Daughter of the brother Of Discord

Fluttershy and Tara shook Fluttershy’s husband desperately.

"Discord, wake up!"

The draconequus only snuggled deeper into his pillow and groaned. "Oh, Fluttershy..."

"Wake up!"

He cried out as they rolled him onto the floor. He stood up and glared at them.

"What the heck was that for?!"

"Screwball and Cherry Blossom's gone!" Fluttershy shrieked.

His eyes widened. "What do you mean gone?"

"I went to wake them for breakfast, but they weren't in bed!"

He waved his paw and huffed. "I'm sure they just went to the bathroom or the garden or something."

"We've looked everywhere!" Tara gasped.

"The bowling alley?"

"Yes."

"The swimming pool?

"Yes."

"The ice cream room?"

"Yes."

"The bouncy room?"

"Yes! They’re nowhere in the house! What if something horrible happened to them?"

He chuckled and patted Them on the head. "Don't get so paranoid, honey and Tara. Screwball and Cherry are big girls. Wherever they are, they can take care of each other."

"Discord!"

He sighed. "Alright, if it will ease your worry, I will look for them."

He summoned a metal detector and scanned the ground. Fluttershy and Tara raised an eyebrow at this action until the machine beeped.

"I got Screwball’s scent! Follow me!"

"Ha!" Mothball exclaimed, taking Screwball's knight with his rook.

The filly simply rolled her eyes and moved her queen with her magic. The chess piece suddenly came to life and sliced the rook with a marble sword.

"Checkmate," she said.

"Aw, man!" the prince groaned.

"Don't feel bad. You put up a pretty good fight."

"How'd you get so good at this?"

"My dad and I would play using both our magic."

"Your dads have powers like yours? I thought you were the only ones." Screwdriver asked Cherry Blossom.

She bit her lip, not wanting to scare her new friend off. "we’re unique for…’’ Cherry Blossom looked at screwball. ‘’...different reasons."

"I never knew hanging out could be so much fun!"

"Five thousand brothers and sisters and you don't hang out with them?" Screwball asked.

"Well, they're not exactly our siblings. You see..."

He was cut short when Discord appeared between them, crushing the remaining chess pieces. Mothball and Screwdriver jumped back in fright. The draconequus was crouched down on all fours, his fur standing on end, his teeth growling at the changeling.

"Step away from my daughter and niece!" he barked.

"Daddy, wait!" Screwball protested.

‘’Uncle!’’ Cherry Blossom gasped.

"That's your dad?!" Mothball squealed.

Fluttershy then emerged from the bushes, rushing to her daughter and niece. "Screwball! Thank goodness you're alright!"

"Mom?" Screwball uttered as her mother took her protectively in her arms.

‘’Auntie- hey- ow! Let go of me!’’ Cherry Blossom cried, struggling to get out of Fluttershy’s grasp.

"Fluttershy, I told you to stay put!" Discord hissed. "Let me take care of these pests!"

He was about to lash out when Chrysalis materialized in front of him. The draconequus paused and returned to his defensive position.

"Chrysalis," he snarled.

"Discord," the queen chuckled. "It's been a while, Dissy dear."

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be living out your exile in the Changeling Forest?"

"I bear no ill will. I was only fetching my sons. I don't believe you've met Prince Mothball and Prince Screwdriver."

"Prince?" Screwball repeated.

‘’Prince?!’’ Cherry Blossom gasped.

"Sons?" Discord snorted. "Aren't all changelings your children?"

Queen Chrysalis laughed as she proudly showed off her sons. "Mothball and Screwdriver are a special case. They are the heir to my throne."

Her head shot up as she felt a great wave of love. She looked between the draconequus and the pegasus. Their love was radiating out of them in a way the queen had never experienced. Such love emitted from the fillies as well.

"And what's this?" she said with a dark chuckle. "I never fancied you a family man, Discord. And to think all it took to turn you from the evil Lord of Chaos to a fluffy do-gooder was a gooey romance with an itty, bitty, wimpy pegasus."

Fluttershy shivered but stayed strong and pulled her daughter and niece closer to her. Discord held out his arm defensively.

"I think you should leave now, your majesty. And if you or any of your little hatchlings ever come near my family again..."

Chrysalis shrugged her shoulders. "I wouldn't dream of it. Come, sons."

She did not give them a choice as she picked them up in her mouth.

"Bye," they mouthed to Screwball and Cherry Blossom as his mother carried him away.

"Bye," the fillies whispered sadly in return.

When they had returned to the castle, Screwball gave her parents a nervous smile that wavered as they glared down at her. Cherry Blossom had her arms folded as she face her father and mother.

"What do you think you were doing?!" her father bellowed.

Screwball drew a circle with her hoof. "We were...I was..."

"You know you're not supposed to go into the Everfree Forest alone!" her mother snapped. "You could have gotten killed!"

"I'm not a baby, Mom! I go out there all the time!"

‘’ Me too! And unlike you, We’re brave!’’ Cherry Blossom exclaimed.

She covered her mouth as their secret spilled.

"What?!" Fluttershy screeched.

"I don't think the fact that she was out in the forest is the issue here," Discord grunted. "What were you doing with changelings?!"

‘’We don't understand," Screwball said. "What is a changeling?"

"A changeling is a heartless, soulless monster that takes the form of the one you love and feeds off your love for them, which is exactly what that Prince Hairball was doing to you!"

"That would explain why they looked like Dinky at first. But thye didn't seem so bad..."

"They’re changelings!" he spat venomously. "They were feeding off your power!"

"But after I found out who he was, he stayed."

"So theu could satisfy their appetite!"

"Don't you, Mom, Dad and auntie always say that every creature has a heart?" Cherry Blossom mouthed.

He roared and slammed his fist against the wall. "Every creature but changelings! They have no hearts! Literally!"

He opened his chest, frightening Screwball and showing nothing inside. Cherry Blossom fainted in shock and fear.

"They are born without a heart! They are hollow! No heart, no compassion, no morals, no soul!"

"Discord, close that up!" Fluttershy commanded. "You're scaring our children!"

He groaned as she shut the lid. "Sorry for the dramatics, but you get the picture. Changelings are cruel, vicious and cunning! And of all the changelings you could have encountered, it had to be the queen's favorite son!"

"He was just a kid," Screwball muttered.

‘’Our age to the exact.’’ Cherry Blossom yelled.

"Doesn't matter! All changelings are the same!"

Fluttershy crossed her hooves. "You sound so sure. How do you know Chrysalis?"

He sighed. "Some time during my three years of exile, Chrysalis told me about her plot against Canterlot and asked me to join her. She said if the plan succeeded, I would be free to spread my chaos. I rejected her, of course, because not only did I think the plan was lousy, but I was a solo act."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Is that all?"

‘’Hey! That happened to me too!’’ Chillcord exclaimed.

‘’it did?’’ Tara growled and narrowed her eyes at him. ‘’What did you do?’’

"Well, we met a couple times over the centuries. You know she's about as old as I am? She stayed clear of me though, because I had no love for her to feed. Why? What did you...?" He paused when he caught the jealous rage in their eyes. "Wait, did you...?" He burst out laughing. "You...you thought...us and...and Chrysalis?!" He ruffled his wife and sister -in- law's hair. "Oh, you really are paranoid, my dear. You're the only mare who's ever caught my eye."

He then kissed her in desperation. "Okay?"

Fluttershy and Tara sighed. "Okay. As for you, young lady..."

Screwball hung her head. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disobey you and I didn't know Mothball was a changeling. We were just having so much fun and..." She closed her eyes. "I deserve whatever punishment you have for me."

Her parents looked at each other, made a silent agreement and nodded.

"You're grounded for a -," Discord started.

‘’no!’’

They were cut off as Cherry Blossom stepped forward to them defensively in front Screwball.

‘’Give me the punishment instead! Please! Punish any pony but Screwy! Any pony but Screwy! Please!’’

‘’Cherry, you don’t have to do this for me…’’ Screwball assured.

‘’No! I’m not letting let you take a punishment worse than death!’’ Cherry Blossom replied.

Discord looked at Fluttershy. Then behind him. Chillcord and Tara nodded in approval. He sighed in defeat.

‘’You’re… grounded for a week.’’

"You are not to leave the house, with the exception of school," Fluttershy clarified. "No friends over, no sweets..."

"Now honey, let's not go overboard!"

"NEED I REMIND YOU OF THE FIRST RULE OF THE HUNT?!" Chrysalis hollered, shaking the green palace that the changelings considered their hive.

"It wasn't our fault, mother!" Prince Mothball insisted.

"They used their magic to get rid of our disguise! We don't know how the other one did it since she's not a unicorn...and they’re just fillies!" Screwdriver insisted.

"Still, you disobeyed me!"

The princes cowered, fearing she was going to strike them, but the queen took a deep breath, calming herself down.
"Your hunt was not completely unsuccessful, however. Because of your carelessness, we now know that Discord is married, and has a daughter and niece at that."

"Mother," Mothball stammered. "If we may, who is Discord?"

"Discord is the Lord of Chaos, or was, until he was weakened by the love of a female. Be grateful you do not have a heart, son. We cannot survive without the existence of love. It is what gives us our power. Feeling love, on the other hand, will only lead to your downfall...as it will for my old friend."

"What are you talking about?"

"What did you learn about these girls?"

He pondered. "Her name is Screwball, she's very powerful..."

Screwdriver clarified. ‘’The alicorn’s name is Cherry Blossom, and She took after her twin cousin and…’’

"How powerful?"

"Like really powerful! It was incredible! They turned water into this thing called 'chocolate milk'...you should try it, Mother, it's awesome! They changed us back to myself just by yelling at us! They made these little things called 'chess pieces' move..."

"Hmm," the queen mused, rubbing her chin. "A spitting image of their fathers, no doubt." She smiled as a plan formed into her mind. "These little chaotic brats could be of use to us."

"Mother?" Mothball gasped. "You're not going to...hurt them, are you?"

"Indeed not. Not yet, anyway." She turned to her sons. "I want you to find out everything you can about this Screwball. You seem to have gained her trust."

"But I don't understand. What are you...?"

"As long as Discord is thriving with power, and is on Equestria's good side, I cannot make my attack! For centuries, we have competed for Equestria's throne! I've been searching for his weakness, until I assumed that creature to be as heartless as we were! But now…he has something he cares about. Two things, to be exact. We can use his precious little family against him and take our rightful place as the dominant race of Equestria!"

Prince Mothball and Screwdriver stared at their mother as she cackled evilly. They did not want to hurt Screwball or Cherry Blossom. They had been nice to them. All the other changelings resented them, even the ones their own ages, because they were next in line and they were not.

Mothball had expected ponies to run at the sight of him if he had ever been discovered, but this filly, she had been unafraid. While she had been curious, she had treated him like he was nothing unusual. He now understood the reason for that after seeing her father. She must hate him now that she knew what he was. Still, he could not stop thinking about her: her voice, her laughter, her magic, her hair, her eyes...those swirly, enchanting, hypnotic eyes...

He felt that pounding in his chest again. What was with that? He must be getting sick or something.