In this day and age, the idea of somebody openly and freely persecuting a draconequus would be considered ludicrous by the common creature. What the common creature likes to forget is that this was not always the case. A recently as a hundred years ago, laws forbidding the practice of magic and allowing for the exile of anyone suspected of using magic were still on the books. While I realize that people want to forget that dark time in our kingdom's history, I do not agree that ignorance is acceptable. In fact I can imagine nothing worse than a future where everyone has forgot the lessons we learned in our troubled past. People need to know where they have come from in order to make sure they do not fall into the same traps of anger and discontentment.
Let me begin my attempt to help you live a more informed life, by giving you a quick overview of how things got as bad as they did.
About 200 years ago, King Geraint began his rule of our kingdom: the land of Shiokkunium, where all the Shiokkunians lived – an elven-like people – alongside the occasional dwarfs. He was young for a king, his mother and father having died under suspicious circumstances, circumstances that reeked of a special kind of magic – the magic of a draconequus. Angry and disheartened, the young king decided that he would not let anyone else suffer the way he had, so he banned the use of draconequian magic and decreed that all those magic users be exiled, lest they cause harm to his citizens. He felt that the use of magic would allow witches, sorcerers and the like to kill without consequence and wanted to make sure that such a thing was not possible. While his intentions were good, if a bit skewed, the follow through left a great deal to be desired.
Despite his parents' deaths, King Geraint had lived a sheltered life and failed to realize the devastating consequences of the law he put into place. The Shiokkunium kingdom had long been made prosperous through dealings with the draconequus. Beings who had control over nature and harmony and were willing to trade goods for their magical assistance in return for grain, fabric, spices, and other goods made and harvested by the Shiokkunians.
Some of the Shiokkunians had begun to resent the taxes that were put into place to pay these magical beings and saw the law as an excuse to kill them. Fortunately, the older draconequui had long since learned to hide from most Shiokkunians and few were caught or killed. Unfortunately, the youngest draconequui were not able to hide themselves away and were killed in droves. Even those who were exiled did not escape unscathed, as they knew nothing about the lands they ended up in, and often found themselves enslaved. In a hand-span of years, the kingdom of Shiokkunium went from being a prosperous and happy country to a country ruled by fear and persecution.
Realizing that their country was on the brink of disaster, a number of prosperous members of the aristocracy hatched a plan. They petitioned the king for the right to provide a safe and legal haven for draconequui children to live and work in. The king agreed, only on the condition that these beings learn to integrate with the regular society of Shiokkunium. To integrate meant to assimilate, to lose what made a draconequus special – and yet there was no other alternative, it seemed. This also gave the masses a sense of being able to safely gawk at those they considered a threat. It was not the kind of life any draconequus child went seeking, but most agreed that it was better than constantly running for their lives. It also allowed them a chance to live with others like them – those that could understand their trials and tribulations.
One of these Shiokkunian aristocrats that proposed the idea was a noblewoman by the name of Gwenneth. A young, fair one of red hair, barely reaching down to her shoulders, a strand braided across one side. Her eyes were amber. Dressed in the finest of clothes, she was the daughter of a duke – too high to take such 'beasts' into her consideration, and yet she was the first to take in a draconequus child. This strange child, a hybrid of various creatures, and in spite of this she took the young one – only six years of age, a pitiful yet threatening creature – and went to try to raise him as if he were her own.
Discord, this draconequus was called. Discord, the youngest of the draconequus children captured. And how fitting the name would be, for later on he would prove to be a child of chaos. In fact, he would become the most influential draconequus in the land and beyond, to even Equestria – the lord of chaos, the ponies would call him. But before he gained this title, things were different…
Yn ebrwydd tynwyd y ffrâm hon o'm rhan i
Gyda gofid truenus,
Sy'n gorfodi fi i ddechrau fy chwedl;
Ac yna fe'm gadawodd yn rhydd.
Ers hynny, ar awr ansicr,
Mae'r ing hwnnw'n dychwelyd;
Ac nes adrodd fy stori erchyll,
Mae'r galon hon o'm mewn yn llosgi.
Tramwyaf, fel nos, o wlad i wlad;
Mae gen i rym rhyfedd lleferydd;
Y foment honno y gwelaf ei wyneb,
Dw i'n nabod y dyn sy'n gorfod fy nghlywed:
Iddo ef fy chwedl dysgaf.
My story begins in a small weather worn shack built in the center of a small meadow. The meadow lay near the southwestern border of the village, of which was titled Y Gwastatiroedd Digwmwl Am Byth. In the Shiokkuni tongue, it means "the forever cloudless plains." As its name suggests, it was a clear, beautiful plain, and until my mother had arrived here, it had only been inhabited by the common folk. The villagers that sold their usual food and items, resourceful things and the like. It is different from the capital, Heddwch Canolog, which means "central peace." But from my time living there, even if it was brief, it was anything but – and because of the failure to live amongst the upper class and middle class, it was why mother and I left for the village.
My first memories take place inside of its walls. Its dirt floor was where I learned to walk on all legs instead of relying on levitation, the large fireplace was where I learned to cook, and its thatched roof kept me warm on the coldest of winter nights. Despite its mean state, the shack was my home and I have many fond memories of the ten years I spent there, living in peaceful normalcy with my mother. Or at least as normal a life as we could live given the odd happenings that brought my mother and I to that place and time.
For those ten years, I knew few people besides my mother. Our home was remote and the only contact we had with outsiders were the bi-weekly supply runs my mother was forced to make. When I was too young to be trusted on my own, my mother took me with her to get supplies, having no one she could safely leave me with. She would put on her best dress, clothes only a regal lady would wear, and leather shoes, before pulling me close to her sides and making the five mile walk, through the forest, and into town. There she traded her crafts for flour, dried meats, and even the occasional cone of sugar.
Usually the townsfolk would not have done business with a mere cottage-dweller that plays with 'wild beasts', but they treated my mother fairly well, despite my state. She was daughter of Duke Gruffydd and thanks to that status and the inheritance her father left her, that garnered her some respect.
By the time I was eight or nine, that respect had waned. It had been almost two years since I came and my mother had shown no signs of making me assimilate properly, as was her duty. The leaders of Y Gwastatiroedd Digwmwl Am Byth felt that it was their duty to shun her into submission. They had no contact with my mother, except for when the highest officials would pester her. Even as young as I was, I found it strange that there were such occurrences. However, I did not understand why the strange men made my mother so mad.
I remember on one occasion there was a big man standing behind the store counter, he towered over my mother, his black hair and beard standing on end, and he teeth bared in a crude smile. The sight of him made my mother angrier than I had ever seen her before. Her amber eyes narrowed into slits, her lips were pressed together into a white line, and her hands clenched the fabric of her skirt until her knuckles turned white. With a shaking voice, she ordered me to wait outside. While my mother had always been a strict and hard woman more prone to yelling at my mistakes than laughing at my successes, her unexpected anger was still very frightening and I didn't think twice about doing as she had ordered.
Before I knew it, I was outside on the store's porch. My back was pressed against the store's whitewashed wall. I could hear crashing and yelling coming from inside the store and wanted to look inside and make sure my mother was all right. I covered my ears instead. I did want to hear my mother being hurt. Distraught, I slid down the wall until my tail hit the porch and then wrapped my lower half around myself in a fearful hug. Running my fingers- talons and paw claws, really- through my hair, I yanked out the ribbons that adorned it, pulling the yellow scraps of fabric out so that my hair fell around my face and hid it from view. I did not want anybody to see me crying. Mother hated it when I cried. It was one of the things she yelled about most. I did not want to even think about how she would react to somebody seeing me crying over something as stupid as getting scared by her admittedly impressive anger.
I stayed curled up there, for what felt like hours, carefully blotting my eyes with my skirt and trying to stifle my sobs. Eventually the tears dried up and I had nothing to do but watch as people walked by the store. Some of the townsfolk would glance over at me before turning away in disgust, while others stared at me in horrified fascination. All of their gazes made me uncomfortable. My mother rarely looked at me and when she did it was without the intensity that these strangers displayed. One particular old lady was particularly creepy as she seemed to be fixated on me. She even stopped in the middle of the street to glare at me.
I stared back at her trying to figure out why this stranger would hate me so much. I could not find anything that would explain her feelings. The only thing even slightly remarkable about her was the fact that she seemed exceptionally tall to me. Everything else about appeared to be normal for an old woman. Her wrinkled skin hung off her cheekbones and drooped underneath her chin. Her hands looked like claws as they gripped the silver knob that topped her wooden cane and her body was completely covered in a black dress. After glaring at me for a few minutes, the woman marched toward the store, her eyes never leaving me. Stepping up onto the porch, she kept walking until she towered over me. I held my breath fearing that she was going to yell at me or hit me with her cane. She did neither; instead she just gave a haughty sniff and walked around me, heading towards the store's door. Looking inside, she gave another haughty sniff. She slammed her cane against the whitewashed wall, probably trying to break up the fight between my mother and the unknown man. Whatever her intentions were, her presence made no difference as the sound of crashing continued to issue from inside the store. She slammed her cane against the wall again with the same result. Letting out a hiss like an angry cat she marched inside the store her black boots clomping against the store's floor.
The noise from inside the store got louder as a screeching voice joined the melee.
A few moments later, my mother came storming out of the store. Her red hair was in shambles, her good blue dress was ripped and dirtied, and she had a bruise just under her right eye. I jumped up, planning to patch her wounds, but I did not get the chance. As soon as I drew near to her, my mother grabbed my eagle leg and dragged me off the store's porch and down the street. The basket she had brought to carry supplies in was empty, as was my own. I almost pointed it out, but one glance at her face was enough to change my mind. She still had the pinched look of anger on her face. I decided to assume that she realized we were missing supplies, and I kept quiet.
My mother did not fully calm down until the day after we returned from that horrid place. Even them she was not as calm as she probably wanted me to believe. Due to our hurried departure from town the day before, my mother was going to have to make another trip to get supplies. She forbade me from accompanying her. I was both pleased and apprehensive about this announcement. While I found no joy in the supply trips, I also did not want to think about what the townsfolk could do to my mother if they were so inclined. I decided to wait for my mother to finish calming down before attempting to convince her to let me tag along again. After all, it was not as if she could keep me from going with her forever.
So in the time I wasn't allowed within that town, I practiced my magic…
Cawsom ein geni yn y dyffryn,
O'r meirw a'r drygionus,
Bod tad ein tad wedi dod o hyd,
A lle y dodasom ef i lawr.
Cawsom ein geni yn y cysgod,
O droseddau ein tadau,
Gwaed oedd ein hetifeddiaeth,
Na, ni wnaethom ofyn am hyn …
I spent the next four years in isolation. My mother was not as quick to change her mind about keeping me secluded, as I had expected. Despite my distaste for being confined, I was reluctant to go against my mother's wishes and return to that place alone. I had never been close to any of the villagers, and I doubted that they would keep my presence a secret from my mother. I did not wish to find out how my mother would react if she discovered that I had disobeyed her.
But it was a time like this where I could make an advantage of loneliness. Mother might not have noticed, but sometimes, I conjured up magic. Sporadic fits, strange moments – never precise or pristine, but always fun.
One day, I spawned a cloud. The cloud wasn't white like the ones that plagued the capital. It was pink, like salmon. But it didn't smell bad. It smelled… sweet.
Sugary sweet.
Curious, I went up to the cloud, landed myself on top of it. I grabbed a bit of it and took a bite. It was delicious, even more so than the candies I'd snatched from the Duke's bowl. And it felt like cotton.
Cotton candy. Yes, that's what I called it – cotton candy clouds.
Only a day later would the cloud be spawned again, and this time it'd rain milk – chocolate milk. The taste was even better. And I savored this power of mine, a power that somehow was threatening to the people of this land.
Why though? I didn't know at the time. I thought my powers were simply for fun. Harmless fun. I didn't know the chaos that could brew. The mischief that boiled. The discordance that could infect…
I assumed it was a gift. A gift from the god that had created us, the draconequus, in all our glory – our strange, unnatural glory. I never would have thought that… never could have dreamed that…
…oh, how foolish I'd been as a wee foundling.
Unfortunately, things eventually changed, as things always did. When I was thirteen, my mother became ill. I was forced to spend almost every waking moment in her company, and what time I spent away from her was usually spent in Y Gwastatiroedd Digwmwl Am Byth. While my mother hated the idea of allowing me to return to the village under any circumstance, there was no denying that we needed medicines and supplies. Both of which could only be purchased in the town's store. Despite our dire straits, it was still almost a month before my mother consented to my traveling into the village.
I smoothened my hair out, but it didn't do much – it was always scruffy, no matter how 'presentable' I tried to make myself. I put on a simple turquoise scarf, and pulled boots onto my back legs before I went. I still looked hopelessly out of place in town, especially standing on just two legs. I was much taller than the Shiokkunian children, and even towered over some adults. Yet I was a runt compared to the draconequus kids that were kept back in Heddwch Canolog. They'd been much taller than I, more built than I.
I still remember them, back when Mother and I used to live in Heddwch Canolog. A group of draconequus kids – ones I used to live amongst, talk and play with until I was taken to the village for my... "nature", being unfit for the capital. Stylianos, Murdoch, Irene, and Eris – they were the closest I'd had to friends, even if I was much younger. Oh the fun we had, even if it had been brief...it's something I can never forget.
Seven years ago…
Within the walls of Heddwch Canolog, there was an odd facility built to house us draconequus youths. Despite the conditions not being savory, we made the most of what we had and played around. This day in particular had been one of those times.
"Everyone, come on! Come on!" I shouted, breathless from running and flying around. I reached a pool area, resembling that of a waterfall and its surroundings, my eyes searching for the others. Laughter echoed off, making me smile.
I scanned the perimeter, eventually falling on several dark blobs standing underneath the curtain of the Falls. Maybe they were playing "extinction" again?
"Murdoch!" I yelled.
My first friend glanced up at me from where he stood in the pool. Irene giggled, drenching him with another dose of water. I glared at her, making her laugh in my face.
"Oh, come on in, Discord," she exclaimed. "You need to have more fun! You're always so serious."
Murdoch was red-furred with more curled antlers, like a caribou's. His front legs were that of a wild dog's, while his back legs were that of a panther's. The hair at the end of his tail was colored dark red and white, like peppermints. His mane was even darker russet, with white streaks. He was about fourteen with dark green eyes. Irene was sand-colored, with a long chestnut-colored mane that was curled at the ends. She had a wolf's forelegs and a lion's backlegs, and her eyes were a lighter green. Same age as Murdoch.
Suddenly water was splashed into my eyes, and I heard Irene's laughter grow. I brushed the water out of my face, grumbling to myself. "Very funny..." I felt then that I should avoid the pool as much as I could.
"We could play 'mommy and daddy'," Irene suggested to Murdoch, smirking. "You'll be the daddy, I'll be the mommy, and Discord can be the baby."
"I'm not a baby!" I exclaimed, pouting as I crossed my arms.
"Irene, that's enough," Murdoch lightly scolded her.
Eris emerged from the pool, squeezing water from her mane. She was the one draconequus that looked the most like me, same coat colors and mane, same eyes, almost the same hybrid - the only difference was she was a girl. Still, we looked so similar, she might as well have been my sister. I considered her one, anyway, since she cared for me like one would...I think.
I ran over to her. “Eris, Eris!” I wrapped my arms around her, despite the fact she was still soaked.
“Discord, there you are,” she said, rubbing my back. Her head nuzzled the back of my neck, and I nuzzled back. "Where were you?"
"Looking for you guys," I replied.
Eris looked at Irene. She was sixteen, the second eldest of the group right after Stylianos. “Don’t tease Discord like that,” she said softly to the sand-colored draconequus. In response, Irene snapped her fingers and water was sprayed in Eris’ face. “He’s the youngest.” Shaking off the water again, she looked at me. “Ignore her. She’s just … you know…”
I found myself grinning up at her. I was glad to have begun making friendship with the other draconequus kids, I truly was. Still, Irene rubbed me the wrong way most of the time, however. Eris was quite kind though, and Stylianos often was in her presence – and during those times, he proved each day that he was a friend worth having, which was the very reason I was here…trying to extend his invitation to the others.
“I do know how to have fun,” I shot back at Irene, her eyes rolling at my statement. “In fact, I came here because fun is happening.” A smile stretched across my face. “Stylianos is going to tell everyone one of the old stories that happened in the early days of the draconequus. The one the Seer told us about!”
Murdoch and Irene exchanged glances. Murdoch made his way out of the pool.
“What kind of story is it?” he asked.
“It’s the story about the war that happened during the early days of the draconequui, and an equine!” I smirked, glad to finally know what a pony was – due to Stylianos’ kind help when I’d questioned him about the weird four-legged creatures that had wings, horns, none or both. “And an alicorn called Janus stole away the fair draconequus lady, Hera, causing a war to start since she was married to a fine leader, Elder Miklos. Stylianos’ gonna tell us his own version of it that he heard from one of the old bards, before we were captured – in verse!”
“Ooooh!” the others said in unison.
“Well, what are we waiting for?” I encouraged. “Come on, guys, let’s go! Stylianos is waiting for everyone in one of the thickets outside this facility.”
-O-
“I am glad to see that you could all make it,” Stylianos greeted me and our group of friends. His horns were like a ram’s, his forelegs that of a feline’s, one backleg like a donkey’s hoofs and the other like a jackal’s paw. His raven-like wings were as dark as his black mane, and his fur was a cocoa brown. His eyes were a dark red.
“We wouldn’t miss it for the world!” I exclaimed, shaking his hand with my eagle one.
“Good day to you as well, Miss Eris,” Stylianos said to her.
A mirth sparkled in her eyes. “Same to you, Stylianos,” she replied. “Now, come in, all of you.” She gestured for the others to move in. “Before they notice us. Stylianos, you are ready to begin, yes?”
He took her lion paw into his own as I happily led the group to their places in the grass.
“Thanks, milady,” I overheard Stylianos say to Eris. And then, I saw him look at her adoringly.
All at once, it now hit me. I recalled mother mentioning in a story she’d read to me for bedtime when I’d been younger… a story of love. Ah, so Stylianos had feelings for Eris. Silly me for not realizing that but then again, I’d only been a small child.
“Thank you all once again for coming,” Stylianos said to us. “And now, let me begin the tale. This is a story of heroes and warriors, lovers and enemies, concerning the time in history of this favored lands wherein we rose to reign high alongside the alicorns. This is the tale of the battles at a location known to us from our oral history as Equestria.” His eyes lit up with enthusiasm. He clearly reveled in the art of storytelling.
“However, this tale is centered on interlinking relationships throughout… including Hera. Many battled for her heart, but it was the draconequus Miklos that won her hand. However, everything took a turn for the worse when she fell in love with an alicorn from Equestria… Lord Janus.”
He paused, taking in the visible interest his listeners were exuding, and then continued, "However, let it be known that any relationship between inter-species is condemned by both sides, and punishable by death. The affair of Paris and Helen doomed these 'lands to a war, which distracted their fathers from the matter at hand, killing them for breaking the laws of the high above."
“Excuse me.”
I tore myself out of the memory and faced the store owner. He was an old grizzled man with white, balding hair and beady black eyes that were hidden behind a pair of spectacles. Standing behind a large oak counter piled high with paper wrapped packages of sugar and flour, and glass jars full of canned fruits and vegetables.
“I’m afraid I don’t do business with your kind.”
I felt taken aback by this. I knew why this was, but…it wasn’t fair! I’d done nothing wrong, and I was as much of a citizen as anybody else was. “I need some stuff to help my mother,” I explained my situation, trying to keep calm and hide my frustration. “She’s sick, and if I don’t get the right items, she might die.”
“Lady Gwenneth is sick?” Then, his face hardened. He looked at me like I was nothing. Like he didn’t care. “Get lost.”
“Please, I…” I pulled out a bag filled with the money she’d given me. “I’ll pay you a fine sum of coins if you can give me flour, sugar, and dried meats!”
He looked at the money, then at my face. “Fine.”
Within a course of minutes, my supply basket was filled with flour, sugar and dried meats. After that, it was a simple matter to convince him to supply me with what I needed, every two weeks, just as he had my mother.
These supply runs soon became a regular part of my life.
-O-
After mother had gone to sleep that night, I went out into the meadow. I concentrated hard on one thought: creating something. A living creature. It could be any creature, big or small. It just had to be alive. A living proof that I could create life.
Then I snapped my fingers and there, a small incest-like creature appeared. It was circle-shaped, emerald-colored, and it had light green eyes that blinked up at me. Adorable yet bizarre, that's what it was. Shaped like a parasite, but with the wings of a sprite.
"Parasprite," I whispered. It chirped at me happily, as if accepting this title. I grinned widely, feeling proud of what I'd just accomplished. "I give you life!"
And it would not be the last of my creations.
One day, when I was sixteen and returning from a supply run, I came across an alicorn female, her wavy mane the same color as that of a cotton candy cloud. On her head and neck, she wore gold like a princess would. Her coat was a pure white, and her ‘cutie mark’ was that of the sun. She was beautiful, I’ll admit, though I wasn’t smitten. More so, I was fascinated.
I approached her, levitating above to look over her in curiosity. “Hello there,” I greeted her. “What’s a pony like you doing in these parts? Aren’t ya supposed to be in Equestria?”
Letting out a loud curse, the alicorn rolled up a parchment and used her magic to tuck it back into her saddlebag. Looking me over to take in my appearance, she gaped. It took her a few moments but she eventually found her voice again and said, “You’re a…a draconequus…I’m sorry, it’s just—you’re different from what I’ve heard in the legends.”
“Really now?” I felt a smirk on my face. I couldn’t help but tease her about that, “Then I’m sorry to disappoint. But I suppose we’re even, ‘cause you look different than what I heard about alicorns from draconequuian legend.” I didn’t feel like elaborating more than that, as it would offend her, and I already had the judgement on Shiokkuns weighing down on me. I didn’t need alicorn judgement now.
“Oh, really?” She looked amused now. “Well then, I suppose we are even.” She tried to un-ruffle her feathers. “I hate to be rude, but I must be going now. I have to get through the village to the capital, to speak with the king.”
I didn’t want to stop talking with her. It was the only chance I’d get to know an equine, probably, so I wanted to make the most of it…even if I wasn’t supposed to go there. “I can help you get there,” I offered.
She blinked at me. “Could you do that?” she asked, sounding surprised.
“Of course.” I bowed my head. “I’d gladly be of service to a member of the Equestrian royal family. I’m at your beck and call, Princess…”
“Celestia,” she finished, a smile appearing on her face. “Princess Celestia of Equestria.”
I took her hoof and shook it. “Discord,” I introduced myself. “Discord Draconequus of…errr…this place.” I gestured around.
“You live around here?” Celestia glanced around. “I’ve heard that they kept youthful draconequui in the capital, though.”
“I slipped through the cracks,” I said quickly, then pushed her forward to try and change the subject. I didn’t want to talk about that, so anything else would do. “Anyway, what’s it like back in Equestria? What is it you do anyway?” I floated around her as we began our trip.
Celestia rolled her eyes. “It’s a wonderful land,” she answered. “And my role is to control the solar system. I control the day, while my younger sister Luna controls the night.”
I winced at the thought of channeling all my magic into such a task. I could already feel the strain upon myself, just thinking of it. “Sounds rough.”
“It’s not easy, but it is my duty,” she replied simply, shrugging her shoulders. “When you are given a title, you will understand what it means to make use of your magic for something.”
I waved my eagle hand in dismissal. “Nah, I don’t think so.” I snapped my fingers, and a basket of treats appeared. “I like using my magic for fun.” I held out a lollipop to her. “Want one?”
“I shouldn’t,” Celestia refused politely, shaking her head and trying to focus her eyes on the road. “Sugar messes with the brain if consumed too much.”
“That’s ridiculous,” I huffed, taking a bite out of the lollipop’s stick. Something mother would say…probably. But it did tell me that the message she had to deliver must’ve been important, so much so she went in person. “What kinda message do ya gotta send to the king, anyway? Don’t think he’d take kindly to a magic being around his land.”
Celestia stopped and gave me a look of shock. “You didn’t hear?” she asked, the breath almost leaving her. She was stunned, and it was then I realized that she knew something I didn’t.
I didn’t respond. What news had come? Had I missed something? It didn’t have to do with me, did it? I felt so lost, confused and –
“King Geraint’s patience has worn out. He has declared all magic users within his lands be exiled, cast out of the country. So my father, King Solaris, has offered our lands as a safe haven.”
I was shocked. So my kind was to be chased out, cast away just as our forefathers had been, and for what? Our magic? I felt my fists ball up, clenching the basket's handle angrily. Why was I reviled for my magic? It wasn’t like I – we – had done anything. We weren’t responsible for the kings’ parents deaths! He wasn’t the problem, no – it was their ignorance. The anger and injustice of it all was almost like a living thing, bubbling in my chest and ready to erupt after a decade of feeding and growing. I really thought that—
Celestia reached for my hand with her hoof. “I’m sorry. I thought you already knew,” she spoke sympathetically. “But know that Equestria’s gates are always opened for you.”
I nodded while scowling. "Thank you. It's much appreciated." I moved away from her, towards the road back home. "I have to go to...take care of something." I summoned a map and gave it to her, before concentrating...
Home. I want to go home. Take me home -
And then it happened: I teleported, for the first time.
I immediately looked around the house for my mother, only to find her bed vacant. Her closet was ransacked. Stuff was scattered about, amongst those being a note. I read it.
“Discord,
I am so sorry, but I cannot house you anymore. You must understand why.
There’s no place for you here. The king has decreed that you’ve outstayed your welcome. You are a magic user, a reminder of what he’s lost, and nothing but a shame upon the aristocracy that took pity on your kind. You see how that wouldn’t work, how your magic would’ve festered until it burst.
Any future approaches from you won’t be met with mercy. You will be turned away if you arrive at the gates and if you don’t leave, measures will be taken. I’m sorry that it must be so, but the king has spoken. You are the consequences of your forefathers.
But you are also the closest I’ve had to a son, so I give you a chance to leave while you can. May there be a place for you in this world.
Don’t think of me. My father arranged for me to be married off. I’ll be cured of this ailment, and I’ll be the wife of a nobleman – nothing more I can ask for.
I only wish for you to understand. I remain…
Your loving mother.”
And that was it.
I turned the parchment over, but of course, there was nothing there. My hands trembled uncontrollably. Blinded, I put it down.
Outside, I heard birds. I heard a cat, lecturing them.
The howl started somewhere in my chest, where it had been coiled up so deep I almost tricked myself into thinking it was just a small thing. And when it came up, it scoured layers out of me, leaving the inside of my ribs and my throat scorched. The sound I made was horrified.
The bedside table crashed to the ground, splintering, and next goes the basket, which hits the wall with a thunk and spills its contents everywhere.
For one blinding, obliterating moment, I swore I cursed everything.
All of it. Every single thing.
I cursed my mother for being squashed by the thumbs of those higher than her, for accepting it, for being in no position to really say no.
I cursed the king. Oh, how he must have laughed after his decree!
And the people of this place, this hell, for their ignorance and malice.
And … and then I cursed myself, for being such a freak. Because that’s what I was.
A freak.
I looked over the mess, and then made a decision.
Years pass by quickly, and we age as all living beings do.
Discord’s magic grew and developed when he’d left the place he once called home. So much he realized what it really was – chaos, it was pure chaos. And he loved it. Took pleasure in it. Was proud of it.
It didn’t take long for him to gain the title of “lord of chaos” – only when he was twenty-five years of age, did they call him that. But it wasn’t endearing. Not in the slightest.
The chaos became too much, eventually, and it was by the order of Celestia that he turned into a stone statue. The elements of harmony, the antithesis to his existence, rendered him still for centuries.
But then it was the new bearers of the elements of harmony that had him unsealed, after his second defeat. And it was one of him that devoted herself to helping him change, a fair pegasus by the name of Fluttershy.
It worked. Of course, a draconequus’ magic can never be quelled, but it could be used for…non-detrimental causes. There were ups and downs, moments where he almost succumbed to temptation, but in the end, the Lord of Chaos couldn’t be happier with his new life in Equestria.
Yet that wasn’t where it ended, even though it should have.
At the outskirts of Ponyville, nearing the Everfree Forest was a waterpark made of odd assortments. Clouds and vines and the like. Many ponies, mainly younger ones such as colts and fillies, were running among the place, enjoying themselves and the break that the arrival of summer had given them.
Near a pool, made of cherry soda, Diamond Tiara sat in the sun next to her friend, Silver Spoon. “Ugh, this weather is killing me!” she complained. “The heat’s making my skin all clammy.”
“It’s too hot, the spring was too breezy…” Silver Spoon mimicked her friend. “Diamond, what’ll it take for you to be happy?”
Both shrieked when they were splashed by soda right as Scootaloo dived in.
“This, I like!” the orange pegasus declared, floating on her back and kicking her legs as she propelled herself through the pool’s substance. She snickered as she passed by Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. “Looking good, DT.”
Diamond Tiara growled, ready to make a snarky remark, only to have Silver Spoon pull her back. “Let it go. We’re not in elementary school anymore.”
“Yeah, well, we’re not in middle school either,” huffed Diamond Tiara, before she stormed off to the changing rooms to clean herself up. Her friend trailed behind her, shooting the other Cutie Mark Crusaders a nervous smile.
“You’d think after we got our cutie marks, she’d get less grumpy,” Apple Bloom muttered. Cheerilee’s class were now all in their teen years, fifteen to be exact, and while the pettiness of elementary school bullies was long gone…some moody moments never ceased, even over frivolous matters such as stained coats.
Sweetie Belle shrugged. “At least she doesn’t call us blank flanks anymore.” She paddled herself around in the water, graceful within each stroke. “Anyway, look at this new technique I’ve got!”
“Cool!” Scootaloo grinned as she observed. “But I bet ya can’t top my diving skills.”
“Is that a challenge, water bird?” asked Sweetie Belle, raising a brow.
“Well now that you’ve called me a water bird, it is!” Scootaloo proclaimed.
Apple Bloom groaned. “Come on, you two, ya can’ be havin’ competitions at a cherry pool—“ Her friends ignored her and dove into the water, paddling aggressively on Scootaloo’s end, and with the grace of a ballerina on Sweetie’s end. “Ah forget it!” The earth filly slammed her hoof on the surface of the soda. “Why do I bother? Girls are gonna be girls…”
An earth pony colt with an orange coat and blue mane slid down a large slide, crafted of Chinese finger traps. As he reached the end, he fell into the pool right on top of Apple Bloom. Both yelped and were submerged underneath for a few seconds, causing Apple Bloom’s sister and brother – Applejack and Big Mac – to let out a startled cry, up until the filly resurfaced alongside the colt. Both sighed in relief and ran over.
“Are ya alright, Apple Bloom?” asked Applejack, offering her hoof out.
Apple Bloom shook her head. “Ahm fine. It was just an accident…right, Tender Taps?”
Tender Taps nodded, gulping nervously as Big Macintosh gave him a weary look. "She's- she's right, it was just an accident, I didn't mean to—" the colt sputtered for a few seconds, until Big Mac shook his head.
"It ain't yer fault, boy," said the red stallion. "It's these slides. They ain't safe."
"Right..." Applejack sighed, shaking her head. "Ah know Discord's got good intentions, but maybe this water park ain't such a good idea after all."
"No, no, no! It's alright, honest!" Apple Bloom said quickly. "Nothing's wrong with it. It's just a mishap. These things happen. Nothing to blame."
Applejack stared for a moment, before nodding. "Alright. Ah was worried, is all. Ah'll be wif Twilight and the others if ya need me."
"And ah'll be with Spike."
Apple Bloom watched as her brother and sister left, before looking to Tender Taps. "Sorry 'bout that. Ya know how protective family gets."
Tender Taps nodded, a shameful look in his eyes. "Sorry for that. I didn't-"
"It's okay, I know ya were just havin' fun." Apple Bloom gave a small smile. He smiled back at her, and she then noticed Dinky, Button Mash and a couple of other colts and fillies playing volley ball. "Wanna go play pool ball?" she offered.
Tender Taps nodded. "Sure."
Rainbow Dash walked alongside Soarin. "And that's how I ended up doing my first Sonic Rainboom," she finished a story she'd been telling him.
"Wow. Sounds impressive for a school filly," remarked Soarin'.
The technicolor-maned pegasus raised a brow at the winged stallion. "What's that supposed to mean?"
He shrugged. "Well, most fillies - or colts - of that age can't pull off a stunt like that. Most would've gotten burned out quick."
"Not me," said Dash smugly. "I can handle anything."
Soarin' smirked at her playfully. "Oh yeah? Even a race with a wonderbolt?"
She bumped his hip playfully. "Ya wanna go?"
"You bet."
The two pegasus then sped off to race one another, zipping past Spike, nearly knocking the draconian off his feet. "Hey, watch it!" he yelled after them, but it was pointless. They were long gone by then.
Spike rolled his eyes and sighed, brushing his scales briefly. He had grown over the years, the aging process of his kind being both slower and faster than most ponies. When he had first come to Ponyville, he'd been only an awkward twelve, and now at ten years later he was at a decent twenty-five years of age. A growth spurt, Twilight had called it.
Mentally, he had matured a little, outgrowing some habits, including his old crush on Rarity, upon realizing it’d never be requited. Though some things didn’t change, as he still remained Twilight’s loyal assistant – that, and his snark remained.
“I swear, those two are gonna start a hurricane one day,” he grumbled.
Big Mac chuckled. “Ah pray they won’t. Don’t want ‘em ruinin’ this year’s crops or the barn.” He pat the draconian’s back. “Don’t worry ‘bout it. It was just a breeze in the air.”
“Yeah, yeah…” Spike huffed, then turned to the earth pony. “So…did ya bring the cards?” he asked, raising a brow.
“Eeyup,” replied Big Mac, showing off his saddlebags. He allowed the draconian to reach in, taking out the cards from the pockets. “Ah got all of ‘em, just as ya told me to.”
“Great! This is game’s gonna be epic,” Spike boasted as he flipped through the card deck. He poked the stallion with it. “You are going to witness a victory Equestria has yet to see, once I beat Discord.”
Big Mac looked skeptical. “Ya think ya can beat the lord of chaos at cards?”
“Chaos schmaos,” Spike scoffed, waving his hand dismissively. “He’s good at conjuring crazy things, but he ain’t good at cards.”
Big Mac deadpanned. “He beat you at twister.”
“That’s different!” Spike got defensive, wincing as he recalled that game. “He’s all long and made of all kinds of animals, and I’m not.” Though it was pretty cool, he added quietly to himself, not that he’d admit it aloud.
“If ya say so.” Big Mac shrugged and followed Spike as they went over to Discord, lounged up in his chair next to Fluttershy.
“It was very nice of you to let others into this waterpark you built,” Fluttershy told Discord, a smile on her face. “I know you said it was just for me and the girls, but…”
Discord waved his lion paw. “It was nothing. Besides…” He glanced at the colts and fillies in the pool, specifically at the Cutie Mark Crusaders. “Those three fillies that keep tagging along? I think you’ve influenced them in the art of preciousness.” He grinned seeing her face flush briefly, before laying back. “That, and I rarely get to relish in people liking my work. It’s usually such a tough crowd.”
“I know…” Fluttershy pursed her lip, recalling the judgement most of the townsfolk cast upon Discord for all his downsides over the years he’d been there. “But they’ve grown to like you, a bit. I know that the younger ponies see you as cool, and Spike likes you!” she tried to brighten up the conversation.
“Spike’s a good chap, yes,” Discord agreed. Then he scowled for a moment. “He’s very competitive though when it comes to games.”
Fluttershy shook her head, but smiled nonetheless. “That only means you’ve got something in common.”
Discord’s brows furrowed, feigning hurt. “Touché, my dear.”
“Discord!”
The draconequus shot up in his seat. “Speak of the devil himself,” he said jokingly.
Spike walked over to the draconequus and stated, right as he stood in front of him, “I challenge you to a duel!”
Discord got out of his chair and stood on his two legs, towering over the drake in spite of the younger one’s growth spurt. “Is that so?” he asked, playful. “A duel of cards, I presume?”
Spike pulled out the deck. “Of course. What else?”
Discord grinned widely. “Challenge accepted.”
Fluttershy looked between the two, nervous. “I don’t know… it doesn’t seem like a fair fight…” she said, uncertain.
“Ain’t no reasonin’ with ‘em,” Big Mac told the pegasus. “When their minds are set on somethin’, they’re gonna do it no matter what.”
“I’m aware of that,” Fluttershy sighed. She knew he was right. Discord didn’t back down from a challenge – he would only find his way around one, if necessary. But card duels and the like, that was his forte. Of course he wouldn’t miss an opportunity, especially not with a partner he had advantage over. She knew the draconequus too well, a bit more than any other pony would’ve liked to admit if they’d been in her shoes. “But Discord—”
But her attempts were futile, for Discord had begun the duel, much to the pegasus' chagrin. "I summon my Marauding Captain!" the chimera exclaimed.
"I summon my Gem Armadillo!" shouted Spike.
Big Mac rolled his eyes. "Here we go…"
-0-
"Need anything, your highness?" asked Flash Sentry as he walked alongside Twilight. They were heading towards a confectionery stall hosted by Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich. The line wasn't long, but not short either – which was expected, for they were at a waterpark.
"No," Twilight responded nicely. She rolled her eyes playfully and bumped Flash's shoulder. "And I told you, you don't have to call me that. We know each other, and I'm not one for fancy titles. Just call me 'Twilight', won't you?"
"I – I'm sorry, Twilight." Flash looked away for a moment. "It's just that, well, you're still my superior. I'm not used to...casualties."
"Superior? I don't think of us like that," Twilight assured him, a small smile on her face. "You and I, we're just two regular ponies."
Flash's lip pursed. "As regular as a princess and a guard can get," he muttered under his breath.
The line moved forward. A grey pegasus with wall eyes and a muffin cutie mark waved at the two earth ponies in charge, before making off with a … hybrid of a muffin and a cupcake in her hands. Twilight blinked as she saw a glimpse of the confection, then looked back and saw herself at the stand. "Uh, Pinkie, what kind of treat is that?"
"A muffcake," Pinkie replied simply, pulling out another. "Want one?"
Cheese Sandwich looked at his fellow party pony. "Hey, I thought we agreed to call it a muffcup!"
"Muffcup sounds weird."
"So does muffcake."
"Hey, take that back! I came up with the recipe, so you don't get to poke at the names I come up with, mister!"
"Nah!"
"I will shove this muffcake down your throat and you will—"
"Pinkie, Cheese, calm down!" Twilight exclaimed, wincing at their spat. They looked to her. "I'd like...two cakeins."
"Cakeins?" The two earth ponies looked at each other and wondered aloud, in unison, "Why didn't I think of that?"
Twilight sighed as she used her magic to grab two bags of the strange hybrid dish, handing one to Flash Sentry. "Here."
"Thanks," the pegasus guard murmured, grabbing the bag with his teeth.
"Oh, wait, Twilight! I had a question!" Pinkie flailed her hooves about for a second, causing her friend to sigh and turn to her.
"And that is...?"
"It's about Discord." Pinkie's voice suddenly got serious. "I've noticed, there's other earth ponies, pegasi, unicorns, alicorns – and even the uncommon ones here like draconian creatures and the like, but there's only one draconequus. Why's that?" She titled her head, deep in thought. "Is Discord the last of his kind?"
Twilight's eyes widened, and Cheese and Flash shared a nervous glance while the pink earth pony went on. "I mean, it doesn't add up. Why hasn't there been others of his species around here?"
"He's - I - why are you asking this?" sputtered Twilight, mindboggled. Yet she thought about it, and she found that she had the same question, deep down. There were always others of Spike's kind, other griffons and the like, but Discord – the chimera had no one else that looked like him. "I mean, you and him aren't close."
"He let me open up a stand here. It means he at least likes me a bit," Pinkie said, puffing her chest out in a huff. Cheese murmured underneath his breath, Maybe like is a strong word, but it went unheard. "Besides, I read one of your books to Pound and Pumpkin last night, and they asked me this."
"Maybe the other draconequus got turned into stone statues," Cheese pondered.
Flash looked at Twilight as if trying to tell her, you don't have to answer that. The alicorn shook her head and said in a small voice, "I...I don't know..."
Pinkie pursed her lips and then got out of the stand, starting to hop around. "I'll just ask him then."
“WAIT PINKIE DON’T—“ Twilight scrambled after the party pony, Flash grunting as he tagged along while Cheese simply trotted behind.
-0-
"AHA! I win!" Discord boasted, throwing his hands up into the air triumphantly.
“No way, you cheated!” Spike said accusingly, gritting his teeth in anger.
Big Mac shook his head at the drake. “Ah told ya—“
“I demand a do-over!”
“Is that so?” Discord got in Spike’s face, their foreheads pressing together as their eyes narrowed at each other. “Well then—!”
“Discord, Spike, settle down.” Fluttershy pushed herself between the chimera and drake, facing the former. “Look, it’s just a card game, that’s all.”
“It’s not just any game – it’s a stallion’s game. It’s important.”
“You two aren’t even ponies,” Fluttershy deadpanned. “You’re a draconequus, and Spike is a—”
“Speaking of draconequuses!” Pinkie interrupted, butting in out of nowhere, causing Fluttershy to shriek and flinch. “I gotta question for you, Discord.”
“Make it quick,” Discord said, waving his eagle claw a little uninterestedly.
“How come you’re the only draconequus around?”
Fluttershy gasped. Big Mac’s jaw dropped. Spike looked at Discord, the same question reflecting in his eyes, but only saw the chimera’s eyes wide with shock. Like he hadn’t expected that.
“I…come again?”
“Why are you the only draconequus here? Where’s all the others?” Pinkie Pie repeated herself, just as Twilight and the others came around.
“Pinkie!”
Discord was still as a statue as the words sunk in. Everyone in the vicinity felt a chilling silence settle in. For a second it was like this, until Discord summoned a megaphone into his hands and said into it:
“Pool’s closed.”
Cries of protest and outrage sounded from the ponies around.
“What?”
“No fair!”
“It’s not sunset yet!”
“Five more minutes, please?”
Discord’s face darkened, voice bellowing, “I SAID POOL’S CLOSED!”
Most of the crowd cowered back and fled, save for a few – the mane six, Big Mac, Spike, Cutie Mark Crusaders and some stallion friends.
“Discord,” Fluttershy said sternly, ready to give him a stern talking-to. Then she stopped, seeing his shoulders slump as he dropped the megaphone, his hands balling up as his body trembled.
“I’m sorry, I— I didn’t want to tell it here.”
“Tell what?”
“My story.”
The ponies and drake looked at each other, surprised, and in Fluttershy’s case, concerned. “You don’t have to,” said the pegasus, reaching a hoof out to touch his paw.
He grasped it gently and said, “No, it’s only fair. I mean, Pinkie brought up a fair point. There is a…reason…my kind doesn’t dwell here.”
“Oh?” Pinkie Pie looked surprised. “You’re not natives?”
“Goodness, no. Uh, it’s complicated, actually.” Discord looked around. “Perhaps we should…camp out somewhere and discuss this.”
“I always love to camp!” Cheese exclaimed, bouncing up and down.
“Ah know a place we can go to,” Apple Bloom offered. “It’s old, but ah think we can make use of it.”
Twilight looked to the filly and nodded. “Lead the way then.”
Discord caught Murdoch and Irene tossing uninterested glances at each other.
“Oh please, don’t tell me this is a romance!” Irene complained. “While ‘forbidden love’ stories are interesting and all, such tales utterly bore me.” Glancing at Murdoch, she amended, “And Murdoch.” He nodded his head vigorously in assent.
Stylianos rolled his eyes. “This is just the introduction,” he scoffed. “I haven’t even properly started yet, so hush.”
Irene deflated at his rebuke, shrinking into a small ball. Murdoch grabbed her hand reassuringly.
“And then everything went to hell when Janus, the alicorn, and heir to the Equestrian throne went to visit Milkos and Hera. A few nights before he had a vision of a few angels from above coming down to him to ask, which was the most beautiful of the angels?”
Eris perked up. “Angels? Which ones?”
Stylianos cast a discreet glance at her, sitting in front of him. Discord caught a twinkle in the older chimera’s eye.
“You see her as an angel, don’t ya,” he muttered, finding the joke somewhat funny.
“What was that, Discord?” asked Eris, snapping her head towards him.
“N-n-nothing!” he stuttered, flinching back.
“Discord…”
“Discord?”
The draconequus looked down at Fluttershy, walking side-by-side with him through the forest while Apple Bloom and her friends led the way. "Something's troubling you," Fluttershy said slowly. "It's about your past, isn't it? What…happened to you?"
"It's a long story," Discord replied, a lump forming in his throat. "Only Celestia knows some of it, but not the whole thing. Not the parts I'm going to tell you." Though I wish I didn't have to, he added silently. These stories - they're not good for anypony to hear. And it's been so long, anyway. Yet he found himself pained by the memories, by the idea that he was the only one of his kind left. He was glad to leave the past behind, if only because that meant these wrong thoughts didn't plague him.
"Here we are!" Apple Bloom cried out, as the group came to a large rock-made fortress. Everypony else gasped, save for Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Discord.
"How'd ya find this place?" Applejack asked her younger sister.
Apple Bloom shrugged. "The girls and I were tryin' to go to Zecora's place for some potions as a science experiment, but then we got on the wrong road. We ended up findin' this place, though it wasn't as old as it is now…still very old though. Ah think it's several centuries old."
"It was really dark when we first went in," Scootaloo went on. "Sweetie had to light up her horn in there so we could see."
“And then we had to get a campfire,” Sweetie Belle continued the story. “There were a lot of old paintings on the walls of the cave.”
Rarity looked at her sister, raising a brow. “What kind of paintings?” she asked, curious.
“See for yourself,” was the unicorn filly’s reply.
The group went inside the fortress, the unicorns – and alicorn, in Twilight’s case – lighting up their horns to provide light. The place was lit up enough and rather large, and on the walls were lots of paintings as the fillies had said. Various types of drawings, and very old ones at that.
“My, the way this is painted – it’s almost like parietal art,” Fancy Pants remarked. He looked to Rarity and gestured at a drawing of a male alicorn, rising up as noon broke over a crudely scribbled horizon. “What do you think, my dear?”
“It is rather ancient-looking,” Rarity remarked, observing the wall painting. “But I don’t think this was done by a cavepony. The way this cave is built is a bit sophisticated, and the drawing of an alicorn—it’s not how any pony would draw one.”
“Whatever do you mean by that?” Fancy Pants asked the fashionista, intrigued by the implications of her wording. “Do you suggest that it’s made by some other creature?”
“Yes, I am suggesting that,” replied Rarity, eyes scanning the painting. “The wings are drawing in such a threatening manner. The way his upper half raises, ready to stomp down on something – or somepony… and the way his eyes are filled with anger.”
“You have quite a keen eye for art,” Fancy Pants said with a grin, before his own eyes scanned the painting. He missed the way her face flushed at the compliment, the mumbled ‘thank you’ she let out. “I see… yes, I think you might be onto something here.”
“Oooh! Look, there’s a bunch of draconequuses!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, pointing her hoof in the direction of a painting right at the center. She pranced up to it, Cheese tagging along. “They’re a bit shorter though… I think they’re colts and fillies.”
“I don’t know if you can call a young draconequus a colt or a filly,” Cheese said slowly, squinting his eyes. “But they do look to be around the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ age, save for the little guy. He looks younger than Spike was when I first came here!”
“Aww, he’s so cute and tiny!” Pinkie cooed.
Rainbow Dash flew up to the painting, furrowing her brows. “The little dude looks familiar,” she commented warily. “Those eyes…”
“I wonder how they fly with such small wings in comparison to those large bodies,” Soarin’ pondered aloud. “Doesn’t it weigh them down?”
Rainbow Dash snorted. “Have you seen Bulk Biceps?”
“… good point.”
“That’s not just any chimera,” Twilight said, eyes widening as they darted around, seeing other paintings of a draconequus that was all too familiar. “That’s—that’s Discord.”
“No, that can’t be,” Spike said, shaking his head. “Maybe it’s just a coincidence? I mean, the one next to the little guy looks familiar.”
“Well, I—still, look at this,” Twilight pointed out a drawing of a teenaged chimera. “It looks like him.”
“Ah think ya might be right, sugar,” said Applejack, noticing the similarities. “
“I thought Discord came to Equestria around the time he started creating chaos, though,” said Flash Sentry, slowly, confused. “The legends said—”
“Celestia told me once,” Twilight correct him, “that he came here prior to that. She’s known him before any of us.” She looked around for the chaos-maker, until her eyes spotted him in a corner, hand on the wall. “Hey, Discord, are these paintings yours?”
Discord didn’t respond, his eyes focused on the drawing before him. One he had drawn long ago. It was him, Eris and Stylianos…with the older chimera telling a story while the younger one listened in, leaning on the female.
“How did the elders know of this? They weren’t there when it happened,” the then-runt of the group said, skeptical. He glanced at Eris. “And how come it’s the alicorn that sees angels? Why not one of us? Wouldn’t it be fair if—?”
Eris gave him a stern look. “Discord, hush and listen. Stop questioning. It isn’t right.”
Discord scowled. He tossed his head, refusing to look at Eris, and instead fixed his glower on Stylianos. He felt the female’s hurt look flicker past him, but he ignored it.
“Because they promised Janus wonderful things, tried to cajole him into picking one of them as the fairest of them all,” Stylianos went on. “But Janus was smarter than they pegged him for…so he decided to hear out the others.”
“Discord… did you draw all of these?” Fluttershy asked, glancing between the ‘artwork’ and the chimera.
“Yes…” Discord answered quietly. “When I first came here, I was just sixteen. I settled down in this place and… I drew all I could, so I wouldn’t forget.”
“So this was your old home?” Scootaloo asked, before yelping as her wings brushed on cobwebs. She tried to shake them away, until they disappeared in a poof. She looked at the chimera in awe.
“It was,” said Discord, his voice low. “But as my magic grew, I realized this place wasn’t fit for me, much like my old home.”
“And where’s that?” asked Sweetie Belle, curious as she leaned forward.
“A land I pray none of you ever come across.” He snapped his fingers, and in came a fireplace. “Get seated, and prepare yourselves. I’m about to tell you a story.”
“Oh boy, a campfire story!” Pinkie squealed with excitement.
“Oh dear,” Fluttershy murmured, while everyone else glanced at each other in slight worry.
Author's Note
My first story for My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, which I liked back in the day but I haven't caught up with the show since they introduced Starlight Glimmer and then (so basically I'd tapped out by season 7), I only saw snippets like Flurry Heart and stuff. I've read the wiki a bit, though it's taking me a long while to catch up. So apologies for weird OOC moments, but this is an AU so I think it's justifiable. I've always liked the character of Discord, but I've yet to see a story that explores his origins, so I'll try to do so.
I only own my ideas and OCs, and nothing else. A lot of the OC names and fantasy stuff (save for the kingdom's name, that's something of my own naming) are Welsh-named, because 'Welsh' sounds very fantasy-like as a language.
TRANSLATIONS:
"Immediately this frame was removed from me
With sad regret,
Which compels me to begin my tale;
And then he set me free.
Since then, at an uncertain hour,
That anguish returns;
And till I tell my horrible story,
This heart inside me burns.
I pass, like night, from country to country;
I have a strange power of speech;
That moment I see his face,
I know the man who must hear me:
To him my tale I learn."
Second verse:
"We were born in the valley,
Of the dead and the wicked,
That our father's father has found,
And where we put it down.
We were born in the shadow,
Of the crimes of our fathers,
Blood was our heritage,
No, we didn't ask for this…"
There will be glimpses into Discord's past more and more, with more elaborations. A thread unraveling slowly but surely. Oh, and regarding Spike: I dislike the way he looks in the finale seemingly, in the future. Nothing about the design looks right, so I'm going with this for grownup!Spike: 
Not my art, credit to the original artist, yadda yadda… anyway, praying this was a decent first chapter! Also if you see this on AO3 under a different user, that's still me - just crossposting, is all.
