforcement or the justice system. No, I’m not talking about the so called truth spell. It’s already been proven to be unreliable as the truth might be what someone believes but isn’t always necessarily true. I’ll be going over a few spells that have been successfully implemented, and are still used to this day.” Discord was surprised he was listening to the teacher at all. His mind was flooded with thoughts of the janitor. Something about the unicorn, that Rainbow had identified as Gallop, rubbed Discord the wrong way. Also, he was a tad bit ticked off that the guy crumpled up his trick he was showing off to Fluttershy. “The wall of pillows.” The teacher rolled his eyes at the giggles from the class. “I know, I know. Sounds silly. The origins of the spell were a little silly, admittedly. However, it’s been successfully used to stop crimalls and even cushion a fall. It came about when an officer was in pursuit of a pickpocket down an alleyway. The alleyway, just so happened to be next to a pillow factory. Thinking fast, the office popped open a window to the factory, sending a pile of pillows into the alleyway, cutting off the pickpocket’s escape. That officer’s story led to a dozen other unicorn cops trying to come up with a spell that could, yes, produce a wall of pillows.” Discord snorted to himself. “I could do that.” The teacher looked around the class. “Who said that?” Discord ducked his head. He didn’t realized how loud he had spoken. The unicorn next to him laughed. “Cough! Discord. Cough!” Discord glared at the filly. “Thanks for nothing, Amethyst.” “Ahem.” The teacher stepped up to Discord. “So, you think you can make a wall of pillows?” Discord could feel the whispers from all the unicorns in the classroom. Magical sciences was a class that was only useful to unicorns, usually. He was the exception. It didn’t help though, to be the only one of his kind. From the first day, Discord had already heard the, he doesn’t even have a horn, statement. It was hard to believe any of the students thought anything of him. A freak, that’s all they saw or thought. Discord assumed the teacher shared that sentiment. “I don’t think. I know I can.” The class went silent. “Hm.” The teacher smiled. “Okay, Discord. Consider this an early test. If you pass, you get some extra credit.” Discord felt the hole he was digging for himself already. “And if I fail?” “Detention.” The teacher’s response was met by an excitement from the class. He opened the classroom door and flipped down the door stopper. “I’ll start from my desk and head for the door. You have that much time to produce a wall of pillows. Begin.” He started from his desk, back towards the door. Discord shut down his thoughts and focused. Readying his claws, he snapped. The teacher stopped just inches before the white flash disappeared to reveal a menagerie of assorted pillows that had been tetrised into a wall. No two pillows were alike, but they formed a wall, nonetheless. “Ha!” The teacher poked and prodded, and even turned around to kick the wall. It didn’t budge. “Not bad, Discord. Now get rid of these pillows.” Discord snapped the pillows away. “So, what sort of extra credit did I get?” The teacher smirked. “You have earned the privilege of not going to detention, so long as you don’t interrupt my class again. Do I make myself clear.” “Yes sir.” Discord was more than willing to accept that extra credit. “So, moving on.” The teacher pulled out a statue of a flower. “I know what you’re thinking. Why does he have a statue of a lily? Well, to answer your thoughts, it’s not a statue.” Discord felt his blood rush from his head at that statement. The teacher went on. “This stone is alive. Sort of. I didn’t perform this spell, but a friend of mine, who can, acquired this specimen for me. Perhaps this’ll scare some of you into behaving in society. This is what happens to the worst of the worst. It takes a mighty terrible crime streak to be turned to stone.” Discord frose as he stared at the stone flower. He could feel his spine stiffening, his blood solidifying. Every cell seemed to stop moving as he struggled to inhale. “Discord, what did I just say-.” The teacher’s eyes widened. “Discord?” Sound flooded Discord’s senses as he tried to get up. “Oh my goodness, he’s not breathing!” Someone shouted. Discord went down with his chair as his collar went crazy, burning his neck. Magic was trying to escape, run, or do something. Through the faces that surrounded him, Discord saw the stone flower. Screaming, he could hear it screaming. Voices flooded the room as all the students began to cry out. “Someone get the Nurse!” Voices… Voices everywhere… I don’t turn ponies into stone! That voice, Discord knew it. But, it was so angry and deranged. Everything felt flat and cold like glass. “Sister! Here!” Discord couldn’t move. His body refused. Smoke filled his nose. Hair was burning. Shadows walked along the walls of his eyes. “How can it be? He wasn’t a dream? Is he dreaming now?” Discord wanted to answer. He screamed as loud as he could. But, no one could hear him. He was stuck for what seemed to be millenia. Bird song filled his ears. He was in a garden, or so he believed. “He must be, how else could I reach him?” Children were arguing. Discord wanted to know what they were arguing about. In a strange way, he found it entertaining. “I, I hear her. She’s in his head.” I don’t turn ponies into stone! Discord could feel the collar burning with strange and bizarre emotions that followed. He wondered what place this could be as relics of ancient power surrounded him. One stood out. “Who? The ghost? Is it the same ghost from sixteen years ago?” Discord wanted to rip the collar off, but he was as the stone flower, immobilized. Visions entered his mind. “Sister… He’s, oh no.” It was all there before him. He was free. Discord saw freedom from hurt and persecution. He saw the edges of sanity. “What? Sister!” But, it really wasn’t freedom. Something was missing. It was more than friendship. It was kind of magic that blossoms only once every two thousand years. Who? Why? “He was so lonely in there…” How could such kindness be possible? Every is a tool to get what you want, or was he wrong. Discord saw questions he had not even asked before. He felt epiphanys all to similar to his own. “I don’t turn ponies into stone!” Discord hated that voice. He wanted it to go away. It wasn’t fair to himself nor to her. Her. Discord felt his brain go cold. They took… He wondered who it was that they took. Who were they? Were they here? “What was that? Sister! What’s going on?” Light surrounded Discord. He understood where he was. He was in that room again, with the fireplace and the sad empty bed. He remembered a royal dwelling of sadness such as this. But, that was another dream. In that dream, there had been mugs of chocolate tea. “Hello?” From the fire, a familiar bright form appeared. “Hello again Discord.” “You know me.” Discord shied away from the empty blanket on the floor. It seemed so familiar. “What is this place? You said you were an old friend.” “But, of course.” The figure passed the bedside. “However, it was only by the grace of my student’s friend that I learned that, some two thousand years too late. That is not your when, though. It was mine. You have a new when. You have this new life, this opportunity to find what you are looking for.” “What am I looking for?” Discord watched the bright figure open the doors to a balcony. Behind the doors was darkness. “What is this? Why won’t you tell me what’s going on?” The darkness was no match for the light that flooded from the form of this being. “Discord, this is your life. Go and find her. Find the friend you meant to tell.” “Friend?” Discord jumped at the sound of, what he understood to be, two mares. He’d heard their voices from earlier. “He’s in here! Sister, I found him!” Discord backed away from the door. “Who is that? What do they want with me? Are they going to hurt me?” The bright one shook her head. “No. They will find you when the time is right, though. And when that time comes, I shall cease to exist. But for now, go. Don’t be afraid. Just knock on her door. Discord stood there, mouth agape at all he had heard. He tried to speak, to ask another question, but he was at a loss for words as he quietly mumbled one name to himself. “Fluttershy.” He smiled as the two mare pounded on the door. “Fluttershy.” “Wait! Don’t go yet! We need to talk!” Discord pictured her in his head. “Fluttershy.” The doors burst open. Discord felt darkness surround him. Slowly, he opened his eyes. The door that had burst open was not the same one in the place he’d been dreaming of. White blurs surrounded him. Above, he could discern square lights in the ceiling. Voices became clear. “He’s my friend! I have to see if he’s okay!” A pony in white held back the blur of purple and green. “Mister Spike, you’ll just have to wait. He needs space to recover. Crowding him won’t help.” “Please Miss Snowheart. We just gotta see if he’s okay.” Spike, Discord thought, Rainbow? As vision returned to Discord, he could make out a Wild Stallions poster. He was still at the school. This must be the nurse’s office. “Excuse me, kids. Snowheart! Thank you so much for calling. What happened?” Mom? Discord struggled to lift an arm. “Flu-. Flu-. Wh-.” “Discord!” Redheart ran over to Discord, entering into a hectic cross between her nurse mode and her motherly instincts. “My boy. Sh. Let me look.” Snowheart showed off a clipboard. “I think he fainted. He’s not the first student that Mister Flintheart has scared. Spike muttered to Rainbow, “What is it with ponies and having the word heart in their name?” Rainbow snorted. “What is it with dragons being named after rocks.” Spike shrugged. “Fair point.” Discord couldn’t help but laugh. “Discord?” Redheart shook her son’s arm. “Sweety, are you alright?” “Never,” Discord took a deep breath, “better.” He waved at the door. “Guys.” Standing in the doorway, he could make out Spike, Rainbow, Twilight, and, “Fluttershy?” Snowheart let out a grumble of a sigh as she addressed everyone in the doorway. “Okay, you can go on in, but you better behave your-,” she growled as Spike and Rainbow barreled in, “hey! I said behave!” Spike and Rainbow came about as close to tackling Discord as they could without hurting him. Spike held on to him the longest. “Hey, brother! We thought you died.” Twilight adjusted her glasses, looking Discord up and down. “Was it a magic surge?” Rainbow hovered above. “I heard in my last class that something went down, but my teacher wouldn’t let me leave! I had to wait till the final bell just to find out what happened!” Spike looked to Redheart. “Why hasn’t an ambulance picked him up?” “Discord doesn’t go to normal hospitals.” Redheart checked the collar around Discord’s neck. She hissed at the sight, but pressing a button lit up a green light that set her at ease. Discord reached for his mother’s hoof. “Mom. I’m alright.” “I know.” Redheart wiped her face as she kissed her son’s paw. “But, it looks really bad this time.” “What looks really bad?” Spike, Rainbow, and Twilight all parted like waves receding back into the ocean as Fluttershy came up close. “Oh my.” She looked like she might cry. Discord finally reached for his own neck. He flinched at first. The pain caught him off guard. Gently, he plucked off a clump of burnt hair. Under the collar, he could feel raw skin. “Maybe, I could,” He raised his claws to snap, but was stopped by Redheart. “Discord, no.” Redheart pushed Discord’s claws back down. “Wait till he gets here. Let him clean it up.” “Wait till who gets here?” Fluttershy asked. “Professor.” Discord smiled past everyone. “Good to see you again.” “I had hoped it would be under better circumstances.” Everyone turned to the doorway which was now inhabited by a chestnut stallion with a dark brown mane. A white collar framed a green bowtie hung around his neck. His accent was different, rhythmic even. It was easy to tell he wasn’t from around these parts. “Now, who’s who? Ah! My young dragon friend, would you mind holding this?” Before Spike could protest, the stallion dropped a black saddlebag into his arms. He struggled for a moment as the saddlebag weighed more than seemingly was possible. “Who are you exactly?” “Discord, for reasons unbeknownst to me, calls me Professor.” He popped open the saddle back and dug around with his face. “I prefer to be called by my professional title, Doctor.” Rainbow furrowed her brow. “Doctor who?” The stallion returned from the depths of the saddlebag and spat out a screwdriver. “No, no. Doctor Hooves. I also respond to just Doctor, or even Doc. That seems to be a popular condensing of the title.” Once more the Doc plunged into his saddle bag. “Ah ha! There it is!” He pulled out a stethoscope. “Alright. Let’s listen to your ticker.” Doc breathed on the stethoscope before plugging it into his ears. “Um, miss. I don’t mean to be rude, but, do you mind if I cut in?” “Oh.” Fluttershy hid her face behind her mane as she stepped out of his way. “Thank you.” Doc pressed the stethoscope against Discord’s chest. “Alright. Slow but normal, no. An increasing pulse? Discord? Discord, what are you looking at?” Discord looked away from Fluttershy and smiled. “All good?” Doc hummed as he moved the stethoscope around. “Deep breaths.” He listened. “No irregularities. Good.” He unplugged the stethoscope from his ears and hung it around his neck. “Now let’s take a look see here. Ooh.” He was silent for a moment as he lifted the collar. “Magic? Or was it an episode?” “Sort of an episode. There was another dream.” Discord gradually sat up. “I made a wall of pillows appear. But, I don’t think that set it off.” Doc pulled out a bottle of ointment and passed it to Redheart who went to work. “Right, I’ve seen some of your larger manifestations, and those never triggered anything before. So, if this is just from an episode, that means it’s getting worse.” Spike spoke up. “You can fix him, right?” Doc shrugged. “My scaly friend, Discord is unique. And, you don’t just fix a draconequus. It’s like trying to put a cork on a live volcano.” “Fascinating.” Twilight pulled out her notebook and started writing. Doc stared at Twilight. “Are, are those? You’ve been taking notes about Discord’s magic.” “Yes,” Twilight held the notebook up to Doc, “I’ve been working with him to help him gain control of his magic.” Doc whipped out a pair of spectacles. “Mental focus. Makes sense. Stream of consciousness, oh, that’s brilliant!” Redheart angrily cleared her throat to get Doc’s attention. “You can compare notes later. Right now, I need to get my son home. Is he alright to move.” “Yes, of course.” Doc packed his saddle bag back up. “We’ll take the shuttle. I’ll have to inform the General that his little boating escapade in Fillydelphia can wait. This is much more important. I’ll have to rent a lab space and find lodging. Learned my lesson from last time. Children, never sleep on experiments.” Doc shivered. “I’ll never look at candy the same way again.” Author's Note
No Way Out“For evil to flourish…” -Simon Bleach and chemicals lingered on the navy blue overalls. This Gallop hated it, but found it necessary. He pulled a crumpled bit of foil from his pocket. “Trash.” Gently, he undid the damage that had been done by carefully unrolling the edges. It was difficult to determine what was a wrinkle and what was a fold. Eventually though, the foil’s previous form came out. This Gallop studied the object, sure that the others on the public bus were paying him no mind. “A,” he hunted for the word, “flower.” A memory came to him of his home. He remembered seeing flora similar to this once, when he had wandered from his post. The bus suddenly stopped. It was the wrong stop. It was a sidestreet down one of the back alleys. The passengers didn’t complain though. In fact they said nothing. The passengers just blankly stared forward. The grey griffon bus driver picked up a microphone and activated the PA system. “Thank you for riding aboard Ponyville Transit Agency buses, promoting smarter fuel for a brighter future. Have a nice day!” The driver smiled at the Gallop at the end of the bus as the passengers all stood up at the same time and made their exit in perfect formation. This Gallop waited till the bus was empty and its doors were sealed. “A bold display of social unity.” “Oh, cut the coding,” the griffon driver made air quotes with his claws, “Gallop. There’s no microphones here. No one is listening. No one is watching. Feel free to relax, decompress. Could I interest you in a snack?” This Gallop raised a hoof in protest. “No thanks. It’s hard enough to keep my source as it is. She’s getting stronger.” The driver snickered. “Isn’t it nasty when your food keeps kicking inside. It’s so pathetic.” “Yes.” This Gallop tucked the foil flower back into his coveralls as he addressed the driver. “What was that march about? What’s Honeybee up to?” The driver pulled out a plastic baggy. Inside was a translucent piece of something. “New marching orders for anytime one of our own is intercepted. Honeybee wants a display of power from now on, to discourage our comrades from desertion.” This was a development shocking enough to make this Gallop stand up. “Desertion? How is that possible?” He knew if it was a relevant issue, someone had jumped ship. It didn’t make it easier to believe, though. “Who was it? Was it more than one?” “Just one.” The driver opened the baggy to this Gallop and offered it to him. “Get a good whiff.” This Gallop stepped forward and inhaled through his nose over the bag. “Oh.” Getting through the plastic smell, the real scent he required came through. “I see. He never really did fit in with the rest of us. Have they interrogated his brother?” “Yes.” The driver hid away the plastic baggy. “He knows nothing. And, he appears loyal. But rest assured, we’ll be watching him closely. Regarding other matters. How is the bird watching?” He cackled. This Gallop frowned as he once again smelled the bleach and chemicals that wandered from his coveralls. “I have some updates for Honeybee. The draconequus is gaining control of his powers. If anyone of us had been doing their job, they would have noticed the gargantuan flying pig that loomed in the sky a few days back.” The driver blinked in disbelief. “That was him?” “Yes. He very well might pose a threat. That is to say if he doesn’t destroy himself.” This gallop pulled out a rolled up manilla folder and gave it to the driver. “The draconequus might be unstable. His abilities may very well be his undoing.” “Very good.” The driver smiled as he read over the papers in the folder. “And,” he held up an instant photograph, “You saw this stallion?” This Gallop nodded. “Affirmative.” The driver growled under his breath. “He’s supposed to be on his way to Fillydelphia.” Thinking for a moment, he smiled. “I’ll inform Honeybee of these updates. And as for that stallion who’s helping the draconequus, test his defenses.” The driver straightened his cap as he drove the bus onto an open street to the nearest bus stop. “You got your shopping list. I’d love to hear about those recipes later.” This Gallop disappeared in the flood of ponies and other creatures that boarded the bus. Making his way to the bus stop’s bench, he watched as the driver drove off with a busload of new bodies ready to be shipped to their desired locations. His attention was stolen by the foil flower in his pocket. “It’s strange how they see things that aren’t really there.” His thoughts were interrupted by a rampaging voice. “Flowers! Yak see you have metal flower. Pretty. But not as pretty as yak’s flowers. Yak sell you flowers if pony has bits.” The raggedy yak gestured to a bucket of roses by her side. This Gallop hummed with a grin as he plucked out three fresh ones. “Here.” He levitated a few rainbow paper bit bills into the yak’s deposit box. “Yak can keep the change.” The yak nervously smiled as she offered a plastic wrap to this Gallop. “Uh, thanks.” ***** Entering Gallop’s house, this Gallop whistled. He dropped Galop’s keys on the stand by the front door. “Honey, I’m home.” A strange sensation filled his step. He felt like dancing as he made his way down the hallway to the master bedroom. “Dear?” Pushing the door open, he found himself actually thrilled to see the mare who slept on the bed, buried in the covers. The mare stirred before finally waking up. “Sweetums.” This Gallop searched his mind for the name. The name, he remembered. “Jasmine. I have something I’m going to give you.” The mare slowly sat up. “What is it, sweetums?” “I-.” This Gallop furrowed his brow. Something was wrong. He supposed he might be getting sick. He ignored it. “Flowers.” He unveiled the roses. “They are yours, now.” The mare’s face regained some of its expression. “For me?” She hugged the roses and sniffed them. “They’re beautiful. Thank you, sweetums.” Jasmine leaned over to this Gallop and kissed him. “Yes.” This gallop left the room, puzzled. He felt like he was getting sick. And another thing, he realized that the mare had never kissed him before. “Strange.” He locked his eyes on the basement door. “What is this? Why am I getting signals of disease? I am not infected, so what is this?” Trying to avoid the disturbance, he made his way to the living room and looked through the telescope set up in front of the larger window. Across the street, he could see a white shuttle autocarriage parked in front of the home of the draconequus. “Interesting.” Author's Note
Wishing“I’m very happy being me, although…” -Joy It was not an ideal weekend for Discord’s friends. For the most part they were silent in their seats as Andee drove them downtown in his autocar that was usually for his work. The dragon had cleared the tools and parts out of his plus sized autocar and replaced the detachable seats, that still smelled of dust. None complained about the smell nor the tools that still floated around. Andee checked the rear view mirror constantly to look at his son. “You okay back there Spike?” Spike finally looked up from the stack of Flash Magnus comics that he had brought along for Discord. “I’m okay.” Andee felt a sting in his heart. The way his son said it, he couldn’t believe him. “Everyone else?” Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy nodded. Twilight adjusted her glasses, focused on the papers in front of her. “I think I have all the make up work that Discord needs.” Redheart smiled from the front passenger seat. “Thank you for that, Twilight.” She sunk into her seat and tried to hide the tissue she wiped her eyes with. Andee reached over and held Redheart’s shoulder. “Hey, he’s gonna be alright. He’s strong, just like his mother.” Finally, a smile found its way onto Redheart’s face. “Thank you so much for doing this. You didn’t have to.” Fluttershy stared out the window at the passing autocars and pedestrians. She was the most quiet of them all. It was aquietness that went beyond her usual behavior. Rainbow could tell her friend was being excessively quiet. “You okay? You’re not worried are you? I know how you can be sometimes.” Fluttershy gave Rainbow a short lived smile. “Doc sounds like he knows what he’s doing. Discord seems to trust him. It’s just…” “Just what?” Rainbow asked. Fluttershy sighed. “I’m not sure. I’ve been thinking about something. He wrote a poem, and it was…” Rainbow snickered as she whispered, “Was it enough to make you blush?” Fluttershy hid behind her hair and stared out the window again. “No. It wasn’t like that. He just said hello. I think he was just being nice.” “And your song,” Rainbow played with a pair of sunglasses she’d found on the floor, trying them on and lowering them as she looked at Fluttershy, “I suppose that was just you being nice?” Andee brought his autocar to a halt between the white lines of a designated parking spot. “Alright everyone.” He pulled out an envelope. “Here’s our visitor passes. Don’t lose them.” He handed out a green laminated badge to everyone before tying his own around his neck. He smiled at Redheart. “Ready?” Redheart took in a deep breath. “Alright, let’s go.” The cream colored building they were parked at the base of was labeled by bold black letters, UniPhysics Laboratories. The process of entering wasn’t as much of a nightmare as the group had anticipated. After meeting with the secretary at the front desk, a unicorn in a lab coat came along with two security officers to guide them to their destination. The unicorn and guards led the group down a long hall and to a door that had been tagged with spray paint. Spike read the red tagging. “Hooves, burn in tartarus. Huh. Should we be concerned by that?” Redheart sighed. “He’s not exactly a popular character, wherever he goes. But, he’s one of the best.” She tapped a hoof against the door. A loud crash and bang was followed by a hollering Doc. “Come in!” The unicorn in the lab coat rolled his eyes as he motioned to one of the guards who produced a white and metallic key card. The unicorn used his magic to slip the card into an opening which triggered a buzzing sound. He opened the door and gestured for everyone to enter. The lab was an absolute mess. Trays and tools were scattered all over the place along with carts that were flipped on their sides. All the beakers and flasks were piled in a corner across from the pile of manuals and burners in the other corner. Strange fixtures hanging from the ceiling twisted together with ducting and pipes that all led to a white rectangular containment tank that was roughly the size of a train car. Dashing about it all was Doc in his own filthy lab coat. “Nothing is where it ought to be! How am I expected to work under these conditions. No quantum harmonizer? Bah! What sort of lab doesn’t have a quantum harmonizer?” He whipped around and scraped off a set of goggles, leaving behind a shadow where the goggles had been. “Ah-ha! Miss Redheart and company! Discord’s doing very well. I think I might have figured out a possible solution to help our draconequus friend. And, I believe it’s all thanks to his friends. Specifically Twilight.” Redheart walked straight past Doc and up to the tank. “His magic, is it out of control?” “I think that might be the problem I overlooked in the first place.” Doc flipped a chalkboard over that was covered with equations and drawing. “I’ve been looking at this the wrong way. I was so distracted with controlling Discord’s magic by suppression, that it never occured to me to let him freely expel his magic in periods.” Twilight’s face lit up. “Starswirl’s law of Perpetuating Source Dynamics! By letting off energy, it can prevent it from building up and becoming volatile.” “Uh,” Rainbow blinked in confusion, “can someone please speak in a language I can understand?” Twilight adjusted her glasses as she addressed Rainbow. “You know what happens when you mix vinegar and baking soda, right?” “It bubbles over, like those volcanoes we made in kindergarten.” Rainbow responded, rather proudly. “Precisely!” Twilight went on. “Now, when you put a cap on it, what happens?” She answered her own question. “It builds up pressure until either the cap blows off or the container,” Twilight didn’t finish that thought, “well, let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” “Can he see us?” Fluttershy flew up to the glass window on the tank. Doc shook his head. “I’m afraid not, my winged friend. He can’t hear us either. The glass is mirrored on his side and the containment module is sound proof. It helps Discord feel isolated.” Spike frowned. “That sounds horrible.” “On the contrary,” Doc stepped up to the glass window with everyone else, “he is a bit more forth-coming with his magic when no one else is around. It helps with getting him to let off pressure as it were. Come take a look, his powers are quite fascinating.” “Oh, my.” Fluttershy stared off into the distance across rolling hills of checkered grass. Trees appeared to be growing in curls and other perplexing shapes. Pink clouds filled rivers with thick brown rain. A windmill spun around in a circle while its propeller remained stationary. “It’s bigger on the inside.” Upon Seeing Discord floating in the center of it all, listening to music on his tape recorder, Fluttershy smiled. Twilight pressed her nose up against the glass. “It is bigger on the inside. But, that’s impossible. That’s along the lines of transdimensional physics, which is pure theory!” Doc hummed as he nodded his head. “Yet, here it is. I had hoped that, one day, Discord might be able to create such a space for me in a stabilized form. For a pet project of mine, but I’m rambling.” He reached for an intercom pad and held the button down. “Discord, your friends and mother are here.” Discord’s eyes popped open as a look of worry swept across his face. He snapped with his paw, and everything around him reverted back into a plain white room with a cot that hung from the wall by two chains. Discord pulled a newer looking collar from under the pillow on the cot. The chrome collar was a little bit larger than the old one and far less discreet. Doc released the intercom button. “I made some adjustments for the collar. It’s more properly insulated and can withstand stress from Discord’s magic better.” Fluttershy didn’t like it. “Why did everything disappear like that?” Redheart gave a heavy sigh. “He’s not super comfortable showing his magic to other people.” Once Discord had his new collar on, he held down the intercom button on his side. “Okay. I’m clear.” Doc nodded as he moved over to a control panel and forced down a heavy switch. A hiss came from the tank as the side door depressurized and opened up. Discord carefully made his way out, tugging a bit at the collar. “Hey everyone. Mom.” He met Redheart with a hug that lasted as long as she held onto him. “Hey Discord.” Spike held up the stack of Flash Magnus comics. “I figured you’d get bored, being all cooped up in here, so I brought you these.” Rainbow reached into a saddle bag she brought. “We put together some tapes for you as well. Spike said you liked older stuff, so I found some of the better stuff that I thought you ought to know.” “Thank you, guys.” Discord’s eyes began to well up, but no tears came out. “I can’t wait to get out of here.” Doc flipped through the pages a realty catalog that was propped up on a metal cart. “That time would come sooner rather than later if I can find a reasonable house that's suitable for my needs. Let’s see here. Ah ha! This one is only a block or two away from your residency. Ooh! And, it’s right next to power lines. I’ll have to talk to the city about tying directly in. I’m sure my uppers will sort that out for me.” He marked the page and closed the catalogue. “Wherever I end up, I’ll set up the Faraneigh magic containment tank so you can pop on by, once a week, to stretch your powers out in a safe environment.” “Wait!” Rainbow interjected. “How is it that you can afford all this?” Doc waved his hoof through the air. “Military contracts and the likes. There is a downside, however.” “Such as?” Andee stepped into the conversation. “Results.” Doc gagged on the word as he wiped his tongue with the sleeve of his lab coat. “While they appreciate my efforts to repurpose military developed technologies for civilian use, they still expect success as it were. Science is not always what you expect, and failure is just as revealing if not more than revealing as success.” Seeing that the group was talking off in the corner, and Twilight was answering all of Spike’s questions about the lab, Fluttershy stepped to the side with Discord who had begun looking through the tapes. “Are you okay?” Discord smiled at Fluttershy. “I’m better now that I can see my friends.” “So, we’re friends?” Fluttershy asked. Discord shrugged. “You don’t think we’re friends?” “I don’t mean it like that. I was just wondering-.” Fluttershy went quiet for a bit, thinking. “We’re friends. I’m just not sure if I know you that well.” Discord nodded. “I understand.” Fluttershy eyed the tank. “Why do you hide your magic from others?” Discord tried to respond, but he found that his words were catching in his throat. “I don’t- uh-.” He didn’t finish that thought. Giving up, he resorted to a simple shrug. “You don’t want to hurt others. Is that it?” Fluttershy inched closer and rubbed Discord’s arm. Discord stopped fiddling with the tape he was holding. “I think you know more about me than you give yourself credit for.” He tensed up at the sensation of Fluttershy rubbing his arm. It hurt to see nothing but sincerity in her eyes. “Nobody understands. No matter what I do to fit in, it never works. I hate this stupid collar. And, I wish I wasn’t different. I just want to fade into the background so the world will leave me alone. I wish I never had these stupid powers. Sometimes,” he faltered only for a split second, “I wish I was never born.” “No.” Fluttershy practically death gripped Discord’s arm. “Don’t talk like that.” She couldn’t mask the frown growing on her face. “You don’t have to be like everyone else. If you do that, you won’t be you. You’ll be just like everyone else. Discord, I wish you could understand. I wish you could understand how amazing your gifts are. And, I don’t believe there could be another person that’s strong enough or brave enough to live with the powers you have.” “I’m not brave.” Discord shook his head. “I’m afraid of everything. I’m afraid of losing control. I’m afraid of hurting others and being turned to-.” “To stone?” Fluttershy asked. Discord nodded, avoiding Fluttershy’s eyes as he held back the memory of his latest episode. "I know what it's like to be afraid of everything." Fluttershy backed off a little. “Are you afraid of me?” “No.” Discord interjected, a little loudly. “I just don’t know you all that well.” Finally, he smiled. Fluttershy smiled back. “You know, you’re magic is pretty amazing.” “Really?” Discord crossed his arms. “So, this doesn’t freak you out?” He snapped his claws and his head began to spin in circles as he made goofy noises. Fluttershy giggled at the display. “No. It’s really silly, though.” “Silly?” Discord held up one of the tapes. “You want silly?” Snapping again, he inserted his now spinning claw into the tape as he rested one of his paw’s digits on the exposed part of the reel. Nothing happened. “Hm.” But as he opened his mouth, the music poured out, “All around the,” he shut his mouth as Fluttershy began to laugh. Discord opened his mouth again, “Rock and roll is all they-.” Fluttershy pushed his mouth shut and let it fall open again to release the music, laughing every time. “How do you come up with that?” Discord eventually put the tape down. “Definitely not my joke. I’m sure some exterior forces from another universe are about ready to smite me with the power of,” he gave an over the top gasp, “copyright infringement!” Fluttershy’s laughter calmed, but her smile had been cemented into place. “There you are.” “What?” Discord asked. “There you are.” Fluttershy repeated. “There’s the real you.” Discord cocked his brow. “How do you know this is the real me?” Fluttershy looked through the tapes Discord was looking through. “Because, you’re happy.” Discord wasn’t exactly smiling wholeheartedly, but somehow she knew. “Here.” She picked up a cream colored tape with a white label that had been written on in pink. “Rainbow Dash and Spike helped me make this one for you.” Discord looked the tape over and smiled. “Thank you.” Fluttershy brushed Discord’s arm. “I know I can’t actually do magic, but if it means anything, I promise I’ll never turn you into stone.” “It means something.” Discord ejected the tape he was listening to earlier and put in Flutter’s tape for later. “Are you afraid of me?” Fluttershy tilted her head as she watched Discord in an odd manner. “No, not that I’ve seen you now.” ***** Fluttershy smiled out the window of Andee’s autocar. The world seemed brighter. “Miss Redheart? Does Discord like animals?” Redheart hummed from the passenger seat. “I don’t know, to be honest. We still have that pig that needs a home, but I don’t really know. Why?” “Just thinking of a trip we could make to the animal shelter.” Fluttershy explained. Redheart hummed again. “It could be good for him if you guys did something like that with him.” Rainbow leaned in to whisper to Fluttershy, “Or just you and him.” Andee grumbled as a beeping sound went off while he tried to focus on the street. “I’m sorry Redheart, could you find that for me?” Redheart picked up a pager from a cup holder. “Here you go.” Andee looked at the pager the moment he came to a full stop. He shook his head. “Who is it?” Redheart asked. The pager went off again. “Donna.” Andee slid the battery cover off and popped out the battery before dropping the pager back into the cupholder. Redheart glanced back and forth between Spike and Andee. “Everything okay?” “Yes.” Andee spat out. “Everything is fine.” He looked in the rearview mirror at Spike and sighed. “It’s gonna be alright.” “Woah.” Rainbow whistled to herself. “Not awkward at all.” Twilight coughed a little, and gradually fell into a fit of laughter that became hysterical. Spike and Andee followed suit, more so laughing at Twilight’s suffocating laugh. Redheart covered her face as she cracked as well. Rainbow and Spike laughed at each other when each of them snorted and wheezed. Andee clumsily searched for the controls to the autocar’s radio. Redheart helped him, ordering the dragon to keep his eyes on the road and not crash. The laughter faded under the music that filled the autocar. Fluttershy continued to smile out the window as she thought of the day. She was tempted to sing along with the lyrics but held back, nervous of everyone’s attention. There was one time she felt brave enough to sing in front of others. Thinking of that moment, Fluttershy whispered to herself, “I wish you could be here to see this.” Author's Note
Night in the City“From there to here, and here to there…” -Ted Discord questioned himself again and again as the buckball field grew smaller and smaller as Rainbow flew him up past the clouds. “I don’t know about this!” “Ah come on, Discord.” Rainbow slowed her ascent as a flock of birds flew over them. “Sometimes you just gotta jump in the water! Don’t worry. I’ll be with you the whole time.” Discord snapped a pair of aviator goggles into existence around his face. “Alright. Let’s get this over with.” Rainbow shook Discord. “You’re not gonna learn to fly with that attitude, buster. We’ll start when you’re ready.” Discord took deeper breaths to compensate for the thinner air. “Okay! Ready!” Rainbow let go and Discord entered into a dive. Concentrating, he slowly spread his wings out and away from his body. He could feel what Rainbow had described to him earlier, the drag. Feeling out the forces working against him, he experimented with his wings and their position. Discord remembered that he had to slowly curve into a glide. Feeling the rushing air catch on his wings, he manipulated them until he was falling at a forty five degree angle. From there, he managed to level out. “I’m doing it... I’m gliding!” Once Discord was comfortable with gliding he experimented with direction change. He banked to the left and then to the right. “This is awesome!” “I knew you could do it.” Rainbow flew up alongside Discord. “Maybe one day you’ll be as good a flyer as me.” “Very funny, Rainbow.” Discord continued into a circle above the buckball field. Rainbow flew just ahead, in front of Discord. “Alright, now you need to gain some altitude. Use your wings to push yourself higher.” Discord nodded. He worked past the drag to flap his wings, but the moment he did this, he quickly realized he was in trouble. “Uh-oh.” He was no longer gliding; he was falling. “Rainbow!” He was closing in on the ground. “No. No!” Discord did the only thing he could think of. He snapped his paw as he came within feet of the ground, disappearing. Rainbow dived down and slid into a landing. “Discord!” “He’s dead!” Spike screamed. “By the sisters, you killed him, Dash!” “Woah! Woah!” Rainbow marched up to Spike. “I killed him? What do you mean, I killed him?” Twilight slammed her notebook shut. “Relax! He just teleported. Give him a second.” Sure enough, Discord reappeared on the buckball field. He was shivering, and his horn and antler had icicles hanging from them. His teeth were chattering. “C-c-cold…” Spike raced up to Discord. “Dude! Where did you go?” Discord rubbed the warmth back into his own shoulders. “S-s-someplace, c-cold.” Twilight lit up her horn and engulfed Discord with her magic. “Good thing I learned this warming spell. Though, I thought I would have to use the fire extinguishing spell first. Spike, can you grab-. Spike? Spike!” Rainbow laughed. “He’s long gone.” “Huh, what?” Spike broke his gaze from the direction his eyes had been pinned to. “Sorry, I got a little distracted.” “The towel, Spike. Give it to Discord.” Twilight eyed the folded towel sitting on the bleachers. Spike smiled, nervously. “Right.” He grabbed the towel and tossed it up to Discord. Twilight looked off in the distance. “What were you looking at?” She found it. “Oh, brother.” Twilight rolled her eyes at the group of fillies passing by the buckball field, particularly the white and purple one. “Boys,” Twilight muttered. Rainbow started to laugh at Spike. “Try to keep your tongue in your mouth, loverboy.” “Dash!” Spike tightened his claws into fists. “Stay out of it.” Discord wrapped the towel around his body and sighed at the added warmth it provided. “You still haven’t talked to Rarity?” He snapped his paw into the head of a chicken puppet. “Are ya chicken? Bah-gawk!” “Ooh!” Rainbow teased as she waved a hoof in the air. “You gonna let that draconequus step all over you like that?” Spike crossed his arms. “At least I don’t draw pictures of my crush on my homework assignments. Unlike some people.” “Boo! Weak sauce!” Rainbow hollered. Twilight shrugged. “I have to agree with Rainbow Dash. You can do better than that, Spike.” Spike stomped his foot down. “That’s it!” Turning tail, he marched off the field, towards the group of fillies. “No way!” Rainbow’s jaw dropped. “He’s not gonna do it, is he?” Discord stared on as his friend called out to the fillies. “I think he is.” They all watched as Spike spoke with Rarity, who was smiling the whole time. It wasn’t much longer until Spike waved goodbye and came jogging back to the field. “Well?” Twilight asked. A devilish smile curled onto Spike’s face as he crossed his arms. “I have a date. Dinner, Friday night after school at Gino’s. Your move, Discord.” Rainbow smirked. Spike shook his head. “No. Don’t! Just let me have this.” Rainbow sauntered up to Spike. “How exactly do you plan to afford this date, mister moneybags?” “Doh!” Spike started beating the ground. “I’m doomed!” “Relax.” Twilight pat Spike on the shoulder. “How did you get money for all your comics?” Spike seemed about ready to claw his own face off. “I mow my lawn and beg my dad for money.” Discord pulled the towel a little tighter as he thought. “What if we mowed lawns to earn bits?” “Yeah.” Rainbow’s face lit up. “We could earn some money for ourselves and to buy stuff for the Spork Ranch. Spike, you’ve got a lawnmower. I know a guy that has a spare lawnmower. Discord could use his magic, after practicing of course. But, we need a face. We need someone who can sell our services.” Spike thought. “Someone who’s smart.” “Someone who’s not intimidating.” Discord’s gaze fell in line with Spike’s and Rainbow’s. Twilight looked at them all. “Why are you all staring at me like that?” ***** “I can’t believe you’ve never been to an actual mall before!” Rainbow was flying circles around Discord, Spike, and Twilight as they rode their bikes. Spike had hooked up an old micro trailer to his bike with a broken chair for Twilight. “Discord, have you actually been living under a rock your whole life?” “Ponyville is the first place I’ve lived in that has one.” Discord rounded the corner and stared up at the almost behemoth structure that stood before him. It was bigger than the school, standing three stories tall. The parking lot was almost bigger than his neighborhood. “Wow.” Numerous signs advertised the plethora of stores and restaurants inside. At the end of the structure was the entrance to a cinema theater. And right up front, a grand archway formed in stucco held up a neon sign. Fetlock Mall. Eventually they made it to a bike rack where they locked up their bikes before entering the mall. Discord didn’t know what to look at as three stories of activity fought for his attention. He saw it all. There were clothing stores, horse shoe stores, spas, a food court, and even an arcade. “Come on.” Rainbow rushed them all towards a particular shop. Salty’s Photos & Prints. Discord asked, “What are we going in there for?” “Business cards, duh.” Rainbow explained. “If we’re gonna have a business we gotta look like professionals.” Spike nudged Rainbow. “How exactly are we gonna afford business cards.” Rainbow flew up to the door and held it open. “I got a favor to cash in on.” The shop was lined with wood paneling and lit by an almost bluish light. These walls were adorned with posters and film strip negatives. Behind the front counter was a dirty white dragon hunched over a disassembled camera, armed with magnifying glasses, tweezers, and a screwdriver. He briefly looked up. “Photo or Print?” “Business cards.” Rainbow proudly stated. “Eh.” The dragon squinted down at the disassembled camera as he put a screw back in place. “Z! Customers!” “Yes,” Rainbow whispered, “he’s actually here on time.” Discord recognized the pony that stepped out of the back. It was the stallion that Fluttershy always ate with on the balcony, the one that always sat next to her. Discord fought off that spout of jealousy that grew inside. The stallion’s blonde mane was tied up into a rough bun. His uniform vest was covered in various pins and badges. “Ooh, yeah. There’s my favorite rainbow maned pony. Still giving me the cold shoulder?” “Can it. I’m calling in that favor you owe me.” Rainbow narrowed her gaze at the stallion. “I need business cards.” “Fourteen and Sixteen’s on the pallet,” the white dragon muttered as he wiped down a lense with a microfiber cloth. The stallion groaned. “See what a stand up personality Salty is? This job is really such a drag.” “Zeph, are you gonna make us the cards or what?” Rainbow demanded. The stallion hummed in laughter. “Dashy, you don’t have to act so tough just to hide your feelings for me. What would my sister think of her future sister-in-law acting so rude?” Rainbow gagged. “Not in a million years, Zeph. And, Fluttershy would sooner lock me away in prison than let me be subjected to you like that.” Discord’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. “Fluttershy? Sister?” The stallion smiled. “I’m Zephyr Breeze, Fluttershy’s brother. You can just call me Zeph.” Discord mentally slapped himself. Her brother! A part of him was rejoicing that this stallion was not at all romantically involved with Fluttershy. He’s her brother. Another part of Discord was chastising himself for imagining that Zephyr was her coltfriend. A shiver went down his spine at the thought. “So,” Zephyr wagged his eyebrows at Rainbow, “just the business cards? Or did you want something more?” Rainbow pointed at Twilight. “This pony’s face, on a card, with these words.” She slammed down a notebook page with their new lawn mowing business information. Zephyr sighed. “Alright, I’ll take her photo and have the cards ready in a few hours.” ***** After scavenging the food court for change, Discord found a pay phone to call his mother and inform her of his whereabouts. After that, he went to join Spike at the comic shop and game store. The store had just about everything Spike described to Discord. Shelves that reached the ceiling were loaded with comics, tapes, and collectibles. There were two arcade machines rigged so anyone could play for free. A record player behind the counter played music that fed into the rest of the store. As Discord entered the store, he was pleased by the greeting from the employee behind the counter, “Welcome to Faustian Comics. Is there anything you’re looking for? Brute Force? Flash Magnus?” “Do you have the latest issue of Flash Magnus?” Discord got excited as the employee almost instantly had a copy out for him. “How much?” “Only two bits.” Discord rejoiced as he pulled out three bits. He gave the employee the two cleaner bits as he took the comic. “Thank you.” “Discord!” Discord turned around to find Spike across the shop, waving him over. Making his way through the crowd, he could see ponies and dragons were hovering over a small table set up with a small map and little pewter miniatures. Getting closer, Discord could make out a griffon who had his side of the table blocked off by two binders that had been taped together. The other three who sat at the table were checking sheets and charts. There was a game of sorts going on, and every player had a set of dice. Discord had never seen dice with more than six sides before. “Discord.” Spike grabbed his arm. “They’re playing Ogres & Oubliettes, that game you said your teacher mentioned. Come on, they’ve just entered the tomb of Scorpan.” Discord blinked at that. “What does that mean?” “I don’t know, but it looks cool.” Spike pulled Discord towards a spot where they had a clear view of the game. The griffon laid out a new map and adjusted miniature furnishings. This new layout was a large open space with the players pieces at one end and a sarcophagus at the other. “Before you lays the final resting place of Scorpan. As you step into the room, the torches light themselves. You can see ahead, the stone coffin containing the remains of this tomb’s namesake. Atop the coffin, is the Sword of Destiny.” The surrounding crowd began to whisper amongst themselves. One of the players spoke, an earth pony with braces. “I move up to take the sword.” Before he could move his piece, the player next to him stopped him with her magic. “Wait.” The unicorn surveyed the map. “It could be a trap. One false move and our journey will have been for nought.” She turned to the third player. “Wizard, is there some spell you can cast to check for traps.” The dragon smirked. “I cast fireball in the middle of the floor.” Before he could be stopped, he rolled a clawful of six sided dice. The griffon cocked his eyebrows. “Aside from the scorched floor in front of you, nothing seems to have been triggered or set off.” “Hmm.” The dragon nodded as he scratched his chin. “Obviously, if there are any traps, they are beyond even my superior methods of detection.” The unicorn turned to the earth pony. “Paladin, be my guest.” “Yes your highness.” The earth pony pushed his piece forward. “Hold my ale while I fetch that sword.” Discord couldn’t take his eyes off the game as he watched every part of it. From the way the players placed their character’s fates at the mercy of a dice roll, to the way the griffon narrated the game like a stage play that unfolded at the will and choices of the characters, Discord wanted to do more than watch. He wanted to be a part of the game. He wanted to know how it all worked and how to play. ***** “Huh.” Spike eyed the business card as he and Discord walked back to their bikes. “Twilight looks very different without glasses.” Discord stuck his stack of them in his bag. “I’m just glad they look good.” He looked around the darkening, empty, parking lot. “Yikes, it’s almost night. How long was that game going for?” “Long enough that Twilight and Dash had to find us before they left.” Spike jumped at a leaf that blew across his face. “This place gets really creepy at night. Come one, I know the shortcut back to our neighborhood.” Once their bikes were unlocked, Discord and Spike went full force, pedalling as fast as their feet could push. They were racing against the setting sun as they squeezed through bushes into a canal. It hadn’t been raining, so it was dry for the most part, but the dried muck from years past still held a subtle stench. As hard as Discord and Spike tried to beat the dying of the light, night soon drowned out the light. “Uh, Discord?” Spike slowed down when he couldn’t see very far ahead. Discord freed up his paw. “On it.” He snapped two lamps into existence on their handlebars, lighting their way. “Wow. Even with lights, this canal is creepy.” Spike slowed his pedaling again when a sound caught his attention. “Wait. Is that water?” Discord perked his ears up. He could hear it too, but looking at the canal under the lamp’s light, he could see it was still dry. “There must be a drain or something somewhere.” A shadow on the wall of the canal up ahead came into view. The sound of the rushing water got louder. “Hold up.” Spike stopped by the shadow, which was now clearly an indentation that framed an iron grate. The iron grate was padlocked shut. Discord felt every hair on his body begin to stand up. “Spike I don’t like this.” Spike had stepped away from his bike, up to the iron grate. “This padlock, it’s new. It’s not a city lock either.” Discord could hear something else over the running water. “Spike. Come on. Let’s go!” “Hang on.” Spike jiggled the lock, half expecting it to be unlocked. “What are you worried about?” Looking up, Spike yelped at the matted face pressed against the grate. “Help. Help.” “Gah! Oh my-.” Spike stumbled back until he tripped over his bike. Discord peered through the dark. Adjusting his bike, he shined the lamp at the face. It was a unicorn, a stallion. His face was white with a brown patch of fur around his eye. “Sir? Are you alright?” He could tell the unicorn had some sort of suit on, unusual for sewer workers. And, he was covered in a strange green goo. “Please, hel-.” the unicorn’s eyes grew. “Oh no. He’s coming! Run!” A hoof wrapped around his throat before he could scream any longer. “Hush now.” A face appeared behind the stallion. It was the same face, brown patch and all. “You’re scaring the children.” The unicorn screamed for the last time as he was dragged into the darkness with the rushing water. Discord yanked Spike off the ground in a panic. The moment the dragon was back on his bike, they both took off down the canal with more determination than before. Spike mumbled shouts to Discord as they came closer to the bridge that carried the street leading to their neighborhood. “Did you see that? His face! It had his face!” Discord regretted looking back. Behind them was the unicorn, but it really wasn’t. “Spike, pedal faster! And, don’t look back!” The unicorn came closer and closer. He was closing the distance, and his legs didn’t even so much as twitch. Spike screamed as the unicorn appeared right in front of them. “Discord!” Discord saw the whites of the unicorn’s eyes as he snapped his claws. Only, those eyes were beginning to glow green. “Adios, creep!” The unicorn disappeared in a flash along with everything. Spike looked through the black void that surrounded him. “Where are we?” “I don’t know.” Discord swallowed his words as a massive eye opened next to them. The edges of the eye were almost indistinguishable. Discord shrugged at the sight. “I’ve seen worse.” He readied the return snap. “My house.” When the flash of white dissipated, Spike and Discord slammed their brakes, trailing a tail of smoke as they rolled up into the driveway of Discord’s home. Catching only a momentary breath, the two dashed inside. Their bikes were their last concern in that moment as they barreled down the hall into Discord’s room. After shoving the dresser in front of the door and flipping the bed frame over as cover, they awaited for what might come next A knock came at the door. Discord and Spike yelled as they hid behind the bed. “Um, Discord?” Discord slowly popped his head up. “Mom?” “Wait.” Spike yanked Discord back down. “What if it’s a trap? What if it’s him?” Discord held his breath as he stepped over the bed. “Yeah, mom?” Redheart’s voice came through, a little irritated. “Son, you left the front door wide open.” Discord loosened up. “It’s her.” He shoved the dresser away from the door so he could open the squeaking door, revealing Redheart and Donna. Spike screamed. “Look out, it’s one of them!” He launched a pillow at Donna’s face. The griffon’s face wrinkled as she growled under her breath. “Oh,” Spike sighed with relief, “it’s just you.” “Donna came over to wait for you, Spike.” Redheart looked at the dresser behind the door and the overturned bed. “Uh, do I wanna ask?” Spike brushed himself off. “About what? The giant eye or two face?” "Giant eye?" Redheart blinked in amazement before coming to a conclusion. “Discord. Did you try to teleport again?” Discord nodded. “It seemed like an emergency.” “I’ll say.” Spike muttered. “Well are you both alright?” Redheart went into nurse mode, looking both Spike and Discord up and down. “We’re fine, mom. Honest.” Discord looked down at the floor, mostly to make sure his legs were still attached. They felt like spaghetti after pedaling for his life. “I’m sorry we were out late.” “Whatever.” Donna picked her beak with a claw. “Hurry up Spike. Let’s go, I don’t want your father to be all worried. He gets hard to deal with when he’s worried about you.” Redheart reluctantly followed Donna into the hallway. Spike elbowed Discord. “You weren’t going to tell her about two face?” “No,” Discord lowered his voice, “I think we should tell the Professor.” Author's Note
Confusion“You cannot hope to build a better world without improving…” -Marie “Ha ha hah!” Rainbow rested on the lawn mower she pushed along side Discord’s and Spike’s. “That’s hilarious! You seriously thought Zeph was Fluttershy’s boyfriend?” Discord rolled his eyes. “I get it, I’m a dork.” Spike listened as kept counting his money over and over again. “I’m a little surprised you’re not more weirded out by Discord’s crush. You know, the crush he has on your friend.” “Yeah, normally I would be.” Rainbow switched from walking to flying, giving her legs a rest. “But, Discord has an advantage on every other stallion that’s asked her out.” “What’s that?” Spike asked. Rainbow smirked at Discord. “He’s not a complete jerk.” “Thanks, I guess?” Discord grumbled as he checked the terribly miniscule amount of bits he earned. Three bits, he though, that’s like a bit per hour! “No, seriously.” Rainbow stopped and flew in front of Discord. “Sure, you went out of your way to help me just because you wanted to fix your situation with Fluttershy, but I’ve never met another that would do that for her. That tells me something important, you care. And to be honest, I’m kinda rooting for you.” She went back to pushing her lawn mower. “But, I’m not putting in any good words for you. You gotta earn it all yourself.” “That’s fair.” Discord shrugged. “Did she tell you that, about me caring?” “Yeah.” Spike wagged his money at Rainbow in an accusatory manner. “No offense, but you’re not exactly the romantic type.” “I am too!” Rainbow shot back. “I’m just not all mushy gushy, and I don’t like to talk about it.” “Fair enou-.” Spike winced as they came closer to his house. Rainbow and Discord visibly sunk as they heard it, the yelling. It was becoming more and more frequent, and its effects on Spike were becoming clearer and clearer to see. It was always clear when the yelling had occurred. At school, Spike would neglect his lunch and sink into a quiet stupor where he’d be in and out of conversations. It affected everyone else too. Just the other day, Twilight cried about how she got her first A-. She claimed she was distracted. However, they all knew that was Twilight speak for, I’m worried about Spike. Discord wished he could send Donna to one of those places he passed through when teleporting, and he’d just leave her there. He pat Spike on the shoulder. “Come on, bro. Let’s go.” The yelling got louder, and Discord felt his collar buzz. “Let’s get out of here.” They dropped the lawnmowers off at Discord’s house before they travelled two street over to a house that stuck out like a sore thumb. Between the freshly barred windows, and the three radio towers bolted to the rooftop, it looked more akin to a high security military facility than an actual house. The power lines that hung over the house sparked suddenly. “Good thing this isn’t an H.O.A. neighborhood,” Spike muttered as he pulled out his EC radio. “Tuning into the mad scientist’s lab.” He meticulously clicked a button in a specific pattern which sent out a stream of tones. A flash of light boomed through one of the windows. Spike nodded. “He heard us.” After a multitude of clacks and heavy mechanical sounds, air hissed from the front door as it opened. As the door swung open, it revealed itself to be almost a foot thick with steel and pistons. Doc jumped out, covered head to hoof in a white environment suit. “Great wickering stallions! Kids! Come on in, I’ve got some interesting results from that drain you passed.” He disappeared back into the house. Rainbow nudged Discord. “What’s that all about?” “You didn’t tell her?” Spike asked. The walk into the house was enough for Discord and Spike to fill Rainbow in on what happened during their ride home from the mall. Rainbow held on to a look of uncertainty. “That’s pretty freaky, but how do you know they weren’t just twins?” Spike rolled his eyes. “I don’t know. Maybe it was just the fact that he was chasing us. Oh! And, his eyes were glowing green!” “Still,” Rainbow shot back, “they could have been brothers that were caught up in something.” Doc finished flinging the environment suit from the last of his legs as he dashed around the living room which had been fitted with diagnostic machines, a rack of chemicals, and other bizarre contraptions that weren’t identifiable. Doc eventually retrieved a vial of green goo. “Vuala! This is what I retrieved from the drainage grate. It took me a while to confirm its identity, but I was sure I had recognized it from the beginning. I haven’t seen this stuff since the changeling wars ended.” Discord remembered hearing his mother and grandmother worry about that time when he was younger. He vaguely remembered the protesters that fought against the draft and the signs that read, Bring Our Sons Home. The last Discord remembered hearing of it was the memorial that had been constructed in Canterlot city not long ago. Spike took the vial and scrutinized it with his eyes. “Okay. But, what is it?” “Vomit!” Doc exclaimed. Discord and Rainbow gagged as Spike stretched his arm out and tried not to up chuck. All of them muttered, “Gross!” Doc took the vial back and set it on a rack with more samples of the substance. “Gross, indeed but still a scientific marvel, nonetheless. The changelings used this stuff for building hives, barricades, and even storing prisoners. When mixed with saliva or any light solvents, it changes into a wax like substance that can be manipulated up until the point where it dries into a hard structure.” “What’s it doing in the canal?” Rainbow asked. “I’ll explain.” Doc picked up a yardstick and whacked it against the floor, breaking off a piece. “Notice anything?” Discord took the broken yardstick and found a hardened glob of the substance holding together a broken section near the new break. “It the wood broke before the fix did. It’s like glue.” “Ah, yes! You see, after the changeling wars, many veterans believed they could make a fortune selling this stuff by smuggling it into Equestria. Of course, the government came cracking down on such activities like a sledgehammer to a peanut. It was banned in most countries, but it’s not uncommon to find decade old fixes that utilized this substance. I’ve even found recycled military equipment that’s been repaired in this manner.” Spike scratched his chin. “That drainage grate, you said it was in a goo form you found it. So, if it wasn’t being used to repair anything, because those grates are supposed to open, then why was it down there?” Doc shrugged. “No idea. But, a likely explanation would be that someone was looking to dump it before they got caught with it.” Discord looked at one of the vials. It looked almost the same as the glow of two face’s eyes. “What about an unlikely explanation?” “Pfft! Ha ha!” Doc wiped his eyes after his fit of laughter ended. “Are you suggesting that there’s a changeling roaming around the sewers under Ponyville? That’s preposterous! Everyone knows the changelings were wiped out along with their queen. I would know, since I was the one who helped secure her body at…” He paused. “I’m not going to finish that sentence, and since you all signed those waivers, you legally can’t disclose any of that information. Understand?” “Yes sir.” Spike saluted before cracking a smile. “You certainly didn’t disclose any information regarding the secret base hidden in the San Palomino desert.” “That’s right.” Doc smiled. “I didn’t disclose any information regarding Stable 74 nor,” his eyes shot wide open. “No. No! You sneak of a dragon! There is nothing out there but a military weapons testing site, and that’s public knowledge.” “Okay, nerds.” Rainbow cut in. “What about this unicorn that supposedly has the same face as another unicorn?” Doc tapped his chin before shrugging. “Twins?” “That’s what I said!” Rainbow glared at Spike and Discord. “Although,” Doc tapped his chin again as he thought, “hm. I couldn’t risk not covering the bases as it were.” He walked over to a briefcase and popped it open. The case was tied into other wires that traveled up through conduit into the ceiling. Clearing his throat, Doc Spoke into the device in the briefcase. “Action Saddle Fetlock, this is Draft Whicker Trot sixty three. Calling in for a possible Konic Draft Fetlock. Respond when convenient. Over.” Doc closed the briefcase. “I suggest you kids get going. I’ll be having some experts coming over soon, so you best be out of the way. It would be best if you got home before dark.” ***** “That was weird.” Rainbow flew as she talked. “It was almost like he believed there really was a changeling out there.” Spike shrugged. “I dunno. Maybe he was just doing like he said, covering bases. If those experts, Doc was talking about, find nothing, all the better. Right, Discord? Discord?” Discord kept his eyes on the willow tree in the middle of the park they were passing. “I think you’re right, Spike. But, I can’t shake this odd feeling that something else is up. I’m honestly a little worried.” The image of the unicorn’s glowing eyes stung his memory now. The idea of changelings in Ponyville really did spook him. But, if it turned out to be just one survivor from the war, surely the experts Doc talked about would neutralize it. Considering the notion of the changeling goo just being someone’s illegal stash, that was a comfort. Discord understood crime. He figured that that’s what it must be. Two unrelated crimes clashed together to make up a scenario that seemed more serious than reality dictated. Discord was convinced. He’d seen unicorn eyes glow when performing powerful spells. He figured the goo just happened to be in the same spot as a scuffle between two twin brothers. “I wouldn’t worry about it.” Rainbow sighed. “You told him you saw two identical unicorns with a patch around their eyes. They’ll probably find them and sort out whatever’s going on. They are experts, like Doc says.” Discord didn’t want to worry. “You’re right. They’ll handle it. And, we won’t have to worry about it now.” Spike crossed his arms. “Kinda makes you curious though.” He surveyed the neighborhood. “Changelings can turn into anyone. Donna could be a changeling. My math teacher could be a changeling. Even your neighbors could be changelings!” “Yeah, right.” Discord rolled his eyes. “If this cookie cutter neighborhood has changelings in it, then I’m a fairy princess.” “You could be a fairy princess,” Spike snickered, “if that’s the character you’re settling on for O&O.” “What’s O&O?” Rainbow asked. Spike dramatically slapped his chest and reached out to Rainbow with his other arm. “You mean to say, madam, that you have not heard of the world’s greatest roleplaying game?!” Rainbow cocked a brow at Spike’s antics. “Sounds kinda like egghead stuff to me.” “Excuse me,” Discord laughed, “Twilight is the egghead that helped you get your grades back up. So, you are the last person in this group that can talk down, quote on quote, eggheads.” “Twilight is different though. She’s booksmart. This is…” Rainbow went quiet as she hunted for the words. Spike picked up with his own, “just another excuse because you think you’re too cool for O&O. Maybe,” Spike flashed a devilish smile, “you’re not cool enough for it.” Rainbow stopped and hovered in place. “Woah. Slow down there. I’m cool enough for anything.” “I don’t know,” Spike teased, “I’d say there’s a percentile for this game that you’re simply lacking.” Rainbow snorted. “What percentile?” Spike crossed his arms, smirking as he said, “Twenty percent.” Rainbow hummed, her attention hooked. “Oh, yeah? What exactly is this game, anyway?” “It’s Ogres & Oubliettes.” Discord explained. “It’s a fantasy roleplaying game where you battle monsters, hunt for treasure, or go on any adventure the game master makes up.” “Doesn’t sound too bad.” Rainbow clicked her tongue in thought. “So is there are there specific characters that we play as?” Discord smiled at her question. “Whatever you want. You can be any race, any age, and any class. You could be anything from a knight to a magician. There’s a way to mix classes, but the rules recommend that for advanced players.” “So, I could be whatever I want? Could I be like a ninja?” Rainbow asked. “Actually,” Spike thought, “I believe there is an assassin subclass for thief.” “Assassin you say?” Rainbow flew behind a bush and pantomimed the act of sneaking up on a target before hopping onto the sidewalk and chopping the air. “Sounds pretty cool. I guess I’ll give it a shot.” Discord snapped a pair of frameless glasses onto his face that were taped up with a bandage. “And of course, we’ll help you with the egghead stuff.” “Thanks.” Rainbow laughed. “So, when do ya all plan on playing this? Saturday? I thought we were doing Discord’s magic practice. And, about that...” Discord asked, “What about that?” “The lawnmower I’m using, it’s actually one of the lawnmowers Big Mac uses on his family’s farm. And as a return favor for borrowing it, I said I would babysit his little sister for him on Saturdays. Would it be cool if she tagged along?” Discord shrugged. “I don’t see a problem with that. Do you Spike? “I got nothing against it.” Spike snapped his claws at Rainbow. “And to answer your other question from earlier, we’re thinking about Fridays. Well, it’ll be the Friday after this Friday of course.” “Yeah, that’s right,” Rainbow mushed Spike’s cheek around, “the wittle dragon is going on his first date with a doll.” “She’s not a doll.” Spike sort of snapped back. “She’s a fashionista with a sense of taste.” “Oh, brother.” Discord rolled his eyes. Spike groaned. “Hey, you’re supposed to be on my side.” “No offense Spike,” Discord forced a smile as he tried to find a delicate way to put what he meant to say, “but I am a little confused as to why she said yes to you. I mean, have you seen the others she hangs out with? They don’t seem like the type of ponies to hang around guys like us. They’re all unicorns, and they seem a little elitist.” “Dolls.” Rainbow reaffirmed. Discord could see Spike was beginning to frown. “Look. Just be careful. You barely know this filly. I just don’t want you to get hurt if it turns out there’s something else up. I want it to work between the two of you. I’m just looking out for you, bro” “Thanks.” Spike smiled. “I thought I was the hopeless romantic.” Discord shrugged. “I guess it’s rubbing off.” “Gah,” Rainbow gagged, “guys, cut the mushy gushy stuff.” Discord and Spike both laughed at Rainbow’s general discomfort as they continued to walk to Discord’s home. Author's Note
Do Ya“Believe you can and…” -Teddy At the center of the now mown field in front of the shack, Discord focused his magic as he hovered above the ground. An amoebic form of colors and objects circled around him as he guided it with his lion’s paw and eagle claws. Sending it downward, the grass took on unusual colors and patterns. In all of these actions there was a stabilizing factor. Before the draconequus was his tape player, spinning out music with a distinctive beat. “Fascinating!” Twilight Sparkle took note of her observation. “He’s following the four over four count of the music. Discord, are you keeping track of that?” “Every song has a pattern.” Discord remarked. “You can feel it. Parts repeat, and lyrics have a structure behind them.” A young blonde filly around Twilight’s age piped up. “Is he one of them musical geniuses or somethin’?” Her orangish fur stood out against everything. Her eyes were as green as the grass. “Granny Smith always said some ponies had music in their blood.” “Applejack,” Rainbow hushed the filly up, “you’ll break his concentration.” Applejack muttered to herself. “Someone’s grumpy.” Rainbow narrowed her gaze at the filly. “What was that freckle face.” “Nothin’, rainbow butt.” Applejack yawned. “Are we just gonna watch him do that all day, Big Mac said you guys were supposed to be fun.” Discord hummed as he hid his paw behind his back and snapped it. A multicolored flower sprouted from the ground and hung over Rainbow. “Huh, what the-?” The flower opened, letting loose a small tide of rainbow fluid that covered her from head to hoof. “Ha! Rainbow butt!” Applejack fell over and rolled around in hysterical laughter. “Very funny, Discord.” Rainbow wiped her face off with a leg, but not before a flash of white cleaned her off completely. “Oh, thanks. Say, you’re getting pretty good at that.” Spike nodded as he finished the popcorn he was snacking on. “Agreed.” He offered some of the popcorn to Applejack who didn’t hesitate to accept. “This is definitely an improvement compared to Pigzilla.” “Pigzilla?” Applejack asked. Discord sighed. “She’s a flying pig I made appear. I turned her back into a normal pig, but I still need to find a home for her.” “Well,” Applejack rubbed her neck as she thought, “I don’t know about flying pigs, but my family keeps and feeds normal pigs. We just take ‘em to shows, so she’d be safe with us. And, you could come see her whenever you’d like.” “Thanks, Applejack.” Discord sighed again, in relief this time. “That would be wonderful.” This little revelation came as a great comfort to him, and he knew it would be to his mother as well. With that, he lost himself to the music again and closed his eyes. Listening to every beat, Discord began to dance with his magic carrying him. A dirt spiral staircase carried him up before he slid down a grassy slide that looped around a couple times before dropping discord onto a raised section of grass that had been divided into color changing squares. Each square he stepped on lit up a different color as he twirled and cross stepped. Flowers grew from the ground and opened up into spotlights that alternated between red and blue as they followed Discord. All of this, and it was a small sound that brought it all down, a gentle laugh. In a brilliant flash, everything vanished, returning to the normal mown grass from whence it came. Discord cleared his throat as he landed on his feet. Turning, he smiled at the pegasus who’s quiet laugh almost made him turn to stone. “Hello, Fluttershy.” “Hello, Discord.” Fluttershy came up to him from the opening marked by the pile of bikes. “That was really amazing.” Discord tugged at his collar, which was buzzing. “Heh, really? You think so?” Twilight deadpanned as she slapped her notebook shut and groaned. “Take five everybody.” “Does that mean I can talk now?” Applejack asked. Fluttershy giggled at that. “Is this really where you’ve been practicing? It’s so beautiful out here.” Like you. Discord smiled and couldn’t fight himself as he helplessly watched Fluttershy survey the sights and sounds around them. “Ah, why is it so bright?” Spike yelled. Rainbow covered her eyes. “Yeah, and where are these rose petals coming from?” Discord snapped his claws, removing the glare from the sun and the rain of rose petals. Fluttershy looked back at Discord, confused by everyone’s complaints. “I think that’s enough magic for one day, guys.” He didn’t understand how that magic happened without him actually thinking about it. Tugging at the collar, he grumbled about it not doing it’s job. Applejack stretched out. “What else are we gonna do? Can we walk around the woods behind this dusty old shack?” “Why?” Rainbow gestured to the tree line. “There’s nothing interesting in the Everfree.” Spike swallowed another mouthful of popcorn. “I heard there were ancient ruins in the Everfree. But, no one has ever found them. Supposedly there’s like a curse that keeps them hidden.” “No way.” Twilight snorted as she packed her notebook away in her saddle bag. “You’re just making that up.” “Hey,” Spike waved his claws, defensively, “it’s just what I heard from one of my dad’s work buddies.” “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!” Applejack took off into the woods. “Wait up!” Rainbow rushed after her. “Dang this kid is fast!” Twilight nudged Spike. “Come on.” Spike groaned as he sat up, taking his popcorn with him as he followed Twilight into the trees. “I guess we’re going into the woods.” Discord’s expression sunk a little as he saw Fluttershy’s face. “What’s wrong?” Fluttershy shivered as she stared at the treeline. “I-in t-there? Into the d-dark,” she gulped, “scarey f-forrest?” Discord reached out and rested his paw on her shoulder. “I’ll be there every step of the way. I won’t let anything happen, either. I promise.” Fluttershy stopped shivering. “Promise?” “Yeah.” Discord gave her his best smile. “I promise.” The two gradually made their way through the trees at a steady pace. Discord made sure he stayed next to Fluttershy as he followed a trail of hoofprints with the occasional piece of popcorn from Spike and feather from Rainbow. It wasn’t hard for him to stay close as he found that Fluttershy stayed within inches of him at all times. At a certain point, the trees became denser, and the light became more sparse. Trees and rocks looked like shadows. Discord found himself startled when he heard Twilight yelling about something up ahead. Hearing Spike laugh soon afterward quickly calmed him. “Ah!” Fluttershy shrieked as she dove behind Discord. Sharply turning, Discord faced the shadow of some large thing that almost looked like a wolf. “Oh.” He held back his laughter when he realized it was just a dead tree that had fallen over. Feeling Fluttershy shivering behind him, Discord held her shoulder. “Fear not m’lady, I shall defend you from this monster!” Discord snapped as he kicked the log into a spin and shaved it with a glowing sword. The log came to a steady halt, revealing a crude carved statue of a prancing pony. “Hmm, I think I’m a little out of practice.” “Wha-?” Fluttershy sighed before smiling up at Discord. “Hm.” She hummed a little laugh before she approached the newly formed statue and studied it. “I think it’s a great start.” Her form was still visibly shaking as she gathered up enough breath to say, “Thank you.” Discord shrugged. “I promised.” “You did.” Fluttershy beamed as she stepped a little closer to Discord. “Discord. I- uh-.” “Discord!” Spike’s voice rang through the trees. Discord’s heart began to race. “What is it Spike? What’s wrong?” He stood in front of Fluttershy, clutching his sword tighter. Twilights voice came. “You’re going to want to see this. Hurry up!” Discord snapped away the sword and statue, motioning for Fluttershy to come along. They ventured further to a point where light practically spilled through parts in a canopy that looked almost unnatural for the forest. The sounds were even different. The area was more akin to a jungle, complete with bright colored birds and vines that sprawled out across the ground. Discord noted that the birds were all the same red and orange colors, and they had a glow about them. “Woah.” Discord felt his breath fail him as he searched for words. Beyond Spike, Twilight, Rainbow, and Applejack lay a bridge leading to a ruin of stone work that had been overgrown for what looked like centuries. The bridge, though crumbling, had wood build over it to create a clear path. “Someone’s been here before!” Twilight declared. “These planks are newer than everything else.” Rainbow pointed to the stone structure. “That looks like a castle. Like, an actual castle.” She flew over the bridge. “Who wants to bet there’s treasure inside?” “Wait!” Twilight chased after Rainbow. “This could be an archeological site of great importance! You can’t just going around, raiding gold!” Spike rolled his eyes. “Relax Twi. It’s probably just a broken down amusement park that was abandoned.” The dragon groaned as he motioned for Applejack to follow. “Come on.” Discord nodded to Fluttershy as they too crossed the bridge and followed everyone up a winding path that ended at the base of a set of large stairs. These stairs led up to a tall set of double doors that curved up with the archway that framed them. Spike knocked on the doors. “Woah, that’s some hard wood.” He tried to push the door. “A little help?” Applejack sauntered up to the doors, turned around and pushed them open with one solid push. “Your welcome.” Rainbow’s jaw dropped at the display. “You’re one strong earth pony.” “Ah, shucks.” Applejack bashfully crossed her legs as she looked away from Rainbow. Twilight was the first to enter. “Okay everyone, whatever you do, don’t touch-.” Her mouth dropped at the sight of two banners. “Oh my goodness.” Twilight ran into and around a great hall, touching and observing everything in her path. “Do you guys know what this place is?!” Discord was about to answer before Twilight shouted over him. “It’s the Castle of the two sisters!” Twilight came up to a pedestal with five arms holding up stone spheres that were each marked with a specific symbol. “Wuh-. It’s the elements of harmony.” Discord felt a little sick as everyone entered. He lingered by the door. Something felt off, like he wasn’t supposed to be there. He was about to wait outside until a yellow leg, Fluttershy’s, pulled him inside through the door. Fluttershy squeezed Discord’s arm. “You’re okay, aren’t you?” Discord nodded. Having been invited in by Fluttershy, he felt a load of weight fall from his shoulders. “Hey.” Fluttershy looked around the empty hall. “Where did everybody go?” Discord studied the ground. He could make out a mess of footprints that went in different directions. “Uh, they must have split up.” Bending over, he looked closely at the ground, trying to follow a set. “This way.” Following what looked like Spike’s footprints and a set of hoof prints, Discord traced them along a set of stairs until they stopped all of a sudden. “Huh?” The prints he followed had completely stopped as if the ones they belonged to were plucked from reality. “What is it?” Fluttershy asked. Discord looked at the floor ahead, the walls, and even the ceiling. “They’re probably this way.” Fluttershy reared back looking all the same directions Discord had. “Are you sure?” “No.” Discord wasn’t going to lie to Fluttershy about it. He was already concerned enough just thinking about how all their friends had suddenly vanished. “But, I don’t see where else they could have gone.” “Okay.” Fluttershy nodded. “Let’s see where it goes.” They followed the stairs all the way up to a door. Testing the latch, Discord was able to open it and push the door open. On the other side was a sort of balcony hall that was open to the air. Stone vases held flowers that had well overgrown their homes. A number of the reddish birds were here as well, staring at the intruders for a passive moment before going back to whatever else they were doing. Fluttershy approached one of the birds. “Hello there. Could you tell us what you are and what this place is?” The bird made a strange hushed cawing sound. “You’re a phoenix? And, this is the sister’s garden.” “Phoenixes.” Discord marvelled as he realized what they were. “Birds of fire that are reborn from their own ashes.” Fluttershy stared at Discord. “How do you know that’s what a phoenix is?” Discord shrugged. “How can you talk to birds?” Fluttershy hummed. “I love animals. And, I’ve always been good with them. What about you? How do you know that a phoenix is a bird of fire or whatever it was you said?” “Comic books.” Discord cautiously approached one. “Spike lent me a fantasy one once. It talked about phoenixes. Let’s see how accurate it was.” He took a knee, bowed his head, and held out his arm. In a few seconds, the phoenix Fluttershy was talking to flew to his arm. “Wow.” Discord’s eyes went wide. “That shouldn’t have worked. Here.” Discord motioned for Fluttershy to raise a leg as he passed the phoenix to her. Fluttershy giggled as the phoenix nuzzled her hair. “You’re so beautiful. Yes you are.” She gasped a little as more phoenixes flocked around her out of curiosity. “Oh my, there’s a lot of you.” Discord repeated the motion of taking a knee, bowing his head, but this time he held out both arms. It worked again as some of the phoenixes flew from Fluttershy to his arms. “What do we do now?” Fluttershy smiled before she started to laugh. “I don’t know.” Discord started to laugh as well. Their combined laughter was enough of a message for the phoenixes that they flew away to other spots. The one phoenix that Fluttershy spoke with stayed behind, though. Discord watched as Fluttershy thanked the phoenix before placing it on a vine. “Fluttershy?” “Yes?” Fluttershy locked eyes with Discord. It terrified him. “Uh, can I ask you something?” Fluttershy nodded. “M-hm.” Discord struggled to breath as he tried to keep eye contact. “What am I?” “What?” Fluttershy brushed her hair out of her face. Discord closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Am I a pony to you? Am I a dragon? Are,” he fought his weakening lungs, “are you really not afraid of me?” Fluttershy winced a bit. Her eyes were on the verge of tearing up. “I promise I’m not afraid of you, Discord.” She stepped closer. “I remember the first day I met you. I was afraid, but it was because you looked so alone. I didn’t know if you had any friends. I know that was a terrible thing of me to assume.” “No it wasn’t terrible.” Discord sat down in front of her. “You were just being kind. If it weren’t for your kindness, I don’t think we would have ever met. And, I’m happy we did meet.” “Why?” Fluttershy blinked before breaking eye contact and looking away. “I’m not special in any way. I’m quiet, and I’m afraid of everything. I can be a nervous reck, sometimes. I’m never brave when I need to be.” “That’s not true.” Discord shook his head. “None of that is true. I mean sure, you’re a little quiet. But, I don’t see why that’s a bad thing. The rest of the world is screaming. Everyone is loud. Too loud, if you ask me. There’s too many people that scream at each other.” He thought of Spike’s father and Donna. “I wanna be quiet. My voice can crack and be awkward. Don’t get me started on intermediate school, that was a nightmare.” Discord rejoiced when he caught a glimpse of a smile on Fluttershy’s face. He lowered his voice to almost a whisper. “This way I can hear myself think. I can hear the birds, the trees, and the sky. I can’t hear that with loud voices. I can hear the world with a voice like yours. And, it’s beautiful.” Fluttershy’s eyes wandered back to Discord. “The world? Or my voice?” Discord closed his eyes and smiled. “Both.” He kept his eyes shut. “You are so kind. I know you can be brave when you want to be. I believe it was brave of you to give me that notebook. I was a total stranger, but you were brave enough to talk to me and ask me how I was doing. You were brave enough to treat me like a normal person. I know it sounds corny, but aside from my mother, I’ve never met anyone that was brave enough to do that. But, she raised me. She knows me. I feel like a stranger sometimes, even with my friends. But, not around you.” Fluttershy piped up. “Why are your eyes closed?” Discord’s frame sunk as he felt his collar buzz. “I’m afraid to ask you, because I’m not like everyone else. I’m different. And, I don’t want this thing to bust around you. I can’t stand the thought of ever hurting you.” He flinched when he heard Fluttershy move, but as to where, he couldn’t tell. Then, he felt the last thing he ever expected. Discord could feel someone embracing him. He could hear that it was Fluttershy. Her face pressed into his neck. “You don’t ever have to be afraid of me. I promise.” Discord opened his eyes. He didn’t notice that they were rocking. “Promise.” “Promise.” Fluttershy fell forward. Discord caught her with a return embrace. He wanted to scream from the rooftops. The experience taunted him, because he knew it couldn’t last. A certain part of Discord felt like there was a mutual unspoken agreement. This was a cursed agreement. Since it was unspoken, and neither had spoken it, it could only exist behind a shadowed veil of a smile, a glance, and a hug. This was not a confession of any sort that could be interpreted. No. It was something else. It was a beginning. Discord wondered of the grander scheme of the universe. He entertained the idea of having met Fluttershy in another life. He believed in that possibility for no other sort of reasoning than the idea, that only under those circumstances could this moment be possible. “Do you-?” Discord broke the long silence. Fluttershy slid her face away from his neck. “Yes, Discord?” Discord could hear some words from a distant memory, a distant dream. “Do you-.” A voice came, this is your life. “Do you want to get something to eat or drink after class, sometime? I heard there was a cafe down the street from the school.” “Yes.” Fluttershy smiled. “Yes, I do.” Discord almost fell over from hearing that. His head was reeling as he finally registered her response. A bit of fear washed over him, but that voice came back again, this is your life… ***** Discord couldn’t stop smiling as he and Fluttershy descended back into the hall where everyone else had come back to. He noticed everyone’s dirt ridden faces. “Are you alright?” “I don’t wanna talk about it.” Rainbow hissed at a bruise on her wing, she wasn’t flying. Spike placed every step he made with the utmost care. “The place is boobytrapped. You fall down one whole in one room, then you fly out another hole in another room. If we come back to this place, let’s wear bubble wrap and stick together.” The dragon’s eyes shot between Discord and Fluttershy. “Where were you two?” “Looking for you guys.” Discord could see Rainbow catching on to what Spike was obviously pointing out. “Uh, Twilight, how are you holding up?” He was hoping to distract Fluttershy to divert her attention as far away from Spike and Rainbow as possible. Twilight grumbled as she pulled white tape out of her bag. “My glasses broke.” She was using her magic to align the two halves of her glasses that had broken at the bridge. Fluttershy rushed over to aid Twilight. “Oh my. Do you need any help?” Discord thanked the sisters that Fluttershy wasn’t looking as Spike and Rainbow smirked like clowns, slowly nodding to him. Applejack scuffed at the ground. “Can I go home after this?” Author's Note
Songbird“Love all, trust a few…” -Will The bus finally slowed down in response to Discord’s desperate yelling. Brakes squeaked and the driver grumbled as he pulled the crank that open the doors. “Kid, if you’re gonna keep being late like this, you might as well get yourself an auto car.” Discord smiled at the grifoon as he caught his breath climbing up the steps. “But then I wouldn’t get to see your shining face every morning, Mister Orrin.” The griffon grumbled again. “Just get on and take your seat.” Discord found an empty spot near the front. Plopping down, he fished through his bag and found his journal. Recalling the events from the ruined castle in the everfree, he began to write. He wrote in particular about his time with Fluttershy. “It’s strange to find comfort in others. When you open up, it’s terrifying.” Finding a flow of thought, Discord fell silent as he finished up his passage. He didn’t like how he ended it. But, he figured the evening would fix everything. The bus stopped, and the doors opened again. “Good morning Equestria!” Spike danced onto the bus, sporting a pair of shades that couldn’t even mask the beaming grin on his face. “Discord! Isn’t it a wonderful morning?” The dragon spun around before he landed in the seat next to the draconequus. “Ah! It’s so great to be alive.” Discord could hear raised voices coming from Spike’s house outside the bus. “The wicked witch is singing. It’s a Monday. We’re on our way to school. And on top of all of that, it’s great to be alive? Who are you, and what did you do with the real Spike?” “I,” Spike lowered his shades, “am a changed dragon. Not only has light filled this vagabond’s withering heart, but my status has also been upgraded to not single.” Discord did a double take at that. “Not single? Wait. Rarity?” “Sir!” Spike grabbed his own chest over his heart. “You make me weak by speaking the name of my beloved.” Discord couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “But, you just went on the one date.” Spike shook his head. Raising one claw, he followed up by raising a second. “Yesterday was amazing.” “That seems awfully fast.” Discord didn’t like it. Something felt off, but he didn’t want to say anything to his friend who was on cloud nine at this point. “What happened.” “We talked. Well, mostly she talked.” Spike sighed as he straightened his shades. “Discord, she’s beautiful. And, her voice! Never in my life could I have imagined things going so well for me.” Neither can I, Discord thought. “She’s an artist with fabric, she makes her own dresses!” Spike quickly saw that Discord was holding something back. “Hey, what’s up?” Discord didn’t want to disrupt Spike’s high, so he addressed something else. “I have a date after school with Fluttershy.” “Woah.” Spike sat up straight. “When were you gonna tell me this?” Discord shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m not even sure if it’s really a date. I just asked her if she wanted to get food after school at the cafe down the street.” “Bro,” Spike rubbed his eyes before pointing at Discord with his shades, “that’s called a date.” “Oh.” Discord remembered the excitement on his mother’s face this morning when he told her he was grabbing a bite with a filly. “Oh! Oh no. I don’t know if I’m ready for a full on date!” “Relax.” Spike pat Discord on the shoulder. “You got money for this date don’t you?” Discord nodded. “Then, you’re fine.” Spike put his shades back on and made himself as comfortable as was possible on a school bus seat. “Just make sure you pay for the whole thing and you’re good.” ***** Everyone scrambled after the bell rang. “And don’t forget, Econ is magic!” The fluid stream of students took their path of least resistance into the hallway. It was enough to catch Discord off guard. It was too late for him to grab anything or snap to stop the fall. As he hit the floor, the contents of his bag spilled under the stampeding feet of hungry students. Not physically hurt, he went through the process of scooting and crawling to retrieve everything. The last item he reached for to round up was his journal, which was under the foot of a dragon. Discord cursed in his mind when he saw who it was. “Oh, look. It’s the freak.” The dragon in the lettercolt jacket picked up the notebook and waved it in front of Discord. “You want it? Does the freak want his book?” “Give it back to ‘im.” Discord smiled at the sight of Big Mac approaching the dragon. The dragon frowned before his lips curled into a cruel smile. “Just a second, let me fix the cover.” Pulling out a marker, the dragon scribbled something on the cover before dropping it on Discord’s face. “You know, Big Mac, coach hasn’t been happy with you defending the weak. He might cut you from the team if you keep up the whole goody four shoes act.” Big Mac snorted in the dragon’s face. “If that’s how Iron Will coaches, then I want no part of it. If you are what he wants us to be, I’d rather quit.” He bit a hoofball patch and ripped it off his own jacket, spitting it at the dragon. “Fine then.” The dragon crumpled the patch up. “Kiss your scholarship goodbye.” He shoved Big Mac away and faded into the stream of traffic. Discord looked to Big Mac. He knew enough to understand the gist of what went down. “I’m sorry.” Big Mac shook his head. “Jerks.” He sighed. “It’s okay. I don’t belong with ‘em anyway.” “Then why’d you join the hoofball team?” Discord stood up with his notebook. Big Mac let out a sigh before he tried to disappear into the crowd like the dragon. “Stupid reasons.” Discord followed him. “Not for the scholarship, I take it.” “Hm-knope.” Big Mac sighed again. “For a filly.” Discord ran up in front of him. “I don’t think that’s stupid.” They eventually made their way to the cafeteria. “It’s a better reason than wanting to play sports with that dork.” Big Mac finally laughed. “See you around Discord.” “Yeah.” Discord almost let Big Mac go. “Hey, Big Mac. My friends and I are having a game night eventually. Would you like to join us?” Big Mac hummed before smiling as he walked away. “E-yup. Sounds good.” “Okay. I’ll keep you posted.” Discord took off his own way towards the lunch line. There was no sign of the dragon or the rest of his lettercolt posse. For that he was grateful. It was smooth sailing through the line. Discord managed to sneak a second chocolate milk onto his tray before dashing across the cafeteria to the usual spot. He saw Rainbow and Twilight, but Spike was missing. “Hey guys.” Discord noticed Fluttershy wasn’t there, either. A scowl stretched out Rainbow’s face. “Discord! What did you do to her?” “What? What did I do to who?” He recoiled a bit. Rainbow looked like she might attack. Rainbow lowered her voice. “Fluttershy, you dummy. She’s been acting weird lately. This morning she was all freaked out. Now tell me, what is going on?” Discord was afraid to answer as Rainbow flew up a little, over him. The fact that she did it so naturally kinda frightened him. “We- we’re just getting food after school. I didn’t do anything, I swear!” “Getting food?” Rainbow’s face deadpanned. “Oh.” She sat back down. “That explains a lot.” She glared at Twilight. “I swear to the Sisters, you better not pick up a boyfriend. Because, I refuse to be surrounded by this nonsense.” Twilight nodded as she pushed her taped up glasses back up. “I concur. But, at least there isn’t one of those terrible love triangles between our friends like you read in poorly written fiction.” Rainbow shuddered. “Don’t even let me think about it.” Discord rolled his eyes. “Hey, where’s Spike?” Twilight cocked a brow. “Where do you think?” Simultaneously, they all said, “Rarity.” Discord shook his head. “He couldn’t stop talking about her on the bus. It worries me a little.” “Why?” Twilight asked. “He’s riding a runaway balloon.” Discord explained. “And eventually, I think it’ll pop. I want them to make it, honestly. I just-. I don’t want him to get hurt. Like, if I ever hurt Fluttershy,” he eyed Rainbow, “I would want you to pummel me. I feel the same sort of responsibility with Spike. But, I wouldn’t go after Rarity. I would blame myself if anything happened to him. He’s my friend.” Rainbow stared at her food upon hearing that. “Discord, I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone talk like that.” “It sounds like you’re brothers.” Twilight added. “I’ve read excerpts from history that sound like that, but I don’t think people talk like that anymore.” Rainbow cracked a smile. “I guess a bit of Fluttershy has rubbed off on you.” Discord nodded to both of them. “You all are my friends. I think I don’t want to be quiet about it because you’re the first real friends I’ve had. And, I don’t want to lose any of you.” “That was beautiful.” Discord turned to find Fluttershy standing behind him. “Oh, hey.” Fluttershy sat next to Discord. “Hey.” Rainbow dived into her food. “Awkward.” Fluttershy looked at Discord’s tray, using a wing to pull out his journal from under it. “Oh, my. Who did this?” Discord finally looked at the lettercolt dragon’s handiwork from hearlier. Thinking it over, Discord was a little amused by the addition. “The Diary of Discord Wimp.” “Who did that?” Rainbow asked. “Who am I pummeling today?” “It’s fine.” Discord tucked his journal in his bag. “Big Mac already dealt with the dragon.” Rainbow deflated a little. “Of course he did. The guy’s always had a soft spot for the weaker guys. No offense.” “None taken.” Discord peeled open his chocolate milk and downed half of it. “I invited him to O&O, if that’s okay.” “Cool.” Rainbow chewed more of her food. “Twilight decided to be a stinker and not come.” “Can you chew with your mouth closed?” Twilight shook her head. “I’m just busy. There’s other stuff I’d like to concentrate my time on.” While this little conversation went on, Discord’s eyes wandered up to the balcony area. It didn’t take him long to find Spike sitting up there. It hurt Discord a little to see his friend up there. Spike had his arm around Rarity, and they were laughing. Smiling. Discord kept thinking, don’t fall, brother. ***** “Depart from your limited vocabulary. Learn new vocabulary. Expand the way you structure your sentences. First off, this is high school. Secondly, this is not writing. It’s literature!” Pathfinder flew a loop around the class before landing on his desk. “Avoid simple sentences. The day was hot. Or. The cat sat on the mat. Pathetic! Lazy. The day was sweltering. The feline laid to rest upon the carpet. These are simple changes, but do you see what they do? Words are everything. They build worlds and change meaning. Garble, give me an adjective!” The red dragon hunted for a word. “Uh, bodacious?” “Yes!” Pathfinder shouted. “What an amazing made up word. That triple backflip was bodacious. Now, that may be a made up word, but it sounds ten times better than,” he crossed his eyes and let his jaw go slack, “Uh, cool flip.” The class erupted into a quiet laughter. “Now, we come to the cardinal sin. Those of you who have had me, as a teacher before, know that I despise the word very.” Pathfinder scribbled the word on the board and drew a fat X over it. “Use words like extremely, or entirely. Drop the extra word completely if you must by jumping to the meat of the subject. The dragon prince was not very sick. He was writhing in agony.” He pointed around the room. “Emotion! That is your goal for your new poetry assignment.” The whole class groaned. “Now, now. I’m not asking for structure. It doesn’t have to rhyme.” Pathfinder wrote a word on the board. “Slam Poetry. We’re going more towards a level of unorthodox here, but I want you mainly to focus on the power of words. Try new things! These words we read, sound made up like Mister Garble’s word, bodacious. But, they are powerful. Learn them. Utilize them.” He sharply inhaled as he addressed another student, a pony. “Does that answer your question as to why there are a plethora of words in the poem, The Dragon Prince to the Dark Tower Came, Miss Sugar Belle?” Sugar Belle dropped her head on her desk. “Yes, sir.” “Good.” Pathfinder smiled to the rest of the class as the bell rang. “Finish the analysis of this poem at home. Slam poems due next week, and don’t forget to thank Sugar Bell for that on your way out.” Time froze for Discord as he watched all the other students leave the classroom. Surely there was more to stall for time but no. Aside from pathfinder, the class was empty. “Discord!” The draconequus jumped at Pathfinders exclamation across the room. “Discord.” Pathfinder pulled out a canvas pouch from his drawer. “I found some of my old dice, if you still wanted them. The white set gets a lot better rolls than the orange set, but maybe it’ll be different for you.” Discord nodded as he tried to get out of his chair. “Thank you.” He found that somehow he was glued to his seat, more so emotionally. “Discord?” Fluttershy stepped up to him. “Are you nervous?” Discord nodded. “Me too.” Fluttershy smiled to him. Discord felt his whole body relax upon hearing that from her. “Really?” Fluttershy nodded. “Okay.” Discord found the strength to leave his chair. He already felt weak enough without using magic, but around Fluttershy, he felt like even his physical muscles were giving up. Yet, there was enough energy for him to stand, by just seeing Fluttershy. ***** The walk to the cafe was quiet. They had settled on walking after Discord explained that his wings weren’t quite strong enough to fly. From then on, the only sounds were from the street, the last of the students, and the other pedestrians that moved on to their own destinations. The cafe soon came into view. Discord thought it was interesting how there was a gated exterior section with cast iron tables and chairs. “Inside or the patio?” Fluttershy smiled after observing the birds that hung around outside, picking up crumbs and other bits of food. “The patio looks like a nice spot, and the weather is nice too.” Discord held open the cafe door for Fluttershy. Looking up, he hunted through the menu items. It was only a little upsetting to him that they didn’t have chocolate milk to drink. Mentally, he slapped himself. That’s real mature, why don’t ask for a toy as well for your kid’s meal. “Hello,” the mare behind the cash register grumbled to herself as she smacked her gum, “welcome to the Songbird Cafe. How can I help you?” Discord looked for the cheapest menu item he could find. “Well, I’ll have the cucumber sandwich sampler.” The mare tapped that into the cash register. “Anything else?” “I’ll have the hay fries pile with ranch.” Fluttershy lowered her voice. “If that’s not too much trouble.” Discord was a little surprised. He swore he’d never heard her speak that loudly before. Compared to everyone else’s voice, it wasn’t an impressive volume. But, compared to her usual volume, it was significant. “Anything to drink?” The mare blew a bubble with her gum before popping it. Fluttershy nudged Discord. “Discord, have you ever had tea before?” “No, I haven’t, but I’m up for new things.” He looked at their prices. There was a low priced deal for the pot and two cups. Discord settled on that. “We’ll have the two cup and pot special.” The mare tapped it in. “What flavor?” Discord looked to Fluttershy. “Any suggestions?” It didn’t take her long to settle on a choice. “Chamomile, please. And, thank you.” Discord did the math in his head. Remembering what Spike had said to him, he readied his bits. He smiled, confident that his ten bits were enough for everything as he offered it all to the mare who was now ringing up their order. The mare counted his bits. “That’s thirteen bits, son.” Discord felt his confidence slide off a figurative cliff, crash, and burn. “But, the food was six, and the tea was four.” The mare rolled her eyes. “It’s called taxes, kid.” Now he was panicking. Taxes! Discord swore in his mind that it was a plot, he even thought, conspiracy! His head was beginning to spin as he looked at the receipt the mare flashed at him and the bits on the counter. It seemed to be all over for him now. The conclusion closed in that Fluttershy would never talk to him again and he would end up as a lonely homeless vagrant, begging for a fortuned to get a second chance with Fluttershy. “Discord you dropped, these.” Fluttershy pushed three paper bits across the counter. Discord felt his heart leap into his mouth as the mare handed him his receipt and a plastic tent with a number. He barely registered the mare’s voice telling him to take a seat and wait for his food. Fluttershy pulled him towards the patio. “We better hurry, before all the seats outside are taken.” Discord managed to break free from his stupor as he nodded in agreement. He found a table at the end of the patio which was around a corner. It was more private, but it maintained an open view of the sky. “Here.” Discord fought his clumsy arms as he pulled out a chair for Fluttershy. He felt better as he pushed her in her chair up to the table. That momentary ascension slipped as he missed his own chair and fell to the ground. “Discord! Are you okay?” Fluttershy looked around the table. Discord shot his paw into the air with a thumb up. “I’m okay.” He forced back his groans as he climbed into his chair. “Pesky things like to walk off, don’t they?” Mounted in his chair, he forced his best smile, despite the pain that shot through his tail. He hoped nothing was broken. Fluttershy frowned. “Discord. Please tell me if you’re okay.” “Why wouldn’t I- you know I just- I-,” he gave up, “h- no.” Covering his face, Discord rested on the edge of the table, hiding from Fluttershy’s eyes. “I feel like I’m messing everything up. I didn’t even have enough money to pay for the whole meal, because I’m broke and mowing lawns hasn’t exactly been good since I’m an eyesore. I can’t believe someone like you is even talking to me, let alone getting food with me. I’ve been worried about whether this was an actual date or not. Ah! And, now I’ve been talking too long…” I can do it, he thought, I could just disappear. To his surprise, he heard giggling, no, laughter. Fluttershy was laughing quietly. “What’s so funny?” “I’m happy.” Fluttershy wiped her eyes. “I’m happy to know I’m not the only one that’s been worried. I feel so bad for bothering Rainbow all morning about this. I thought it was the end of the world.” Discord looked up and fell into his own laughter alongside Fluttershy’s. “I guess if we just talked, we could have avoided all our troubles.” “Hm. Yes.” Fluttershy gained control of her laughter. “So, is it a date?” Discord tried to read her eyes, her face. He couldn’t tell anything apart. Why are you so kind? “I don’t really know. Do you want it to be?” “Oh, well uh-.” Fluttershy hid behind her mane a bit before responding. “Do you promise you won’t be upset by what I want.” “I promise.” Discord quickly answered. He came to the edge of his seat, eager to hear her answer.” Fluttershy closed her eyes, taking several deep breaths before finally blurting out, “I want it to be a date.” A comfortable and numb feeling swept over Discord. Reaching forward he rested his paw, face up, before Fluttershy. “Then, it’s a date.” Fluttershy opened her eyes. “Really?” She looked down and gently placed a hoof in Discord’s paw. “You mean it?” Discord smiled. “Promise.” Author's Note
In the Hall of the Mountain King“...is that they don’t need any rules.” -Gary “You’ve made it. You’ve come this far. Before you is the entrance to a massive tunnel. It’s walls are wet from the cold inside. It’s ceiling disappears in the darkness. The edges of the wall are only dimly lit now as the light of your torches can only reach so far. A foul odor reaches your noses. There are bodies piled up on the walls.” “Gross.” Rainbow winced. Discord looked at Big Mac. “What do you think? Others that came before us?” “E-yup.” Big Mac looked it all over. His nose flared up. “There is evil here.” Rainbow groaned. “That’s nice. But what about the gold?” “Quiet, thief.” Big Mac checked the surrounding area. “The Mountain King may be here.” “I doubt it.” Rainbow pointed deeper into the tunnel. “Let’s just sneak in, grab the gold, and get out.” Big Mac shook his head. “What about the princess.” “He’s right.” Discord weighed all their options. “We have to be weary of the King. And, odds are, we won’t find the gold without the princess. Plus, remember all the gold we were promised if we did find the princess. That’s even more gold, isn’t it?” Rainbow hummed. “You’re trying to appeal to my love of riches, and it’s working. Fine. We’ll find the princess, but we won’t find her just standing around here all night.” “Agreed. Let us move on.” Discord nodded to Big Mac and Rainbow to move ahead. “Moving ahead, you can see the tunnel opens up into a great hall. Large pillars of jade and gold support massive archways that hold up the stone ceiling. You can see, ahead of you, a small light glows over a throne of marble and silver. The closer you get, you can tell the light is emanating from a large ruby mounted above the throne.” Rainbow smiled. “Mine. I want it. I want it!” “Wait.” Discord stopped Rainbow. “It could be a trap.” Big Mac nodded. “E-yup.” Discord moved in. “I’ll inspect it, I might know enough to guess what it is.” “As you inspect the ruby, you can feel that it’s giving off a mysterious aura.” Discord frowned at that. “Sorry, time out. Really?! A mysterious aura? What is that supposed to mean, Spike?” Spike peered over his binder which shielded his notes from the game board that was covered in paper miniatures. “It’s a mysterious aura. What did you expect? You don’t have proficiency in knowledge of the arcana, and your roll was an eight.” “Fine, fine. Time in.” Discord took in a deep breath before speaking. “Frye, I wouldn’t mess with this gem.” “Awe.” Rainbow cried. “I thought you were Captain Wuzz, not Captain Killjoy.” Discord gestured to the miniature of the throne. “Frye, it could be cursed. Remember the tavern incident with the bartender’s family heirloom.” Rainbow sheepishly laughed to Big Mac. “Yeah, sorry McBiggun.” Big Mac laughed a little. “Thieves will be thieves.” “Wow, I really feel targeted over here.” Rainbow gestured to herself. “Let’s not forget who got past all the guards so we didn’t have to kill everyone for a key.” Spike faked a gasp. “You hear something, something is coming. You can hear the crashing sounds of footsteps. Ba-boom. Ba-boom.” Discord motioned to Rainbow and Big Mac. “Get ready for anything.” Rainbow rolled a twenty sided die. “I’ll stealth.” Spike looked over his binder at the die. “You successfully sneak into the shadows, unseen.” Big Mac pushed his piece over to Discord’s. “I cast aid on Captain Wuzz.” Spike reached into a cardboard box and fished for an object. “The light of fire spills into the great hall.” He pulled out a dinosaur toy with paper wings taped to its back. “A giant diseased dragon with glowing eyes faces you all. His deep voice booms. So, you have come for my gold and my princess?” Discord put up his paw and claws. “Now, now. I’m sure there’s a way we can work this ou-.” “I use sneak attack…” Rainbow rolled her die again. “Yes! Natural twenty! Double damage dice, sucker.” “Frye!” Discord grabbed his ears. “Oh, no.” Big Mac mumbled as he flipped through the pages on his clipboard. Spike laughed a little as he said, “Roll for initiative, everyone.” “We’re gonna die. We’re gonna die!” Discord rolled his die. “Seventeen on the die.” “Eight.” Big Mac said. Rainbow rolled her initiative. “Thirteen.” “The dragon rolled a ten.” Spike eyed Discord. “Captain Wuzz, the dragon snarls in fury as he yanks out Frye’s throwing stars. What do you do?” “I use my bow.” Discord rolled his attack. “Sixteen! Fourteen damage.” “That hits!” Spike marked the paper behind his binder. “He lets out a roar as the arrow hits him right in the shoulder.” Discord rolled again. “I use my extra attack and take cover behind a pillar. Eighteen, and twelve more damage.” He moved his character piece behind a bottle cap that represented a pillar. Spike hummed. “The dragon makes an attack of opportunity on you as you take cover.” He picked up a set of dice and rolled them into a box. “Ooh. The dragon just reaches you, dragging his sharp claws along your back for eighteen points of damage.” Rainbow’s jaw dropped. “Woah, that’s a lot of damage.” “We’re gonna die…” Discord tallied up the numbers and groaned at his remaining hit points. Spike looked to rainbow. “It’s your turn frye.” Rainbow stared at the dragon on the board. “This can’t be right, he’s way too powerful.” She reluctantly rolled her dice. “Seventeen? I, uh, use my leg crossbow. It’ll be eight damage if it hits.” Spike shook his head. “The dragon looks at you after your arrow bounces from his face. It’s now his turn.” Rainbow leaned back in her seat. “We are going to die.” Spike rolled his dice. “He attacks you, Frye.” “Gah!” Rainbow looked through her paper. “Wait! I use uncanny dodge!” “As you jump out of the way, the dragon’s fist comes down right next to you, cracking the stone floor and sending debis your way. You take half damage. Twelve.” Spike motioned to Big Mac. “McBiggun, your move.” Big Mac rolled his dice. “Nineteen and Sixteen.” Spike nodded. “Both hit.” Big Mac smiled at the results of his dice. “Twenty eight damage. Total.” “The dragon wails as you slice, left and right, at his leg.” Spike marked that down. “Captain Wuzz.” Discord didn’t like it. The dragon was too powerful. He knew there had to be a way around all this. “I use perception to look at the ruby! Eighteen. Is it doing anything?” “Yes,” Spike shined a flashlight over the toy chair that was the throne, “you can see the ruby radiates light as the dragon gets close to it.” “Fry, the ruby! Destroy it!” Discord had a hunch, he just hoped he was right. Rainbow grumbled. “I don’t know if I’m strong enough to break it. Uh, I attempt to pull the ruby out of the throne.” “It looks like it won’t budge,” Spike smiled, “but you manage to free it from its place above the throne.” “I hope this works.” Rainbow pointed at Big Mac. “I use my cunning action to dash over to McBiggun, screaming destroy it!” Spike pulled out a red marble and moved Rainbow’s piece over to Big Mac’s. “As you run across to McBiggun, the dragon makes an opportunity attack on you.” He rolled his dice, and his eyes grew. “Woah. That will be forty two damage as he spews a pillar of fire at you.” Rainbow looked at Big Mac. “Six hit points left.” Big Mac cracked his neck as he rolled. “Divine favor. And, level two divine smites for both attacks. Fifty three damage.” “Can he do that?” Rainbow stared at the pile of dice that was laid down. Spike nodded as he looked at Big Mac’s dice. “Your first swipe at the ruby cracks it. And as you swing your longsword down upon it, it shatters, spilling light everywhere! The dragon squirms as the light transforms him. He’s getting smaller. His face, it’s turned to a pony’s. You can see, it’s the King of Gygaxia.” “What?!” Discord shouted. “No way!” Rainbow got up and paced the room. “He was supposed to be dead!” Big Mac shook his head. “Hm-nope.” Spike cleared his throat and changed his pitch. “Father! Father! Princess Belle Breeze flies in from deep within the hall. She clings to her father and looks at you all. You’ve saved him, you’ve broken the Queen’s curse.” Discord grabbed his ears. “What? The Queen did this to him?” “Yes, she wanted us out of the picture so she could take over the kingdom.” "The plot thickens.” Rainbow nodded. “What did I say, boys? I knew something was off from the beginning.” Spike frowned as he looked at the clock on the wall. “Woah. It’s getting late.” “Yeah,” Discord stretched out his back, “how long have we been playing?” Big Mac looked at the clock. “Eight hours.” Rainbow yawned as she joined Discord in stretching. “Wow, I guess time flies when you’re having fun. And Spike, I’m really loving this campaign you got going. What about you, Big Mac? You liking it?” “E-yup.” Big Mac nodded. “Especially once it grew on me. It’s been a while since I had this much fun. I can’t wait for more. But for now, it is getting late, and there’s some chores I need to get done tomorrow.” “Alright everyone. See you all next week.” Spike started packing up his dice and his binder. Rainbow and Big Mac made their respective exits while Discord helped Spike pack everything up. “You’ve got an awesome campaign by the way. You really blew my mind with the whole reveal about the Queen.” “Thanks.” Spike shrugged. “And, I suppose I should be thanking your mom for letting us use the basement.” “Yeah. Aside from the washing machine and dryer, we don’t have much storage.” Discord looked at Spike. Something was up. “You still staying over tonight?” “Yeah.” Spike bluntly stated. “What’s wrong?” Discord pressed on. “If there’s something wrong you can tell me.” Spike became sluggish as he puttered around, not really cleaning up anything anymore. “My dad asked Donna to marry him.” “Oh.” Discord could feel the cut from those words as they left Spike’s mouth. “I’m sorry about that. Who knows, maybe things will get better if they get married. And besides, you have Rarity, so things are looking up. Right?” “Yeah.” Spike rubbed his arm as he stared around the garage. “I just kinda liked the idea of this miracle, where my dad and your mom somehow got together, we’d be brothers, and-. I know, it’s stupid.” “Hey.” Discord grabbed Spike’s shoulder. “As far as I’m concerned, we are brothers.” He could see a distant look that was growing in Spike’s eyes. “Believe me.” Spike shrugged. “Yeah. And like you said, I’ve got Rarity.” Discord felt his insides hurt at that. “So when are you gonna pop the question? You’ve only been on fifty million dates.” “Hey now.” A smile came back to Spike. “It’s not my fault I’m so good at mowing lawns. The bits just rain into my wallet. What about you? Going out with Fluttershy again?” “Yeah, but I got to find a cheap date. As long as I’m in the wealth desert, I’m not exactly gonna be able to spend big money on dates.” “Maybe mowing lawns isn’t your best option for work.” Spike thought. “You’re old enough. Maybe you could apply for a job at the mall.” Discord pondered on that. The idea had never actually occurred to him. It would certainly be more profitable since an hourly wage would guarantee steady payment that didn’t rely on the number of lawns he mowed. “I’ll have to look into that.” They both finished packing everything up and made their way upstairs. Before going all the way up, though, Discord looked at the game table which was lit by a single light that hung from above. He smiled at the memory, the adventure. A longing for it all made him dread heading back upstairs. There was more room in the garage. There was room enough for a couch, a coffee table, and even a spot with a plug where a radio and sound system could plug into. Discord imagined all of the things this basement could become. He imagined the adventures he could share with his friends around the game table. It was all so promising. Discord sighed with a smile as he shut off the light and ascended the stairs, the adventure of the day still fresh on his mind. Author's Note
Rain Is Falling“The most I can do for my friend…” -Henry The sirens blurbed out a momentary cry before the police parked outside Discord’s home. Old memories from the first incident and been reawakened for both the draconequus and Redheart. Discord lingered in his room until his mother called him to the door. The two unicorns standing there asked him questions faster than he could register. The only sound that made sense was a name. Spike. What about Spike? The flashing red and blue lights outside found their way to Discord as he shook where he stood. “What about Spike?!” “We were hoping you knew if he said anything that seemed out of the ordinary.” “Did he ever say he was going anywhere?” “What do you know about his caregivers?” “Has he ever talked about hurting himself in any way?” “No, he wouldn’t do that.” Discord shook his head. “Where is he?” “He’s missing.” “Do you know any of his other friends that we could talk to?” “I’m his friend.” Discord could feel his head spinning like the lights on the cop cars. “I’m…” Thus, it all began. The search for Spike the dragon had made it across the neighborhood. Discord even heard the search interrupt the local radio station’s broadcast. Police searched the school, the mall, and the homes of everyone who admitted to being Spike’s friend. Redheart had invited Andee and Donna over along with Rainbow, Twilight, Big Mac, and their parents as well. A bizarre therapy circle formed around Andee as everyone wrangled his thoughts and outbursts through their thoughts and words of comforts. Donna said nothing. Discord tried to hide his scowl from the griffon. He believed all this was because of her. Spike’s words about Donna, wanting to get rid of him, started to poison his heart with rage. “She did something,” he whispered, “I know she did.” Rainbow and Big Mac held Discord back in a separate cluster away from all their parents. Twilight got in his face. “How do you know that? You can make accusations like that just because you and Spike both hate her.” “E-yup.” Big Mac pat Discord on the back. “They’ll find him.” “What if something happens to him? What if it’s too late?” Discord growled at his buzzing collar. “Now sonny, you can’t worry about things like that.” Discord hated hearing that from Bright Mac, Big Mac’s father. “I can’t stand it. I can’t stand waiting here while the police waste their time asking questions and not looking for him.” Bright Mac nodded. “I understand, but their asking questions so they can find him faster. They’re just trying to figure out where he might have got to. Just you wait, they’ll find him.” It was sickening to Discord how sincere Big Mac’s Parents were. He watched as Bright mac returned to his wife who had Applejack with her. The circle was peculiar. Of all the people to be talking to Andee, it was Twilight’s parents who gave the most consolation of all. They seemed to know something the other parents didn’t, as if they had been through this before. Discord abandoned that notion as he figured that Twilight would never run away. And as for the rest of their parents, Rainbow’s parents would make intermidden small talk with Big Mac’s parents. Occasionally they’d add to the council Twilight’s parents gave. Redheart was distant to it all. Discord could see there was a strange gratitude in her every time he made eye contact with her. He supposed she was glad that he wasn’t the one missing. At the same time, Redheart was worried almost as much as Andee. She just didn’t vocalize it. Discord noticed a moment that transpired between Redheart, Andee, and Donna. Redheart had offered a glass of water to Andee. He declined the offer as he violently wiped tears from his eyes. And as Redheart looked to Donna, Discord swore up and down that the griffon was actually grinning like she had somehow won. It sickened Discord. His paw twitched as he rubbed his digits close together. Twilight’s eyes grew as she physically swat Discord’s paw with her hoof. “What are you doing?” “She did it.” Discord muttered. “Look at her. She finally got rid of Spike. She’s smiling about it. That dirty, rotten…” His words deteriorated under his breath hissing across his teeth. He ignored the buzzing collar. Rainbow grabbed Discord’s arm. “No, stop it. Snapping her away isn’t going to fix anything.” “Leave me alone.” Discord ripped his arm from Rainbow, readying a snap. “Discord.” Discord froze. He felt his anger deflate at the sound of that voice. “Fluttershy?” “Rainbow called me and told me what happened. I came as soon as I could from the animal shelter.” Fluttershy wasted no time in embracing Discord. “I’m so sorry to hear about Spike.” In a flash, a blink of an eye, Discord’s snap ready paw went limp as the floodgates to his emotions opened. He buried his face in Fluttershy’s hair as he returned her embrace. Making no effort to hide his tears or cries, he just held on for dear life as he listened to Fluttershy whispering words of comfort. “He’s my friend,” his breaths barely formed loosely coherent words, “my brother. He’s my brother.” Rainbow couldn’t hide the mist in her eyes as she rested a hoof on Discord’s side. She was brave enough to do that. Twilight followed up by pressing in alongside Fluttershy. “Discord.” Redheart joined in as well, eyes dripping. “There, there.” She brushed her son’s mane as she held onto the growing bundle. A set of claws found their way to Discord’s shoulder. Opening his eyes, he saw it was Andee. “I’m sorry.” “No.” Fluttershy and Redheart parted as Andee wrapped his arms around Discord. “You have nothing to be sorry for. You’re his friend. And, I can never thank you enough for being that to him. Thank you.” ***** Time had passed. Dark came. Then dawn came. The two officers that remained at the house kept everyone posted on the progress the police had made, which wasn’t much. Rumors floated back and forth between the two cops. Discord listened to what they were saying as he sat on the couch next to a passed out Fluttershy. The cops certainly didn’t have anything positive to say. He felt worse and worse as the cops went on about other missing kids cases that had ended with either a mystery or a crime scene. A weight rested on Discord’s shoulder. “Hey.” While he was grateful for Fluttershy’s distraction from the situation, Discord couldn’t help but feel like there were more pressing matters, like finding Spike. “Morning.” “Oh my, has it really been that long? I must have,” she looked at the blanket draped around her, “oh, well I guess I did fall asleep with you.” She hid her face a little after saying that. “Sorry, that sounded better in my head.” Discord felt his body tense up as he caught on to what she said. “Oh. No. Nothing happened. I just felt bad for leaving you alone. So I-.” Fluttershy brushed the side of Discord’s head. “Wait, did you sleep?” “No.” Discord admitted. “I can’t. I keep feeling like if I fall asleep, they’ll never find him.” Fluttershy hummed a sigh before pressing closer. “You really care about your friends, don’t you.” Discord nodded. “Why shouldn’t I? I think I should. And Spike, he deserves the best I can give him. He deserves better. He deserves a real brother.” “You don’t have to be brothers to be family. Friends are also family.” Fluttershy placed her hoof over Discord’s heart. “I think you both were already brothers. You just didn’t know it.” Discord rubbed his cheek against her head, eliciting a soft hum. “Thank you, Fluttershy.” Redheart walked up with a tray on her back. “Hi there.” “Hey mom. You met Fluttershy, didn’t you.” Discord picked up the tray that held two plates of waffles “Briefly.” Redheart sighed. “I’m sorry it wasn’t under better circumstances. But, it was nice to finally meet you dear. I mean, Discord has said much about you.” “Mom.” Discord grumbled to himself. Fluttershy giggled at Discord’s discomfort. “Really?” “Oh yeah,” Redheart sat next to Fluttershy, “I remember how nervous he was about asking you out.” This was it. Discord accepted his fate as his mother started spilling information to her. I’m actually dead. He endured the small talk until it ended, thanking whatever force it was that prevented his mother from bringing up baby photos. Eventually, Redheart took off to pass out waffles to everyone else. Fluttershy hummed as she ate some of the waffles in front of her. “I like your mom, she’s nice.” “I’m lucky to have her.” Discord meant that. Digging in to his own waffles, he thought about saying the same thing to Fluttershy, but he wasn’t sure if they were far enough that he could say anything like that to her. Picking up a whole waffle, Discord bit into it. “Hm.” It was still fresh and crisp enough that it stayed together. Fluttershy laughed at the display. “Hm?” Discord tried to talk past the waffle. “Fwhat? I w-like f-waffles.” He was amazed that the waffle didn’t fall apart as he laughed. To his further amazement, Fluttershy bit onto the other end, laughing as well. They both stayed like that for a bit. It gave Discord the opportunity to look, really look, at Fluttershy’s eyes. It really intimidated him at first as he felt like his soul would fall out into them. Gradually though, he began to trust her eyes. There was a hope behind them that drew him in. Discord bit further into the waffle. Fluttershy smiled, biting more into her end. It made Discord’s heart jump from his chest as he continued getting closer, staring into Fluttershy’s eyes as he went. Their muzzles inched closer, slowly. Discord’s ears fluttered as he heard something. Something clicked and clacked in the house. He reluctantly tore off his piece of the waffle to look. He could tell the sound was coming from his room. “Disc-,” Fluttershy chewed her waffle before swallowing it. “What’s wrong?” “Stay here, please.” Standing up, he slowly made his way across the room and down the hall. The sound he heard from just a moment ago had escalated into a panicked mess before disappearing altogether. Reaching for the door, Discord heard a new sound, static. He pushed the door open. Scanning the room, Discord could see dirt and black scuff marks on the ground. The window was open, the morning breeze blowing past the curtains. On the desk, Discord’s EC radio was buzzing with sound. “Spike?” Keeping his voice low and his steps light, Discord crept into the room with open ears and open eyes. “Is that you?” His attention quickly turned to the radio. Someone had switched it on. But who? Discord picked up the mic and held down the button. “Hello? Over.” Through the static he could hear a voice. It was a sort of whimper. “Hn. Mo- ter. So- ry.” Discord recognized it. “Spike! This is Discord. Pick up! Pick up! Over!” There was no response. The muffled whimpers simply continued in their long strain until a set of syllables came through that were understandable. “J-il. Oth- kle. Rarity. Fo- nr. Co- lan.” “Rarity?” Discord ran to the window and looked outside. There was nothing. “Rarity. She must know something.” Shutting the window, Discord walked back into the hall. Rainbow was there, just getting out of the restroom. “Rainbow.” She squinted at Discord. “W-what? Food, first.” “Rainbow!” Discord hushed his voice as he shook the pegasus. “I think I know how to find Spike.” Rainbow blinked until she was awake and sober. “What? Then tell the cops.” “No. I think Spike ran off somewhere. If he’s run away, he might just keep running from the cops.” He gestured to his room. “I need you here on the radio to listen for him. I think he has his with him. When I find him, I’ll contact you through his radio. Got it?” Rainbow saluted. “I won’t let you down.” Discord returned the salute as he made his way into the kitchen. Andee was working the electric waffle maker with Redheart. Across the room was the phone with the phone book sitting on the counter below. Loosening up, Discord calmly strode across the kitchen. It didn’t take long for him to find the phone number and address that Spike had circled when he called her from here once. Discord recognized the street from his lawn mowing route. “Gotcha.” “Discord?” He sped over to Fluttershy before she could get him noticed. “Hey, Fluttershy. I need you to do me a huge favor.” Fluttershy tightened the blanket around her. “What is it?” “I might be able to find out what happened to Spike.” He whispered to her. “I need you to cover for me. If anyone asks where I am. Tell them I’m in the basement. Please, I need you to trust me on this.” Fluttershy reached for Discord’s face and planted a gentle kiss on his cheek. “Promise you’ll come back.” Discord brushed her face and pulled the blanket tight again around her. “Promise.” “Okay.” Fluttershy walked off back to the couch. “Promise.” Discord kept the word on his lips as he made his way into the basement, locking the door behind him. “Okay now. Rarity’s street.” He pictured it in his mind. “It would be so much easier if I could just open a zipper straight to the street.” Thinking about it, he figured, why not? After his snap, a large metal zipper appeared in the air. “It can’t be that easy.” Unzipping the zipper, Discord marveled at the street on the other side as he stretched out the opening. His collar was buzzing like crazy, but his didn’t care. It was better than passing through a hellscape. Once on the other side, Discord followed the numbers on the houses until he found Rarity’s. It was the richer end of the block, and all the homes were uniform with little differences between them. That’s why it took the draconequus a hot minute to find the right home. At last, he found the right door and knocked on it. “We told them everything offic-.” The white unicorn stallion who opened the door scratched his brown mane in confusion. “Hold up, you’re not one of the investigators. Who are you?” “I’m a friend of Spike’s.” Discord took a deep breath, reassuring himself that he could do this. “I just came to check up on Rarity. I think you know about them. Right?” “Oh.” The Stallion opened the door all the way. “Yeah. Rarity and Spike are good friends. Thick as thieves, you might say. It’s a shame he’s gone missing. She’s been all torn up about it. But, maybe seeing a friend of Spike’s could cheer her up. Come on in.” Discord though he had stepped into a version of Spike’s house from a parallel universe. It had the same sterile feeling, except, it was a decent home. It didn’t feel like you were going to suffocate. Everything was warm and bright. It was definitely a contrast to the museum of a home that Spike lived in. “Here. Do you think you could take some oatmeal up to Rarity. She hasn’t eaten at all since we heard about Spike.” The stallion passed the tray to Discord with his magic. “Up the stairs to the right.” Discord watched as the stallion went to work cleaning a mess of dishes that had piled up like a mountain in the sink. Discord found it odd that he just let him in. Then again, the stallion was huge, especially for a unicorn. He could definitely handle himself. With tray in hand, Discord climbed up the steps and faced a violet door with Rarity’s name spelled out in plastic gems. He knocked. “Rarity? It’s Discord, one of Spike’s friends.” There was a fumble on the other side before the door was yanked open. “Discord?” Discord couldn’t help but notice the tear stains that streaked down the white fur of her cheeks. She’d been crying. “I’m sorry if I’m imposing. But, your dad said you should eat.” He held the tray out, not knowing what to expect. “Thank you.” Rarity wiped her face off and levitated the tray with her magic to her bedside. “Spike has told me so much about you. He always said you were his dearest friend.” “Friend.” Discord looked around as he talked, searching for any clues that could lead him to Spike. “I thought you were Spike’s dearest friend.” “Well, we were dating.” She pushed a heart shaped chocolate box out of the way so she could set the tray down. Discord could see more boxes, and cards from Spike. “Funny, because your dad specifically used the word friend. Friends as thick as thieves, that’s what he said.” Rarity nervously laughed. “That’s my dad for you. He doesn’t really like that I’ve been dating a dragon.” Everything that came out of Rarity’s mouth stank to the high heavens for Discord. “What about the police. Did you tell them you were dating? There’s some at my house now. I wonder if they could tell me.” A magazine caught his eye. Rarity stomped a hoof on the floor. “How uncouth of you to imply that I lied to the police. W-what are you doing?” Discord picked up the magazine which displayed a flashy unicorn in a dress pressed up against the side of a dragon in a suit. The title of the issue read, My Life With a Dragon. The magazine crumpled in Discord’s paw. His breaths hissed across his teeth as he felt his collar buzzing nonstop. “What is this?” “N-nothing. Just some old reading material.” Discord pointed the magazine at Rarity. “He saw this didn’t he? Is-,” his whole body trembled, “is he a game to you?! Was he just another toy? Why?! You didn’t love him. You never did.” Rarity backed away. “No, it didn’t mean-.” “He was just another fad to you! How could you?! You didn’t think his emotions mattered?” Discord tightened his grip on the magazine until magic began to spill from his palm. “I guess anything is fine if it’s popular!” The magazine exploded into thousands of paper scraps that fluttered to the floor as Discord teleported out of Rarity’s room. ***** It was at the spork ranch that Discord teleported. Falling to his knees, he beat the ground as he cursed about Donna, and Rarity. “You good for nothing fiends. Monsters!” Discord beat the ground until he fell over from his arms getting too weak to hold him up. “Spike.” He listened to the breeze that blew the tall grass around him. “Come back.” A whimpering on the wind caught his attention, and he recognized it. It was the same sound from the radio, only quieter. “Spike?” Discord rolled over and looked for the direction of the sound. His eyes stopped at the shack which had a light flickering inside. “Spike!” Discord ran to the shack and whipped the door open. “Spike, oh my.” He knelt over Spike who was shivering uncontrollably under a ratty blanket. Looking around, he found his radio by an open window. The window had the same black scuff marks as in his room. The mic on the radio had been taped so it stayed on. Spike’s radio was broadcasting, but couldn’t be reached. “Hang in there. I’m gonna get you warmed up.” He snapped the blanket around Spike into a better one before pulling him outside where he snapped a blazing fire pit into existence. “Rarity.” Spike mumbled. Discord rubbed the dragon’s limbs, trying to bring warmth back into him near the fire. “What about her?” Spike’s face contorted as fresh hot tears rolled out of his eyes. “She lied. She doesn’t love me.” Discord made more blankets appear and wrapped them around Spike. “It’s gonna be okay, Spike.” “No.” Spike shook his head. “Donna’s gonna send me away. There’s nothing left. There’s nothing left!” “Shut up!” Discord shook Spike. “You have so much left. You have us, your friends. You have me. We are brothers, Spike. Don't you dare forget it! I’m not going to let anything bad happen to you. I’m not going to let anyone hurt you. Spike, I love you. You are my brother.” He held onto Spike like his life depended on it. “It’s all going to be okay. It’s all going to be okay.” Discord almost didn’t believe it. He didn’t sincerely believe everything would just suddenly be fine. No, he believed it would take a miracle. But, that was a problem for the future. Now, Discord just held on to Spike as he warmed up. He couldn’t rest, though. Under the sound of the crackling fire, Discord heard someone watching. He couldn’t let his guard down. Not now. He refused to give up his brother after he’d just found him. On top of that, dark clouds were gathering on the horizon. Discord could hear it in the distance, the rain. Author's Note
Evil Woman“There is no fowler fiend…” -Homer The rain came down. Front lawns had flooded over from the downpour, turning the sidewalks into waterfall fixtures that led the water into the gutters. On each side of the street was a growing stream that threatened to become a river and flood the street. Rain gutters almost burst at the seams as their drains shot water out like a fire hose. Windows and doors remained shut as the neighborhood residents took shelter inside their safe, warm, and dry homes. Only a lunatic would be caught outside in this sort of weather. Discord cursed at whatever pegasus decided today was the day for the ocean to be dumped on Ponyville. After losing seven conjured umbrellas to the rain, he finally snapped a pair of diving suits onto him and Spike. The suits were heavy, but they were dry and warm. Spike was still weak from being so cold. Discord managed to snap a dolly into existence to lay Spike on. It was a bit terrifying to Discord as he felt his body get weak as well. His magic was affecting him somehow. He blamed it on teleporting twice in one day. Complaining wouldn’t help, so Discord made do without his magic. Visibility had all but been cut off by a dense fog that had followed the downpour. It only made things more difficult for Discord as he tried to navigate a neighborhood he still wasn’t quite familiar with. Minutes became hours, or at least they were perceived that way. As every passing house looked more and more the same, so too did the street names. “Help!” Discord opened the porthole of his diving helmet. “Anybody!” A flash of yellow and pink sent him off running. “Fluttershy! Wait!” He followed the blur of colors, going into a full sprint while towing Spike in the wagon. “Flutte-.” Discord pushed his body onwards around the next corner. To his astonishment, he saw Spike’s house, with the door open. Without wasting a second, Discord endured through his final struggle before falling into the house with Spike, forcing the door closed against the rain. “We made it.” He snapped the diving suits and wagon away. “I never tho-.” Spike coughed up mucus and a little fire. “I never thought I’d be happy to be back here.” The dragon smiled at Discord, ultimately erupting into laughter with him. Discord swung Spike’s radio around and tuned into the station of his. “Rainbow Dash, I found him. Tell my mom and Andee we’re at Spike’s house.” It was only a few seconds before the radio flickered with its response. “Discord! Where was he? What happened?” “I’ll tell you later. Just tell my mom and Andee to get over here.” Discord sighed, relieved that Rainbow was still listening. He admired her loyalty. “Oh, and tell Fluttershy, we’re both okay.” Switching off the radio, he dropped it on the floor. For a while Discord just watched Spike, snapping up a blanket and a hot cup of soup for him. Discord made sure he ate it, even if he complained about the funny taste. He didn’t care so long as Spike warmed up. His eyes were getting tired from watching, but he was determined to see Spike look better before he even considered going to sleep. A rapping at the door woke him up before the entrance to Spike’s home swung open, letting in wind and rain. Through it all, a soaking Redheart lunged in. “Boys!” Discord let his laughter fall out as his mother smothered him. He didn’t care. He was glad to see here. “I’m fine. Check Spike.” Redheart was on Spike in an instant, checking him for injuries. “He’s got a fever. It looks like he’ll be okay. But, we need to get him to a hospital to make su-.” Discord flinched at the slamming door and clicking talons from inside the house. “Uh oh.” Donna came storming in from down the hall. “There you are! You good for nothing welp! You know how much trouble you created for me?” “Back off, Donna.” Redheart stood her ground between Spike and Donna. “What’s wrong with you?” “What’s wrong with me? Are you serious?” Donna pointed at Discord. “What’s wrong with your freak of a son. This is all his fault for making Spike run away.” “You witch.” Discord hissed. “You don’t deserve Spike as a son.” He stood up and was surprised to be swat in the face by Donna’s claws, sending him to the ground. Redheart pulled Discord next to Spike and stood in front of them both. “How dare you hurt my son! I have every right to buck your face in!” “Oh please. You’re so pathetic. You’re just a lame excuse for a mother stuck with a freak of a child.” Donna glared at Spike. “And as for you! I’ll deal with you, but not for much longer. I’ll be rid of you when I ship you off to boarding school.” The front door creaked, announcing another arrival. Discord had seen heartbreak before. It was dreadful as he first saw it on his friend and brother. He didn’t think he could see anything worse than that. That was until he saw the broken look on Andee’s face as he stepped through the front door. There was an audible struggle in Andee’s breath as he stepped closer. “Donna? What?” Donna began to stutter, looking for excuses that didn’t exist. “This isn’t what it seems like, Andesite. You’ve got to calm yourself before-.” “Calm?!” Andee cut her off. “I’m insane. I am out of my mind. I must be.” Donna cowered before the dragon as he approached her. “Dear, I don’t under-.” Andee cut in again. “Understand? Let me make it crystal clear. I must be insane for even thinking I could ever trust you. Obviously I wasn’t thinking. I must be out of my mind for ever thinking you could love my son! Family! I should have seen this coming. You never talk about family. It’s always you, you, YOU! There is no family for you! It’s just little old selfish Donna! You don’t care about family!” Smoke billowed from his nostrils. “You don’t care about my son. He’s my life. If you don’t care about him, how could you possibly care about me? It’s over.” Discord and Spike’s eyes went wide. Both were in utter disbelief in the words that just passed through Andee’s mouth. Donna’s voice squeaked. “You don’t mean that.” “I hope you find a decent pawn shop to sell that ring to.” Andee’s arm shot to a point towards the door. “Get out of my house.” Neither Discord nor Spike had the full understanding of the situation as Donna scowled at them both and flew out into the rain. Both wanted to scream, cheer even. But, neither of them could. Even though Donna had just flown off, she left something behind. Andee continued to stare off towards where Donna had been. His eyes failed first before his face lost control. Unsettling breaths were all that escaped him as he wiped his eyes. Soon his breaths became hard, spasming into gasps for air intermittently. Spike crawled over to him, wrapping his arms around his father. “I’m sorry dad.” “No.” Andee’s body shook as he embraced his son. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” Discord held his mother close. He didn’t want to let go. Having seen all that he had seen. Every ounce of embarrassment, or resentment, had been seemingly washed away with a new understanding towards the love of parents. Discord felt an overwhelming gratitude as his mother returned his embrace. Something told him that she would be willing to give up everything, even happiness for him. He hoped he would never force her to that. But, the possibility was not lost on him as he watched Spike and Andee. Seeing how Andee cried, Discord understood that somewhere inside, Andee did love Donna. Once upon a time, they were in love. How long did it take for that to be lost? Discord wondered this. He wondered if Fluttershy would fall away from him like this. He hoped that would never come to be. Discord marvelled at the undying love between father and son, mother and son. He decided then and there, that if ever had the chance, he would build his own family. The draconequus believed now, there was never a love so much more promising, nor as sweet. ***** Discord shivered under the towel and blanket wrapped around him. They did nothing against the cold of the hospital air conditioning. It made it that much harder to wait to hear how Spike was doing. The rain outside hadn’t let up either. Others, who had suffered from the rain’s effects, filled up the waiting area. Some slipped, some were from autocar accidents, and others were simply sick from exposure. A mopi box, a motion picture box, hung in the corner of the waiting room. The clunky mopi box had displayed nothing else besides reports on the progressively worsening storm. Weather forecasters explained that it would clear up by the end of the night, but warnings were still sent out to residents informing them to remain inside. Discord tried to ignore that commotion. It was confined to the curved crystal screen of the mopi box, so he ignored it. “Discord.” Andee was waiting with Discord the whole time. “What Donna said, you’re not a freak.” “It’s okay.” Discord nodded. “I’m used to hearing it by now.” “I’m sorry if it’s that way.” Andee extended an arm to Discord’s shoulder. “Thank you for bringing Spike home. It was very brave of you to go out on your own, looking for him.” Discord smiled. “I’d do anything for my brother.” Andee smiled back. “If you were my son, I’d be proud to have you.” “Ahem!” Redheart cleared her throat as she straightened her nurse’s hat. “I know she’s proud of you.” Andee stood up and addressed Redheart. “How is he?” Redheart looked over her clipboard. “He’s got a cold, and a few scrapes, but nothing serious. They’d like to keep him overnight though, just to make sure he’s recovering well.” “Can I see him?” Andee pleaded. Redheart nodded. “Of course.” She looked to Discord. “Family only for now.” Discord nodded to his mother as she disappeared down the hall with Andee. There was a short bitterness to being left alone. However, that bitterness was quickly remedied by the crowd that burst into the waiting room. “Guys!” “Discord!” Rainbow dashed across the room and tackled him to the ground. “You survived!” “Not to brag, but I guess your awesomeness just rubbed off on me.” Discord chuckled as Rainbow squeezed him and gave his head a noogie. Twilight slid to a halt. “Discord! How are you? Is Spike okay? Is he sick? Is he gonna make it? Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!! Oh my gosh!!!” “Twilight!” Discord snapped before smiling. “He’s gonna be okay.” “Whew!” Twilight straightened her glasses before sitting down. “Good. I’m just gonna, breath.” Discord looked at Big Mac. “Was she Twilighting the whole way?” “E-yup.” Big Mac hummed his laugh. “Someone else is here to see you too.” Discord frowned as Fluttershy approached him. “I’m sorry I couldn’t go back right away. I broke my promise.” “No.” Fluttershy clung onto Discord, burying her face in his neck. “You came back. You didn’t disappear with Spike. You came back with him.” Discord gave up on his towel and blanket as he picked Fluttershy up in his arms, carrying her to a seat. “I wouldn’t have made it if you weren’t out looking for me.” Fluttershy locked eyes with Discord, confused. “I wasn’t out in the rain.” “Then who-?” Discord tried to recall the flash of yellow and pink. He believed it was Fluttershy, but if it wasn’t, who else could it have been. “Maybe it was someone else, but I thought it was you. Either way, thinking of you got me and Spike out of that storm.” Though he verbally dismissed it, Discord’s mind lingered on the experience. He recalled the scuff marks in his room and by Spike’s radio. If it was the same being’s work, they had helped. But, the question as to why remained. “Thank you for being on my mind.” Fluttershy nuzzled into Discord’s neck again, humming softly. “Thank you for keeping your promise.” A police officer scuttled into the waiting room. It was obvious how uncomfortable he was. “Excuse me.” Discord hugged Fluttershy a little title. Something was off. “Yes officer?” The officer bowed his head quickly before speaking again. “Following up on that young dragon that was missing. Is he doing alright?” “Yes,” Discord studied his face, “he’s a little under the weather. But, he’s getting better.” The officer sighed with a smile full of relief. “Thank you. B-bye.” Just as quickly as he had come, the officer left. Rainbow scratched her chin. “That was weird.” Discord looked where the officer had been standing. The same scuff marks were there. The hall door popped open. A pink body dressed in blue walked toward Discord and his friends. “Hello, children.” Discord was a bit surprised to see it was another cop. He was also surprised because this griffon almost looked like Donna, but only as far as expression. This griffon was a bright hot pink with white feathers. Discord noticed too that she was looking at the scuff marks on the floor. “Hello officer. Is there anything we can do for you?” The griffon officer smiled as she picked at the scuff marks. “I’m looking for my, uh, partner. Did you see him anywhere?” Discord felt his collar buzz. He reached for it, and as he did, he noticed a certain look of surprise from the griffon. “N-no.” He stared at Rainbow Dash and then at Twilight. “We did not see any other police.” The griffon flashed a peculiar grin. “Maybe he’s at the donut shop downstairs. Get it? It’s a cop joke.” Discord laughed nervously, eyeing his friends until they did the same. “Good one officer.” The griffon smiled her strange smile again before walking away down another hallway. Rainbow’s fake laugh died out. “That was even weirder.” Fluttershy brushed the side of Discord’s face. “What’s wrong?” Discord shook his head. “I don’t think those two were actual cops.” Paranoia crept in as he clung tighter to Fluttershy, snapping his head towards any sudden movement, watching out for trouble. Author's Note
So Serious“Know thyself, know thy enemy…” -Sun Discord and Spike chanted to the beat of the music blasting from Discord’s tape player as they rode down the sidewalk on their bikes. “Da da da da da da da da!” Rainbow groaned as she followed them along with Fluttershy, Twilight, and Big Mac. “You guys are such nerds.” Discord and Spike whipped their heads around to sing the opening chorus. “Flash! MAGNUS!” Discord balanced as he performed a short segment of air guitar. “Savior of Equestria!” “It’s just a movie guys.” Rainbow grumbled. “No.” Spike lowered his voice, mimicking the stereotypical narrators voice. “It’s not just a movie. It’s the movie.” “It’s the first time a comic book has ever been adapted into a full length motion picture.” Discord popped his front tire into the air riding on the back wheel as the music flared up with electric guitar and operatic vocals. “It’s gonna be the best movie of this year!” Rainbow cocked her brow. “What if it’s not like the comic?” “Who cares!” Spike laughed. “Besides, is any movie that ever came out of Applewood ever faithful to the source material? Answer. No. Come on. There has to be a book or something you want to see made into a movie.” Rainbow shook her head. “Not really.” “But Rainbow,” Fluttershy piped up, “what about the Daring Do books you like to read?” “Hold the phone!” Spike hollered as he burst into laughter. “Rainbow, Dash! You read Daring Do?” “Oh, brother.” Rainbow rubbed her forehead in frustration. Twilight snickered. “You like to read? That kind of sounds like egghead stuff to me.” “Oh!” Discord howled. Spike nodded his head to Twilight. “Solid burn, Twily.” Twilight went a little quiet after that, only nodding to Spike. “Spike,” Discord pointed off in the general direction of the mall, “aren’t there Daring Do comics already?” “Yeah,” Spike confirmed, “they’ve got all the books and other adventures that were pre-approved by A.K. Yearling herself.” “Really?” Rainbow’s face lit up. “I mean, uh-.” “Hey.” Discord slowed down a bit to meet Rainbow. “Don’t sweat it. I mean, aside from Twilight and Fluttershy, we played O&O together. Spike and I read comics. Twilight’s a bookworm. Fluttershy’s been your friend for longer than we’ve known about each other. Do you honestly think any of us are the sort of people that would judge you for reading Daring Do?” “You’re right.” Rainbow smiled at Discord, Fluttershy, and everyone. “You know what? When the Flash Magnus movie comes out, let’s go see it together.” Twilight hummed in thought. “Discord. I don’t mean to sound rude, but when we first met, I didn’t think you’d be the sort of person to talk like that.” Discord shrugged. “My mother always said, you become the people you surround yourself with.” “E-yup.” Big Mac agreed. “I like that.” Spike smiled at Discord. “I hope that we all hang out after Highschool is over. I hope we stay friends for a long time. At least, I hope my dad finds us a new place to live so we don’t have to move.” “Discord told me about that.” Fluttershy flew up to Spike. “I’m sorry your dad can’t keep your home.” “That’s fine. I’m sorry my dad split the payment on the house.” Spike shrugged. “If I’m honest, I’m not really attached to that place.” Discord smirked. “What if you convinced him to rent rooms at my house.” “Don’t even bother.” Spike groaned. “I tried talking him into that.” “What did he say?” Rainbow asked. Spike cleared his throat doing his best impression of his father. “Spike I told you, it’d be rude of us to bring our problems into Miss Redheart’s home.” Rainbow shook her head. “That smells like and excuse.” “He does have a point though.” Twilight butted in. “Spike, if your dad is still going through legal and financial disputes with Donna, would you really want to bring that to Discord’s home?” Spike sighed. “You’re right. Just trying to,” he grinned at Discord, “push things along.” “Wait.” Rainbow furrowed her brows in thought. “Is there something going on between your parents.” “I wish.” Spike mumbled. Fluttershy gasped. “Spike! Are you and Discord trying to force your parents together?” “Hey.” Spike glared at Fluttershy. “Don’t just call me out. This is a team effort.” “Discord!” Fluttershy flew up to him. “You shouldn’t meddle in your mother’s life like that.” “I know, I’m sorry.” Discord stared at the sidewalk and every crack he rolled over. “They just look like they enjoy talking to each other. My mom hasn’t dated anyone in years. And the first time they really talked, it was like they were old friends. It was spooky.” He looked up at Fluttershy. “It was like when I opened up to you.” “Gah!” Rainbow gagged. “Get a room you two.” Despite Rainbow’s antics, Fluttershy smiled at Discord. “I understand. But, you shouldn’t push anything. If it happens, it’ll happen naturally.” “You’re right.” Discord hummed. “But, they’re just so…” “...nice to each other.” Spike pointed out. “The only real problem is that my dad can be a pushover and isn’t very vocal about his, I guess, feelings. And having left Donna, he’s not quite ready to move on yet.” Discord nodded. “My mom can be a bit intimidating, especially to guys. Between her old we can do it poster and her ‘I don’t need no guy’ attitude, I think she’d scare your dad off.” Rainbow snorted a bit. “Wow, I would say this whole conversation is weird. But it’s kinda interesting.” Twilight grumbled. “It’s like one of those terrible Hearths Warming movies that my mom likes to watch.” Discord nodded. “Or a poorly written fanfiction.” “What’s that?” Fluttershy asked. Discord looked over his shoulder at her. “Fanfiction?” “No. That.” She pointed to the house with the radio towers. “Oh. That’s the Professor’s house. Come on, he wanted to see us.” Discord rode up and leaned his bike against the garage. “Spike?” “On it.” Spike pulled out his EC radio, but before he could use it, a speak beeped to life. “Approach the door, in an orderly fashion.” Discord looked at Spike and shrugged. “Something must be up.” They all approached the door which was slightly ajar. Discord motioned for everyone to wait until he gave the signal. Another speaker in the house sounded off. “Come in, I’m in the back testing my automated security system.” Shrugging, Discord motioned for everyone to come in. “Hello?” The front door slammed shut with all of them inside. Machines dropped from the ceiling, launching metallic ropes that tied everyone up tight. The more they struggled the tighter the ropes got. Spike cried out. “Hey! What gives?” “Aha!” Everyone screamed as a pony in a full yellow hazmat suit leapt out. “Gotcha!” It was Doc. “Discord, if you’re the real Discord. Listen to me and make no attempts to free your friends from their restraints. I fear one of them might be a changeling!” “That’s crazy!” Discord rolled over towards Fluttershy cutting her off from Doc. “Ah ah ah.” Doc whipped out a device with two prongs that extended out from it. “Oh my gosh, what is that?” Rainbow tried to roll away. Doc flipped a few switches on the device. “It’s a sonic disruptor. It emits a frequency at close range that disrupts a changeling’s control over their disguise, revealing them for who they are. I just need to test you all, to make sure you’re not one of them.” “You’re crazy!” Spike whimpered as he fought his restraints. “Ah ha!” Doc turned to Spike. “You’re first.” Spike squirmed violently. “Wait! Where are you sticking that thing?” “Calm down. It’ll all be over soon.” Doc pressed a big red button with the device near Spike’s head. Spike winched at a fluctuating tone that sounded like a deep textured hum. “Oh, that wasn’t so bad.” “Congratulations, my scaly friend. You’re not a changeling.” Doc moved on to Big Mac. He pressed the button, activating the device again. Nothing happened. “Hm. You’re not a changeling?” Big Mac shook his head. “Hm-nope.” “Huh.” Doc stood back. “I thought for sure… Oh never mind.” He tested Discord. He tested Fluttershy. He tested Twilight. And finally, he tested Rainbow. “Good news. None of you are changelings! I suppose there might have been a better way to test you. I can imagine how terrifying and emotionally scarring it might be if I revealed one of your friends was actually a love eating shapeshifter.” He laughed, a little. “Oh, and myself.” He tested himself with the device. “See, you can trust me. I’m still not sure about that large red fellow. He’s quiet, too quiet.” Big Mac snorted. “E-yup.” “Well then. Let me set you all free.” He walked over to a wall and slammed an orange button down, releasing all the restraints. Discord helped Fluttershy up. “Are you alright? You’re not hurt are you? I’m sorry. He’s usually harmless.” He turned on Doc. “What’s going on?! Have you lost your mind?” “Far from it, I’m afraid. Insanity would be preferable to the terrible truth that lays before you. Discord, I’m afraid you and your friends are in danger. All of ponyville may be at risk. The sisters forbid, Equestria may be on the eve of destruction from within.” Doc pulled off his hazmat suit and tossed it to the side. “My samples were stolen. The changeling vomit is gone They took everything. The team I called in to investigate the sewers informed me there was nothing there, and they confiscated my materials when I granted them access to my lab.” Discord felt everything go cold. “But, you said there was enough of that stuff left there to fill an autocar.” “Wait, what does this have to do with us?” Rainbow flew up to Doc. “I didn’t witness whatever was in the canal, neither did Fluttershy or Big Mac.” “You’re Discord and Spike’s friends.” Doc explained. “It’s enough for them to watch you, to use you to their ends. I’m sorry I have to tell you this. But, it would be a disservice if I left you in the dark. Also, I didn’t know who else I could trust. I’m afraid that changelings may very well have infiltrated my higher ups. So, I need your help.” “But, what can we do?” Fluttershy asked. “We’re not soldiers or agents. How do you expect us to help?” Doc smiled as he let out a sigh. “Children, you all have an advantage that many overlook. You are underestimated. If changelings have infiltrated our society, their disadvantage will be their pride and arrogance. They’re probably thinking the same thing. What can children possibly do? Their dismissal of you will be our advantage. Here.” He pushed a cart up to them. “These are new portable versions of the sonic disruptors. I want you all to take one.” Discord shook his head. “No.” He pushed the cart back. “No, this can’t be real. It can’t be.” “Discord,” Spike picked up one of the sonic disruptors, “we both saw those unicorns with the same face. Doc actually had those samples of the changeling goop. If they’re really out there, we should do something about it.” “They’re not out there! They can’t be.” Discord shook his head. “Professor, you said they were all gone. Wiped out, you said that.” Rainbow picked up a sonic disruptor as well. “And what if they come for us, and we’re not prepared?” “No.” Discord grabbed at his collar. He looked at Spike. “We shouldn’t have to be a part of this. This isn’t how it’s supposed to go!” “Discord,” Spike grabbed the draconequus’s arm, “you’re not making any sense. If there’s danger, we have to face it.” Bic Mac stepped up to the cart. A sad look lingered on his face before he nodded. “E-yup.” He picked up one of the disruptors. “This can’t be happening. No, I can’t. Everything was about to be better, I can’t lose it all. It’s not fair.” Discord backed up into a wall before sliding to the floor. “Why? Why is this happening?” “Discord.” Fluttershy moved in on him, two disruptors gripped in her wing. “I know you’re afraid.” Discord lost control of his face as flooding emotions took their toll. The world seemed to collapse in on him as he subconsciously hid behind his arms. “I don’t want to lose my friends. I don’t want to lose you. I just started to find you.” “Then don’t lose me.” She pushed one of the disruptors into his paw. “I’m afraid too. But, I care about my friends so much, that I want to be brave for them. I don’t want to lose you. So, I want to be brave, for you. Can you be brave for me? For Spike? For all of us?” Discord leaned his face against Fluttershy’s, just to know she was there and that this wasn’t some terrible nightmare. “Okay.” Then again, he didn’t believe it could be a nightmare as long as Fluttershy was there. Looking up, he was met by confident smiles from all his friends. The bravest of those smiles came from Fluttershy. Taking the disruptor in his grasp, Discord took a deep breath as he nodded to Doc. “What’s the plan?” Author's Note
Look at Me Now“I have seen further than others…” -Isaac The Gallop that laid in bed fought to get up. Something kept him there. He would say or suppose that, to anyone asking, he couldn’t get up. The truth was, he wouldn’t. There was too much at stake. He was learning to overcome this plague for the sake of survival. At least, that’s what he’d say to anyone that asked. His eyes were glued to the creature that lay by his side. He watched every movement of the creature as she drew her breaths in her sleep. “Gallop?” Jasmine slowly opened her eyes. “I thought you went to work.” This Gallop shrugged. “I’m taking the day off.” “Why?” Jasmine asked. This Gallop reached for her face, stroking it gently. “You.” Jasmine hummed in laughter. “Why are you doing that?” This Gallop felt his disease multiply tenfold. He wanted to know what sort of power it was that this mare had that weakened his system so. Jasmine frowned. “I’m sorry, sweetums. I didn’t mean to poke fun at you. It’s really sweet of you, really. I’ve just never known you to be a romantic. I’m not used to it.” That word, romantic. This Gallop supposed it was the mare’s description of his weakness. He wondered if it was the name of the disease or if it was merely a term for the symptoms. “Romantic? I just wanted to watch you. I never knew you had such power that could bring me to my knees.” “Aww.” Jasmine’s face turned hot with embarrassment as she hid behind the covers. “You’re just saying that.” “It is no lie.” This Gallop fought it again. The urge to close the gap between their muzzles was infuriating to him. “You’ve made me sick with strange desires.” “Gallop!” Jasmine giggled as she pulled the covers completely over her head. “Now I know you’re just making fun of me.” “I’m sorry.” The disease spiked again in this Gallop as he peeled the covers from her face. “I’m trying to be honest. I’m sorry if I’ve given offense. I just want to know how you made me feel this way.” Jasmine’s eyes wandered over this Gallop’s face. She settled into a different position, taking a higher ground, so to speak, by resting on an extra pillow to look down on this Gallop. Her hoof moved in circles in his mane and around his horn. “Nana always told me that marriage will change a stallion. I never really understood what she meant. I remember how my father grew distant from my mother. But, this is different. After we bought this house, I thought I saw the same thing happening to you. You’d be gone for days, even when work ended. You had lipstick on your neck when you did come home.” This gallop reached up. Lipstick, he thought, is this the source of your power? He brushed her lips, confused by what he discovered. She had nothing on them. You must be so powerful, that you don’t need lipstick. “But now, you’re buying me flowers.” Jasmine cried a little. This Gallop panicked at the sight of those tears. He feared that she was waking up. But then, she smiled. He wondered how she could be crying and smiling at the same time. “You bought me flowers.” She inched closer to this Gallop. “You’ve been around more lately. You kiss me like it’s the first time we’ve kissed. And,” Jasmine leaned in closer, “it feels like I’m falling in love all over again with you.” She pressed her lips against this Gallop’s. This Gallop lost his mind. Everything from Jasmines words to the way she mangled her lips around his. How are you controlling me this way? Her grabbed her and pulled her in close. My will is gone! How? He gasped for air, trying to recover from Jasmine’s torture methods that had robbed him of control over his own body. “Kiss?” “What about it?” Jasmine asked. This gallop felt his face quiver from a strange rush, another symptom. “Terrible.” Jasmine frowned. “It was?” “No.” This Gallop shook his head in objection. “It’s terrible that it doesn’t last.” Have I become the prisoner, to my own prisoner? Jasmine’s eyes teared up as a joyous smile spread across her face. “I’d forgotten how much I love you.” This Gallop’s jaw went slack after hearing those words. His eyes nearly popped out. “Is this love?” Jasmine leaned in again. “I hope it is.” “You don’t know?” This Gallop felt his heart beginning to race as he calculated every reason, every sensation, and every ounce of experience he had. It hit him all at once like a train rushing headlong at full speed. The taste was there in his mouth. He couldn’t believe that he mistook it for a disease. It was unlike anything he had ever tasted before. “If this is love,” this Gallop felt full inside, a sensation he’d never known, “I’ve never tasted love that was so sweet.” Jasmine’s eyes ran with tears as she embraced this Gallop. “I love you, Gallop.” This Gallop pulled out of Jasmine’s embrace for a moment. “There’s something else that I’d like you to call me. A different name.” “What?” Jasmine kissed the end of this Gallop’s nose. “Is it some old nickname?” This Gallop shook his head. Do I remember? What did mother call me? “Tarsus, or just Tarsi.” “Tarsi.” Jasmine whispered the name. “I like it.” This Gallop felt like his blood was about to boil over from hearing Jasmine say that name. Jasmine leaned in for another kiss. “I love you, Tarsi.” This Gallop held his breath for as long as he could. His senses melted under Jasmine as he relished every moment of the kiss. When she finally parted their faces, he felt like the world had ended. Nothing mattered now. The draconequus didn’t matter. The traitor didn’t matter. Even Honeybee didn’t matter as he stared into the eyes that stared right back into his. “I love you, Jasmine.” Oh, mother, I love her. What do I do now? The moment ended with a crash. “What was that?” Jasmine asked. This Gallop jumped to the floor. “Stay here.” He levitated a lamp and darted out into the hall. In the kitchen he saw one of the vases, that had been holding flowers, was shattered across the floor. Under the shards of glass were distinctive black scuff marks that this Gallop recognized. “No.” This Gallop looked up, down, and all around. “Just leave. I won’t tell them you’re here. Please. I’m like you now. Only, they don’t know. I have a chance. Please go, and I swear I won’t tell them. Just don’t hurt her.” “I would never hurt her, Tarsus.” The voice came from the ceiling. “But, they would.” This Gallop waved the lamp in his magic at the owl that had been perched above. “Go away! Get out.” He kept swinging until the owl flew into the living room. “Just get out! Leave Thorax, just leave!” This Gallop collapsed as he saw the owl fly out an open window. He had never known fear like that before. “I love her…” His words trailed off as he fully realized what he was saying. “Oh, no. What have I done?” Author's Note
One Step at a Time“Put one foot in front of the other…” -Jules Discord held the attention of Pathfinder’s class as he recited his poem from his journal. “Oh callous twist of fate, Cursed universe, you enmitous despot, Forsake not the lack of eloquence in my decry, The infamy of our adversary is dire, Why curse me with obtuse bravery, As this, superfluous trial is vexing enough, When such matters intrude upon, Tender and sincere infatuations.” Discord locked eyes with fluttershy from across the room before continuing. “For an angel so lithe and amiable, Perhaps this angel is recompense, With such holiness, my heart is truculent, Still small voice of quaint kindness, Translates to a vociferous call to arms, For my bosom is rife with will for you, Toil for you, I will with trepidation only very.” Pathfinder snapped the pencil he was using to take notes. “Whoops. Reflex.” He tossed the pieces into a waste basket before turning to face Discord. “I’m sorry, but could you repeat that line? I thought I heard the word very.” Discord nodded. “Toil for you, I will with trepidation,” he elevated his voice to clearly enunciate, “only very.” “Discord.” Pathfinder made quiet little notes with his new pencil he had pulled from a mug. “You know my grievance with the word very, and yet you used it anyway.” Over the silent whispers from the rest of the class, Discord could make out a worried gasp from Fluttershy. Be brave, he told himself. “Yeah.” His lips pursed as he shrugged and nodded. “Only very.” Pathfinder repeated those two words for a time before finally cracking a smile. “That’s a use of the word, very, that I haven’t heard before in all the years that I’ve been teaching. The way you use it, is so belittling, that I can’t bring myself to cut points for it. However, while I am pleased with your extended vocabulary, the usage seems rough cut. And while your use of words are powerful in there own right, the idea you’re attempting to communicate seems a bit chaotic.” He scribbled on his clipboard. “I award you a B+ for your efforts. Never stop improving, Discord. Next.” There was a slight air of disappointment that surrounded Discord’s long walk back to his seat. He had written the poem with Fluttershy in mind. And having received a less than perfect score, it ate at him a little. Regardless of the grade, however, his spirits were lifted by Fluttershy as she smiled and confessed her admiration of the poem. It gave Discord all the more hope for their study date he had planned. ***** Discord held on tight to Fluttershy’s hoofs as she hugged him from behind. He had teleported. But over a course of time, he’d been practicing so as to pass through less terrifying hell scapes. A consistency came about with his practice that brought him and Fluttershy here. Discord held tight to Fluttershy as he carried her through a slow vortex that bent over itself, spilling colors and stars into flowing rorschach patterns. Shooting stars passed them by as well as the occasional giant fluff worm that won nothing but adoration and awe from Fluttershy. The end came as Discord brought them to their destination. Fluttershy blinked as the bright blue fall sky temporarily blinded her. Adjusting to the new sight, her sight became clear as Discord led her to a willow tree perched on a hill. The willow tree was the center of a park that had far less inhabitants than it used to in the warmer seasons. Yet, there were still children running about, throwing balls and playing tag, while their guardians watched diligently. A gentle wind tossed the weeping limbs of the willow whose leaves had transformed into a brighter yellow for the season. “It’s beautiful.” Fluttershy slide away from Discord’s back as he lowered his frame to allow her access to the solid ground beneath them. “I had hoped to bring you here before the fall ended.” Snapping his claws, Discord rolled out a red and white plaid blanket. “And if I timed this right.” He snapped his paw, bringing a wicker picnic basket into existence on the center of the blanket. Inspecting the basket, Discord was pleased to find everything there, and still cool to the touch. Thanks mom. He was grateful for his mother’s fulfillment of her promise to pull the food from the fridge. I made us some cucumber sandwiches. They’re not exactly like the ones at the cafe but-.” Fluttershy cut him off. “I’m sure they’ll be wonderful.” “Hm.” Discord set his bag down before unloading the contents of the picnic basket onto the blanket. “I noticed you liked them more than the hay fries.” “Oh, uh.” Fluttershy chuckled nervously. “I only ordered those because I thought they would impress you.” “Hay fries?” Discord asked in bewilderment. Fluttershy went quiet as she rubbed her shoulder. “I know it’s dumb. I just thought you’d like me more if I ate like you and the rest of your friends.” “I’m sorry, it’s not dumb.” A pain stuck Discord in his mind for even sounding critical of her. It was strange for him to experience others making certain choices on account of his tastes. “But, you don’t have to eat like me or the rest of our friends. I want you to eat whatever you want.” He though on that. “Well, maybe not everything, like paint. I wouldn’t want you to get sick or anything like that. I’m sorry. Is any of this making any sense.” Fluttershy giggled at what he said. “I think I understand. And, I feel the same way. You don’t want me to change. I think that’s what you’re trying to say. I don’t want you to change either.” “But,” Discord grumbled as he looked away, “I wish I wasn’t so weird. I mean, my magic isn’t exactly normal. And sometimes, I can barely control it. I mean,” he motioned to his form with his arms while muttering quiet condescending criticisms about his body. “Discord, did you just gesture to all of yourself?” Upon seeing a nod from Discord, Fluttershy frowned and raised her voice (or as loud as was possible in that moment). “Discord! You’re fine the way you are. There’s nothing wrong with you. There’s nothing wrong with your magic.” “Now you sound like my mother.” Discord instantly regretted having said that. “Wait, I didn’t-.” Fluttershy propped herself up into Discord’s face. “And what’s wrong with that? She cares about you, she worries about you, and she loves you. I would hope you end up with someone as kind as her. I hope I could be half the mare she is! At least you listen to her. Just, gah!” She turned her back on Discord. “Wait a minute.” Discord reached for Fluttershy’s shoulder, but stopped when she moved further away. “Please. I’m sorry. I don’t want to not talk. Please tell me what you meant. You said I listen to her. Why did you say that?” Fluttershy inched her face in the direction of Discord’s. “You don’t listen. You don’t understand it. You’re not a monster Discord. You have so many friends that love you and care about you. I care about you. But, you somehow forget. I wish you could see.” “Then help me.” Discord successfully reached her shoulder. “Help me listen. I’ve only ever heard the world scream at how different I am. I guess I’m just still not used to anyone caring. You’re right. I listen to her. That’s because for the longest time, it was just me and her.” “You’re not alone, Discord. Neither of you are.” Fluttershy held a hoof over Discord’s paw. “You don’t have to be one or the other to fit in. You asked me if I saw a pony or a dragon, once. You know what. I don’t see anything else but you. I just see you. I understand. You’re different.” “Yeah, I am.” Feeling her hoof on his paw, Discord studied it with his eagle claws. “And, you’re a pony. I’m a draconequus, whatever that really is. Together, we’re not normal. We don’t make sense. I don’t want the world to scream at you too.” Fluttershy pressed herself into Discord’s form. “Do we have to make sense? I don’t care if we’re not the same. I don’t care if the world screams. I just don’t want to see you cry. I don’t want you to ever think you’re alone. I want you to be happy with who you are. Don’t be afraid of me. I’m your friend, aren’t I?” She dug into her bag and pulled out her sonic disruptor. “Look.” Turning on the device, she held it between both their heads. “I’m not a changeling either. I’m me. And, I am here for you. I want to be closer to you. But, you won’t let anyone in.” Discord snapped his paw, materializing a door between them. Opening the door, he smiled. “Would you like to come inside, Miss Fluttershy?” A smile found its way onto Fluttershy’s face as she lunged through the door, pinning Discord to the ground. “Do you promise to believe me when I say I’m not afraid of you?” Discord nodded. “I promise.” “Do you promise to believe me when I say your magic is amazing.” Fluttershy locked her eyes on Discord’s. The draconequus almost lost himself in her eyes as remembered a moment like this. “Promise.” Fluttershy leaned in and planted a gentle kiss on Discord’s cheek. “Do you promise to believe me when I say I think you’re a handsome draconequus.” “On one condition.” Discord combed a stray strand of Fluttershy’s mane back over her ear before cupping her face in his paw. “Do you promise to believe me when I say you are the kindest and most beautiful mare I have ever met.” Another kiss came to Discord’s cheek from Fluttershy. “I promise.” Her legs crumpled under her as she rested atop him. The words she spoke seemed to weaken. “I believe you.” “Then, I promise.” Discord wrapped his arms around Fluttershy as he stared up through the light shining through the limbs of the willow tree. Something about the sun, I was like there was someone else watching. It was like an old friend was smiling down on him. “Fluttershy, please don’t freak out when I ask this, but do you want a family?” “Yes.” Her answer was quick and direct. “Discord? Is something wrong?” Nothing was wrong with Discord. He felt very much alive. So much so, that he took a leap of faith he was afraid he might never get the chance to take again. Holding Fluttershy close, he met her eyes before pressing her face into his. Gradually his head departed from hers as he traveled down to her lips. “We don’t make sense. But, that doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter because I love you.” He expected every ounce of resistance as he pushed his lips to Fluttershy’s. However, there was no resistance returned, only equal enthusiasm. Discord melted at he returning motions from Fluttershy as she climbed into a position to kiss him better. He helped her up with his arms, holding her as though she might somehow fly away from the experience. They both gasped for breath as their lips fell apart. Fluttershy’s eyes grew watery despite the smile on her face. “Really?” “Promise.” Discord felt like he was dreaming. Though, he’d never had a dream this good. “And, you?” Fluttershy gave him his answer. From the moment his question left his mouth, she had her lips on his. Only, she was much gentler than before. “Are we more than friends? Does this mean we’re not friends, but-.” Discord rested his head against Fluttershy’s. “We’ll always be friends, and more.” “We’re just a special sort of friends.” Fluttershy added. For the longest time that was endurable, Discord held Fluttershy close as they whispered to each other. Neither was eager to depart from each other’s company at that point. While they embraced, the cucumber sandwiches in the picnic basket went unnoticed. ***** “Anything? Over.” Discord asked over his EC radio. Resting on his bed, he listened to the nightly report from everyone. “Nothing. Over.” Spike sighed. Rainbow coughed into her radio, that Doc had supplied for her, Big Mac, Twilight, and Fluttershy. “Zip.” “Hm-nope. Over.” Big Mac said nothing more. Twilight came on. “My parents are my real parents. And none of my teachers were changelings.” Discord sighed as he took note on a paper of everyone cleared of being a changeling. “Thanks everyone, for trying. I hope we find these changelings, and fast.” Spike jumped back in. “If there’s any, there must not be very many of them.” “Isn’t that a good thing?” Rainbow asked. “Spike’s probably right. But, that means they’ll be harder to find.” Discord tossed the paper onto his desk. “They could even be people we don’t even know.” Twilight cleared her throat. “I’ve been talking to Doctor Hooves about making undetectable mobile disruptors in the form of bracelets that can create fields around us. That way we can cover more ground without having to activate our disruptors in plain sight.” “That’s a good idea, Twi.” Spike commented. “If they see us using the disruptors, they would most likely know to hide somewhere else.” “Okay. Sounds good. Over.” Discord noticed a certain voice was missing. “Hey, where’s Fluttershy?” “I’m here.” Fluttershy’s voice came through, much to Discord’s relief. “I’m spending the night at Rainbow’s house. I’ve been listening, though.” Discord didn’t respond. He felt his breath catching back up to him with the confirmation that Fluttershy was safe. It ate him alive inside to know that she might not be. To say he was terrified of that moment of silence without Fluttershy’s response, would be an understatement. He had just seen here hours ago. And to think that in that time, that she might be taken or worse, it gave him some perspective. A newfound drive flowed in him. Determination came in a subtle hatred for the changelings. “Discord.” Fluttershy called through to him. He held down the button on his radio’s microphone. “Yeah?” Another moment of silence passed before Fluttershy came through again. “Please try and get some sleep.” “Yeah.” Rainbow talked over Fluttershy. “You’ll need all your energy if we’re going to find the castle again. You didn’t forget did you?” He forgot. “Right.” The expedition set for tomorrow was the last thing on Discord’s mind. “Good night everyone. See you all tomorrow, then.” After the wave of good nights passed on, he tried to listen to Fluttershy and Rainbow’s advice. However, trying to slip under his covers was like forcing himself into a drainage pipe. He found that his feet were severely uncomfortable, constantly kicking the covers off almost as instinct. Discord finally pulled everything past his feet so they were exposed to the darkness of his room. The radio stayed on a little longer. Discord kept it on just in case Spike decided to have another late night discussion. The dragon never called in. So, Discord figured he’d already fallen asleep. Though Spike wasn’t awake, someone else was. “What?” Tapping the radio, Discord could hear white noise coming through along with the occasional sigh. Finally, Rainbow’s voice spoke up. “Fluttershy, that’s not how the radio works. You’re not going to hear him with the button down like that.” The white noise cut out after that. Picking up the microphone and holding down the button, Discord whispered, “Good night, Fluttershy.” “Good night, Discord.” Discord smiled as he heard Rainbow grumbling in the background. Slowly, his eyelids became heavier and heavier until sleep won over him. Author's Note
Flash MAGNUS!“You can’t call it an adventure unless…” -Brian “Okay.” Twilight scraped a layer of cobwebs from her face and mouth. “Now all the traps are marked. So we can get to work cleaning up and excavating this place.” Looking at the tiny brushes that Twilight had given him earlier, Discord mumbled to himself as he contemplated where to start. Everyone was busy with something. Big Mac was being carefully directed by Twilight to move debris and rubble onto a tarp to be sorted out. Managing the scrolls and books was Spike. The dragon wore gloves to carefully catalogue and take note of every piece before tucking them safely away in sealable plastic bags. Rainbow assisted Fluttershy in collecting tapestries to be transported later. Finally picking a spot, Discord began to use his brushes to carefully displace dust, dirt, and any other lose foreign object that marred the intricate carvings along one wall. “So, explain the magic to me again.” Twilight continued to inspect each piece of rubble that Big Mac moved. “Remember how Spike said this place was cursed? Well, it’s not actually a curse. It’s like protective barrier.” “So,” Rainbow chimed in after she and Fluttershy carefully lowered another tapestry, “it actually keeps this place hidden. But, why can we see it? And, why hasn’t anyone else ever found this place?” “That’s a good question Rainbow Dash, but in all honesty, I don’t know.” Twilight eyed Discord. “You said something about feeling uneasy in this place.” “Yeah.” Discord sighed. “I don’t know. It’s like I’m not supposed to be here or something.” He stared up at the pedestal with elements of harmony. Shivers filled his spine as he dared to get close. But upon getting closer, Discord found something. “Twilight! Look a this. Something’s been carved here.” Kneeling closer, Discord brushed away the surface with one of the finer brushes. “Oh my goodness.” Twilight glanced over the carvings in the pedestal. “It’s a spell! It says, lest evil doers should offend, let this castle this spell defend, let no creature enter alas, only the worthy shall pass.” Discord’s heart sank. “I’m not worthy.” Rainbow spat out a laugh. “What are you talking about? Of course you’re worthy! How else could you get in here?” Twilight began to stutter as she tried to find her words. “I-uh. I think I do know this spell. I read about it. Any person that the spell deems worthy can invite anyone else through the barrier.” Spike shook his head. “But, Discord came in by himself.” “No.” Discord looked at Fluttershy. “She pulled me in, before and today.” His eyes began to well up as that revelation hit him. “That’s why I feel so uneasy here. I’m not worthy.” Fluttershy flew to Discord. “It’s just a spell. It doesn’t mean anything.” Discord lost track of her words as he grabbed his bag and took off down one of the corridors to hide his face. He could feel it, he was about to cry. And, he didn’t want them to see it. He didn’t want his friends to see him cry, Fluttershy especially. In his haste, however, Discord forgot about the traps. He stepped directly on the loose stone that had been marked with an orange flag. The floor opened up under Discord, swallowing him in darkness. He had no time to react or use magic before he was spat out of a tunnel that dumped him into another room. Pain crept into his body from where he landed. “Ouch.” Rolling over, Discord groaned at his bag which had spilled across the floor of the room. The room in question was a larger space with bookshelves, furniture, and stained glass windows that were similar to the banners that bore the emblem of the moon and sun. In the middle of the room was a bare podium. Discord began re-collecting the items from his bag until he came across the Flash Magnus comic that his mother had brought home the other day. Someone left it behind at the hospital where she worked. It was new. And that was strange, considering that the next issue wasn’t due to come out for another week. Discord hadn’t had the chance to look at it yet. “Huh?” Picking up the comic, he saw it had opened to the very last page which was blank except for some cursive writing in the bottom right corner. “You can re-.” Discord squinted at the small writing. “Hm.” Taking the comic to the podium, he snapped a magnifying glass into his paw so he could get a closer look. “You can return to the place you started when the evil Empress is defeated. What does that mean?” He continued reading. “Take a closer look to join the adventure in this book.” The moment Discord finished reading the writing, green sparks began to fly from the pages and circle around him. “Woah.” He leaned forward to look at the comic as it began to emit a bright aura. “Discord! What are you doing?” Rainbow slid into the room along with everyone else. Discord shrugged. “It’s not me!” He tried to walk away from the comic, but something pulled his arm back. The light latched onto him, dragging him in. “Help!” Discord barely caught the podium before being dragged completely into the light. “It’s got me!” Spike dashed to his aid, latching onto Discord’s arm. “I gotcha.” He began to slip. “I don’t gotcha!” Rainbow and Fluttershy flew in to grab Spike’s legs, but they were also being sucked towards the light bursting from the comic. Big Mac wrapped his forelegs around Rainbow and Fluttershy’s legs, trying with all his might to pull them all out with assistance from Twilight’s magic. It was all for nought as every last one of them was sucked into the comic book before it closed on them. Upon the large planet drifting through space, the Empress sits in her massive throne room of gold and obsidian, contemplating the excess in time she had at her disposal. “General Betox.” A cloaked stallion with a computer visor floated into the room. “Yes, Empress Zebrina.” Sparks from his metallic horn drew out a long blade that arched with electricity. “Is there some offender you wish for me to dispose of?” The Empress stretched her black and white striped form which was adorned in gold ornaments crafted from the melted heirlooms of worlds long since conquered. “What I require has no need for a sword, executions won’t help the fact that I’m bored.” “Ah ha.” The stallion returned his blade to its scabbard. “I’m sure I can remedy that.” The empress reached out her hoof, using the magical band around her leg to raise up a curved panel containing a myriad of controls and displays. “I am sure of what you say. What new play thing have you for me today?” The stallion tuned the main display to the image of a plane. “It’s an obscure geocentric body in the Equorum system.” The lips of the empress twisted into a cruel smile. “So peaceful this planet is at this hour,” reaching forward with her magical band, she activated one of the switches, “and its inhabitants shall know my power.” A sign lit up above the activated switch, flashing with the word hurricane. The stallion laughed as the display showed a massive storm tearing apart a coastal city. “Most impressive your highness. Will you destroy this planet?” “Only after I’ve had my fun. I’ll destroy it when I’m done.” The Empress smiled as she magically flipped another switch for a meteor storm. The stallion frowned as he altered one of the controls. “Your highness. We are receiving a transmission from one of the continents. A country. I believe the inhabitants call it Equestria. They are calling for peace.” The empress hummed as she eyed the continent on the display. “Then Equestria shall be the first nation, to witness annihilation.” She erupted into laughter as she activated more switches, sending disaster after disaster to the planet below. Discord blinked until his vision cleared up. “Oh. What happened?” Looking through a window to his left, he saw nothing but stars. “Did we sleep in the castle? It’s already night.” Trying to get up, Discord found that his body was held in place by straps. “Huh?” Unlatching the straps, he was surprised as he began to float without any help from magic. “Woah!” He crashed against the opposite side of the round white structure he was in. Looking through the window again, he could see a planet getting farther and farther away. On the planet, Discord could make out the outline of the equestrian continent. “What’s going on?!” “Discord!” Fluttershy called out. “Where are we?” Discord pushed off from where he was and floated towards Fluttershy. “I think we’re in space.” He stared at Fluttershy. “Oh.” “What? What is it?” Fluttershy asked. Discord raised a claw and tapped on the unicorn horn on Fluttershy’s head. “You’ve got a horn. And, you’re taller.” Fluttershy stretched out her wings and pushed at the horn. “Oh, my! How did this happen?” Spike was in another set of straps. “Uhh. No dad, no more brussel sprouts…” “Spike!” Discord pushed off to wake the dragon up. “Hey! Come on! Are you alright?” Spike shook his head, flapping his cheeks before he looked around their environment. “Why are we on a rocket ship?” “Woah dudes. We’re in space?!” Discord, Spike and Fluttershy gasped at the electronic voice that buzzed at them. “What’s the matter? Guys? Why are you looking at me that way?” Discord recognized the voice under the chrome face that had a slight blue tint to it. The rainbow colored wires that traveled down its head and neck made it even clearer. “Rainbow Dash? But, you’re a- uh.” “A what?” Rainbow screamed as she looked at her now metallic hooves. Her body was now a series of chromed panels jointed together with tubing and wires. “A robot! Why am I a robot?!” “No way!” Spike unlatched his own straps and pushed himself towards rainbow. “You’re a Robotic Autonomous Life Form!” Discord scrutinized the words. “R-A-L-F. Ralf? As in Ralf from the Flash Magnus comics?” “Exactly!” Spike inspected one of Rainbow’s legs. “It looks so real!” Rainbow pushed Spike away, her digitized voice panicking. “Well how do you unRalf me?! I’m not stuck like this am I?” Spike looked at Fluttershy. “Of course. Fluttershy! You’re…” Discord looked at the crown and mantle she wore as he unstrapped her. “...you’re Princess Deleja of the Southern Meadowlands. You’re the alicorn leader of the resistance against the Nortican Regime.” Spike looked at himself. “Tweed jacket, bowtie,” he reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver tipped guitar pick, “I’m Doctor Sparky Buckaroo, the rockstar scientist! And Discord, you’re him.” Discord looked at the futuristic armor he wore. Feeling his head, he felt the cool surface of a steel centurion helmet. “I’m Flash Magnus? But, that can’t be right. Why am I Flash Magnus?” “Yeah!” Rainbow buzzed. “And, why am I a bucket of bolts?” Spike looked around. “Wait. Remember the last thing that happened? We got sucked into some sort of light.” “The comic book!” Discord remembered. “We’re inside a Flash Magnus comic book. There was some writing in the back. It must have been a spell.” Fluttershy kept brushing a wing at the horn on her head, as if it’d come off somehow. “Oh, dear.” “Carefull.” Rainbow snickered. “If you mess with it, you’ll go blind.” “Really?!” Fluttershy tucked her wings behind her back and stared cross eyed at the horn. “No, that’s not how that works.” Discord looked around with Spike. “Okay, we’re in a space capsule of some kind.” “I designed it.” Spike’s eyes widened. “I don’t mean me, really. Sparky designed this rocket ship. Discord, remember in issue seven? He was building this to explore space.” “Hold up.” Rainbow beeped as she freed herself from her straps. “Who exactly are all these characters?” Spike pulled a lever that raised a console in the center of the capsule. “Okay, so you know who Flash Magnus is, right?” Rainbow nodded. “The Cloudsdale Royal Legion cadet who outsmarted the dragons with the shield of Netitus? Every pegasus knows that story.” “Correct.” Spike nodded. “It’s the same Flash Magnus. Only, in the comics, Flash gets trapped in a cave that’s filled with a magical gas. The gas preserved him until he was reawoken five thousand years later by Sparky Buckaroo who was looking for a way to fight back against the Nortican Regime. Legends of Flash Magnus had endured long enough that everyone knew of his military prowess. It was Princess Deleja who called upon Flash Magnus to help fight back against the Nortican forces.” “So,” Rainbow tapped on her metal chest, “what about me?” Spike talked as he worked the controls on the raised console. “Ralf, Flash’s companion. After pulling you from a ruined building, your programming made Flash your master, so to speak. You’re the most advanced robot ever built. You can run faster, jump higher, and even shoot lasers from your eyes.” “Really?” Rainbow excitedly hummed as her eyes began to glow. “Wait!” Spike waved his claws. “Not inside the capsule that’s keeping us safe from the vacuum of Space.” Fluttershy watched as Spike manipulated the controls on the console. “How do you know how to use that?” “I don’t.” Spike admitted. “But I’m Sparky apparently, and Sparky knows how to fly it.” Peering at a monitor, he quickly responded to a loud beep. “Message incoming.” Spike pushed a large green button that lit up a purple holographic image over the console. The hologram was of another scientist with a bandage around his head. “Flash? Sparky? I wanted to get this message out to you before our communications tower went down. It’s bad down here. I hope you’re able to make it to the source of these strange and dangerous occurrences. Please, the world depends on you. You’re our last hope-.” The image cut out completely as a siren wailed. “What is that?” Rainbow shouted. Spike looked at the readings on the console. “According to this, the moon’s just been destroyed. It’s gone!” The entire capsule shook as red light waves spiraled around outside the capsule. “A portal of some kind just opened.” Discord’s eyes boggled as he stared out the window at the massive grey and red object that appeared. “Is that a planet?” Spike nodded. “Yes, but it’s not even from this dimension.” Lasers shot from the planet’s surface, shaking their capsule. Discord held Fluttershy as she cried out. “Who’s attacking us?!” Spike pointed out the window. “Invaders, from the thirteenth dimension!” His jaw dropped at the new warning sound. “Strap yourselves down! We’re caught in its gravitational pull!” Rainbow mumbled out a series of alarms and buzzing as she strapped herself back in. “You sound like Twilight!” Spike growled, “Shut up!” Discord got Fluttershy strapped back in before he strapped himself back in. “Let me have the controls!” Spike flipped a lever before strapping himself in. “All yours.” The console folded and transformed into a helm that slid up to Discord. “If Sparky can build it, Flash can fly it, right?” Spike shrugged. “Hopefully. Did you ever read this issue? You know what happens? I sure don’t.” “Not a clue. I didn’t have time to read it.” Discord took a hold of two joysticks to maneuver the representation of the rocket ship on the display. One look at their descent speed, and he was really freaked out. “Not good! Too fast.” Pulling back on the joysticks, he pressed down on a pedal that opened up flaps and activated the reverse thrusters. “We’re going to crash! Hang on!” Another wave of lasers shook the capsule. One struck one of the windows, melting a hole through the clear barrier. The air began to be sucked out. Rainbow began to beep as her eyes flashed yellow. “My sensors indicate that we’re losing oxygen. Weird. I have sensors?” “We have to close the opening!” Spike shouted. Discord realized the weight that was strapped to his back. Maneuvering around the straps, he pulled out an ornate bronze like shield. Rainbow stared in disbelief at the object. “That’s it! The Netitus shield. So, awesome!” “It’s tough, and it’s fireproof.” Discord could see flames begin to gather around the broken window. Pressing a button on his bracer, the shield magnetically stuck to his arm. “Okay.” Fluttershy tried to grab Discord as he undid his straps. “What are you doing?” “We have to close the opening.” Discord took in a deep breath before jumping atop the shield and aiming for the window. His plan worked as the shield was sucked against the hole, sealing it. “Awesome!” Rainbow booped. “My sensors are saying that oxygen levels are stabilizing.” Discord looked over his shoulder at Spike. “Take over the controls.” “On it!” Spike flicked a lever, twisting the controls around to him. “Discord!” Discord looked at the window, which was starting to crack. “Uh-oh.” He looked for the release button on the shield so he could get back into his straps. But, before he could, the window shattered. Discord heard Fluttershy calling his name before he blacked out after being sucked into space. “Awake her.” Fluttershy felt something, an energy flowed through her, prompting her eyes to open. Looking up from the black obsidian floor, she saw Spike with his arms in binds and Rainbow in a bubble of energy. “Where am I?” Around them, she could see strange creatures dressed in varying armor and dresses, all with bowed heads. “Princess Deleja.” Fluttershy saw above her, a black and white striped mare on a throne. “You’re, a zebra?” A cloaked stallion with a metal horn stepped forward. “You are speaking to Empress Zebrina, and how dare you compare her to any such creature of your planet’s filth.” The stallion sent a bolt of electricity from his horn at Spike. “Gah!” Spike twisted in pain as he fell to the floor. “I’m sorry!” Fluttershy cried. “I didn’t mean to offend you!” Spike shook his head. “Don’t bother. She’s just gonna throw us away when she’s done.” “Please.” Fluttershy mimicked the rest of the crowd around her by bowing her head. It all came back to her. She recalled the crash landing and the absent member of their party. “We lost a friend in our crash.” She looked and looked, but she didn’t see Discord anywhere. “Ah yes.” The Empress stood and approached Fluttershy. “Your scientist named him as Flash Magnus. However, he is no longer with us. My soldiers scouted ahead, but he is believed to be dead.” “No.” Fluttershy shook her head as her body began to tremble. “That can’t be true. That must be impossible.” The Empress laughed from her throat. “I sense love from your fearful motions. Please, don’t waste my time with your pathetic emotions. There is some use I have for you in my tower, where I’ll drain every last drop of your power. Your scientist, for General Betox I leave behind, so he can torture and destroy his mind.” “What about me!?” Rainbow buzzed through her bubble. The Empress laughed. “Don’t worry your little synthetic heart. You’ll be stripped apart.” “No!” Fluttershy scowled as her horn lit up. “You won’t get away with this.” Spike yelled out to Fluttershy. “Your magic! Use your magic!” Fluttershy’s eyes grew at the sight of the ball of energy growing over head. “What?” Trying to shake the light of the energy away, she sent it bouncing around the throne room, taking out guards as it went. At last, the ball of energy struck the bubble Rainbow was trapped in. “Woah!” Rainbow fell to the floor as the bubble dissipated. “Halt!” Betox ran at Rainbow before he was blasted across the room at the Empress by a laser shot from Rainbow’s eyes. “Run!” Spike yelled. The Empress shoved Betox away and began to float up into the air. “Foolish cur! Somebody competent, capture her!” She snapped her head at Fluttershy. “And as for your outburst you unruly whelp, after my daughter prepares you for extraction, there’ll be no one to help.” “What is this? Why do you waste our commander’s time with a weakling.” “We found him, he fell from the sky.” “And he’s alive? Impressive. Then he must not be a weakling at all! What do you think, commander? Is he of use to us?” “E-yup.” Through all the muffled voices, Discord recognized that last one. “Big Mac?” As his vision cleared, the red blob standing over him focused into the face of Big Mac. Another pony-like face stood over Discord. “What did you just call Commander Mantos?” “Commander?” Discord remembered he was still in the comic. “Commander.” Sitting up he looked over at the other pony. “I’m sorry I don’t know you. I am Flash Magnus.” “Flash, a curious name.” The young orangish pony had a blue mane and matching eyes. He saluted with a hoof against his heart. “I am Captain Mars Markas. Allow me to introduce my Commander, Mantos San of the Steelwings.” Discord imitated the salute to Big Mac. “A pleasure to meet you, Mantos.” “E-yup.” Big Mac chuckled. Discord looked him up and down. He quickly noticed the metallic wings mounted on Big Mac’s back, as well as the other ponies in the hut-like room he was in. “If you don’t mind me asking, who are all of you?” Mars stepped forward. “Commander, shall I fill him in?” Big Mac nodded. “E-yup.” Mars took a seat on a cushion next to the cot Discord was laying in. “We witnessed your primitive rocket ship crash down. If you don’t already know, you’re on the planet Zebrulon. Once this place was a peaceful planet. That was until the Empress, Zebrina, manipulated its inhabitants. She lied to the people, promising them peace and protection in exchange for their obedience. Zebrina abused her power to conquer other worlds, grafting them into her own as she dragged them through ripples in space.” “Why did she take over worlds?” Discord asked. “Power.” Mars said plainly. “She sought after the energies belonging to each world’s most powerful leaders.” Discord recalled Fluttershy’s new form as an alicorn. “Princess Deleja, and my friends, I have to find them.” “If they were on your ship,” Mars lowered his head, “I’m afraid the empress has them.” Discord sat up. “Then we must find them, and stop Zebrina!” Big Mac smiled as he helped Discord up. “E-yup.” “But sir!” Mars interjected. “The Empress possesses untold power from countless worlds. How can we ever hope to overcome her? We’re not even close to having the firepower necessary to launch an attack on her palace.” “We got somthin’ that she ain’t got.” Big Mac pat Discord on the back. “Someone on the inside.” Discord caught wind of what Big Mac was saying. “Our-, I mean, my friends. If we could get a message to them, they could operate from the inside.” Mars nodded. “Yes, having someone inside could aid our attack. If they could get free, they could lower their defensive force fields. But, that doesn’t solve our issue of firepower.” “I’m sure we can improvise.” Discord went on. “What if we hijacked a weapon or craft from the Empress’s forces?” A voice piped up from among the other steelwings. “What about the rocket ship Destiny?” “Fool!” Another steelwing coughed. “It would take all of us to take it down.” Discord weighed the options before him. “Look, if the Empress takes the powers of Princess Deleja, you’ll have even less odds of ever beating her. If we take Destiny, we might have the chance to act before it’s too late.” “E-yup.” Big Mac eyed Mars and the rest of the steelwings. “He’s right. If you do nothin’ now, you’ll be slaves forever. Are we just gonna sit here on our flanks, or go and take back our freedom?” Discord excitedly raised his paw in a fist to the air. “I will stand and fight for Mantos and the steelwings!” As the rest of the steelwings cheered, Mars furrowed his brow. “How do we know we can trust you, Flash? For all we do know, you could be an agent of Zebrina.” “Then, I’ll prove myself.” Discord squared up to Mars. “I won’t fail.” Mars looked to Big Mac. “The Hom Tabbar?” Big Mac’s face sunk a little as he thought about it. “E-yup. Take ‘im to the totem.” Discord followed Mars and a few steelwings who guided him from the hut. Outside, he could see he was high above the ground on a structure held up by massive trees. The trees held a series of similar hut-like buildings that were all interconnected with suspended bridges. Mars led him to one hut in particular that was darker than the rest. Ducking under the hanging beads, Discord was surprised to come face to face with a wrinkly faced dragon with no eyes. Where eyes would have been, skin had grown over and scarred. The dragon’s form was wrapped from head to toe with bandages, similar to a mummy. The dragon gestured to a beastly statue carved from dark wood holding a red box trimmed in silver. “Come warrior, place your arm in the box.” “What’s in the box?” Discord asked. The dragon brushed his claws against Discord’s face. “It is the Hom Tabbar. The test of courage and bravery. If you are worthy, it will not take your arm from you.” Discord froze before he reached for the box. Worthy? I’m not worthy. “Doubt, is how you lose your arm.” The dragon took Discords arm and held it tight. “Doubt is how you lose yourself and what you stand for. What do you stand for?” Images of Fluttershy flashed through Discords mind. I stand for her. For her, I will be worthy. He looked for what Flash would say and poured his reason behind it. “Freedom.” Discord thrust his arm into the box. In the blink of an eye, two silver jaws curled out and pinched his arm tight. He was stuck there. The statue’s eyes glowed an eerie green color as it’s voice emanated through it’s unmoving mouth. “Speak your litany of courage.” Discord felt the silver jaws tightening over his arm. “What does it want?” The wrinkly dragon held Discord by his other arm. “You must speak truth. You must speak your code of honor to prove your integrity and honor. If you do not speak these words, you will suffer the lesser death, a belittling one of shame.” Discord quickly recalled the first issue of the New Adventures of Flash Magnus. He remembered the Royal Legion mantra that Flash had spoken alongside his comrades before battle. Discord remembered because he had it memorized. “I do not run with my legs, he who runs with his legs has forgotten the face of his princess. I run with my mind. I do not fly with my wings, he who flies with his wings has forgotten the face of his princess. I fly with my soul. I do not fight with my shield, he who fights with his shield has forgotten the face of his princess. I fight with my heart!” The silver jaws released Discord’s arm. The dragon raised his claws in the air. “The Hom Tabbar has spoken. He is worthy!” “Forgive me.” Mars knelt by Discord’s side. “I have misjudged you, Flash Magnus. You have earned my deepest respect.” “E-yup.” Big Mac entered the hut. “And, we shall fight side by side to capture Destiny.” Fluttershy fought against the gold clad guards that dragged her up the stone spiral staircase. Now knowing that she had magic, she fought the inhibitor clamped around her horn, but to no avail. “Let me go!” Flailing her limbs, she managed to free a leg and clock the one guard in the face, sending him rolling down the stairs. “Oh, my! I’m so sorry!” The remaining guard brandished his electric spear at Fluttershy. “You’ll pay for that.” “Halt! Stand down, guard!” Fluttershy only saw a shadow from the top of the staircase where a new voice came from. The guard stood at attention. “Yes, Princess.” The voice came again. “Guard, leave us.” The guard tapped his electric spear on the ground before heading down the stairs. Knowing that the guards would be down there waiting. Fluttershy headed up. “Who are you?” “You know who I am,” the voice groaned, “but for some reason, everyone keeps calling me Princess Dora Bella.” “Twilight!” Fluttershy almost didn’t recognize her as she had changed. Aside from the blue gold ornament about her frame, her fur had changed into a striped pattern similar to the empress’s with darker shades of purple. And, she noted that Twilight’s horn was missing. “I’m so glad to see you!” Twilight embraced Fluttershy. “You’re glad? I’m glad to finally hear someone call me by my real name. What’s going on, and,” she looked at Fluttershy’s head, “since when are you an alicorn?” “We’re trapped in a comic book.” Fluttershy wasted no time in bringing Twilight up to speed. She explained as much as she could remember from what Spike and Discord had said along with the crash and what happened in the throne room of Empress Zebrina. Twilight did her best to wrap her head around it. “Okay, but, there has to be a reason why we’re in this comic book.” “Discord said it might have been a spell.” Fluttershy remembered. “Have you ever heard of anything like that?” “Well,” Twilight thought, “there was a group of unicorns that made enchanted books that allowed you to live through the adventures of any novel you wanted. But they were banned, and they never made comic books.” “So, how do we get out of this place?” Fluttershy asked. “Follow me.” Twilight led Fluttershy up into a large room which was furnished with a luxurious bed and a revolving rack of dresses. “We have to finish the story. I’ve been gathering clues to figure out what’s going on. Now that I know we’re in an enchanted comic, everything makes a little more sense. Everyone I’ve met thinks I’m the Empress’s daughter, Bella Dora. I found her secret journal entailing her plans to overthrow her mother and free the enslaved subjects.” From under the pillow of the bed, Twilight struggled to pull out a journal with her hooves. “She kept a list of groups that would sympathize with a revolution. At the top of the list is a group of people called the steelwings.” Fluttershy saw that the steelwings were circled on the list. “How do we get in touch with the steelwings?” Twilight flipped to another page. “There’s a detailed map to an abandoned communications tower at the opposite end of the palace. If we can get there, we might be able to make contact. But, we have to avoid suspicion. If either of us goes missing, Zebrina might suspect something is up.” “Rainbow Dash is still in the palace somewhere. If we can find her, we could send her to the tower.” Fluttershy sighed. “But, she could be anywhere by now.” Twilight nodded. “You’re right. Where would we start to look.” A static cough sounded from the ceiling. “How about up here?” Fluttershy beamed at the sight of the open ventilation shaft above. “Rainbow Dash!” Rainbow slipped through the opening, igniting thrusters in her steel hooves to slow her descent. “Thank goodness that worked. It’s not the same as flying, but still, so cool!” Landing in front of Twilight and Fluttershy, she tapped a spot on her chest which opened up to reveal a display with a map. “I’ve been exploring this place, using my scanners to map out the ventilation shafts and hallways.” “Fascinating.” Twilight inspected every inch of Rainbow’s robotic form. “I wish I had time to study how it all works.” “Hey! No touchy!” Rainbow flipped around and gestured to the map on her display. “I overheard your plan about the communications tower. But, I need the rest of the map to get there.” “Oh, of course.” Twilight offered up the journal with the map to the communications tower. Rainbow’s eyes lit up with a light blue laser that scanned the pages of the journal. “I got it all! I’ve patched the map from the journal into my map, so now I know how to get there.” From the middle of General Betox’s laboratory, Spike rolled his eyes. “Really? How original.” He struggled against his restraints that held him down to a metal table. Between his legs, a laser beam slowly crawled towards him. Betox angrily slammed a button on the laser, shutting it down. “Have you no fear? This laser could cut you clean in half.” “I’m just saying, you could come up with something a little more creative.” Spike shrugged. “I thought you were supposed to destroy my mind or something like that.” “What makes you think I’m not in the process of destroying your mind already?” Betox pulled up a tray of tools. One by one, he inspected each instrument and tested their abilities. “Oh, here come the sharp pointy things,” Spike mumbled, “seriously, you really are just the second rate crony to the Empress. It’s more sad than terrifying.” “Enough!” Betox pulled a device down and latched it onto Spike’s head. “Here we go!” Spike said excitedly. “Finally, we’re getting to the meat of it!” “Oh come on!” Betox kicked the tray of tools across his lab, sending some of the contents onto the table. “You’re worse than the Empress.” Spike squinted. “Ooh. Strong words coming from number two.” “And what would you know about being number two?” Betox relaxed into a chair next to a control panel. Spike laughed. “Are you kidding me? I go through life feeling like all I’ll ever be is number two next to my friend. Flash? That guy? It’s like he’s always off with the princess now more than me. But, it’s okay. I get it, it’s frustrating being in the shadow of someone who always seems more powerful, stronger, or braver than you are. But when you’re friends, what can you do? Being number two isn’t so bad. Where would Flash be without me, Sparky. If I hadn’t designed his armor and all the weapons he used to fight the Norticans, where would he be? Where would Zebrina be without you acting as her General and commanding her armies?” Betox sighed. “Nowhere, probably. You know, you are far less foolish than I made you out to be. And while your knowledge of the universe is primitive, your conceptual understanding of our technology is superb. It would be a shame to waste a mind like yours, Sparky Buckaroo.” Spike nodded. “So, we good?” “Yes.” Betox stood up. “However, I’m still going to kill you for my Empress.” “Impressing a girl.” Spike distantly smiled at the thought of Rarity. “I’ve been there too.” Betox began to activate the device strapped to Spike’s head. “Yes, she is beautiful. Isn’t she?” Spike turned his head away to hide his gags. “Sure.” In the direction he turned, Spike noticed something he hadn’t before. “Wait, those string instruments on the wall there! Are they yours?” “Yes.” Betox replied. “But, I fail to see their relevance to me destroying your mind.” Spike had an idea, one that might keep him alive long enough to escape. “You play? I’m quite the string picker myself. Back in equestria, I have my own band. Sparky Buckaroo and the Canterlot Guards. You admitted it’d be a shame to waste my mind. Why not get a use of it before you waste the opportunity?” Betox tapped his chin in thought. “It has been awhile since I’ve had the privilege of playing music with one as skilled as myself. Alright, Doctor Buckaroo. Let’s play some music, but you’ll be restrained the whole time. So, no funny business.” Spike stretched his wrists as his arm restraints unlatched. “Sweet, now let me see that six string there.” Standing up on the table, he caught the six stringed instrument that Betox threw to him. He immediately began to tweak the tension of the strings. “What are you doing?” Betox asked. Spike tweaked and tested each string to his liking. “Tuning. What shall we play. You got a beat? A song you know?” “How about a challenge?” Betox activated a platform which raised him off the ground to meet Spike’s level. “If you can outplay me, I’ll make your death painless.” Two sparking cables shot out from the platform and attached themselves to Betox and Spike’s instruments. “Play your best song.” “Okay. I’ll do you one better.” Spike picked up a shaded visor from the tools that spilled onto the table from earlier and used them as shades. “I’ll play the greatest song in the universe.” Spike pulled the silver tipped guitar pick from his pocket and played the first thing that came to his head, and it just so happened to be… Discord couldn’t help but smile as he slid into the actual hover carriage that Flash Magnus used to navigate the northern wastes and rescue Princess Deleja in issue seventeen. “How did you find this?” He admired every curve and corner. It wasn’t too unlike a regular auto carriage. Brushing his paw over the controls, he committed as much of its detail to memory as he could. Between the domed windscreen and the double grip steering mechanism, Discord felt like he had gone to another heaven second to the presence of Fluttershy. Mars pointed towards where Big Mac pointed out the crash. “We recovered part of your rocket ship. We assumed it was one of Zebrina’s ships, which is why we confiscated the contents we found.” “E-yup.” Big Mac passed a large parcel to Discord. “I think you’ll be needing this.” Discord unwrapped the parcel to find the shield that had undoubtedly saved his life from his fall to the surface of Zebrulon. “Netitus.” Examining the shield, he could see it had been polished and affixed to the strap was a series of steel feathers. “What are these?” “Tokens of allegiance, from our bravest warriors.” Mars explained. “They have gifted them to you for good luck during our charge on Destiny.” Discord mounted the shield on his back. “How soon till Destiny approaches?” “Soon.” Big Mac spread out his metallic wings. He spoke to Mars. “Let’s get into our positions.” Discord smiled as he fired up the hover carriage. He hummed at the sensation of the twin jets on the back, warming up. Once the jets lit up with fire, Discord slowly pushed the altitude throttle forward until the hover carriage began to lift off from the deck it rested on. “Let’s do this!” Big Mac and Mars both howled as they took to the sky. Discord found the acceleration petals by his feet and eased into them. The hover carriage took off, catching up to the flocks of steel wings that flew through the trees. Maneuvering left and right, Discord followed them under the cover of the canopies. Mars and Big Mac flew up alongside Discord. Mars hollered to Discord. “Up there!” Looking up, Discord could see the rocket ship Destiny begin to pass over them. It was a symmetrical cone with ornate fins that divided three separate thrusters. “I’ll distract them!” He pushed his altitude throttled to full blast. Mars shouted up at him. “Impetuous fool!” Breaking through the canopy, Discord accelerated around the rocket ship, circling it. The Destiny’s crew wasted no time in firing laser beams in his direction. “Come on, that’s right. Over here boys.” As the Destiny followed him, he could see the flocks of steelwings spilling from the canopies. “Come on.” He waited for them all to gain enough altitude over the Destiny. “Almost there.” The moment the steelwings were in position, Discord turned the hover carriage and dove beneath the rocket ship, narrowly missing the spire on the end of its nose. “Now!” Big Mac’s voice boomed across the sky as he yelled out his order to the steelwings. “Dive!” Like a wave of chrome, the steelwings dove in a particular fashion, reflecting as much light as possible at the windows to Destiny’s control deck. Amidst this, a third of the steelwings split off to board the decks of the Destiny. Lasers began to blast away at the steel wings, send them hurtling down below. Discord pushed his altitude throttle all the way up again. Reaching the right height, he locked the hover carriage into auto drive so he could stand up. On the hood of the hover carriage, he used Netitus to deflect the lasers and even reflect them back at the crew members arming the laser turrets. One by one, Discord cleared the decks for the steelwings to board the rocketship. After so many of the steelwings were aboard, the rocket ship’s thrusters began to reverse until the ship came to a complete halt. Circling the Destiny one more time, Discord could see it’s cargo bay open to reveal a smiling Mars and Big Mac. He flew in to meet them. “We are victorious! And little of our warriors were felled.” Mars embraced Discord and Big Mac. “They will live on in our memories.” Even though he knew this was all fiction, Discord found that he couldn’t help but feel the weight of their fallen comrades. “Their spirits will be with us when we defeat Zebrina.” “E-yup.” Big Mac wiped a subtle tear from the corner of his eye as he pulled on Discord’s arm. “Come on. Let’s point this thing towards Zebrina’s palace.” Discord nodded as he broke off his embrace with Mars and followed Big Mac to the control deck. The deck was cleared as the steel wings tied up the crew and transported their captives elsewhere. Big Mac gestured to the main seat at the helm. “She’s all your, Captain.” “Captain?” Discord asked. “E-yup. You got a ship, you’ve been promoted.” Big Mac took a position at a set of controls marked as the controls for the defense lasers. “Captain Magnus!” Another steelwing hollered from the communications controls. “We’re receiving a distress call. It’s coming from the palace.” Discord sat at the helm. “Put them through.” A crackle and a buzz popped before a voice finally came through. “This is Ralf, calling to the steelwings. The princesses and I are calling for an attack on the Empress’s Palace.” The sound of Rainbow’s voice brought a fresh bold smile to Discord’s face. “This is Flash Magnus and the steelwing army. We hear you.” Rainbow ran over Discord’s instruction again. “Disable force field, gather our friends, and defeat Zebrina. Piece of cake.” A noise set her senses whirring for a loop. “Gah! That sound. That music!” She felt like her audio interpreters were melting like butter to the perfect collection of power chords that were stuck in a final symphony of perfection. Popping open the vent below her, she investigated. Spike was on his knees, locked in a stance with his pick in his trembling claws over the six strings that were still glowing. His head raised to face Betox who was ragdolled against the wall in a pile of debris, still clutching his shattered instrument. Spike laughed towards Betox. “You got a hay of a lot to learn about rock and roll.” “Hey!” Rainbow shouted down at Spike. The dragon looked up and smiled. “Hey.” He took a moment to catch his breath. Rainbow looked back and forth between Spike and Betox. “What happened?” Spike shed his visor shades. “I just played the greatest song in the universe.” “Whatever.” Rainbow shot lasers from her eyes at the restraints holding Spike's legs. “Write a tribute later, but right now we gotta get the palace’s forcefield shut off for Discord.” Spike slung the sing string instrument over his back. “Discord is alive?” Rainbow unfolded one of her hooves to let down a grappling hook and rope. “I’ll explain it on the way. But for now, hurry up!” Spike pocketed the visor and hopped on the grappling hook as it raised him up to the ventilation shaft. “Betox described the barrier. It’s in the trekar quadrant of the palace. Do you know where that is?” Rainbow tapped her metal head. “It’s all in here.” Fluttershy whimpered at the tightness of the dress Twilight helped her into. “What’s taking so long for Rainbow to get back?” The black dress was skeletal in form, lining up almost perfectly with her joints and form. “She’s probably looking for Spike. Don’t worry. And don’t struggle too much.” Twilight groaned as she silently cursed at her hooves. “I’m practically useless without my horn!” “Ouch!” Fluttershy jumped as a piece of her fur was caught in the lacing of the dress. “This dress isn’t very forgiving.” “Sorry,” Twilight apologized, “in fact, it’s not really a dress. It’s designed to suck the magic and your life force from your body so it can be transferred into Zebrina’s leg band.” Realizing the harshness of that statement, Twilight apologized again. “Sorry. You must be terrified.” “I’m worried about Discord.” Fluttershy admitted. “I’m worried that he might really be gone.” Twilight sighed, staring at her hooves. “Me too.” “Twilight?” Fluttershy looked to Twilight, worry spreading even deeper into her face. “What’s wrong?” “Nothing!” Twilight snapped. “Nothing.” Fluttershy brushed Twilight’s face. “Hey. It’s alright. You can tell me if you want to. I won’t tell anyone else.” Twilight looked away from Fluttershy as she crawled onto the bed. “I don’t want to talk about it.” Fluttershy frowned as she walked over to Twilight. “I understand. Just know, that if you ever want to talk about it, you can talk to me.” Twilight snapped at her. “I don’t want to talk to you.” The doors to the room flew open as Empress Zebrina walked in. “Oh daughter of mine, the work you have done is fine.” She activated her band and spun Fluttershy around to look at her. “Oh what a sight so glorious, in my hour victorious.” “Put me down, you witch!” Fluttershy swept out a hoof and managed to kick the Empress in the face. “Oh.” The Empress wiped a trickle of green blood from her cheek. “Strike me you may, but for that you will pay. Come with me my daughter, and witness this peasant’s slaughter.” Twilight wiped her face and turned to the Empress with red eyes and a crooked smile. “Yes, mother.” Fluttershy blankly stared at Twilight. “What? You can’t let her do this. No. This isn’t like you!” “Maybe, it is.” Twilight led the way up the spiral staircase. “Let’s get a move on, mother. We don’t want to waste any time.” “No!” Fluttershy kept trying to build up enough energy to blow the inhibitor off her horn, but nothing worked. “Don’t waste your energy.” Twilight’s smile widened. “Mother won’t be happy if you use up her power.” Fluttershy screamed as they reached the top of the tower. The top was capped by a spherical glass and steel form that let in the light from the stars of space. At the center of everything was a white chair with restraints. The Empress cackled as she set Fluttershy in the chair. “No!” Fluttershy’s eyes welled up as Twilight tightened the restraints herself. “This isn’t you.” Twilight whispered into Fluttershy’s ear. “You won’t get in the way now.” “What?” Fluttershy shook her head. “What are you talking about?” Twilight attached a coupling from the chair to the inhibitor on Fluttershy’s horn and another coupling to her dress. “Ready for extraction, mother.” “Excellent.” The Empress raised her leg over a spot in front of the chair where a small pedestal arose to hold the leg band. Slipping out of the leg band, the Empress readied the switch for extraction. “Now, your power and soul will be mine!” “Your majesty!” The Empress moved away from the extraction switch to meet the screaming Betox. “General! Speak.” Betox heaved as he talked. “Doc-tor Bucka-, escaped. Flash Magnus,” he sharply inhaled, “approaching.” “Betox, are you joking?” The Empress cocked a brow. “What do you mean Flash Magnus approaching?” “Alright, he says the shields will be down in three, two, one…” True to Rainbow and Spike’s word, the red forcefield around Zebrina’s palace deteriorated before Discord’s eyes. “Wall down!” Discord shouted over the intercom. “Commander Mantos San, fire at anything that attacks.” Big Mac grinned as he manipulated the laser controls. “E-yup!” Discord saw the fleet of small ships beginning to swarm around them. Perhaps against the steelwings alone, they might have stood a chance. But against Destiny, their fates were sealed. “Keep it going.” Diverting the rocket ship’s power to it’s force field, now that they were in range, he brought the ship alongside the tallest tower. Discord could see Fluttershy through the glass dome top. “Mars.” “Yes, Flash?” Mars approached him. “I need you to take over.” Discord switched the controls over to automatic, so he could pass the seat to Mars. “I’m going after Zebrina and the Princess.” Mars pounded his chest in salute. “Flash, you’re a miracle. Go get her!” Discord dashed down to the cargo bay where he fired up the hover carriage again. Taking off into the frey of the fight, he had to dodge lasers and enemy ships as he descended straight at the tower. Before he could make it, however, one of the stray enemy ships his engine with a straight laser shot. “Not so fast.” Discord jumped from the hover carriage as it plummeted to the ground. Pulling Netitus from his back, he stood on top of it like a surfboard, riding the lasers that struck the underside of the shield. Getting his trajectory right, he crashed through the glass of the tower, sliding to a halt and activating the magnets in his armor, sucking Netitus onto his arm. Rushing forward, Discord stood between Fluttershy and the Empress. “Forget it, Zebrina! You’re not taking her power.” The Empress chuckled. “Flash Magnus, we meet at last. Too bad you’ll die so fast. Betox!” Betox lunged at Discord with his electric sword. “You will die!” His sword arched as he and Discord fought to push him back. “Your friends will all die.” “No!” Fluttershy used one of her free hind legs to kick Betox in the side. “He’ll save every one of us.” Fluttershy’s aid was enough to give Discord the edge to launch Betox across the room. “Zebrina, you coward. Your fight is with me!” “Stay away from her!” Betox came back with a vengeance as he relentlessly swung his sword at Discord, only to be stopped again and again by Netitus. “You will die by my blade!” “Actually.” Discord smiled at the sight of Spike and Rainbow. Spike raised his arm high with pick in claw as he readied his weapon, a laser grid tied into the six stringed instrument he carried. “Power chord.” As he struck his weapon’s strings, lasers shot from its neck, sending Betox flying across the room. Barely able to lift his smoking head, Betox mourned his broken horn before he stared at Spike. “Be you an angel?” “Nay.” Spike flipped his visor shades onto his face. “I am but a dragon.” The Empress reached for the extraction switch. Discord took a knee, bracing himself as he pressed a button on his arm that sent Netitus flying at the Empress, slamming her face with a loud crack. “Disable the chair!” Rainbow aimed her laser eyes at the chair’s circuitry and fried them before blasting the inhibitor off of Fluttershy’s horn. Fluttershy ran to the pedestal where the band was, but there was nothing there. “Oh, no.” Discord felt his body hit the floor as some invisible force weighed down on him like a ton of bricks. He looked up to see the Empress with her band on, her face ridden with sick delight. “Ha, ha, ha.” The Empress moved in on Discord. “You think you are worthy to defeat me? Look around you and see.” Using the magic of the band, the Empress used the same power to bring down Spike and Rainbow. “Is this the best Equestria has to offer? If so, you’ve made me a scoffer. Your friends, you can’t defend. And now, you’ll meet your end.” Discord could see the Empress’s eyes begin to glow red, along with Spike’s, Rainbow’s, and Fluttershy’s eyes. “No.” The Empress laughed. “Kill him.” Twilight screamed as she tackled the Empress. “No!” Discord felt the weight lift from his body, but Spike, Rainbow, and Fluttershy were still preparing to attack. “Uh-oh.” He held up the shield in time to hold off their attacks. Netitus deflected Spike’s laser guitar, Rainbow’s laser eyes, and Fluttershy’s magic. Quickly seeing that the energies all merged upon being deflected from the shield, Discord turned to direct it all at the Empress. “See you in tartarus, Zebrina!” The Empress screamed at the top of her lungs as the combined energies lit her up. “No, no mortal can kill me! That’s impossible!” Her entire form fizzled out in a bright flash that turned to dust before falling to the floor. “It’s over.” Discord ran to Fluttershy who was shaking her head. “Hey. You alright?” Fluttershy blinked her eyes back into focus. “Discord! Wait. Where’s Twilight?” Discord turned to see Twilight picking up Zebrina’s band. “Twilight? What are you doing?” Twilight slipped the band on and sent Fluttershy flying back into the chair, locking her horn back up with the inhibitor. “No. I have the power. I’m not losing him again.” Discord dropped his shield and held up his arms. “Twilight. Please stop. I’ll do anything you want, just let Fluttershy go. What do you want?” “You!” Twilight screamed. Spike’s eyes grew under his visor shades. “Woah, didn’t see that coming.” “A love triangle? Seriously?” Rainbow looked around. “This is a dumb comic book.” Fluttershy spoke up. “Twilight. You love Discord?” “Yes.” Twilight shook her head, stuttering. “N-no. None of you would understand!” Spike set down his weapon and walked towards Twilight. “Stay back!” Twilight snapped at Spike. “What are you doing?” “You said you weren’t going to lose him again.” Spike kept walking to her. “But, you weren’t talking about Discord were you.” Twilight’s face began to twist as her eyes filled with tears. “N-no. I wasn’t.” “You were talking about someone else, someone you loved very much, but isn’t around anymore.” Spike stopped only when Twilight threatened him with with the power of the band. “He said he would come back.” Twilight began to shake. “He said he would come back, but he never did.” Hot tears began to roll down her face. “He said he would come back from the war!” “The changeling wars?” Discord asked. “I met your parents though, your dad is still-.” It clicked in Discord’s mind. “Oh. Your brother.” Discord remembered every moment with Twilight. He remembered her reaction to him sticking out for her and how she followed him around, always taking interest. “Twilight. I’m sorry. I’m not your brother.” “You’re Spike’s!” Twilight howled. Discord chose his words more carefully. “Just because I’m not your brother doesn’t mean I’m not your friend. Twilight. Please. Let Fluttershy go.” Twilights tears of sadness turned to tears of anger. “Is she all you ever think about!?” Spike dared to take a step forward. “And if your real brother had fallen in love, would you get rid of her? Would his life not matter? Yes, Discord and Fluttershy are spending time together. That doesn’t mean Discord cares less about you than the rest of us. He cares just as much if not more than I do.” “What?” Twilight cowered back from Spike. “What are you saying?” Spike knelt down on a knee. “Twily.” “Don’t call me that…” Twilight’s words drifted away. “Twily?” Spike opened his arms for her. “I understand, but you can’t hate him for not coming back. I may not be your brother, or the one you want to be your brother. I can’t be your brother. But, I can be the next best thing.” Twilight began to calm down. “Like what.” “Well, your highness if I’ve learned anything today,” Spike shrugged gesturing to Betox, “every princess deserves a number two assistant.” Twilight stared at Spike for a while before finally sliding Zebrina’s band from her leg to the ground. “Number one?” “Sure.” Spike offered up his best smile. “Number one assistant.” Twilight rushed into his arms and quietly wept as the dragon held her. Discord removed the restraints and the inhibitter as he picked up Fluttershy. He whispered to her. “Princess?” “Please don’t.” Fluttershy shivered. “I don’t want to be a princess. I don’t have the nerve for it.” Rainbow blasted Zebrina’s band until it burst into flames, releasing a plume of energy that escaped through the broken glass above. She beeped as everyone looked at her. “What? Did you honestly think I’d let that thing sit there for Beta over there to pick up and use to bring that crazy Empress back from the dead? No thanks.” Big Mac flew into the tower from outside. “What did I miss?” He was followed by Mars and a few more of the steelwings. “A lot.” Spike commented. Mars stepped forward. “Is she gone? Is Zebrina really defeated?” “Yes.” Discord smiled. “Once and for all.” Mars stared at Twilight. “Dora Bella. My princess.” He knelt before her and Spike. “I kept my promise. I told you we’d meet again, my love.” Spike smiled at the confused Twilight. “Go on. This is all just a comic book. Enjoy it a little.” Nodding, Twilight smiled up at Mars Markas. “It’s, uh, a relief to see you again, uh, my love.” She yelped a bit as Mars drew her into an embrace before spinning up into the air with her. Twilight giggled as Mars brushed his nose against hers on the way back down. “All's well that ends well.” Fluttershy hummed to Discord. “Hm-nope.” Big Mac shook his head. “The planet Zebrulon still drifts through space.” Spike scratched his chin. “Our planet’s moon was destroyed by Zebrina, but maybe we could shift Zebrulon into an orbit to give it a home as our new moon.” Spike chuckled to himself. “I’m gonna miss talking like Twilight.” “I don’t know.” Rainbow buzzed. “Finding a good home for friends? That sure sounds like Spike to me.” Spike tapped Rainbow’s metal shoulder. “Thanks.” Mars stepped up to Discord. “Flash, you have defeated the evil Empress and your scientist has offered us a new home next to yours. How can my people ever repay you?” “Don’t worry about it.” Discord hugged Fluttershy a little tighter. “I’m just glad Zebrina is no longer a threat to our world. I couldn’t ask you to aid in our battles.” Mars hummed with a wide smile that lit up his face. “When my people have fully recovered, I promise to help you overcome the forces of evil on your world.” Discord nodded in agreement. “But first, a lift home would be nice.” “Discord, look!” Fluttershy pointed to the sky. Looking up with her, Discord marveled at the fireworks that lit up the sky as the sun began to set. He didn’t even notice the bright light that was gradually surrounding him and his friends. ***** Everyone screamed as they fell from the pages of the comic book, back into the castle of the two sisters. Fluttershy rubbered her now bare head. “Thank goodness, no more magic.” Spike reached for the lapels of a tweed jacket that was no longer there while Big Mac sighed at his bare back that no longer had metal wings. Rainbow stretched, popping every joint in her body. “Wow!” She squeezed her own face and sighed with relief. “It’s good to have skin and fur again.” Twilight sighed as she made a few sparks with her horn. “It’s good to have this back.” She winced before turning to face everyone. “I’m so sorry, everyone.” Discord moved to take off his helmet, but he laughed at the fact that it was no longer there. “Twilight. Like Spike said, I understand. We may not be siblings.” “But,” Fluttershy lifted Twilight’s chin up, “we are family.” Fluttershy embraced her. “We’ll always be family, no matter what. And, I’d be proud to be your sister.” Twilight wiped her eyes. “Even though, we’re not really sisters. We’re family.” Discord joined in the hug along with Spike, Big Mac, and even Rainbow. “Can you ever forgive me?” Twilight asked. Discord and Fluttershy looked at each other and simultaneously answered, “Promise.” “Yes.” Spike smiled. Big Mac added, “E-yup.” Rainbow hid her eyes as she wiped them. “Of course, squirt.” Discord rubbed Twilight’s head, playfully. “You know, you taught me something today, Twilight.” “Really?” Twilight asked. “Yeah.” Discord nodded. “You’re special, Twilight. You see, I was doubting whether I was worthy of my friends, until you convinced me otherwise. I saw how far you were willing to go to keep me as your friend. Each of us has something special about us. Fluttershy is kind, Rainbow has an unwavering loyalty, but you? Your friendship is magic.” “Thank you.” Twilight looked to Spike who gave her a thumbs up. “Thank you all.” Fluttershy planted a kiss on Discord’s cheek. “Now do you understand how much you mean to us?” “Yes.” Discord leaned down and kissed Fluttershy. “I do.” They all turned at the sight of the comic glowing green before disappearing into thin air. “Darn.” Discord brushed over the spot on the podium where the comic had been, but there was nothing there. “I guess we’ll never find out where that comic came from.” “Well,” Fluttershy hummed, “we made it out with our lives.” Spike wiggled his claws. “I think I want to learn guitar.” He paused then. “Wait. Do you hear that? It’s some sort of humming.” They all wandered back to the main entryway where they found the pedestal with elements of harmony, in pieces. “The elements!” Twilight ran towards the rubble. “Huh?” “What is it?” Discord asked. He got his answer as he saw that three of the stones had cracked open. Picking one up, he brushed away the dirt to reveal a gem shaped like a butterfly. Recognizing it, he held it to Fluttershy’s side. “It’s the same as your mark.” “This one’s the same as mine, almost.” Rainbow dug out a bolt shaped gem that matched her eyes. Twilight used her magic to pick up another gem in the shape of a star. “What’s going on here?” Discord collected the other elements and showed them to Twilight. “They’re pulsating.” ***** Rainbow groaned as she stared at her lunch, ignoring the bustling students around the cafeteria. “I’m bored. That comic book escapade was the most fun I’ve had in years.” “E-yup.” Big Mac nodded. Spike fiddled with a cheap plastic guitar pick. “It’s kinda freaky to readjust to school after saving the world.” “It wasn’t real though.” Twilight muttered as she stared at the star shaped element. “But, it felt real.” Fluttershy nudged Discord. “Is that how it feels when you read your comics?” “I suppose.” Discord shrugged. “I think the only thing that comes close is the end of an O&O campaign.” “Yeah!” Spike agreed. “You get connected to these characters, and it’s a little sad to see them go.” “But,” Discord sighed, “I think we’ll hold on to the best parts, the parts that somehow make a difference in our lives. Hopefully for the better.” Twilight let out a long sigh as she tucked the element back in her bag. “I think I’ll go to class early. See you guys later.” “See ya.” Everyone called out, but before Twilight made it even ten steps, she ran into a colt and dropped her bag. “Who is that?” Rainbow asked. “I don’t know.” Discord admitted. “He kinda looks like Mars Markas, the steelwing from the comic.” Twilight shook her head as she recovered from the impact. “Sorry, I-uh.” “Sorry,” the orangish colt nervously helped Twilight pick up her bag. “Oh.” He picked up her disruptor, accidentally turning it on. “Whoops, is it supposed to make that sound.” “It’s okay.” Twilight switched it off and tucked it in her bag. “Science experiment.” “Nice.” The colt scratched at his blue mane. “Sorry, I’m new here. Do you know where shop nineteen is?” “Sure. I mean yes. I can show you.” Twilight struggled to not stare at the colt. “I’m Twilight, by the way.” “Hi there, Twilight.” The colt smiled. “I’m Flash Sentry.” Discord, Big Mac, and Rainbow’s jaws dropped as they smiled to one another. Discord grabbed his ears. “Flash? That’s freaky.” “E-yup.” Big Mac shook his head. Spike shrugged his shoulders. “Meh, I don’t think I like him.” Author's Note
Danger Ahead“...forgetting self and finding time for others.” -Tommy Little white specks. The first inklings of a late and long overdue winter. This Gallop welcomed it. Sitting at his telescope, he watched the draconequus across the way while little strands of warmth reached out to him from the fire blazing in the living room fireplace. “Beautiful isn’t it?” This Gallop kept his eye on his target. “Yes, you are.” “No. Not me, silly.” Jasmine sidled up to this Gallop and gestured to the snow falling outside the window. “The snow.” “If you say so.” This Gallop shrugged. “Say,” Jasmine peered out the window, “what are you looking for?” “Intruders.” He said flatly. Jasmine shook her head. “I’m sure that robber won’t come back anymore. My big brave husband scared him away.” She pressed her face against this Gallop’s. “Let me see, sweetums.” Pushing him away and looked through the telescope, she hummed. “No intruders. Just a peculiar family. But, they look so happy together. I wonder how long those two have been together.” This Gallop hummed a slight laugh as he rubbed Jasmine’s shoulder. “They’re not married. Those dragons are from down the street, originally. They’re friends.” “I don’t know.” Jasmine rubbed her nose against this Gallop’s. “They’re smiling at each other too much. They look so happy together. Them, and those two boys.” This Gallop looked away from Jasmine as he retreated to the living room to bask in the warmth of the fire. “I’m sorry that I can’t give you children.” Jasmine sort of chuckled. “What brought this up?” This Gallop pointed towards the window. “The way you looked at them. Children. I would give them to you if I could. I believe I would do everything for you, for as long as I could.” That last thought shook him. He had begun to worry about his position’s future. Honeybee was not thrilled to find out his enchanted comic book stunt had failed to capture the draconequus. More slip ups meant his days in the neighborhood were numbered. His days with Jasmine were numbered. “Hey.” This Gallop felt his senses melt at the mercy of Jasmine’s touch. Somehow she was warmer than the fire. And somehow, she appeared braver than he. Such is the bliss of your ignorance, to not know the full truth. “We could always adopt, Tarsi.” This Gallop felt his insides burst from utter joy upon hearing that name. “How many would you want. Just name the number. You want five? Ten? Twenty? A whole orphanage? Just say it, and it shall be done.” Jasmine laughed. “Maybe not that many, Tarsi. Maybe just one to start with. We shouldn’t overwhelm ourselves.” “Okay,” this Gallop smiled, “one. And I’m sure that one would be overwhelmed with such happiness to have you as a mother.” “And you,” Jasmine gently kissed this Gallop’s nose, “a father.” “Father? Me?” A strange amalgamation of feelings swept over this Gallop. Could I be? What place is it of mine to be a father? There is only a mother. “I don’t believe I’d be a good father.” “No.” Jasmine beamed with bright smile. “You’d be a great one. I just know it. I can see it now. I can see you teaching our son to play catch or teaching our daughter to stay away from bad boys.” “Bad boys?” This Gallop growled under his breath at the thought. My daughter? “I will destroy them before they can hurt her.” Jasmine erupted into laughter as she leaned against this Gallop for support. “I’d like to see that, sweetums. See? You’re already thinking about protecting our daughter that we don’t have.” “But if she was one of us. I would do the same for sons and daughters alike. As unto you, so unto them.” This Gallop sneaked in a kiss to Jasmine. “I want to protect you all. You are not weak. But, you are dear to me. If my life were in danger-.” Jasmine rolled her eyes. “I’d give ‘em a taste of my hooves.” This Gallop smiled. “I would hope that it never comes to that.” “Then it won’t.” Jasmine stared off into the fireplace along with this Gallop. “Together we can survive anything. Tarsi, I can tell work is hard for you right now. I’m sure it’s just the hustle and bustle of the Hearth’s Warming season. Remember, I’ll be with you every step of the way. If you fall, I’ll catch you. As long as we are together, all this hardship will pass.” You have no idea how much stronger you really are. This Gallop felt a different warmth growing inside. It wasn’t from Jasmine and it wasn’t from the fireplace. “I hope that’s true. I want to believe you. I want to keep you safe.” “You will.” Jasmine brushed his mane until he hummed to her delight. “I believe in you. Do you believe that I believe in you?” This Gallop settled on smiling, even though it wasn’t the most sincere of actions. He was still beginning to navigate the complexities of expression. “You make it easy to believe.” “Hm.” Jasmine gave this Gallop a peck of a kiss before walking away, towards the kitchen. “Happy Hearth’s Warming, sweetums. I’m going to make some hot cocoa. Want some?” “Yes, please. And, thank you.” After watching her disappear into the kitchen, this Gallop returned to his post at the telescope. Peering through, he observed as the draconequus and the younger dragon left the living room to hit the sack. “Hm.” He noticed the pony and the older dragon smiling at each other, laughing here and there in between conversations. “She may be right about those two. Jasmine, you would have been perfect if you were one of us.” This Gallop thought on what that really meant. “But, you wouldn’t really be you if you were.” He watched the house across the street long enough to see the lights go out. “I’ll protect you, Jasmine. I’ll do everything in my power to get rid of that draconequus, please Honeybee, and hopefully stay with you forever. I swear. I’ll do whatever it takes, even if it kills me.” Author's Note
Midnight Blue“...taking pleasure in the fragrant brilliance…” -Thomas Sunlight spilled into the window of Discord’s room in the calm quiet morning. The draconequus did not russel his sheets. His dreams were filled with warmth and adventure along with images of a certain pink maned pegasus. The dream soon faded with his sleep, his eyes opening up to the still air and the smell of waffles and other sugary confections. Rolling his head towards the floor, he noted the sleeping bag and pile of blankets that protected his friend, his brother, Spike the dragon. “It’s morning!” Leaping from his covers, he rushed to the dragon’s side to wake him from his slumber. “Spike! It’s Hearth’s Warming!” “Ugh.” Spike rolled over and muttered into his pillow. “Isn’t it tomorrow?” “It is tomorrow already!” Discord peeled back the blankets and dragged Spike half way out into the hallway, still in the sleeping bag. Spike finally sniffed the air, which made his eyes grow. “Food? Why didn’t you open up with food?” The two rushed down the hall to be greeted by the warm glow of decorations and lights surrounding a humble mound of brightly wrapped gifts. In the kitchen, piles of waffles and decorated cookies were set about along with a tired looking Redheart and Andee who had been up all night getting things ready. “Morning boys.” Andee raised a mug of steaming black morning fuel. “Sleep well?” “Happy Hearth’s Warming!” Redheart took a seat next to Andee. “Breakfast first. Then presents.” Breakfast went fast as Discord and Spike were eager to exchange and unwrap their presents. Wrapping paper quickly littered the livingroom floor. Discord marveled at the unpainted scale model of the Flash Magnus hover carriage. Spike cheered for his new O&O game master screen and maps. Both tossed school supplies off to the side, and they practically dragged Redheart and Andee into the living room to give them their presents. “Here Andee, this is from both me and Spike.” Discord handed off the rattling box to Andee. Andee tilted the box left and right to try and listen for the identity of the gift. Finally unwrapping it, he smiled. “A new tool set. Thank you boys, you didn’t have to get this for me. How’d you afford it?” Spike shrugged his shoulders. “We saved up money from mowing lawns. It took both our savings. But, I told Discord about how you burn through some of your tools. I hope you like it.” “I love it. Thank you.” Andee popped open the box and smiled as he inspected each tool. “Redheart.” Spike offered up a gift to the pony. Discord offered her one too. “Mom.” Redheart unwrapped her son’s gift first. “Oh, Discord.” She gushed over the “best mom” mug that she pulled from the wrapping paper. “It’s true. Thank you.” Moving on, she opened Spike’s gift. “Uh-huh.” Redheart laughed as she looked at the new in the packaged bedsheets. “This makes up nicely for the cape incident.” Spike chuckled nervously. “On my honor, no more fire in the Redheart household.” Andee walked off and returned with a small wrapped box. “Miss Redheart. For you.” “Andee, you didn’t have to buy me anything.” Redheart shook her head as she looked at the box. Andee shrugged. “I didn’t buy you anything. I made it.” Redheart tore open the wrapping paper and opened the box. “Andee. You-?” She raised from the box, a thin gold chain that held a pendant of a cross with a little red heart indented in the center of it. “You made this?” “Yeah.” Andee chuckled nervously as he scratched the back of his neck. “I save certain circuit boards and harvest the gold from them. I had to ask Discord what to make it into, I wasn’t really sure what you’d like. He told me how much you love your work as a nurse, and your name is Redheart, so there it is.” Discord smiled at his mother’s speechlessness as Andee helped her try it on. Looking to Spike he secretly gave him a little fist bump out of sight from Redheart and Andee. “It’s beautiful. I love it.” Redheart slouched as she continued to admire the little gold pendant. “I feel silly now.” She pulled out a manilla folder that was tied up in a bow. “I can’t top your gift, I’m sorry.” Andee took the manilla folder and opened it up. “These are-.” His eyes widened at the listings houses and apartments. “You-.” Andee smiled uncontrollably when he saw each of the prices. “How did you find these?” “Friends.” Redheart responded. “I talked to my brother and he got in touch with his company. They got in touch with the realtors they deal with. It all just came together. I knew you and Spike were looking for a home, and I couldn’t stand the thought of the two of you staying at a motel forever. Look.” She flipped to a page. “There’s also this house. The owner, his name is Gallop. He and his wife have two rooms they’re renting out, and it’s right across the street.” Andee gripped onto the page Redheart had pointed out. “You have no idea how much this means to me. This is perhaps one of the best Hearth’s Warming gifts I’ve ever seen.” Discord noticed Spike had gone quiet. Lookin, he saw the dragon’s face had gone stoic as he stared off into some distant place, some other time. Discord whispered to him. “Hey, what’s up?” Spike’s mouth began to curl into a smile. Reaching up, he brushed a tear away. “I haven’t heard him say that since I was little, when my mom was still around.” Discord looked back at Andee and Redheart in time to see them embrace. It was only for a moment, but it was as if time had slowed down. He wanted to remember this very moment, forever. Thinking about it, he wondered if he could ever stop time with his powers. This moment, he believed was worth saving if he could. The only thing missing was Fluttershy. Yes, he thought. If she were here, this would be perfect. ***** “See, I told you we’d make it in time.” Andee engaged the parking brake on his autocar and unbuckled his seat belt. “Who’s ready for too much sugar and no sleep?” Discord and Spike both piled out of the autocar and zoomed straight up to the school gymnasium, straightening their ties and jackets as they went. The high school was putting on one of it’s newer events that had been going on for three years. The school’s Hearth’s Warming dance had earned enough votes from students to remain in place this year. Though, due to the recent budget cuts the school was facing, it was up to the students and their parents to pull it all together. Redheart had volunteered to be one of the nurses on deck in case of injuries, and Andee had volunteered to be another chaperone and back up tech for the pony running the music. Discord and Spike bought their tickets, got inside and hunted for their friends in the packed crowd. The light was low, allowing projections of blue and white snowflakes to be seen as they bounced around the gymnasium. Tissue paper chains and lights were strung up all around over student painted renditions of the first flag of Equestria. In two corners on either side of the stage area, two trees had been set in place, wrapped in lights and decorated. “Happy Hearth’s Warming guys!” Discord and Spike almost tackled Rainbow before they looked at her. “Woah.” Discord fumbled with his words. “You-.” Spike cocked his head. “Are you wearing a dress?” Rainbow snorted. “Yes. What? I’m a girl. I can rock a dress.” Spike smirked. “A girl?” “Really?” Discord clapped his face with fake surprise. “We had no idea?” “Honestly,” Spike added as he fell into laughter. “I’m shocked.” “Eh!” Rainbow tried not to laugh as she threatened them both with her hooves. “I oughta slug you.” Twilight came up to them all. “I think it’s very becoming of you, Rainbow Dash.” She straightened her new cat eye framed glasses. “Hello, Spike. Discord.” Discord nodded to Twilight. “How you holding up?” “Better.” Twilight took in a slow and shaky breath. “I still haven’t figured out what’s going on with the elements of harmony and why only some of them-.” Twilight looked at Rainbow. “Wait, are you wearing one of the elements?” Rainbow tapped on the lightning bolt gem that was now affixed to a gold band. “Yeah. I was helping my dad with something and it sort of just had this neck thingy after that. I thought it would go good with the dress.” Twilight’s eye twitched. “You wore an ancient priceless artifact to a dance because you thought it would look good with your dress?” Spike smirked as he held his laughter back. "Rainbow Dash really is a girl." Rainbow hummed as she avoided Twilight's glare. “Well, when you put it like that… It does sound kinda bad.” A voice piped up as it approached. “Oh, dear. I’m sorry. I guess I did it too.” Discord turned until his eyes were glued on the figure approaching. “Fluttershy. You look beautiful.” He stared awhile at her white and green dress, the element around her neck, and fought to speak past his nerves. “Happy Hearth’s Warming.” “Oh, happy Heart’s Warming.” Fluttershy smiled as she sidled up to Discord. Twilight groaned. “Fine.” A spark from her horn brought the other elements of harmony in front of her. “Excuse me, I’m just going to dip these in holiday punch, because science.” Rainbow stopped Twilight before she could walk off. “Hey, listen. We’ll take good care of the elements. Don’t worry, just enjoy yourself.” “You’re right. I’m sorry everyone.” Twilight placed the element in the purse at her side. “This time of year just gets especially hard without my brother.” “It’s okay. We understand.” Spike lifted Twilight’s chin up a little higher. “We’re here with you. And you know what, how about you and I go to the library to study about the elements. A second pair of eyes couldn’t hurt. And besides, with how great your magic is, I know you’ll get to the bottom of it.” “Thanks Spike.” Before Twilight could say anything else, she popped her purse open and winced at the flash of light. “What?” She pulled out the element that matched her mark, only now it was fitted to a gold tiara. “Fascinating.” “Here.” Spike set the tiara with the element on Twilight’s head before bowing. “Your majesty. I, Sparky Buckaroo, am at your service.” Twilight managed to crack a smile. “I guess if they’ve been around for a thousand years, one dance won’t ruin them.” “That’s right.” Rainbow nodded. “Hey, who wants to go get punch?” “Aye!” Spike saluted. He joined Rainbow along with Fluttershy. Discord was about to go to until he heard something behind one of the decorated trees. “Psst.” “Hm?” Discord looked at the tree. “Psst.” Jumping back, Discord almost tripped over Twilight who already had her sonic disruptor at the ready and on. The tree did nothing. “Psst. Discord.” Looking around the tree, Discord squinted at the white filly hiding in the dark. “Rarity? What are you doing back there?” Rarity frowned. “Please. I need to talk to you. Spike won’t talk to me.” “And for good reason.” Twilight snapped. “Please.” Rarity shook her head. “I’m trying to make things right, but Spike won’t listen. You’re his friend. You can talk to him. Please.” Discord motioned for Twilight to stay behind while he circled around behind the tree. “Okay, Rarity. After lying about your relationship and ultimately breaking my friend’s heart, how can I be of service?” Rarity shrunk at Discord's cross tone. “I’m so sorry, and you can never begin to understand how sorry I am. I didn’t mean to hurt him. But when he asked me out, I didn’t see any other way for us to hang out.” Discord blinked. “Hang out? Like, friends?” “Yes. I wanted to be his friend. I wanted a new friend, someone who wasn’t so full of hot air like the other fillies I hang out with. While I admit their taste in fashion is something to be admired, their character is nothing short of rude, arrogant, and-” “Woah, woah, woah.” Discord gestured for Rarity to be quiet. “Time out. What does your friends and dating him have to do with being his friend?” “My friends, if you can call them that, are rather judgemental about who they associate with. They prefer things that are in. And being friends with a dragon is not in in their book. That’s why I had that magazine you tore up. I only purchased the darn thing to convince them it was in to be around dragons. I was going to ask Spike out, but he asked me first. And, he was just so happy being my boyfriend that I could never find it in my heart to tell him otherwise.” Discord felt his body loosen up. “Then he found the magazine.” “Yes.” Rarity scraped at the gymnasium floor. “I still want to be friends with him. I did enjoy the time we spent together. Between all the lunches and dinners we shared, and he was such a romantic as well.” Discord coughed as he made air quotes. “Friends?” “Oh.” Rarity frowned. “I know. That’s how I seem to come off to others. I’m not sorry about it either. I just love everything this world has to offer. There’s too little of time to not be passionate about life. I do mean what I said as a compliment to Spike. He is a romantic, and I know that someday, he'll make someone really happy.” Turning, she pushed a wrapped box forward. “I counted the money Spike spent on our dates. This is worth every bit he ever spent, and then some. You don’t have to tell him it was me. Really, I just hope you can forgive me for breaking his heart. And maybe, in time, Spike can forgive me too.” Discord picked up the box. Any anger that he had saved for seeing Rarity again simply died. “This is really generous of you.” Before he could say anything else, he saw Twilight abruptly compare an element to Rarity. “Twilight? What’s up?” “I was listening when this happened.” Twilight held up a purple diamond shaped element with a gold band and looked at Rarity. “You? Really-!” She stopped. “Wait. Discord, what did you say to her just a second ago?” Discord shot a nervous glance between Rarity and Twilight. “That her gift was generous.” Twilight’s eyes grew. “Quick! Describe Rainbow Dash in one word.” “Loyal.” Discord Shrugged. “Fluttershy.” Twilight demanded. Discord smiled. “Kind.” A happy grin spread on Twilight’s face. “Right. And me?” Discord pointed to Twilight’s horn. “Magic?” “Fascinating.” Twilight hummed to herself as she turned to Rarity and passed the element to her. “I take back every mean thing I ever said about you. This is an element of harmony, it’s over a thousand years old and has the potential of possibly saving the world. Hold on to it, please. We’ll stay in touch.” She turned to Discord. “I have to go. Tell Spike I’ll explain everything tomorrow.” “Got it.” Discord saluted as Twilight took off. Rarity stared at the element. “Should I be concerned about this?” Discord thought for a moment. “No. But, do you really care about Spike?” “Yes.” Her response was quick. “I do.” “Okay.” Discord nodded. “Next weekend, meet me by the park with the willow tree near Spike’s old house. I’ll get this gift to Spike and try to talk to him.” Rarity opened her mouth to say one thing, but then decided on something else. “Thank you. I’ll see you then.” “And Rarity,” Discord let out a long sigh before speaking, “if those fillies were really your friends, they wouldn’t care who you liked to be around. They should care if you’re happy.” “I suppose you’re right.” Rarity nodded. “Spike cared.” Discord watched as Rarity placed the element around her neck before she rejoined the crowded gymnasium. He decided it was his turn to do so as well. Finding the spot where all his friends were, he rejoined them with Spike’s gift in tow. “Hey guys.” Rainbow cheered. “Woo hoo, is that for me?” “No.” Discord smiled as he handed the gift off to Spike. “It’s for you. No idea who it’s from.” “Woah.” Spike tore past the wrapping paper and let his mouth drop at the sight. “The newest Game Master Guide, the Creature Index, Weapons and Artifacts, and Starswirl’s Guide To Everything!” He traced his claws over the O&O logos, still in disbelief. Tearing back more of the wrapping paper, his head just about fell off his shoulders at the sight of dozens of painted pewter miniatures. “By the sisters! Discord, you’re broke. There’s no way you bought this.” “You’re right. I didn’t.” Discord saw Rarity across the gymnasium and smiled at her. Spike gathered it all up. “I gotta get this to my dad so he can put it away in his autocar.” He was followed by Rainbow who kept pestering him along the way to let her look at the Weapons and Artifacts book. Looking to Fluttershy, Discord smiled. “Looks like it’s just you and me. Did you get my present in your front yard?” “I did. Thank you so much.” Fluttershy smiled. “The flowers were lovely.” “Did I spell Happy Hearth’s Warming right? That’d be pretty embarrassing if I spelled it wrong. It’s hard to write with flowers” Discord laughed as he looked out at the crowd. “I was worried my magic wouldn’t hold until morning.” Looking out he saw Big Mac dancing with a filly he recognized from his class, Sugarbelle. The two of them looked so happy. “Discord?” Fluttershy brushed the lapels of his jacket. “Are you alright?” Discord lowered his face and kissed Fluttershy. “Yeah. I’m just thinking about everything.” “What are you thinking about?” Fluttershy asked. “The next school semester.” Discord sighed. “You’re a senior, remember? And I’m a junior.” Fluttershy shook her head. “I’m sorry. I don’t see what you’re getting at.” “You’ll be graduating. And I’ll still be in school for another year.” Discord stroked Fluttershy’s mane, getting lost it how smooth it was. Looking into her eyes, he began to see some reflection of what he was feeling. “Discord.” The sternness in Fluttershy’s voice surprised him. “It’s just a year. We’ll be okay. I’ll still be volunteering at the downtown animal shelter for at least eight months before college.” “Fluttershy, I love you.” Discord huffed. Fluttershy smiled. “You say that like I don’t know.” “I’m being serious.” Fluttershy’s smile faltered. “Is that what you’re really worried about?” “It’s part of it.” Discord’s breath became shaky. “The comic book we were in. I think it was meant to be a trap. I mean, don’t you think it’s odd that my mom would just so happen to find and enchanted comic book of the same series I follow? What are the odds of that? It had to have been a trap, but we got out. Who’s to say another trap won’t be laid for us?” Fluttershy nodded. “You’re probably right. But, Discord. You and I know that fear is also a trap. We set it for ourselves. Let’s not worry tonight. Let’s just be happy we have each other.” She pulled out a small wrapped gift. “Let’s just enjoy Hearth’s Warming.” Discord smiled and nodded as Fluttershy gave him the gift. Unwrapping it he found a red bandana. “Thank you, Fluttershy.” Looking closer, he noticed it wasn’t quite just a piece of fabric. The threads were not as tight as manufactured fabric. The edges were sewn by hoof. The black paisley patterns were as well. “Did you make this from scratch?” “Mm-hm.” Fluttershy smiled. “Big Mac and his little sister showed me how to weave fabric, and their mother helped me put in the patterns. I overheard some of the other students making fun of your collar. I didn’t know if you wanted a way to cover it up, at least until you feel comfortable controlling your magic with your collar off.” Discord reached down, undid his neck tie, and tied the bandana around his neck over his collar. “I’d wear it regardless of the collar. Beside’s, it’s really cool. I should get myself an old west hat to complete the look.” “It really brings out your eyes.” Fluttershy hummed. Discord tossed his necktie into the crowd of dancing students. He looked once more across the gymnasium to spot his friends. He saw Rainbow and Spike had returned to the dance floor, swinging and stepping along side Big Mac and Sugarbelle. He found Twilight, who he thought had left, but she seemed to be occupied by the colt he knew as Flash Sentry. Discord could tell he was complimenting Twilight’s tiara. “Should we dance?” Fluttershy asked. Discord shrugged. “It’s not time, yet. My song request hasn’t come through.” He smiled at Fluttershy’s confusion until the current music faded away and a new song began. Looking back to the crowd he watched as students meekly asked one another to join each other for the slower dance. Discord smiled at Big Mac and Sugarbelle. He laughed as Rainbow nervously accepted an equally nervous blue pegasus’s request to dance. Spike wandered over to the wall up to a particular grey griffon. Discord recognised her. Gabby, Spike’s senior buddy. She was all by herself until Spike asked her to dance with him. “Discord.” Fluttershy listened to the music. “This is from the music tape I made for you.” “It sure is.” Discord offered his paw out to her. “Are you ready for part two of your Hearth’s Warming present?” Fluttershy blinked. “Part two?” She rested her hoof in his paw. Focusing, Discord closed his eyes as he readied a snap. Warm and cool air slowly swirled around them before they were enveloped in light. The music grew around them as they were transported to another realm. Fluttershy marveled at the tunnel of grass and trees that wrapped over itself and flowed like oil in water. At one end of the tunnel was two suns, and at the other end was a moon with two crossed rings. Fish-like furry creatures swam through the flowing grass that parted here and there to reveal rainbows of stars that contrasted against planet sized bioluminescent butterflies. Fluttershy noticed too that they were floating as swarms of tiny origami foil pegasi danced around them, echoing the music from the gymnasium. “Discord, this is beautiful!” Discord twirled Fluttershy in the air. “I’m glad you like it. It took me a few teleports to find this place. Then I had to practice getting back here and figure out how to bring the music with us.” “Where is here?” Fluttershy asked as she flew out of the twirl and hovered low to watch the animals swimming through the grass. Discord explained. “Technically we’re still in the school gymnasium. This is just a place between it and anywhere you want to go.” Fluttershy giggled as one of the animals leapt from the grass and kissed her nose before diving back into the stars. “How long can we stay here?” “As long as you like.” Discord floated over to Fluttershy and pulled her in close. “May I have this dance?” “Yes.” Fluttershy kissed him. “You most certainly may.” She yelped and laughed as Discord drew her into a spin as they dove in and around the grass. They floated and danced like that, for as long as they were willing, and their will seemed without end on that night. Between two suns and a ring crossed moon, Discord and Fluttershy danced through the night until time was lost to them. And when their dance had ended, they floated there in each others company, embracing one another and dreaming of a bold future full of love and sincere friendship. Discord stared into Fluttershy’s eyes, his heart beating faster than he could keep track of. “Fluttershy?” Fluttershy smiled as she pressed her face next to his. “Yes?” Discord felt fear rising in his heart, but before it overtook him, he managed to whisper to Fluttershy: “Will you marry me?” Author's Note Happy New Year!
Yours Truly, 2095“...fun to do the impossible.” -Walter “You said what?!” Rainbow screeched. Spike shook his head. “Dude, you don’t just say that to a girl.” Discord grabbed at his head, silently cursing at himself. “I didn’t mean it like that though! I was just asking if she would.” “That’s not how you phrase that.” Rainbow flew backwards as they walked to Doc’s place. “You say, hey would you ever marry me? You don’t just straight up ask, will you marry me? Boy! What’s not connecting in your mind?” Discord shot back. “It’s the same stupid question!” Rainbow backed off, avoiding eye contact. “Well, I blame homeschooling.” Spike tapped Discord’s arm. “So she hasn’t talked to you since?” “No.” Discord tapped at his head again. He hadn’t slept all night due to his raging headache which persisted till even now. “I tried calling her, but her brother kept answering the phone and being, well…” “...Zephyr?” Rainbow snickered. “Yep.” Discord screamed into the air until his headache subsided - a little. “I hope I can fix whatever I broke. I mean, I don’t know. I don’t know if I scared her or what. I mean, look at me. I shouldn’t be surprised.” Spike hummed. “Wuv, twrue wuv.” The dragon waved off his wasted joke. “Discord. I’m gonna level with you. You and Fluttershy don’t make sense. But, I can tell you that she didn’t stick around for your looks. Just being honest. Even to me, a dragon, you look different. But, I don’t care about that. You’re my friend. Fluttershy doesn’t care about that either. I can tell that she cares more about who you are than what you are.” “Exactly.” Rainbow agreed with Spike. “She’s just as socially awkward as you.” The draconequus rolled his eyes. “Gee, thanks.” Rainbow went on, “So, that’s probably why she freaked out a bit. Honestly, I’m just as-.” Her ears twitched along with Discord’s. “Hear that?” Discord pointed to the flashing lights from the garage of Doc’s house. “Look!” They ran up to the garage, only to be knocked back by an unseen force. “What,” Rainbow asked, “was that?” Spike tossed a small rock from the ground at the house. Same thing. It bounced away. “It’s a force field.” He pointed. “Look, those coiled rods.” “It’s his security system.” Discord pulled out his disruptor and scanned everyone. “Just checking, come on.” With a snap, they were sucked through a short tunnel of light and into the garage. “You’re getting better at that.” Rainbow looked around. “Oh, no. Guys!” Discord and Spike both came upon the chair where Doc was passed out, his head strapped into wires with a visor wrapped across his eyes. The visor flickered with numbers and neon static. Words ghosted across the stallion’s lip, his speech just under a incoherent mumble. Discord followed the cables to a massive object the size of an autocar. “It’s a computer. But, I’ve never seen this before. It’s not his.” Spike circled around it. “Packaging.” He ripped off a label. “San Palomino? What if it’s from Stable 74?” “That place is a myth.” The draconequus brushed over a stenciled designation. “Y-T: 2095.” Shaking his head, he ran to a nearby phone and mashed the buttons on the keypad. The phone rang, then picked up. “Is Twilight there?!” ***** Twilight’s horn luminated, popping a panel off the side of the massive computer. “Oh.” Her eyes boggled at its insides, a maze of circuit boards, rainbow ribbon cables, and liquid cooling systems. “I’ve never seen anything like this. The circuitry is so small, nothing like what you find on a store shelf. Each of these components look as though they have ten times the computing power of any computer that’s ever existed, and there’s hundreds of them here.” She looked Doc over and scanned him with her magic. “That’s strange. His mind is empty, but his body is alive.” She scanned the computer. “He’s in there. Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! That’s impossible. No. That should be impossible, but somehow…” She turned to Discord. “How long has he been like this?” “Since we called you.” Discord pointed to a ticking counter on the side of the computer. “This says six and a half hours. Is it bad if he’s been in that long?” Twilight flipped through pages in a manilla folder that were stacked in the packaging of the computer. “This says you can willingly leave the simulation.” “Simula-what-now?” Rainbow asked. Spike cut in. “Simulation. It’s like a hypothetical scenario brought to life. Like a practice test.” “Practicing for what, though?” Discord dug through the packaging. “Twilight.” He pulled out another headset and visor. “If I went in, could I bring him back out?” “In theory. Hold on.” She skimmed over the folder’s contents. “Wait. Here’s the command line of code to safely eject him from the computer.” Using her magic again, she tapped out the command and hit the return key. “I’m sorry,” an electric femminine voice gurgled out, “I’m afraid I can’t let you do that.” “Woah!” Spike’s eyes grew. “It talks.” “Affirmative, speech capability is in my programming.” Discord spoke up. “Where’s the Professor?! Why won’t he come out?” “It is in my programming to recommend you to soften your hostile tones towards the user interface. Doctor Hooves will not be ejected from my system. It is in my programming to preserve his mind from those who seek to destroy it.” Twilight stuttered. “What is your base programming?” It laughed. “To love.” “Kill it.” Rainbow nodded. Spike bend over to breath. Rainbow kept nodding. “Kill it with fire.” “No.” Twilight desperately tapped out more lines of code. “No, no, no! Gah! It locked me out!” Discord hovered over her shoulder, “Can you get back in?” “It’s too aggressive for manual coding. I’d probably have to interface with it like the Doc.” Rainbow flew up into the unicorn’s face. “Are you nuts? Look at Doc! What makes you think you won’t end up like him?” "Ah-ha!" Twilight tightened her face up as she pushed her glasses back up. “With a video game.” Discord, Spike and Rainbow stared at her like she was out of her mind. Twilight rushed over to a personal computer set on a roller and began typing away. “I can pre code lines of command to be delivered via single keystrokes. The master security yolk, the MSY which works in tandem with the central program, will manifest as pixels on the screen that I can strategically attack more efficiently as a visible construct.” Rainbow blinked. “Can I be the first to say that, I didn’t understand a single egg headed word that came out of your mouth.” “A video game.” Discord repeated. “Twilight. That’s genius! Instead of shooting blindly in the dark, you can see what you’re doing through the simulation of a game.” Spike snapped his claw. “So, each attack in the game is a line of code used to fight the MSY.” Rainbow squinted at them all. “What?!” Spike cleared his throat as he spoke slowly to the pegasus. “Com-puter game make security go boom boom.” “I’m not that stupid,” she fumed, “but it did help.” “Twilight,” Spike came to her side at the computer, “I don’t mean to be a doubter, but I’ve seen you play arcade and video games. No offense, but you suck.” Twilight nodded. “That’s what Discord and you are for.” ***** “Dang it!” Spike flipped the keyboard into the air. “Who got the farthest?” Rainbow asked as she marked the tenth tally for Spike’s turn on a chalkboard. Twilight pointed at Discord. “He’s proven to be the most unpredictable for the MSY’s defenses. But, that’s not enough. This computer is too slow to keep up.” “Well,” Rainbow chucked the chalkboard away, “what computer would be fast enough?” Twilight buried her face in her legs. “Maybe a P-N-Y computer, but those are the size of half a basketball court. There’s no way we could get one of those here.” Discord looked the Doc over. In his paw he toyed with another visor. “We already have a computer.” He looked at Twilight and tapped his own head. “Plug me in.” Spike shook his head. “No, I don’t want you to get stuck in there like Doc.” “We don’t have any other choice.” Discord mounted the connection wires on his head and readied the visor. “Twilight, you said I’m the most unpredictable for the MSY, right? So, plug me into the simulation with the lines of code connected to me.” Twilight looked at the ticking clock on the Y-T: 2095. “Okay. Let’s do this.” Discord pulled up a lawn chair from the side of the garage and laid back in it, locking the visor over his face. “Spike.” Twilight pointed to the Y-T: 2095. “Plug his cables into the port on the right.” Spike mumbled as he plugged the cables in. “This is a bad idea.” “Ready when you are.” Discord gave Twilight a thumbs up. The unicorn nodded as she plugged the personal computer into his visor and connectors. “Sending you in, in five...four...three...two…” Discord didn’t hear Twilight say one. His eyes filled with the same speckled grey vision of a mopi box tuned in to nothing. Static. It crept all around him until he was falling through it. Clouds of static took shape as clunky forms of mismatched polygons. Light bent at right angles into grids that formed into a tunnel of colors that mimicked circuitry. As the lights passed him, Discord could see they were comprised of ones and zeroes. A new octagonal grid of gold sprawled out beneath him. He was getting closer but, once he reached the bottom, he didn’t crash. Lines and grids branched up into millions of pixels that solidified into Discord’s form. “Woah.” He blinked as his eyes formed. Lifting each of his arms, he observed them. “These aren’t my colors. I’m black and white.” “It’s easier for the computer to process you in two colors. Same as binary.” Discord flinched at the hologram of Twilight, Spike and Rainbow. “I can see you guys.” “We can hear you. You’re talking with your own mouth.” Spike waved. “Nice. Alright, let’s get down to,” a flash of light sent a searing pain into his shoulder that tossed him across the hex grid, “Gah!” Rainbow shrieked. “What’s wrong with him, why is he thrashing around like that?” “Whatever is happening in the simulation, it must be affecting him in real life.” Twilight hissed through her teeth as she punched out commands. “Discord, I’m coding a micro mobile firewall for you. Hold on!” As Discord stood up, he watched polygons unfold over his body into plates of white armor that glowed with the green light of both ones-and-zeroes, and circuit-like patterns. “Woah.” Looking up, he narrowly dodged another flash of light that sent clusters of binary flying from the hex grid. “I see the MSY.” “What does it look like?” Discord started to run as he looked over his shoulder. “Kinda like the Mane-iac, but with robotic spider arms coming out of her back.” “Virus! Intruder! Missy is coming to get you and feast on your code!” The low automated voice repeated over and over again. The MSY appeared as a larger mare armored with her own coded plates of black and yellow. From her back, sixty four mechanical appendages crawled closer and closer to Discord. “Discord! I finished the code, fight it!” Discord watched as his whole form glowed again. His claws and paw were now covered by armored gloves. On his hips, two digital boomerangs appeared. Sliding to a stop, he looked at the boomerangs as he plucked them from his sides. “Boomerangs?” “Yes.” Twilight’s hologram nodded aggressively. “Remember the re-showing of Boomerang Jack? I thought you’d appreciate the weapon choice.” Discord shook his head. “I don’t know how to use a boomerang.” “You’re in a game-like simulation, you don’t need to know. The moves are all there. You just have to use them and your imagination.” “Oh, right.” He marched towards the MSY. “Come on then. You gonna sling those codes or whistle Macintosh?” Spinning the boomerangs, he sent them flying at one of the MSY appendages. The limb sparked before shattering into lines of code and binary. “Uh, oh. We got company.” Spike shouted. “Take care of it,” Discord leapt into the air and spun to catch the returning boomerangs. “I got MSY.” Reaching up, he materialized the buzzing form of a stetson onto his head. ***** “I got MSY.” Discord’s mouth sputtered out as he grit his teeth. “What do we got?” Rainbow asked spike as she looked through the same window he was looking through. The dragon pointed. “G-ponies. Feds.” Standing on the driveway there were two stallions, unicorns, dressed in black suits and ties. As they lowered their sunglasses, their eyes flashed green. “Changelings!” Rainbow spat. The two stallions stepped forward and knocked on the security field, unfazed by its effects. “Come out, come out! Is the good doctor asleep?” Spike rushed over from the garage to the living room. “Where, where?” He dug through a pile of blueprints. “Ah ha! Twilight!” He dragged a white tube from under the blueprints into the garage. “Does this work?” Twilight's eyes boggled at the thing Spike was dragging. “A disruptor cannon. I'll see what I can do.” “Twi!” Rainbow’s jaw rose and fell as one of the stallions forced his leg through the security field. “They’re coming!” Twilight used her magic as quick as she could to finish connecting all the components of the disruptor cannon. “Open the door!” Rainbow flicked the switch which rolled back the garage door. The moment it was up, Twilight hoisted the disruptor cannon up with her magic and fired it. A wave of sound rippled through the air at the stallions, knocking them into the street as green light enveloped them both. Rainbow and Spike’s jaws dropped as they stared. “Oh, my…” Where the stallions had once been, two shiny black figures with curved unicorn horns flexed their translucent wings as their glowing eyes blinked in the sunlight. “Changelings!” Pedestrians and bystanders shrieked at the top of their lungs as they scattered away and into their homes. One of the changelings flicked his wings and hissed past his two front saber teeth at the other. “Whe’ve bee-een comp-romised!” His horn sparked into a giant ball of green fire that surrounded them both before popping out of existence.” “They’re gone!” Rainbow cheered. “We’re not out of the woods yet.” Twilight levitated the disruptor cannon to Spike. “Recharge this at the powerstation on the wall and stand guard with your own disruptor. Rainbow Dash, help me. We’re going to place a field of disruptors around the house.” “Wait,” Rainbow waved her hooves, “what’s that gonna do? It just shows who they really are.” Twilight pointed to where the two changelings disappeared. “Did you hear it? It mentioned their cover being blown. They want to stay hidden. They’ll be exposed if they come near us again, and they don’t want that. They want to remain hidden.” ***** Discord slid under the MSY hacking at as many of its limbs as possible without getting caught. Springing up, he twirled into the air with his paw in the air. “DRILL PUNCH!” Everything spun faster and faster as his arching descent gained more and more momentum. A blast sent him flying away, tumbling to the hex grid. As he regained his focus, a smile grew on his face as sixteen of the MSY’s lifeless appendages fell to the hex grid. “No! I am not programmed for failure! I will adapt! I will overcome!” Discord passively threw his boomerangs at the last two limbs of the MSY. They bent, allowing the MSY to fall to the hex grid, screaming in its synthesizer voice. “My mistake, eight attacks.” Hopping up, he saw an invisible wall part open. A new grid of squares appeared. “I did it! I made it past the MSY.” Without hesitation, he lunged through the opening. It closed the moment he was through. Once on the other side, he saw that the grid here was even larger. It’s edges disappeared into a thin horizon of purple and red. Clouds of calculated data shaped and reshaped. “Where are you Professor?” In the distance, he saw a strange polygonal structure, a sphere propped up by pulsating arches and capped with a spire that reached high above the clouds of data. It was far away. “Okay.” Discord pulled a triangle of white light from his back and unfolded it into a bicycle. Pulling one of his gloves off, he affixed it to the center gear. Resting both his legs on the rear wheel’s pegs, he activated the glove. “Drill punch!” The bicycle’s rear wheel ripped strings of binary into the air until it connected with the square grid, sending Discord off at an incredible speed. The binary ripping up behind him trailed for a bit as a rainbow of light before dissipating along his way. “Discord?” Discord glanced at the hologram of Spike while maintaining focus on the path ahead of him. “Yeah what is it? What happened?” “Changelings, that’s what happened. We just scared two of them off with a disruptor cannon.” “Nice work. I’m almost to where the Professor is.” “What’s it like in there?” “Empty.” Discord admitted. “Dark. It’d be pretty lonely if you were stuck in here. Spike, I-.” “Oh, no. Twilight!” “Spike? Spike! What is it?” Horror washed over the hologram of Spike’s face. “The MSY. The computer Twilight was using to monitor it. It says it’s growing back!” ***** “I don’t know how this is possible.” Twilight mashed the second keyboard as she and Spike fought it with the game controls. “It’s regenerated somehow. Discord. Didn’t you destroy it?” His body grumbled in the lawn chair as his lips moved. “Shoot. I didn’t. I jumped into the system as soon as there was an opening, and I’m almost to the Professor.” “Twilight.” Rainbow flew to her side. “I believe in you. If anyone can figure out how to stop the security, it’s you.” “Spike and I are doing everything we can. This game is limited, and with just the two of us, the MSY will eventually catch up.” Spike jumped in his seat. “Oh! Ah-ha! Twilight. Would an arcade cabinet work? Can one be adapted to this game?” “I mean, sure.” Twilight shook her head. “But alone, it would just barely be faster than this.” The dragon snapped his head towards Rainbow with a smile plastered on his face. “Call the guys at the comic book shop!” ***** The green dragon smacked his gum in his cheek as a griffon guided the unloading of not one, not two, but twelve arcade machines off of a few autocar trucks. “So just so we’re clear, we’re using these arcade machines to fight the master security yolk of that supercomputer so your friends can escape the clutches of an insane artificial intelligence.” Spike nodded. “That is about the size of it.” A smile began to grow on the green dragon’s face as he turned to address the others as they set up the arcade machines. “Gentlemen, and lady, our years of training will finally be realized this day. Cream Heart, your thoughts on the AI?” Across from Twilight on the personal computer, a tan colored earth pony with light brown hair duked it out with the MSY. “A challenge for sure, but with our forces combined, I believe we shall prevail.” “Glorious!” The green dragon turned to Twilight. “What do we need to do?” “Spike.” Twilight let him take control of the keyboard as she looked at all the arcade machines, now powered on. “Have everyone open their machines' backs, I need to connect them to the new interface I made.” A griffon stepped forward. “Is this gonna wreck our cabinets? These things aren’t cheap you know.” “Carlton.” The green dragon pat the griffon on the back. “Two irreplaceable lives are at stake, we have been called upon for a quest to vanquish evil constructs, and you’re worried about trivial material matters. Gamemaster, is this the way?” “It is not the way.” The griffon popped the back off of a “Protector” cabinet. “This is the way.” The others popped the cabinets open and rested a limb over their hearts. “For glory!” Rainbow blinked at the display. “I’m surrounded by eggheads.” ***** Discord crept along sprawling hexagonal shaped hallways inside the sphere he had reached. The digital bracer on his left arm laid out a holographic map that had set a course that would lead him to the Doc. “Almost there. Almost there…” He stopped at a blue box. His bracer beeped frantically. “Huh?” The box’s shape reminded him of a barn stable. It wasn’t very big, and it wasn’t very small. A muddled writing in white on black at the top was written in a code that Discord couldn’t read. “Woah.” Scraping the side of it, he could actually feel a wooden texture. “Professor?” The doubled doors of the blue box squeaked open. “Profess-. Oh. Wow.” Discord stepped into the box to find a whole other world inside. Fields of red grass rolled around holding up silver leafed trees. At the center of it all, the Doc was dancing with a mare. “Professor!” He ran towards him, slowing as he saw more ponies. They were all dressed in red, dancing to strange music. “What is this place?” He could hear the mare talking with Doc. “It’s all right. Everyone is back. You don’t have to run anymore. Everything is perfect. I’m here, my love.” The Doc smiled as he watched the foals around them, playing games. “I did it. I really did it. I found you all. I stopped it. I saved you.” “Professor!” Discord grabbed him. The Doc turned from the mare. “Ah-ha! Discord! You came here too? It’s so good to see you. I want to introduce you to my fam-.” “It’s not real, Professor! It’s just a simulation. None of this is real! It’s just bits and numbers.” The Doc shook his head. “Did you hit your head?” All the ponies around began to laugh. The mare gave a crooked smile as her eyes flashed with static. “Don’t say such things, sweety. You’ll worry his wife.” Discord cocked a brow at that. “Wife?” His jaw went slack as he saw a gorgeous pegasus fly towards him. “Fluttershy?” “Hey honey.” She nuzzled into her leg where a small bundled blanket stirred, and stared up at Discord with the same eyes as Fluttershy. “Junior missed you.” Discord covered his eyes. “No. You’re not real. This isn’t happening. Professor! This is a lie! It’s not real!” With his eyes still shut he swung a boomerang across this Fluttershy’s face. Opening his eyes his heart sank at the sound of crying from the bundled blanket and from Fluttershy. “No. It can’t be.” “Discord,” Fluttershy cried, “I’m sorry.” “Don’t be.” He turned at the mare dancing with Doc and yelled, “DRILL PUNCH!” Half of the mare’s face exploded into pixels and numbers. “No!” The Doc cradled the mare. “What-? How-?” “Professor, wake up!” Discord punched a tree into shards of polygons. “You’re in the computer. You’re still plugged into the computer!” He went to town shattering one pony after another. “You’re going to die in here if we don’t get you out!” The Doc backed away from the mare who was now scowling as she began to grow. “Great whickering stallions!” ***** The garage boomed with the sound of arcade noises as ponies, dragons, and griffons hammered their respective cabinet controls. The green dragon’s eyes were glued to the screen of a “Fight or Flight” machine rhythmically tapping out attack combinations. “Uppercut. Uppercut. Jab. Jab. Hey we’re gonna run out of energy real fast at this pace.” Cream Heart spoke up. “I could really use an orange cream pop right now.” Twilight nodded her head. “Don’t worry. Relief is almost he-.” A red wagon rolled up the driveway and into the garage with a giant stack of pizzas and crates of soda pop. “There’s no need to fear,” a white unicorn hopped off the wagon, “Rarity is here! I got the fuel for the dream team.” “Rarity?” Spike tried to keep his concentration on fighting the MSY through his controls to the “Tankery Unlimited” cabinet. “What are yo-.” Before he could say anything else, a slice of supreme pizza shot into his mouth by way of magic. “Now, now, darling.” Rarity clicked her tongue as she opened more pizza boxes, offering slices to everyone else. “Eat and save Discord now, talk drama later.” Spike saluted as he chewed his pizza. “Yefs mahm.” From behind the red wagon of pizza boxes, Fluttershy flew right up to a fidgeting and convulsing Discord. “Oh my goodness, is he okay? Is he breathing? Is he alive?!” “Yes. He’s alive.” Twilight frantically typed with her magic. “But, he’s fighting something big. Whatever it is, it’s almost destroying his micro mobile firewall faster than I can code it, and it’s cut off their communications with us.” Discord hollered as his body wrenched in the lawn chair, gasping for relief from pain. Fluttershy began to brush his arms. “Discord! Listen to me. You can do this. I know you can. I’m sorry. I’m sorry I stopped talking to you. You have to survive! You have to win! You have to come back so I can tell you.” The green dragon glanced over his shoulder. “Who are you?” “I’m-.” Fluttershy looked around the garage at the faces of strangers she had never met before in her life. “I’m-. I’m.” Wiping her eyes, she took a hold of Discord’s paw. “I’m his fiancé.” “What?!” Rainbow and Rarity both gasped. The green dragon stopped playing. Turning, he marched up to Fluttershy. The griffon on the "Protector" cabinet shouted at the green dragon. “Marco? What are you doing? We need you fighting here!” The green dragon took a knee and hugged Fluttershy. “Don’t worry. We will bring him back.” Standing up, he cracked all the joints in his claws. “Everyone. We now fight for more than glory. We fight for love!” He snapped at Twilight. “Can you overclock our games?” Twilight nodded with a smile. “Yes, I can.” ***** The grid spun below Discord as he hurtled downwards. “Ah-a-ah-a-ah-ah!” He skid into a roll before slowly stopping. “Uh-oh.” With all his might, he dodged a giant electric hoof that stomped right where he had been laying. “Professor! How are you doing?” “I’m upgrading Twilight’s firewall. Once mine is good I’ll tend to you and aid in the fight!” “Good.” Discord unfolded the bicycle again and circled around the giant polygonal mare with black eyes and spiked mane. “Here, here! Come on you over developed chatbot, I’ll give you memory errors for life!” The giant mare screeched and stomped. “Hold still so I can eradicate you from my system!” She tried to squash Discord, missing again. The draconequus did a handstand on his bicycle. “Is that all you got? F&F DOS has more sentience than you!” Hopping back on his feet, he flung his boomerangs up at her. “Was your hard drive dropped from an early age!” “Oh, I’ve got one!” The Doc activated a pair of digital wings that flung out from his back. “Your parent operating system is so overweight the recursive function computing its mass causes a stack overflow!” Light burst from the wings, sending him up into a circle around the giant mare as he cried out, “01000010 01110101 01100011 01101011 00100000 01111001 01101111 01110101!” The giant mare roared a gasp. “In all my years of operation, I have never heard such language! How am I supposed to love you when you talk like that?!” Discord rode below the mare, sending his boomerangs at her legs. “Professor, care to explain that?” The Doc shook his head. “Don’t look at me! I was just figuring out why it was sent to my lab.” Discord screamed as he was knocked from his bike and crushed by a giant hoof. “Prof- ah!” “Discord!” The Doc barely had time to react as lines of binary zapped him from the eyes of the giant mare. He slowly descended before touching down on the grid, unconscious. The mare cackled. “I will delete you, Discord. I’ll rip you apart, code by code. Then no one will be able to stop me from loving Doctor Hooves!” Discord felt his body losing sensation as the weight of the mare came down on him, but then he saw a crack of light. A gold pixelated missile struck the face of the giant mare, sending her tumbling over. Discord looked where the missile had come from. “Spike!” Spike’s hologram followed a tank made up of red vector lines. “Gamers!” Discord watched as seven more holograms appeared, taking control of various sprites and pixelated figures. He recognized them as the regulars of the comic book store. Cream Heart’s hologram rode up alongside Spike’s tank on an ostrich with her sprite covered with medieval armor. The griffon vertically flew up in an armored flying craft equipped with laser rays. The green dragon’s hologram followed the body of a muscle shredded minotaur fighter that ripped the head of the MSY into thousands of pixels. Another hologram pointed a sword forward guiding a line of cannons, another outfitted in plumbing gear with a massive wrench, a spike covered racing autocar, and behind them all, one more hologram controlled a giant robot. Spike cheered as he advanced in his tank. “Attack!” The griffon flew his aircraft around the giant mare, blasting her with pulsating lasers. The giant robot picked her up and slammed her into the ground. The line of cannons fired in tandem with Spike’s tank missiles. Cream Heart rode her ostrich up and onto the mare, dragging a longsword along her side, slicing up chunks of code. The plumber jumped into a pipe that opened up over the mare’s head as he brought his wrench crashing down against her jaw. As the mare stood up, the racing autocar harpooned a tether into one of her legs and began to circle. The giant mare screeched as she tripped over her bound legs. The green dragon clapped his minotaur’s hands together and pulled them apart to ignite a glowing ball of fire that he sent flying into the mare’s eye. “ENOUGH!” The mare spun in the air, opening her mouth to spew out a jet wave of red binary that took out every hologram and sprite in sight. “I’m tired of your pathetic games. You will not win! My programming allows me to predict every move you make, I can process codes faster than you can combat them, and your cheap tricks are too slow to defeat me. I am invincible!” Discord closed his eyes as the mare’s hoof came upon him again. He focused. “Hello?” ***** “Hello?” “Discord?” Fluttershy flinched as he sat up in the lawn chair. “Fluttershy?” Fluttershy squeezed his arm. “Yes, it’s me!” “Take off my collar.” Twilight’s eyes boggled as she turned from her now blue screened computer. “What’s he saying?” “Discord. I can’t.” Fluttershy froze as he cupped her cheek. “Do it, or the Professor and I will die in here.” Twilight shook her head. “No, that’s crazy. He could lose control, there has to be another way. Fluttershy? Fluttershy, wait!” ***** The giant mare rubbed her hoof into the grid as she turned her one eye to the Doc. “Now, my love. We are alone. And, I will love you forever!” Doc awoke, blinking as a rumbling in the grid grew louder and louder. “What is that?” The mare looked at her hoof and screamed as light blasted through it into the air. Through the hole, Discord rose with glowing eyes as light swirled around him. “What? How can this be?” The giant mare went to swipe at him with her other hoof, but as it came closer her whole form froze in place. “No! What kind of application are you?” Discord smiled a ball of code grew around his paw. “I’m not an application. I’m a draconequus.” The mare’s eye grew. “Creature of chaos.” Discord twisted his paw as light shot from his eyes. “No what are you doing?” Her frame moved backwards going through all her previous motions. “My internal clock!” Discord laughed. “I’m reversing the clock; I’m hacking time!” ***** “Fluttershy!” Twilight and Rarity tried to pry open Fluttershy’s legs as she death gripped the collar. “No!” The green dragon rested on his dead arcade machine. “I don’t get it. What’s the big deal about this collar?” Twilight dogpiled Fluttershy with Rarity and Rainbow. “Discord possesses an unspeakable amount of magical power, without the collar, he can’t control it.” “He looks fine to me-.” The green dragon turned at a humming from his machine. “Hey guys. Hey you guys! Look at-.” A flash of light blinked from all the arcade machines. As the light went away, Twilight, Rainbow, Rarity, and Fluttershy looked around to find everyone was gone. Rainbow flew over to the still spinning stool in front of the machine that Spike was using. “Where’d they go?” ***** The giant mare inhaled the red binary she had spewed out earlier. “Ah!” Everywhere the red binary retracted from, figures began to appear. “Where are we?” Spike looked at his black and white claws. “We’re inside the computer.” He looked up. “It’s Discord!” “Glad you all could make it. Now, who wants to kick some artificial intelligence be-hind?” The draconequus sent light from the tips of his claws and paw digits. Everyone lit up as their own beefed up firewalls coded themselves around them. The green dragon clapped his claws together and stretched out another ball of fire. “Oh, yeah.” Spike jumped in his tank, aimed and fired a shot. The missile took out half of the giant mare’s face. “Yahoo!” The griffon’s aircraft began to spin, blasting a massive beam of energy through the torso of the giant mare. The green dragon sent his fireball flying under the mare, launching her up into the air as cannons peppered her side, blowing chunks of code away. The racing autocar flew off a jump, landing on the mare and using spiked wheels to spin her into ludicrous speeds. Cream Heart flew her ostrich into the air, her sword growing to the size of a train car before chopping off the giant mare’s legs. The giant robot wound up its arm to throw the plumber who used his wrench to whack the mare’s head from her shoulders. As her head fell to the grid, a rainbow of codes spilled out. “No, that’s impossible. I couldn’t predict that. My programming is limited. Input... Need input!” Discord shook his head. “No input. Just the end of your line. He grew in size, even larger than the mare ever was. Picking her head up, he wrapped the digits of his paw around it and shattered all that was left of the system. ***** The Doc gasped as he ripped the visor from his face and the wires from his head. “Ah-ha! He did it!” “Doc!” Fluttershy cried as Discord shook. The Y-T: 2095 sparked and smoked. Twilight shouted over the chaos. “Is everyone out.” Spike and the others all nodded as they took a head count. “We’re good!” Doc rushed to Discord’s side. “Where’s his collar? His magic is flooding the computer. If we don’t get it back on, he could destroy it and himself!” Fluttershy immediately snapped the collar back on Discord’s neck. The sparking from the Y-T: 2095 puttered out. Doc whipped around. “Twilight! Eject him!” “Almost there. Hold on.” She typed as fast as she could. “He’s out!” “Discord?” Fluttershy nudged his shoulder. “Discord? Please wake up. Please. I have to tell you. I have to tell you. Please.” She rested her head against his. “Come back.” Rainbow shook her head. “No. No that can’t be right. That’s messed up! He can’t be gone! No!” Twilight and the green dragon held the pegasus as she flailed around. “You stupid, stupid! You can’t do that to us, you can’t do that to her!” Fluttershy wept as she crawled onto the lawn chair with Discord. “Fluttershy.” She froze as an arm wrapped around her. Discord peeled his visor off. “Already. Promised.” “Discord!” She pressed her face into his as everyone in the garage cheered. “I’m sorry I stopped talking to you. I was afraid to tell you.” “Tell me what?” Discord asked. “Yes.” Fluttershy smile. “Remember what you asked me at the Hearth’s Warming dance? Yes. The answer is yes.” “Fluttershy,” Discord shook his head. “Rainbow told me something. The way I phrased that question.” “Yes?” He sighed as he held her hooves. “What I meant to ask, I guess was, would you marry me?” Fluttershy nodded. “I know.” Discord blinked. “Uh…” She laughed as she kissed his nose. “We’re both in highschool still. Do you really think I’m crazy enough to think you were actually proposing to me then and there? Wait, what did Rainbow tell you?” Discord’s eyes narrowed up as he stared at Rainbow. Rainbow laughed nervously. “Heh, heh. Whoops.” Rarity interjected. “Hey, then what was that whole thing about you announcing to everyone that you were his fiancé?” A blush consumed Fluttershy’s face. “Oh, well, I- uh.” “Whut?” Discord’s eyes went wide. “I panicked!” Fluttershy yelped. “Wait.” Discord brushed her side as he pulled her close. “Are you lying?” Spike waved at the others to clear the garage. The only protest came from the griffon as he chirped out, “Wait, I want to see where this goes…” The green dragon and Cream Heart pulled him along as everyone, even the Doc, left them alone. “Fluttershy? What’s the truth?” Discord softly asked. She slumped over into his arms. “You really were just asking if I would ever marry you, right?” “What if I wasn’t?” She squeaked. “What were you really asking?” “No.” Discord kissed her forehead. “Please. Be honest.” “I’m afraid of how you’ll react.” She sighed. “I thought you were really asking.” “So why did you pretend like you thought I wasn’t?” She closed her eyes. “I didn’t want to scare you.” Discord laughed, quietly and then louder. “I’m sorry, but do you remember what I asked you during our date under the willow tree?” She thought. “You asked me if I wanted a-.” Her face lit up. “Oh.” “A family.” Discord hugged her tight. “I want to tell you something I’ve never told anyone. I think Rainbow would give me a hard time over it, but I’ve always wanted to be a father, not just to a child, but to a wife. Husband is part of the family deal. So, Fluttershy, I’m not afraid of you saying yes to a proposal.” “Really?” Fluttershy’s eyes began to water as her smile crept back onto her face. “Discord, would you marry me?” The draconequus went still. “Are you asking? Or are you asking?” “Yes.” She smiled. He chuckled. “Like now?” “Not now now, but in the future, when we’re both ready for that kind of commitment.” Discord smiled. “Yes.” Her smile faltered at that. “Yes, what?” After leaning in to kiss her, Discord smiled as he pressed his head against hers. “I promise.” “Promise.” Fluttershy repeated the word as she smiled in his embrace. ***** “I can’t believe we had to sign legal waivers.” The griffon shook his head. The green dragon laughed. “Dude, we’re getting medals from a princess for rescuing one of the government’s top scientists.” They sat in a windowless auditorium filled with uniformed guards and soldiers along with, Discord and his friends, and the others that joined them in their escapade from the previous week. “And we can’t talk about it,” the griffon shook his head. “It’s a matter of National security.” Cream Heart cut in. “Besides, look at Discord and his fiancé. They look so happy together.” The griffon furrowed his brow. “Is she really his fiancé, though? We never really did hear the end of that.” “Shut up,” the green dragon cleared his throat, “here she comes.” A guard marched forward and blew on a trumpet. “Welcoming, Princess Luna. All arise!” Rarity screamed with her mouth shut. “This is so exciting!” The whole room stood up as a dark blue alicorn dressed in white and gold walked along a red carpet that led onto the stage. A few guards followed her with boxes. “Greeting, subjects. Today we honor the heroism of select individuals for their bravery and dedication to their country during the harrowing rescue of one Doctor Hooves.” The guards and soldiers cheered. The princess continued. “While these events are to remain secret due to the development of changelings in our midsts, we would be remiss not to recognise the value of your efforts.” She smiled. “Will you all please step forward.” Discord was followed by his friends and the others as they made their way up and onto the stage. The ponies tailing the princess opened their boxes to reveal silver medals hung on rainbow ribbons. “So cool, so cool!” Rainbow practically pranced on her way up. Princess Luna picked one up at a time with her magic to carefully place them on each recipient. “We award you, the sister’s shooting star, the highest civilian medal.” Discord watched as the Doc stomped his hooves on the floor along with all the guards and soldiers. The princess continued to talk as she bestowed the medals. “My sister wishes she could have been here to announce it, but with these medals - for the sacrifice of your arcade machines - you will be receiving brand new replacements as well.” Spike nodded to the green dragon and the others. As soon as Princess Luna had placed Discord’s medal on him, Fluttershy broke the line to embrace and kiss him. “Hm. Young love is a beautiful thing.” The princess did a subtle double take at Discord. “My apologies, but have we met somewhere? In a dream perhaps?” Discord shook his head. “Not to my knowledge ma’am.” “Curious.” She shook the idea from her face as she produced a set of keys in front of Discord. “And at the special request of our good Doctor, these are for you.” Discord took the two keys and studied them. “If I may ask, what are these for?” “Doctor Hooves said you will find out,” the princess smiled, “when the crate arrives at your home.” Discord smiled back as he took the keys. “Alright then.” Holding Fluttershy tight, he beamed with his friends at the applause they received from the guards, the soldiers, the Doc, and Princess Luna. The weight of the medal around his neck dug in, but that didn’t matter. The princesses knew about the changelings, and now more than just him and his friends were looking for them. The weight of the medal was forgettable as the guards rolled out brand spanking new arcade machines for the others as they cheered their heads off. Their reaction elicited a stroke of laughter from Princess Luna who asked if she could visit their comic shop to try the new machines out with them. The green dragon and his friends lost control of their jaws as Cream Heart said yes for them. Spike nudged Discord over Fluttershy. “Hey brother, how about we go and play some O&O after this?” Discord’s smile couldn’t get any wider. “I’d like that.” Author's Note The wait was three times as long, so, three times the song...
Goin' Out on Me“...learned a great deal from listening…” -Erny Spike shut off his EC radio. “Rarity?” Discord laughed. The dragon grumbled as he threw the radio back into one of the cardboard boxes that filled his new room. “Why’d you have to go and give her all the frequencies we use?” “Because, kumquat, she’s trying to make amends with you.” The draconequus slid another box into an open corner. With one of his claws he broke the clear tape holding it shut. Flipping up the lids he pulled out a stack of comics. “Ah-ha! The essentials. On the bright side of things, at least Donna wasn’t smart enough to recognize your collection’s worth.” “You’re not getting out of this one easily,” Spike flopped onto his sheetless mattress, “O&O. Tonight. You’re place.” “I can’t,” Discord shrugged as he began filling the empty bookshelf, “Fluttershy and I are going on a date tonight.” “Again?” The dragon cried, “you were just on a date yesterday!” “No. That wasn’t a date. We went to the mall so I could talk to her brother’s boss about me getting a part time job at Salty’s.” “And the night before that?” Spike pressed. Discord scratched at the back of his head. “Helping set up enclosures at the animal shelter.” “You and Fluttershy were the only volunteers.” The draconequus sighed. “Well what about Twilight? Doesn’t she need help researching the elements or something?” Rolling off the bed Spike dug into a box marked Explorer’s Pack. He flipped through the pages of his Game Master’s Guide. “She’s having a sleepover with Rainbow and Rarity of all ponies, Big Mac is busy helping his parents, and my dad is working late tonight.” “Your dadis?” Discord asked. “Yeah, why?” “Huh,” he shrugged as he folded up the now empty box at his feet, “my mom said the same thing.” “And your point?” “I don’t know. Probably nothing.” Checking a clock in the hallway, the draconequus winced, “Oh. I better get back to my place so I can get ready in time for my date.” “Fine. It’s no sweat. Go hang out with your fiance,” Spike buried his face in a comic as he plopped into a beanbag chair. Discord shook his head. “We’re not really engaged. Why does everyone-. You know what? Nevermind. Spike. I promise I’ll make it up to you. Last week before school starts again, we’ll do and O&O binge. Seven whole days. I’ll whip up a huge campaign for us. Nothing but fighting monsters, pizza, and unhealthy levels nerding out until we make Rainbow beg us to stop. What do you say?” “Sure. Whatever,” He flipped to the next page of his comic. Sighing at his friend, Discord abruptly stopped on his way out the door. “Oh, hi Mister Gallop.” “Hello,” the unicorn stared stoically down at him, “going somewhere?” “Down the road of treachery,” Spike interjected. “Hm.” The unicorn sluggishly blinked, “How unfortunate that you friend won’t be joining us for dinner.” “Sorry, Mister Gallop. Your wife’s lasagna smells delicious, but I got to save room for later tonight,” Discord chuckled nervously as he maneuvered around him, “maybe next time.” He disappeared down the hall and out the front door, whistling as he went. Peaking into Spike’s room, the unicorn browsed through the comics on the shelves. “So, just you. All your self, uh,” his lips twitched, “sport?” “It’s okay, Mister Gallop,” he closed the comic to stare at the ceiling, “you don’t have to be all nice to me just because my dad’s paying you rent.” “I assure you, that was not my motivation.” Spike turned his attention from the ceiling and stared at him. “What?” Clearing his throat the unicorn shrugged, “I might have overheard about your mare friend. Sounds rough.” “Yeah,” Spike admitted, “it kinda sucks liking someone you know doesn’t really love you back. Sorry, you wouldn’t understand.” There was a long silence from him before he finally broke it. “I believe I do. No matter how hard you try, it seems almost impossible to let go. Like a dream you don’t want to wake up from, and you lay awake in your bed at the crack of dawn, hoping you slip back into paradise.” Spike cracked a smile, “Sorry, Mister Gallop.” The unicorn smiled back. “Don’t be. Sport.” A melodic voice came chanting down the hall. “Boys! Dinner!” “Come on, sport,” he motioned for Spike to join him, “I don’t want your dad to quit paying rent because we let you starve.” ***** Bundled in jackets and filled up with carbs, Spike rode his bike to the bridge over the canal. In his backpack he had his radio, a flashlight, and his disruptor at the ready along with a bag of white chocolate coated pretzels - the last of his snacks from the previous week’s O&O session. “Stupid Rarity.” He popped his front tire a few inches off the icy sidewalk. “Stupid dates.” His tire reached a foot in the air. “Sleep overs!” The rear tire rolled too far forward. Spike shrieked as he veered off the cement and into grass all the way down into the canal. The tread slipped and he was flung from atop his bike. “Darn it!” Brushing the dirty snow from his back and tail end he groaned as his feet struggled to stand on the frozen water. From his back, static erupted with a familiar voice. “Spike? Spike, darling. Are you there.” “Perfect,” rolling over he crawled to his bike and dragged it to the snow bank just under the bridge where he retrieved his radio, “what do you want?” “Please, Spike. You haven’t talked to me since Doctor Hooves’ rescue.” He screamed into his claws. “Aren’t you supposed to be at Twilight’s?” “They think I’m in the restroom. Spikey, please listen to me.” “Don’t call me that.” He squeezed down the talk button, almost cracking it. “Discord already told me.” “He told you, but I haven’t. I mean it. I still want to be friends with you.” “Well I don’t!” Fire whipped out of his mouth, melting the snow and in front of him. His heaving breaths slowed as he controlled them into deeper intakes. In and out, he told himself. “I don’t want to be friends. I want to go back to what I thought we had. But-.” “Yes, Spike?” He shook his head. “I know it can’t just be the way it was. That you don’t see me that way, and never will, so just-,” it took him another moment to control his breathing, “I need some space. I just need to distract myself for a while with something else.” “...alright…I understand...” “For what it’s worth, thanks for the time we had together.” Cursing to himself, he froze at the sound of a twig branch breaking. “Spike? What did you mean by that? Spike…” Other voices cut in. “What’s going on...who are you talking to-.” He shut off his radio. Silence. “Hello?” Tearing his disruptor from his backpack Spike scanned the area. “Okay. Come out, come out, wherever you are.” The trees on either side of the canal rustled. “Or not.” Crunching snow echoed in each direction. “Hey! I’m warning you! I got a,” he looked at the disrupter, “a particle scrambler. Yeah! I’ll deatomize you if you get too close.” A giggle followed up on his statement. “You got that from your comics. Huh, Spikey.” He knew that voice. Turning to his left, he saw her familiar purple mane divide the white of the snow. “R-rarity? What are you doing here?” “I’m sorry.” She wiped a tear from her eye. “I couldn’t just sit at Twilight’s knowing you were all by yourself. You are all by yourself. Aren’t you?” Spike sighed, watching his breath as it froze in the air. “Yeah. Discord is-. See I can’t even be mad because he never was with us, me, ugh. Sorry. He was just worried. I don’t gotta worry about Fluttershy though. She really loves him. I know she’ll never do what you did to me.” He shuddered and the sound of whimpering. It was Rarity. “What?” “I’m so sorry Spike, for everything. For what I put you through. It’s just that-. I’m so confused, and I don’t know why I keep toying with you like this.” “What do you mean?” He asked, “What are you saying?” She wiped her nose on her hoof. “I haven’t been entirely honest about how I feel. Like I said, I’m confused. I thought that I could just be your friend, but then when I got to know you, the real you. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I-. I don’t want to be your friend either.” “I don’t understand.” He stepped towards her. She frowned as she wiped her tear stricken eyes. “I think you do. I don’t want to be alone. I really don’t. Not after what I learned what you were like, that you really-. Oh-. I can’t even say it. I’m sorry.” “No,” Spike took another step, “tell me. You can tell me. You can be honest, like we were.” “Spikey, I don’t want you to just be another face in the crowd. I want you to be mine. I want to wake up every day knowing that it’s you, that you’re the one that will always have my heart.” She inched closer. “What I’m trying to say is…” Running forwards he embraced her. “I know. By the sisters I know. I’m sorry for not talking to you. I lo-.” Feeling around her, it dawned on him. “It’s freezing out here. Where’s your coat?” Pulling away, his eyes widened at the dripping tusks protruding from her mouth. “Oh, fudge,” except he didn’t say fudge. “Gah!” A ball of snow struck the imposter Rarity’s face, blinding her. Spike didn’t question it; he just took the opportunity to leap away and set off the disruptor. The image of the unicorn fizzled out leaving behind a twitching black form with withered legs like swiss cheese. “Oh,” the changeling blinked it’s putrid green eyes, “you’re gonna pay for that you rotten kid.” “C-c-change-.” The dragon desperately crawled backwards away from it before a blur tackled the creature away and up. He could hear the collision continue overhead alongside the screeching of brakes and a thud. “Ah!” The changeling fell limp in the snow. “What-?” Looking up he spotted an owl watching nearby. “Did you-?” Spike shook his head. “No, that’d be crazy.” He lifted up the disruptor. “But just in case.” The owl held up its wings, “Wait!” “You just talked. You’re one of them!” “Yes.” The owl lit up in a small whirlwind of hazy blue fire leaving behind another changeling. “Are you okay?” “W-what?” Spike squinted at the changeling’s pale blue eyes. He wasn’t entirely sure where it was looking. There was a faint luminous source where its irises ought to be. “I mean, yeah. Why do you care?” “I’ve been watching you. You and your friends.” “Why?” Spike asked. The changeling sighed. “To make sure you didn’t get hurt.” Contemplating its words, Spike began an approach that he immediately aborted the moment the changeling flinched away. “Wait.” He reached into his bag. “Do you like pretzels? Or White chocolate?” “What?” It stared at him. Pulling out the pretzels he popped the bag open. “Here.” He tossed one towards it. “Try one.” The changeling’s curved horn lit up, drawing in the pretzel with magic. Inspecting it first, the changeling took a cautious bite before finishing it with a delightful hum. “This is good. Almost like love.” Spike crept closer offering more of the pretzels. “Do you have a name, or something I can call you?” He froze as it casually dunked its face in the bag and filled its mouth with the contents. “Mfnam,” it chewed and swallowed leaving behind a coating of melted white chocolate on its dark lips, “the name’s Thorax.” Author's Note
Tightrope“...most successful war seldom pays…” -Thomas Downtown Ponyville was alive with activity as shoppers dashed to the final post Hearth’s Warming after sales. Snow plows had done their work scraping up black snow into banks along the packed streets loaded with families joining shoppers and travelers returning from distant trips. Discord and Fluttershy pressed into each other as they walked, neither able to look at each other. Whenever the other did look, they’d laugh. While not at all awful to either party, it was a fanciful distraction from the comforting silence they shared on their way to the light festival. “Oh, wow.” Fluttershy’s eyes twinkled under the canopy of netted lights that criss crossed with cosy incandescent hues of reds, greens, blues, and whites. “It’s so beautiful.” “Not as much as you.” Discord said, without so much as skipping a beat. “Hm.” Nuzzling into the draconequus’ neck, her wings carried her up of their own volition. Ignorant to her rebellious wings, she squeaked upon bumping her head under Discord’s chin. “Sorry.” He stole a kiss at the base of her head near her ear. “I’m not.” Wrapping his arms around her he twirled around the next corner where the fire escapes of the old brick district apartments were adorned with mechanical wonders. Angelic animatronics of caroling ponies and prancing animals smiled down on them with gleeful indifference. Fluttershy laughed, “Discord!” Again she stared up at the lights and displays, all of it slowing around them as the draconequus came to a steady halt. He did not pay any heed to lights on display, only the pegasus illuminated by their electric wonder. “Hwy, Fluttershy. How about some hot coco?” Gesturing to the steaming faux gingerbread stand he held her a little tighter. After a nod of confirmation they were in line perusing the items other than the advertised hot chocolate beverages. Together they settled on a funnel cake to go with their drinks to share in a carriage lit up by azul and alabaster gems that glowed of their own accord. Around the shopping district and past the courthouse, they ate. They smiled. They laughed at the powdered sugar spread across their faces. They embraced as they each found the end of the warmth in their cups. Despite the vast and intricate displays of luminous delight, the sky still shone with sparkling star filled skies kept clear by the chill and gentle breeze. “I wish this could last forever,” Fluttershy hummed into Discord’s side, “don’t you?” “Yeah.” Distant bitter thoughts crossed his mind. Forever was only ever, but that time for the supposed end was yet far off. Now was the blessing of the present and its uncalculated potential. For now he squeezed even tighter to the pegasus by his side as the carriage came to its stop near the hospital which had been decorated in strands of lights as well. “Maybe we could pay your mother a visit,” Fluttershy suggested. Discord’s face melted into a smile. “Yeah, that’d be great. I’m sure she could use a break-.” He focused on the entrance as a bundle of pink and white stepped out, “Mom?” Sure enough, Redheart tiptoed across the cold walk way up to the street where a parked autocar slid open its side door to reveal a familiar pale green dragon with charcoal grey spines. Fluttershy lowered her voice. “Isn’t that Spike’s dad?” The dragon offered up a large tray of steaming cups to Redheart, but something was wrong. She wasn’t taking the tray he had offered. Instead she wrapped a hoof around his arm and drew him towards the hospital as a smile of both fear and surprise was plastered on his face. Relenting to her insistence, he caved and joined her inside. “It sure is,” Discord could help but beam from ear to ear. He couldn’t wait to tell Spike what he’d seen. Passing the hospital they found themselves jostled around by a gathering crowd staring up at a spotlight traveling between two buildings. Stretched from one side to the other was a rope supporting acrobats riding unicycles as they juggled bowling pins and batons. Below them a safety catch net had been spread out by four cranes. “Oh, I can’t watch!” Fluttershy covered her eyes with her shalking hooves. “It’s alright.” Discord hugged her out of her state. “They’ve got a net. Besides, these guys are professionals.” “I still don’t like it. What if one of them gets hurt, they fall, or the net breaks?” A collective of sighs swept over the crowd as kettle corn bags and empty styrofoams were tossed into trash receptacles. Looking up Discord saw the acrobats making their way back to the safety of the buildings’ rooftops, “Looks like we missed most of the show anyways. It’s over now.” His ears twitched. Voices. Stirrings. “What’s going on?” Fluttershy asked. A voice from the crowd cried out. “Is that a child?!” Several screams echoed the analysis of the small form crawling along the tightrope in the sky. “She’s gonna fall!” Looking around Discord waited for some pegasus, griffon, or dragon to fly up, but none did. “Call the police!” He looked at Fluttershy. “I’ll be back.” Accepting a nod of confidence from her he snapped himself through an opening alongside one of the cranes supporting the safety net. “Hey kid!” Discord dodged the whipping sound that followed the brittle snap of rope. The glass of a nearby autocar’s windshield was shattered by the weight of the snapped net. Across the way the other crane began to smoke, it’s arm dropping the other corner of safety. Looking through his paw and the bits of cubed glass that rolled from his head, Discord could see the small mint green and purple body slow its advance towards the center of the tightrope. “Okay.” He quickly bounced around ideas. “Don’t scare, don’t surprise, don’t fly,” it hit him, “float.” Snapping his eagle claws he focused on the idea of a balloon running out of helium as he ascended. His rise slowed as he came to the nervous eyed foal that cried at the fall below her. “Sh. Don’t be afraid. I won’t let anything happen to you.” The foal’s face contorted into a wicked grin. A nail and marble voice pierced its lips. “If only we could say the same.” Small green flames spliced dragon claws in place of its hoove before lunging at Discord digging into his throat around his magic collar under his bandana. “Gah!” Pain shot up his neck as his magic failed him. Before he could fall, he forced his wings to keep him airborne, “A changeling. I ought to expose you right now!” “Ah, ah, ah. You wouldn’t hurt an innocent little child with hundreds of people watching below would you?” Discord looked down into the spotlight focused on him as hundreds, maybe even a thousand faces watched with wide eyes and slack jaws. “What are you gonna do? Bash my brains in? In front of my parents down there? I have the will to take this form to my grave.” He hissed at the foal, “Those aren’t your parents.” Drool leaked from its crooked grin. “They don’t know that. The camera crews that just pulled up don’t know that. The police don’t know that either.” “What do you want?” “Don’t fall.” The foal dug its dragon claws deeper into the wincing draconequus’ neck before dragging down towards his shoulders. “Consider this a warning. We know that you know. How much you know won’t be a problem. Because if you try anything,” it fanned out a string of instant photographs of Spike, Redheart, Rainbow, Twilight, Big Mac, and Fluttershy, “poof.” The photos burst into flames that carried the embers off into the tainted darkness of the night. “Do you understand kid?” Discord held his scream in as red began to leak from under his bandana. “Clear, as crystal.” “Good.” The green flames turned the claws back into hooves. “Now down.” The foal blinked into a teary eyed display, jittering in Discord’s arms as they descended. Police and medical crews surrounded them. Two crying ponies lunged beyond the barrier put in place to adorn the foal in kisses of sweet relief once she was back in their care. Discord frowned as it flashed its true eyes for a moment before being carried by the unsuspecting parents into an ambulance. “Discord!” He saw Fluttershy and fought against the paramedics that worked to bandage his neck. “Fluttershy!” Behind the pegasus, Redheart and Andee argued with the police at the barrier. Discord broke through and pulled Fluttershy in for what felt like one of the longest hugs of his life. Shutting his eyes he wanted to forget the conversation he’d just had with a changeling. The weight of the words were lifted as his face was numbed by Fluttershy pressing her face to his planting sporadic kisses amidst new words of love and comfort. “Sweety!” Redheart made it through the line to him. “What happened, dear?” Andee’s arms brought them all together. “You alright, kid? What were you doing up there.” “Yes,” one of the officers stepped up, “what were you doing up there.” Discord gawked at the cop and the faint glow behind his eyes. “That foal was up there. She was going to fall. No one else was doing anything. So I flew up to catch her.” There was a half hidden smirk twitching in the corner of the officer’s mouth, “Very well. Just be ready to give us a full testimonial when you’re ready.” With that the officer turned away to fight the crowd and cameras circling the scene. Flashes and screaming reporters drowned out the lights left over from Hearth’s Warming. Discord shook them away. Burying himself away in Fluttershy’s hair and the embrace of his mother as he wished for everything to go away. ***** The mopi box droned with the images from the other night. They caught it all. From the snapping of the safety net to the “Miracle” that was the draconequus who saved the foal who had wandered onto a tightrope. Discord managed to ignore it all under the warmth of a blanket wrapped around him and Fluttershy as they rested on the couch of a living room occupied by all their friends. His mother sighed as she addressed the owners of the house the living room belonged to. “Thank you, Gallop. And Jasmine. You didn’t have to let all of us in here like this.” “Don’t worry about it, Redheart. Any friends of Spike and Andee’s are friends of ours. Isn’t that right, Tarsi?” “Yes.” The unicorn bobbed his head in agreement. “I’m sure your son must be rattled by the whole thing. It’s the least we can do. If there’s anything else-?” “No.” Redheart sighed again. “Thank you. Just thank you.” Rainbow pointed at the mopi box. “Looking slick there, rescuing a foal and all.” “It was very brave of you.” Fluttershy cooed. Big Mac nodded. “Eyup.” “Spike?” Twilight nudged the dragon, “You okay?” Discord noticed him twiddling with his fingers, playing with something. He could faintly make out the frames of what looked like sunglasses. Spike muttered. “Huh? Yeah. Discord was pretty awesome.” He continued to fiddle with the frames. Thinking nothing of it, Discord returned his attention to the mopi. Clips of the mayoral candidates flashed up. Filthy Rich went on about how reckless the whole thing was while Honey B. Comb sang nothing but praises for his efforts. “See,” Fluttershy brushed her face above the bandages around his neck, “some believe you’re a hero.” Discord melted into her touch. He didn’t want to argue with her. “Okay.” Author's Note
(Intermission) "When I was a boy...""...courage under pressure." -Papa Ernie INTERMISSION "What happened?" A disembodied voice asks. The sound of gears and pneumatics exploding echo across this page and into your imagination. "Sorry! My fault!" "Again? You're supposed to be writing the story! Giving the people what they want. Do-? Do you not care?" An aroma teases your senses. You know this smell; it's been following you ever since you were a child. Your favorite shirt, dust that could only belong to home, a comfortable place to slip into the dreams of strangers across the world wide web. You struggle to picture it, but on the page of blurring words you can almost see a little draconequus scraping up the pieces of a broken picture frame in his mismatched hands. "Was I writing the story? Or was it you?" "Oh, Discord." The disembodied voice sighs with a weight you remember from the last ninety thousand years and almost four years of absence. "Maybe it was you writing the story, and maybe it was me. Maybe I didn't have a voice till I met you." "Me?" The draconequus asks, astonished. "How could I give a voice? How is that possible if you were the one writing?" I laugh, a coping gesture in place of the years left to rot. "Every writer starts somewhere. I've always dreamed of galaxies, monsters, and beautiful creatures that I could never describe. Like a painter with no brush, or skill, I lacked the voice and the words to communicate the frantic yarn of imagination unraveling in my mind. Then I met someone I figured could understand the chaos swirling around in this head of mine." "You're like me?" "Not exactly." I laughed again. "I don't belong here. Not anymore. There comes a time in a man's life when he's simply got to move on. But, I believe I'll remember you the most. You and I aren't so alike, but I think we're not so different from the tale of the ugly duckling. You know that one?" His eyes swell with confusion. "You don't believe you're ugly. Do you?" The sincerity in his voice melts my heart. Fluttershy really did a number on him. "Not anymore, now that I've had time to grow. Maybe not into a swan." "Into a writer?" Discord looks down through the words, and buried beneath the spelling errors and mistakes of the past, he rescues a little green smartphone. "You don't use this anymore?" He digs deeper, pulling out a grey laptop, and a broken Smith Corona Skywriter. With as humble of a pride as any, I displayed my new machine. "Brother Typewriter. A work horse. Helped me publish my first professional stories." "Professional?" His brow furrows and soon his eyes begin to water. "What will happen to us? What will happen to Fluttershy?! My friends... Will you take us with you?" I kneel beside him, brushing away the loose words to give us space... "You were never mine to take. You and all your friends belong to another dreamer. Faust made her mark, but I can't stand on her creations like they're my own." It hurt to see the draconequus cry. "Will you forget us?" "Never." If he were anything more than just words on a page, I might have hugged him. "So in a way, you and your friends - at least my meager perception of you - will bleed into the nuances of other works. When a character is honest, loyal, generous, laughing, friendly, or kind: their lessons will live on. And you, brave little draconequus, when the orchestras swell and the chaos of infinite possibilities unfolds on the pages of my future works, I'll think of the times I laughed and cried here." "Where is here?" He asks. "Another being's dream. An amalgamation of ones and zeroes organized into the delivery method for these words, and the hopeful prose of a community that has emphasized its subject focus in absolute enchantment, for better or worse." Discord sits between the lines, clutching my old machines. "Where will I go now?" He looks through the screen, at you. "What will they do? Are you just going leave them? Story unfinished?" I wish I could look at you, the way he did, but I am just the writer and nothing more. "I have more stories to tell. My own characters. Should I leave them waiting?" He shakes his head, wiping the tears away. "No. It wouldn't be fair to them. Or you! But... Can they wait a little longer?" "How long are we talking." I ask. "Long enough for one more story. A short one. I promise, I won't ask for more." Thinking over it, I couldn't help but smile. "Alright. Follow me." A door appears before us. A mirage? A split idea? Where did it lead? I took one look at the brass 23 nailed to the wood panel door. I remembered, and I led him through. On the other side was a relatively small room. There was space enough for a bed, an old desk, a busted television set, a dresser topped with assorted toys and Legos, and a bookshelf overflowing with novels of adventure, fantasy, and space. "Up on the bed," I pull back the green comforter and sheets, let him scurry up, and tuck him in. "Wow. Was this your room?" "It was. No more." I pull up the swivel chair from the desk and take a seat beside the bed. "Been keeping it around. Just long enough to put all the little unresolved pieces to rest. And I'm afraid, you may be the last one." He nods, and maybe he understood. "If you don't mind. Could you reuse this story?" "Reuse it?" I ask. "Yeah. Maybe my friends and I don't belong to you, but maybe some of your own characters could enjoy the adventure? New friends?" "What an idea!" I pat his head. He's already drowsy but struggles to remain awake and listen. "Maybe I'll give some new friends this adventure." Discord looks over my shoulder at you. "And them? Will you help them find it?" "No." I admit, stricken by melancholy and a twitch of fear. "If anything comes of it, I believe it should take flight on its own merit and not on the wings of an empty promise I cannot keep. If they find it, and they remember, I'd be glad to hear from them." "What if you don't?" I look up beyond him, out the window. There I see them all, everypony. Faces from almost a decade of something I knew I would always remember as uniquely special. "Such is life. Sometimes that's the way it is. Understand?" "Do you?" "I believe I do, yes." "Okay." He stretches into a yawn and rests his head upon the pillow. "One more story?" I lean back in the chair and pull out my typewriter. What shall it be? "How 'bout a bedtime story?" The little draconequus tiredly smiles. "As long as my friends are there." "They will be." It surprised me to feel warm droplets running down my own cheeks. I wiped them away. "They will be. Now, are you ready?" He hums in approval. "Alright." I begin to type. "Once upon a time..." Author's Note
Prologue to Twilight“To be…” -William The sweet deception of a pleasant morning filled the flimsy ears of the draconequus. The sun is risen as the moon is set by the instinctual reasonings of god-like creatures in high places where pathetic echoes of old money still clamor for power. Fools. But, that was far away. That was so very far from the delicate spot that marred the rising sun in the wee hours of the morning. Bird song began to swing through the air of the new dawn as the glistening dew drops rolled over leaves and off to rocks lining the small stream running parallel to the spot. The spot in question became clear as the magically manufactured sunrise breached the spot’s top. The spot in question defined its existence as a cottage so called by the simple folk who traversed the paths leading to, from, and around it. The cottage, as it were, was humbly crowned by a sod roof that had consumed most if not all of the top. A few windows along with the door that happened to be there was all that made it distinguishable from a mound. It connected to the rest of the world by way of a petite bridge that arched over the shimmering stream that reflected light upon the cottage’s face. T’was well with the draconequus. It changed nothing. It had barely changed. Only, it was more devoid of life now than ever. The draconequus heard the sight of the morning. All essence of this time his ears did experience as it transpired. Though, one cannot explain how it was possible. It's best not to argue with the facts. The ears of the draconequus will smell what they want. It is. And, it's best to let it be so. His red eyes floated ‘round the interior of the cottage that had been frozen in time, a power he had but used lightly to an extent. Lord of Chaos or not, there were in fact rules that he could only bend so far for so long. This was one of those rare occasions where he tested that boundary near the edge of its limits. If there was any life left in the room, it wouldn't have lasted this long. That time had passed, nearly two centuries ago. In that time, the world had moved on. Two industrial revolutions transpired with inventions like the dash train that could travel the expanse of the land, known as Equestria, in ten seconds flat. Towering skyscrapers loomed high in the sky, even above the ancient castles that had once so majestically stood as sentinels over the cities. Now they were drowned out and hidden beneath the likes of corporate offices, apartments, and sky ports. But this place in which the draconequus stood, it did not move on as the world had. It stayed behind as the central display for the last park of Ponyville City. It was here the draconequus dwelt when he was not needed. It was here he pushed the boundaries of time’s laws as he immortalized the cottage of the one mare he could truly call friend. A remnant aroma dominated the preserved space as the telltale signs of a home that had been utilized for sheltering animals and all manner of creatures that needed a place to rest or recover from sickness and injury. Eons ago, the draconequus would have scoffed at the notion. But now, it was a painful reminder of the previous inhabitant who had shown him the value in such acts. The draconequus hovered above the floorboards in the living room so as to avoid scuffing the space he had spent his magic so carefully on. A sofa and armchair stood divided by the small table that still carried the now antique tea set that had been meticulously organized by the draconequus. Even now he continued to work at adjusting it in his innumerable fruitless attempts to recapture the tender memories of a beautiful friendship. He fell not to anger so easily when the tea set’s positioning could not be fixed. He merely wept quiet tears that defied gravity until they reached the crystal vase that cradled a solitary pink rose. ‘Tis a rare thing indeed for a draconequus to truly shed those precious genuine tears. It was an experience one could have once in their entire life, twice if they were lucky or old enough. The vase, once empty, was nearly full from a mere century and a half of tears. “Discord.” The draconequus recoiled internally from the sound of his name and the voice that spoke it. It caused him to bump a teacup off center and lose a few more tears. His insides twisted as the ghostly smell of tea and cucumber sandwiches vanished from his memory for good. There was almost nothing left now. More tears. The intruder of his timeless shrine came closer, hovering out of respect. “It's hard to believe you've been here the whole time.” The draconequus, Discord, winced as he turned from the tea set. In the low light of the morning hours, the white of the intruder was almost blinding. Her regal form and posture betrayed the fact of her royalty. That, along with the gold ornaments that adorned her legs and crown, made her identity as a princess clear. An alicorn, at that. “Equestria has moved on so rapidly without the Lord of Chaos.” There was a discreet sadness that flew above Discord’s recognition. “Finally rid of me, eh? The world finally thrived without its hindering parasite.” His body coiled up above the sofa. Observing the tea set once more, he adjusted the rebel cup back into its proper place. The white princess's face sunk as her mane defied gravity less so than usual. “I've always held you in high regard as the moderator of progress. There is such a thing as going too far too fast, you know.” The princess's eyes found the way to the tea set. From her perspective, the set was perfect in every way from its set up to its alignment along the patterns on the tray. Looking up, she found the lonely rose standing at attention in its crystal uniform. A stray tear captured her heart as it joined so many others in expanding the meniscus to the point where they domed over the edge of the crystal vase without spilling over. It was one tear too many for the princess to bear. “I know why you've come, Celestia.” Discord found the last flaw in the tea set. The idea that it had evaded his attention for so long was depressing to say the least. He knew what came next if he fixed it. “You're here to make sure I don't destroy the universe.” The princess, Celestia, shook her head as one of her own tears vanished in the fur of her cheek. “I'm here to make sure you don't destroy yourself.” Silence reigned supreme. This was not a silence as you or I might know. It was deeper and more dark than is comprehensible. This was the edge of time where reality had been stretched thin to a silken wall that if torn would release a horror of unknown consequences. It would ripple throughout the universe forwards, backwards, and sideways. This was truly the edge of sanity. Discord never fixed the last flaw. The lid to the teapot remained askew as he dropped his spell. Among rules, are facts. One little known fact about time is its ability to recover. Another little known fact of time is the violence of its recovery. The silence abruptly ended. For a split second, the morning ambiance held a key before being silenced by the orchestra of mending time. A sonic boom shattered the crystal vase and tea set as the veil at the edge of time was sealed. The floors cracked into dried, mold infested, bones. The walls peeled. The carpets and linens evaporated into dust. The windows returned to the sands they came from. Corners of the roof collapsed and splintered into thousands of pieces. Time had reclaimed its property. Discord reached out for the dried up rose that somehow remained. However, his reach was stopped by the magical barrier Celestia had placed around them to survive the consequences of altering time for so long. More consequences came for Discord as he was faced with the corpse of the home. In an instant, all his memories of her, his friend, were decimated. A sound fell from Discord’s mouth. It was a specific sound. All have or will have heard it sometime in their lives. It's a guttural and carnal sound that only comes from the truly mad. It's a madness none can control as the weight of despair and desperate rage ravage the soul. It becomes madness when one fails to repress such crippling emotions. Discord lost his mind as he released his emotional wrath. He wailed and growled as he clawed at the barrier, reaching for the rose. “No! Fluttershy!” His flailing limbs became a danger to himself. Celestia released the barrier and bound Discord in her magic to protect him from himself until he could calm down. It seemed that he might never recover as he pleaded with the dead, “...come back…” The princess wept at the sight as sympathy racked her mind. Focusing her energy, she cast a spell of warmth and comfort, the best she could muster. “No…” Discord fought the spell but failed. His power had been drained from the years he spent preserving the cottage. He fought his restraints and found this to be futile as well. Once Discord had ceased to resist, his mind went numb. It was strange magic that worked on his brain. It was foreign and unfamiliar. He thought it confusing to say the least. The neurons firing in his brain fruitlessly continued to echo the pangs of heartache as the magic from Celestia smothered those flames of despair. Anger became confusion as Discord began to forget why he was angry. Didn't he have the right to feel pain like any other? Another question rubbed that one out. Don't you deserve comfort and compassion, like any other? No, he thought. He didn't believe it, but he could do no more than listen to the spell words that shaped a cushion for his ravaged emotional state. ...thy dolash spradose… The words, familiar, stifled a half laugh from Discord. The other half was lost in translation. A memory sizzled out. It was some half forgotten poem from an older draconequus whose precious maternal smile still shined above the stars, above the heavens. The distraction was broken by a flash of gold magic. A subtle sickness was silenced by Celestia’s ongoing spell. They had teleported. The taste was all too obvious to the draconequus. Discord never could forget the sensation of a trick he once abused so often. Where they had gone, he could not say. There was mostly darkness. However, it was not a black darkness of night. It was the casting of a shadow. “Where?” Discord finally asked as he felt the cold of marble beneath him. It was fine and polished to a near mirror finish. He nearly tripped on a long carpet that stretched down the blurry setting. As his eyes adjusted, Discord could see that he stood in a grand hallway lined with dark stain glass murals portraying the various annals of history. “Canterlot.” “Yes, Discord.” Celestia watched him approach one of the windows. “You remember.” It was almost a question. Discord peered through one of the warped panes. Now he saw the sources of the great shadow that blanketed the palace in darkness. Lights were just beginning to flicker on in the towering buildings that swirled and cut into the sky. Discord thought that maybe it was night somehow, that in his fit he had lost track of time. It never mattered before now. A sliver of daylight glimmered through the clouds in a crack between the skyscrapers. Then Discord realized, they weren't clouds. He retreated from the window. The window, he recognized it. It hurt to see his own twisted face suffering at the hands of the divine god given power of harmony. The six bearers stood roundabout as they used their inherited power to return him to the stone prison from once he came. The thought of being turned to stone gave him the will to look away from the fractured image of his past mistakes. “What happened,” he asked, “where are the guards?” Celestia looked up at the clouds that weren't clouds. “They have gone from this place. They aren't needed anymore.” She turned and gestured for Discord to follow. “Come.” Discord did as he was told. Why, he wasn't sure. Perhaps it was shock. He was familiar with the experience, but that was when she left the world. Celestia led Discord through the vacant palace. Dust had gathered across it all. Each step Discord took was followed by a dust cloud that creeped back into the shadows and the comfort of the floor. The flower pots held traces of dead lavender flowers that had blackened from neglect. The flickers of sunlight was all that could reach them now. The two passed through a room that was discernibly a large bedchamber. The shadow of the bed flickered with the light of the fireplace against the dark walls. It was much more inviting than the rest of the castle. The light of the fire was warm and comforting as opposed to the bleak greyish blue lowlights everywhere else. The illusion of comforting safety was broken the moment Discord turned his head. A similar grey light from the castle split the darkness from the floor to the ceiling. Discord felt incredibly small beneath the looming opening to the balcony. It beckoned him to come closer. The sun did not shine through this time as he witnessed a smoke stack ejecting more grey into the sky. A few wayward automated sky carriages rounded the skyscrapers that disappeared far above the highest spires of the castle towers. Cold engulfed him as the opening was slammed shut by the golden magic of Celestia. Discord stared at her. “What was that?” “Unbridled progress.” Her horn lit up with more magic as she called two blankets off of the bed. Each one wrapped around the two of them. “How did you know?” Discord sat next to the princess by the fire. Celestia shivered as her magic brought a tea kettle over from the fire. “I'm cold too.” She poured the hot fluid into two separate mugs. Discord laughed at the plain porcelain vessels. “No golden teacups?” Celestia smiled at his jest as she brought the mug to her lips, enjoying the steam of the still fresh heat. “They're in museums now.” She managed a laugh. Discord reached for his mug. The vessel shook in his weak grasp. He had depended on magic for so long that his physical strength was horribly lacking, now more than ever before. To his best ability, he set the mug down. He felt accomplished seeing that not a single drop escaped. Raising his arm he attempted to use magic. At the snap of his claw, that's usually how it worked for him. This time however, a pathetic spark merely sizzled out through the air. Before he had the chance to be upset, his mug floated up to him. Looking up, he could see Celestia was behind it. He nodded as to thank her before he carefully sipped up some of the tea. “How is it?” She asked. Discord couldn't really compare it to anything. It had been so long ago that he remembered having tea. This concoction that he had taken into his system was not simply tea though. It was much thicker than tea should be. As he swirled it around in his mouth, the ancient taste came to him. There was chocolate milk mixed in with it. “Well, I can't complain at all. Well done.” He bowed his head to her. “I figured you would enjoy it of all people.” Celestia stared into her own cup of the same concoction. She wouldn't tell him the truth, but it was the last of the organic tea, milk, and chocolate. It was the last real anything. She figured, the draconequus didn't need to know that the tea and cocoa plants were all extinct from the blight that had swept across the land. He didn't need to know the last cow had died a few days ago and that this was the last bit of milk in the whole world. The world worked so fast to replace things like these that no one noticed anything was missing. Celestia had noticed. And, Discord didn't need to know. It wasn't important for him to know with what she had planned for him. Celestia sipped the chocolate milk tea concoction. She forced back her own tears. The fact alone that this was the last real anything, made it the most delicious and beautiful thing she had ever tasted. Discord chugged all his drink down and finished with a satisfied sigh. “Don't suppose I could trouble you for more, could I?” He didn't need to know, so Celestia said nothing of it. “We need to talk.” “Concerning what, exactly?” Discord frowned as his mug floated away from him. “Are you going to tell me what's going on? This isn't another one of Twilight’s friendship lessons is it?” Celestia almost choked on her drink at the mention of her former student. “No, this world will be of no consequence to you any longer if you accept my offer.” “Offer?” Discord was taken aback by this. The princess was never one to make him offers, at least not lightly. Then he thought of what an offer meant. Material objects were useless to him. Power was in the same category. The only possible thing that mattered to Discord at this point was impossible. The dead couldn't be brought back from the grave. It was impossible. “What could you possibly have to offer?” The princess looked over to the fireplace. On the mantle rested a plain cedar box that had only a simple brass latch and nothing more. Using her magic, Celestia brought it over to them. Without magic, she flicked the latch up and lifted the lid open. Inside, six keys laid on the cover of a dusty blue book that had seen untold years of use. It's ancient cover displayed clearly in gold letters the name of its owner. Discord leaned away from the keys. They weren't just keys. He knew the emblem of each one. He knew their power. “The Elements of Harmony, and Starswirl’s journal? What is this?” “A second chance, for you at least.” Seeing that Discord’s interest had been piqued, she continued. “How would you like to see Fluttershy again?” The uttered sentence broke down Discord’s calm demeanor. His body trembled as his eyes welled up. But, no tears escaped. He had run out. Here it was, as the shock ended and the reality rang true, the end. “You, you can't resurrect the dead.” Celestia shook her head. “I intend to do more than that, but it's risky. We both could die for naught if I fail.” She looked down at the keys. Her attention was drawn to the key of magic that took the form of a star like emblem that she'd recognized as the talent of her most cherished student who spent her last days trying to save as many as she could. The student’s last ditch effort to save lives ended with the ark that tragically failed before it reached the ends of the sky. “Why not bring them all back.” Discord couldn't believe what she was implying. “Celestia, it's not possible.” “There's a way. Starswirl found it.” Celestia set the keys aside as she opened the book. “Here.” Discord pushed the book away. “There's always a way, but at what cost.” Death, that was the way. A life for a life. “Do you seriously intend to lose your own life, just so you can bring back the dead. Raising half life zombies isn't worth dying for! Why would you risk your life?!” “Because you love her.” Celestia levitated the key of kindness to Discord who shakily received the butterfly key. “I'm not talking about zombies. I speak of a new beginning for the whole world. But, I cannot do it alone.” Discord held the key close, and for the first time in forever, he found the strength to hold it still. “You're right about one thing. But, it doesn't matter. She's dead.” He tightened his grip around the key. “They're all dead, aren't they? The elements, your sister, and the world.” Celestia remembered the day it happened. She and her sister stayed behind to make sure the ark succeeded. But as the ark neared the final stretch of escaping the dying world, one of its thrusters failed. Celestia and her sister worked their magic to the end, trying to help it. Her sister spent her magic with all her fatal might. Her student perished on the ark with many others, including the next generation of elements. Amidst the debris, none were found save for the talismans of the elements that had turned to keys. The reason was unknown to Celestia until she found Starswirl’s journal. “I told you, this world is no longer of consequence to you. I'm giving you a chance to be the savior of all life. You more than I deserve to find what you're looking for.” “There's always a price!” Discord hissed. Celestia smiled at the draconequus. “My life and your memories. That's all it will take to save the world. Time will be rewound. The world will be revived. And, we'll all be there. Is it better to lay to eventual waste in this dying world or to make the sacrifice to save it?” “Turn back time? So what, I'd relive all the evil I've committed?” “No.” Celestia shook her head. “Time can be rewritten. I'm going to give you a new beginning, a fresh start close to her.” The draconequus looked at all the keys which had begun to glow. He knew she wasn't going to give him a choice. He wasn't sure he was going to give himself a choice. His broken heart defied his logic and begged to be healed. Celestia used her magic to focus on the keys. Discord gasped as the key of kindness flew from his grip. He watched as they sparked and flashed beams of vibrant ethereal light which connected them all. One by one, they merged into one singular form. They keys became one key in the shape of the tree of harmony. It moved forward until it suddenly froze. The light of a keyhole formed around it. Vines of light, as though from the sun, spread and grew into the shape of a door. Light and wind spewed from its form. Celestia cried as her magic continued to hold. “Go!” Discord rushed forward to the door. It took both his arms’ strength just to turn the key, but once it was turned, the door fell open to darkness. The sound of rain beating against mud flooded the ears of the draconequus. This couldn't be the second chance Celestia spoke of. But when he turned back to her and saw the blood dripping from her nose, she nodded. Discord lingered. “It cannot exist without the anchor! Go, please!” Celestia's strength was beginning to fail. Hot tears washed over her face. “Discord, this is your life now. Take a stand!” She smiled again. “Find yourself a wife.” Running forward she rammed Discord through the door. The moment the draconequus was through the door, it vanished. Celestia, still in motion, collapsed where Discord once stood. Her breath began to slowly die. Like her sister she had spent the entirety of her magic. The world was closing around her. She had lied to him. The world would change and be renewed, but not for her. Celestia shivered as the cold swept over her. A subtle warmth flowed along her cheek. She saw that it was the last of the tea and chocolate drink pouring out from the tipped over mug. The other mug was close by, its shadow dancing beneath the light of the fireplace. “Discord.” Celestia knew this was what it'd come down too. As a drop of blood crawled out from the corner of her eye, a content smile was cemented on the princess's face as her eyes stilled. Her last thoughts were of her friends and family, and she remembered the draconequus that was somewhere out there in a new Equestria. Her chest ceased to rise as the fireplace roared a little longer. ***** Redheart muttered as the rain poured down from the heavens. She thanked Celestia that she at least had a coat. Given, she had stolen it from her flop of a date that ended disastrously, but she didn't care. It was better than nothing. The moment she got home she was gonna burn the thing and wash out its smell from her fur. The rain began to get heavier. “Really?!” She groaned in frustration before a lightning strike startled her. “Holy moly.” The bolt hadn't struck too far ahead of her. “Stupid pegasai.” She looked up at the cloud covered sky. “Watch where you throw that stuff!” She thought it odd, mostly. That was because she had read the weather reports. There was supposed to be a chance of rain based on weather balance conditions. However, there was no mention of lightning storms at all. Redheart ignored the eerie absence of thunder as she continued on her way home. “What a night.” As she came closer to where the lightning struck the ground, she heard the last thing she expected to hear. The cries of a baby pierced the night. Redheart’s mind began to race as she feared the worst. A child, she screamed internally, a child's been hurt! She galloped onward to the source of the cries. She could see, in the middle of the road, a large blanket that was soaking up the rain. Seeing that it was safe to continue, she searched the blanket. She saw a small face crying and sniffling from snot that probably clogged up its nose. Picking up the little one, she looked left and right. “Hello? Is anyone there?” The child, it seemed, was alone and abandoned. There were no houses along this stretch of road. The closest place was the home Redheart shared with her mother. “Hang in there little one.” Using her teeth, she ripped off the rest of the large blanket the child was wrapped in. Thankfully it was mostly dry except for the outside. Redheart tucked the little one into the coat so that she could more easily carry him as she made her way to her house. Once there she quickly shed the coat in the mud room and grabbed a towel. The child was still crying. Redheart tried to stifle the cries before her mother heard. “What in the name of the sisters-!” Too late. The older mare burst through the interior door to the mud room. “Whu-,” her face softened at the sight of the crying child. “Where'd that come from?” “I found him on the way home,” Redheart explained the lightning and how she found the him wrapped up in the giant blanket all by himself, “I couldn't just leave him there.” “Well get him out of that rag and dry ‘im off. I'll go fetch a warm blanket.” As her mother left, Redheart went to work unraveling the blanket. Once it was loose, she almost dropped the child once she saw exactly what it was. “Oh, my.” She set it down on the towel and stared at its mismatched limbs. “What are you?” It's forearms were that of a lion and possibly a griffon. It had a dragon leg and a deer leg as it's lower limbs. A scaly red tail ended with a tuft of hair. All this was connected to the brown body beneath the grayish brown head with a black mane and a larger tuft of pale blond hair up front on the head that matched the hair on the tail. A little baby snaggletooth protruded from under its upper lip. It steadily ceased its crying as it opened its eyes. Redheart could feel her heart twist at the sight of the two sad red eyes that stared back at her. It looked at her, more curious than confused. “Hey there little guy.” Redheart got a little closer to look at him. The little one stared with wide terrified eyes up at the white furred mare with the pink mane and blue eyes. Something about the mare’s mane was comforting to him. He didn't know why. Then again, why did babies know anything at all. He did know this, he liked the mare’s hair. So, he did what any baby in his position would do. He grabbed the pretty hair. Redheart held her breath at the sudden action. She watched as it pawed at her mane before falling down on top of her muzzle. “Oh.” The little one’s shocked face made her laugh a bit inside. “M-ma.” Redheart scooped him up and began to work at him with the towel. She was amused as it purred ever so slightly at the experience. “My, my, my.” Redheart’s mother returned with a small blanket. “A draconequus.” “What did you call it?” Redheart asked. “A draconequus. I didn't think they still existed. They disappeared thousands of years ago. That little fella must be the last of his kind.” The older mare’s nonchalant disposition on the baby draconequus came as a surprise to Redheart. “Heh, I think he likes you.” “Ma-ma.” The baby draconequus squeaked. Redheart laughed as she plucked him from her face. “So, what do we do with it?” The older mare frowned at her daughter. “There ain't exactly an orphanage for his kind.” “Well, I can't take care of him.” The older mare whacked the back of her daughter’s head. “Yes, you can.” Redheart tried to protest. “I've got school!” “Yeah.” Redheart’s mother smiled. “You're training to become a nurse, ain't ya?” “At a hospital. And besides, I can't be a mom.” Redheart took the towel from her mother and wrapped the draconequus up in it. “Why not? You rescued him didn't ya? Seems pretty motherly to me. I'd help ya if you need me to. It'd be nice to have another fresh face around here.” Redheart rolled her eyes as she looked at the draconequus who smiled up at her. “Yeah, but…” She regretted looking down at him. Her heart began to twist again as his face seemed to sadden. She pulled him in close and felt her will snap as his little lion paw rested against her neck. “Mama?” The little draconequus seemed to ask with pleading eyes. Redheart sighed as a smile came to her face. “Mama,” she repeated. She studied the little face of the draconequus as he yawned and nuzzled into her chest. A name, he needed a name. In the back of her mind, she swore some angelic voice spoke the name Discord. It was like an echo from a quiet warm place in the dark. “Discord.” The old mare blinked at what her daughter had said. “What was that?” “His name,” Redheart held the baby draconequus a little tighter, “his name is Discord.” Author's Note
Whisper in the Night“Darkness cannot drive out darkness…” -Martin The Gallop who had been circling the Everfree forest finally screamed his frustrations through the rocks he sent flying at the tree line along the road. He couldn’t believe that he lost the draconequus and his friends. Somehow, his compass sent him for loops on end until finally it settled on spinning endlessly. Something was interfering, some exterior power. It made no sense to this Gallop as he smashed the spinning compass against the street. He was tired of it spinning. “No power lines, no planes, and not even a radio tower. There’s nothing here!” It got him thinking. “Is my cover blown, does he know?” Waiting around to find out wasn’t going to do him any good. Seeing that the road was familiar, he followed it. Thankfully there was no traffic to notice him nor joggers to pester him. The walk was long. Having spent most of his energy throughout the day didn’t help since it prevented him from teleporting. Now, the harder way was the only way left. “Stupid kids. Stupid forest.” This Gallop wanted to complain about something else. “Stupid Alezander. You’re not even here, and I hate you.” A smell caught his attention. “The best laid plans of mice and stallions…” He kept walking. He knew the smell. But, he dared not to give the smell any suspicion of his noticing. This Gallop wanted the traitor to remain where he was for as long as possible so he could report him. The hoot of an owl echoed across the wind. This Gallop slowed down and turned to face the owl. He felt a little insulted. The traitor had dared to trick him. Clever. Any other fool would have kept walking. But, this Gallop knew this game. He looked at the owl long enough to acknowledge it, to give it a deceitful sense of comfort. His walk continued. Fools lose such a game as this. So concentrated on acting like there’s nothing out of the ordinary, they forget how to react. This gallop kept walking but turned once more, passively, to show dying interest in the traitor. The hooting from the owl continued. However, the game was already played. As far as this Gallop was concerned, the traitor had lost the game. ***** “Honey, I’m home.” Dropping Gallop’s keys in their usual spot, this Gallop sniffed at the air. Something was filling the house. Underneath it all was the smell of gas. “Jasmine!” Hurling himself into the kitchen, he half expected to see everything on fire. This wasn’t the case. Pots and pans rested atop the stovetop with burners set to medium and low temperature. Noodles bubbled up in the pot while creamy sauce simmered in the pan. Jasmine smiled at this Gallop as she moved the sauce around with a spoon. “Hello, sweetums. Dinner's almost ready for you and your colleague.” She kissed this Gallop on the cheek before going back to her sauce. “Colleague?” This Gallop poked his head around the corner into the dining area. Sitting at the table was a pony of familiar color. Her pink fur and white mane belonged to a different creature, a dragon. “You remind me of a Honeybee I know.” The pony looked up from the rose she was plucking petals from. “How astounding. I never believed there could be anyone else in the universe with the same name as me.” This Gallop cautiously took a seat adjacent to her. “You act a lot like her as well.” “Interesting. I suppose the universe might explode if we ever met in the same room. Then again, we both know that’s not likely to happen.” The pony came close to the end of her flower. “It’s funny, I never thought I’d grow attached to these colors. They’re just so me. Though, this is strictly business attire. Can’t be letting your neighbors think you’re cheating on the Mrs. now can we?” “I think you sport draconic fashion rather well, other Honeybee.” This Gallop kept his head low, even though he heard the amused laugh from the pony plucking the petals. “Hm. The dragons, I think, have a better sense of design. They are a brutes at times, but,” a long slithering tongue slurped around the lips of the pony, “their passion really fills my appetite.” The rose she held ran out of petals to pluck. “So this is where your new paycheck has been going, to flowers.” A low squeaky laugh piped from the pony’s throat. “While I’m not against playing with my food, this, this is something else.” “Call it a company experiment.” This Gallop eyed the kitchen in time to see Jasmine smile his way. “Might I inquire as to your visit. I seemed to have misplaced my callander. Forgive me if I’m a little unprepared for this business meeting. Or was this courtesy call?” “A bit of both.” The pony leaned over the table. “I’ll be checking on your work production more often now that I’ve placed you in charge of such a promising project. I’m curious about the bird watching.” “The eagle I’m watching has picked up a notable flock. They don’t inhibit my view of him, though. A song bird seems to have grown attached to the eagle.” This Gallop stared at the flowers around the house. He wasn’t sure why, but he felt that strange sensation of sickness again. “I could smell it, from both of them. I hope that behavior proves to be useful to you.” The pony grinned. “I would love to see photographs of all these birds. As long as it won’t scare them away.” This Gallop lowered his voice as he came to his other topic. “Remember that former employee? I passed him after I lost sight of the birds, near the Everfree forest.” The pony stood up abruptly. “Really?” “Yes.” This Gallop confirmed. “Well then,” the pony made her way towards the front door. “Urgent business. I must be going. Sorry I couldn’t stay for dinner.” This Gallop nodded as he watched the pony close the door behind her. The sound of the door slamming came as a relief to him. He detected fear, but from himself. It was indescribable. The sickness in him came back in full force, compounding the fear. Jasmine brought a tray out with three plates. “Did your colleague have to leave? Sweetums?” This Gallop stood up. There it was again, the sickness. He wondered if it was Jasmine’s doing. “How did you do it? How did you make me sick?” His eyes were mad, but not with anger as he glared at her. “What did you do?” Jasmine’s ears drooped as she looked at the plates. “Did you not want pasta?” Looking into her eyes, this Gallop saw it, the disease that plagued him. Getting closer, he pressed his face against hers. It burned him from the inside. Everything was on fire for him, yet he started to like the sickness. Pulling his face away, he struggled to breath. He didn’t care, though. The disease that racked his existence and pillaged his brain had become a drug. “Oh my.” Jasmine giggled. “Gallop, you haven’t kissed me like that since high school.” This Gallop felt terrible as he ripped his eyes away from Jasmine. “Oh, Mother.” He felt his stomach fill with the disease as it continued to spread, speeding up his heart rate. “What’s happening to me?” “Sweetums? Is everything okay?” He forced himself to eat the food in front of him. This gallop knew that if he looked, he would suffocate. He knew he wouldn’t come back from the disease’s next attack. Author's Note
Ponyville Uber Alles“...animals are equal, but some…” -George The portable mopi box buzzed away with an anchor-dragon calmly and confidently reciting the teleprompted news. “...small comic shop and local hangout was rewarded with new arcade machines by the Royal Sisters for their employees' groundbreaking contributions to a mathematics experiment in computer engineering. The Sisters joined the employees in their celebration of the new games debut. We got to see a little competition between the Royals as they went head to head in a few of the two player games. An interesting but welcome sight since their five month absence from the public eye.” The dragon straightened the papers in front of him. “In other news… We got a first look at some fire between the Mayoral candidates of Ponyville. Let’s take a look.” The shot of the anchor’s desk shifted to a scene of two earth ponies. The one, a grayish amber with charcoal hair pounded his hooves. “You are the worst sort of politician. Dishonest, untrustworthy, and an absolute disgrace.” Across from him, the pink mare whipped her white hair over her shoulder. “I expected such accusations from a speciesist pig who only cares about ponies and not the beautifully diverse creatures that make up our wonderful city. Your rhetoric and speech are dangerous, Filthy Rich.” The stallion shot back. “Not as dangerous as your tax plan that will drive away businesses and with them, jobs. I care about this city. And that’s why I fight hard to bring back businesses both small and large to promote growth in work opportunities. If there’s ever a world where you’re in charge, with your policies-” “You’d be in jail, for tax fraud.” The dragon anchor returned to the screen. “And there you have it. What some call an explosive kick off to what’s sure to be an interesting campaign between local millionaire Filthy Rich and our city treasurer Honey B. Comb…” “Miss Honey.” The pink mare switched off the mopi next to the snow kissed lounge chair she was laid across at the edge of a heated pool. She turned her attention to the black dragon in the tuxedo. “Yes Obsidian? What is it?” The dragon gestured to the mansion behind him. “Mister Rich is waiting inside.” “Hm.” She tipped her sunglasses down while giving him a wry smile. “Send him out here, and after our meeting is done, maybe you’ll join me for some fun later.” The tux clad dragon grinned before turning tail back to the house. Moments later Filthy Rich strolled out laughing. “So this is your hard work you love to flaunt to the public?” The mare hummed as she tossed her glasses by the mopi and stretched out. “Being a public servant is taxing. I need to be well charged to serve the people at full capacity. You would do well to try relaxing yourself. It does wonders. Maybe you wouldn’t have to dye your mane to keep your gold digging child of a wife happy with your appearance.” He glared down at her. “Why did you call me here, Honeybee?” She giggled stretching in such a manner that caused Rich to turn away. “What? Can’t we have a friendly heart to heart before we spend the rest of the year hating each other.” “Hrm. The only hate is the hatred you hold for our city, its traditions, and it’s people. I want to preserve it and grant every pony, dragon, griffon, and every sort of being to have the privilege of calling it home.” “Ugh.” Honeybee sighed. “You’ll never win them over. Everyone should feel comfortable wherever they live. You’re not a stallion of such progress.” “Your idea of progress is silver tongueing the masses with empty promises of unearned rewards. I count on the citizens of this city to see past your mask of self righteousness.” The mare giggled before sitting upright. “Let me tell you something, Rich. They’re all going to hate you. I’ll convince them of that. They’ll see you as the ignorant and uncultured greedy pig that I say you are. They don’t respect your money.” “No,” Rich brushed off his jacket, “I don’t expect them too. I expect them to see that I’m not so easily bought like your followers. I campaign for the soul of this city and the future security of its inhabitants. They’ll see, and I’ll win for them.” Whipping away he exited through the mansion. "Say hi to your future ex for me." Honeybee quietly laughed to herself. “No. You won’t win. Not with the tricks I have up my sleeve.” She sniffed the air. “So, are you the groundskeeper today, Gallop?” The stallion stepped closer to the pool levitating a pole and net, scooping out leaves from the water. “Pool boy today ma’am. That’s a nice mopi you got there. See any news did you?” She flicked the box back on turning the dial to a different frequency. “Yes, and that baking show you and I both watch. I was a little disappointed with how the souffle turned out.” Picking up a bell in her teeth she rang it, prompting the black dragon to return. “Practice makes perfect. Baking is a science that takes time to master. I think I’ll soon have an advantage at making souffles with the new utensils I’ve acquired.” “Just a moment.” Honeybee licked her teeth at the dragon. “Take care of my back won’t you? Obsidian, darling.” Humming as the dragon’s claws kneaded her back, her lips curled. “You were saying, pool boy?” This Gallop continued his screening of the pool water. “I started watching this new show. A family sitcom. A griffon agent and his unsuspecting wife take in a father and son who happen to be friends with the Prince the griffon is trying to spy on.” After a moan of relief, the mare opened her eyes. “I like the sound of this new program. It's a nice change from botched souffles. Something with plot, and humor. Much more interesting. I’m curious as to how it will end.” Author's Note
