Chapter 0(Prologue): Is there something wrong, Discord?
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Chapter 0(Prologue): Is there something wrong, Discord?
Discord and Fluttershy were having their usual weekly tea party on Fluttershy's cottage, but something was off. Discord was quite absent, like he was floating in the space in his mind. The sound of tea being poured into a cup snapped him out of it when he caught the essence.
-"New one?"-asked Discord smelling it, it seemed sort of familiar.
-"Oh, yes, I had a trip to Canterlot with my friends and I decided to profit of the situation to buy a new flavor, you know, to change the routine. I think it was..."
-"Chamomile and Lavender with essence of chocolate."
-"Oh, how did you know?"
-"You're not the only one who knows about tea"-said Discord crossing his arms-"I do inform myself on what I'm interested about too. "
Fluttershy couldn't help but let out a small giggle. It was quite childish of Discord to burst out like that.
-"I just thought you wouldn't be so... Specific"-she clarified.
-"Well, obviously you were underrating the Lord of Chaos"-he said biting at the cup, as usual.
Angel looked at them from the distance, in one of the corners of the room. None of the animals had dared to say it aloud, but they started shipping Fluttershy and Discord secretely during the fifth tea party. Both of them looked like a couple, even though they didn't show any sign of knowledge. After the little chit-chat about the tea, the room fell into uncomfortable silence again. Discord became distant again while sipping and munching at his cup of tea, after finishing it, letting out a little sigh. Fluttershy noticed this.
-"Is there something wrong, Discord?"
-"Wha-? Oh, no, nothing. I was just thinking of how boring things have gotten in Equestria. Tbhere's no spice to the life at all!"
Fluttershy wasn't convinced with this. Deep down, she had the feeling it was something else, maybe someone else? When jealousy rushed through her, she started blushing. How could she be jealous of a mysterious and hypothetical friend of Discord's? This wasn't her. She was the Element of Kindness, she should understand and accept that Discord may have another friend... Wherever it is. With Discord you never knew. He could pull up somepony out of the nothing, like that. Then, Discord snapped out of his trance when a banana started ringing.
-"Mind me, I have to pick it up, Flutters"-he said taking the banana and hypothetically answering-"Hello?"
Whoever it was, it caught Discord's attention, but he never mentioned any suggerence of who may it be.
-"Um... Fluttershy, I have to go to... Some place to... Do an important mission or something like that"-he said, excusing himself-"Maybe continue the tea party another day?"
Fluttershy was struck at disbelief at that. Discord leaving one of their tea parties? Who in Equestria was so important for that? She blushed again when she noticed her thoughts. No, Discord was free of doing anything at his will, she has no control over him. He can do whatever he wants, leaving him would be the kindest thing to do. And so, she shook it off, discarding any thought of it being possibly something bad or anything related to that word.
Days passed and seemingly, Discord was always whether absent or occupied. The tea parties passed from weekly, to an unpredictable and chaotic spiral of "Maybe this day" or "Maybe this one" or even "Let's continue this one later, okay?" Fluttershy started finding this abnormal. Who or what was the center of such attention? So she decided to ask for some advice to no other that Princess Twilight herself. She reached the castle one day early in the morning accompanied by Angel, who insisted on coming. She knocked with her hoove at the great door, looking at the students from the Friendship School play, since it was weekend. Starlight opened the door.
-"Oh, hi Fluttershy!"-said Starlight looking surprised-"What are you doing here? It's Saturday, there's no school."
-"Oh, yes, I know that, but I was hoping to have a talk with Twilight. It's about a... Let's call it "Friendship Doubt"."
-"So... You want to see Twilight because you're having a doubt for a situation with your friendship with...?"
-"Um... Discord."
Starlight's expression suddenly changed.
-"Oh my..."
-"What is it, Starlight? Is Discord here or something?"
-"No, no, it's just... Twilight hasn't had a nice week... And it's because of Discord. Celestia wanted to see him, but he was always busy. Imagine, Discord saying he's busy when he knows that it's the supreme ruler of Equestria we're talking about."
-"I-I didn't know that... But that's usually Discord's behavior anyway. Maybe I'll... Ask her later?"
-"Ask who about what?"-asked Twilight nearing from behind Starlight, eyebags clearly visible, meaning she didn't get much rest for the past few days.
-"T-Twilight! You look awful!"-Fluttershy quietly squealed.
"-I know, "royal chores" have been stessing lately."
-"Don't worry about hiding anything. I told her about Discord's behavior"-commented Starlight.
-"Oh"-was all Twilight could get out.
-"I have also noticed Discord's behavior... He's quite missing from Equestria. He's changed this week's tea party at least thrice this time."
Twilight had her mouth open in surprise.
-"But weren't those tea parties like... sacred or something?"-asked Spike coming with Twilight's list of chores.
-"Yes, but... I don't know, did they mean that much to him?"
-"Come on, it was because of you he isn't a statue or he's transforming Equestria into non-sense in all the meanings of the expression. If he didn't care about them, it would make no sense to him!"
-"If this problem has reached such a wide scale, then... Maybe we should keep an eye on him?"-Fluttershy suggested.
-"I think we should... Wait, where did you get the idea from"-said Twilight.
-"Um... Angel suggested to do so."
The bunny looked at her with a look of "I didn't! You fetched it all alone." in his face.
-"Well, if we're going to watch Discord, we should start to track him down when he leaves the tea party. I'll tell the others about this just in case we need some extra hooves. This is another mission for the Elements of Harmony!"
The dramatic speech was quite impressive for most of the watchers, but quite inappropiate. Discord's issue probably was of little to no importance to the destiny of Equestria... Or so, they thought. The next day, Discord and Fluttershy had their tea party. All the rest of pony friends and even Spike were positioned. Each had taken a hiding place in each way possible for Discord to go. Like it had become usual lately, Discord was quite absent from it. Time ticked and when he had to go, Fluttershy clapped her wings together twice, a signal that Spike received from outside and passed the message to the six ponies waiting. Each pony readied herself and when Discord was out and opened a portal, shortly before it closed, both Rainbow and Twilight entered. Twilight used magic to hold it from closing as long as she could to let the others enter. When Spike, being the last, entered, they looked the place. It was full of "windows" that pictured many things, such as the human versions of the ponies (Equestria girls) or even a world where one of the villains they had fought had won.
-"What is this place?"-Twilight asked aloud even though she knew nopony knew the answer.
-"Hey, isn't that the "Cantelot High" you had talked us about?"-asked Rainbow pointing to EG's window.
-"Oh, yeah-said Twilight-Look at all of those places... Nightmare Moon, Discord, Chrysalis, Tirek... Aren't those the places I visited when Starlight tried to separe us?"
Starlight blushed heavily at that. She had forgotten about that...
-"Of course I will help... Somehow"-they heard Discord say.
-"Ah, kind of forgot, you're free to do so, but I think we can handle it alone by ourselves"-another voice, still male-like but more high-pitched said-"After all, I have been receiving anomalies in the Order of your world you created by yourself. Discord, you shouldn't do that to the poor ponies, I tell you just a pair of paws can handle half of it, and we're two of the same kind, so go make your own life cousin, it's not like I make you come."
-"For your information, this happened because you called me once. Are you really so sure you can handle it?"
-"For the Multiverse's sake! I'm twenty-one years old, Discord, I'm not a baby!"
-"Fine. But call me if you need help."
-S"ure, and then I crash at the library to steal some knowledge."
-"Nerd"-said Discord before going away.
-"Hey, Dissy, here!"-said the other voice throwing something towards Discord.
-"Oh, perfect, a pocket watch. What do I do with this? Mess with it?"
-"Mess it and the place you live will be gone by tomorrow morning, I want you to keep it until I'm off the hook."
-"Perfect, that means never."
-"Discord! I said go!"-the other shouted-"Go back to whatever you were doing or I'll have to... Uh... I have to work that part later."
Discord and the mysterious somepony waved at each other. The ponies could swore they saw a wolf's paw.
-"What in Tarnation was that? And about what were they talking?"
-"Maybe some kind of problem they didn't want us for?"-said Twilight worried about the fact of being "the Elements' bearers" and not doing something important Discord could. It had already happened, so there was some margin for it to happen again.
-"If you're thinking I'm in, then, bad news for you: He just kicked me out"-said Discord from behind.
All of the group jumped a little bit in surprise.
-"Well, what are you doing here?"
-"I could say that to you too, Discord!"-said Applejack-"You got Fluttershy worried! Who were you talking with?"
-"Oh, with Mr. I-love-taking-a-cup-of-tea-at-four-o'clock. Tch, British people. Oh, wait, he was Irish."
-"I-yo-what?"-said Rainbow-"What the heck is that?"
-"Nothing you should care for. Now go back to Equestria before I get a letter about how irresponsible I am when I open portals or something."
-"Um... Discord, who was that?"
-"I said nobody! All I needed was a Twilight clone in my life now!"
-"Hey!"-shouted Twilight feeling insulted.
Discord opened the portal again and they were on their parting point.
-"You shouldn't have been there. Knowing about the AUs is too risky even for me-said Discord-Now scatter! I have a tea party to finish!"
Author's Note
Sorry if this is... Well, bad. I'm still learning about writing. Also, criticism in all kinds except non-constructive hater criticism of "I hate your story because I hate you"... (Wait, that's already forbidden by the rules. *facepalms*)
Chapter 1: That one day you find him on the couch
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Chapter 1: That one day you find him on the couch
Days had passed after the first dive of the Mane 6, Spike and Starlight into the Multiverse concept. Discord had been taking about an hour of each of the ponies' life to explain what all that had been and all, to ensure there wasn't any thought of possible menace. After that, life turned into the usual routine it had once been. But in Discord's opinion, things were too peaceful. All Discord's commentaries had sunk into Fluttershy until it reached that momeent when she went to bed thinking "Is there truly peace in Equestria?". Days passed, the peaceful life without a change. The School was going alright and there weren't many issues in Equestria. Everything was normal. Well, that was until one day. Discord was looking quite nervous when he knocked the door in Fluttershy's cottage, something oddly normal for someone like him.
"Oh, Discord you came ear-"she was cut off by him.
"Listen, Fluttershy, dear, I... have something to tell you."
"What is it?"
"I... Invited my "father" over to see how I was doing and... I told him I lived here with you."
"What? But why?"
"You see... My family is one to believe that when Harmony and Discord learn to be together, then, the summum of the Balance and Peace will be reached... So I told him I lived with the Element of Kindness... I just wanted to make him proud..."
"Oh, Discord, I understand that, but you shouldn't lie to your parents."
"I know, but my cousin is Mr. Perfect! Or at least I heard so."
"Wait, you mean like some kind of "Mary Sue"?"
"Where did you take that idea from?"said Discord thinking how the fourth wall may be by now.
"From Twilight, why?"
"Nothing. I just heard good things about my cousin from all the family's mouth, but I'm sure that's just one half of him. You see, I heard from his twin that he's quite... a delicate thing sometimes."
"What do you mean delicate?"
"Well, you do remember why I'm here, right? Probably you'll hear a lot from his mouth. Always proud of him"Discord crossed his arms and rolled his eyes-Like he could be so perfect.
"I think I detect family problems"Fluttershy sing-songed-What's wrong, Discord? You can't hate that much your cousin.
Then, to Fluttershy's surprise, a draconequus that looked fairly older that Discord appeared. The draconequus inspected the cottage closely, taking in every single detail. Then, his gaze shifted to Fluttershy, examining her closely, which caused her to blush. Then, he started taking in every single animal's appearance.
"My, my, truly interesting. You didn't talk to me about this, Discord"said the draconequus bending down to look at Angel.
"Well, I have my right of keeping secrets, right?"
"Well, you talked pretty highly of your girlfriend, surely I didn't expect this."
"Girlfirend!?"exclaimed both Fluttershy and Discord in surprise.
"I think the term is... quite fitting, according to what you said."
"Has he knocked some sense into you or what?"said Discord"This isn't the pure incarnation of Chaos and Non-sense!"
"Oh, no, no. Well, I wanted to be polite for the Element of Harmony, I didn't want to scare the crap out of her."
"Oh, I have no problem with that, I have had many times Discord's done the same when he... Comes from working to the princess"Fluttershy lied, knowing saying the truth could risk Discord's relationship with his father.
"Oh, so you work for the princess now? Well, that gives sense to what Balance has reported into the Ministry's desk."
"Oh, so he can work for the Ministry and I can't?"
"My son, you already know what happened last time you did. Plus, you don't even live near it."
"Well, at least you're talking about Balance."
"Yes, Balance, son and chosen of Order. His personality is quite... contrasting. Well, enough of your cousins, tell me, what do you do for the princess?"
The room fell in a quite uncomfortable silence. Nobody knew what to do or say. That was until Fluttershy decided to break the silence.
"Shall I go and make the tea for... The tea party?"she said lowly and shyly.
"Oh, you may. I'm... Going to take a seat and have a go at Discord about... draconequus stuff."
When Fluttershy was away in the kitchen, Discord's father started his talk.
"You like her, don't you?"
"What? No! She's my..."
"Come on, are you saying that you haven't had a love interest for over a thousand years and your cousin has found love at in his twenty-one years of life?"
"Well, maybe I have interest in her... but as a friend."
"Discord, if time has given me anything is wisdom and knowledge. The way you act suggests more the other way around. Maybe you aren't conscious, neither Ice was at first."
The room fell in silence. Both of them exchanged looks that meant very different things. One was a fatherly look of comprehension, the other was a look of "why did you have to mention him?". Fluttershy came with the steamy teapot and looked at both.
"I may not have much knowledge in draconequus talks, but I'm sure a talk involves the exchange of more than looks"she said putting the teapot on the table.
"Well, that's because... We're talking about something uncomfortable. But never mind that. Allow me to introduce myself more properly. I am Discordant Swirl, father of Discord and first one to hold the role of "Lord of Chaos"."
"Well, nice to meet you... I'm Fluttershy"she almost whispered.
"You didn't exaggerate when you said it was hard to hear her at first."
"I told you she was shy. Hence her name: "Flutter-shy."
While Fluttershy and company were taking tea, Twilight was heading towards the library to read. When she entered, she found a draconequus with a book about manners in his hands. Twilight had her mouth wide open and was too surprised to say anything.
"Ah, you're the owner of the place? My gramps sent me to learn some manners, and I thought a library was nice. Sorry not sorry to borrow your books."
"Are you serious?"said Twilight now quite buying the thing.
"Does the Multiverse exist?"
"Yeah?"
"You've the answer."
A sudden rush of questions took complete posession of Twilight's mind. "Who was this guy?", "Why out of all places he decided to "borrow" the books of her library?" but the one that bugged her the most was "Why is there another draconequus in Equestria?".
"Meh, this book's boring"said the draconequus throwing it to the other side of the room"Why manners are so boring?"
"I think I know someone who can help you if you really need it."
"It better be... Fun. Really, I don't know how can you bear reading that."
Twilight was quite reminded of Rainbow Dash, or maybe, even Discord at that.
"Wait a frame... Why are you helping me?"the male asked suspicious.
"Because you're in my house, and it's my duty."
"Touché, I thank you for the gesture, but I'll go find something like that myself. After all, I have a great deal of opportunities for me to search for."
"I... I thought I would offer you some help, you know, to be nice? Those are also manners."
"Ah, so kindness is a way of having manners? Wow, we didn't even start and I'm learning a lot"he said, a sarcastic tone in his voice"The name's Balance by the way. And don't expect me to go like that, I really liked that couch of yours, and those books about adventures are nice, especially this one"he said taking out the diary.
"Wait, you read the diary?"
"Sure, it was in a library, and in a library you read. I was bored, nothing happens here or what?"
"Well, I think the last event more or less important was the one we rescued Starswirl the Bearded and company."
"Curious, I would stay, but my belly is starting to say, "It's time to eat, you jerk! Go find some lunch!""
Twilight chuckled a little. Maybe Balance really was some kind of combination between Rainbow Dash and Discord.
Balance disappeared in a flash, magically teleporting to the nearest place you could eat according to himself, which was Sugar Cube Corner. Meanwhile at the cottage, both draconequus raised their heads in alarm to the magical perturbation. Both of them knew that such magical perturbations weren't usual in Equestria, so they qualified it of major importance. Both left their tea and food and got up.
"Discord? What's wrong?"Fluttershy asked.
"A major perturbance of time and space... Wait, that magic signature..."started Discordant Swirl.
"Balance?"they both said in unison.
Author's Note
Balance and Discordant Swirl... A pair of characters both related to Discord. What do you think the Ministry is? Take a wild guess if you wish!