Discord's Patchwork Adventure

Discord held his beautiful wife in his arms, the two of them captivated by the vast expanse of space surrounding them. Fluttershy shifted slightly, her anticipation obvious. Discord chuckled.

“About ten more minutes,” he promised.

“Are you sure?” she asked.

He hummed the affirmative, nuzzling her cheek. “You know, while we wait, you can tell me what it was like when you Ascended. I would have asked last night but we were otherwise occupied.”

Fluttershy giggled, her gaze still fixed on a particular star. “And what a wonderful night it was.”

Discord smiled, reminiscing. He’d taken her to a forest filled with enchanted flora on a planet that had yet to be populated by intelligent life. In a cottage by a steady stream they had made passionate love, enjoyed each other’s company, and reveled in their new reality. Once it was morning, they left the planet and ventured to a new part of space. Now surrounded by nothing but the void, they waited for the birth of a supernova.

“I honestly didn’t know what to expect when the cocoon encased around me,” Fluttershy said, pulling Discord from his luscious recollections of laying her down on a feather filled bed. “Knowing me, you’d think I’d suddenly be terrified but I actually felt completely calm. I started seeing memories. Most of them were moments when I was kind or compassionate. The joy that accompanied them seemed to enfold around me until I was completely encased like a blanket. I was so happy.” She paused to wipe a tear from her eye. “And then I felt magic. It wasn’t scary but comfortable, like an old friend. It seemed to fuse with the warmth. I could feel my body changing but I wasn’t afraid. I felt… peaceful.”

She blushed, her hooves fiddling with his paw resting on her stomach. “All my life I’ve felt like something was missing. But when I Ascended, when I came out of that cocoon with these wings, that feeling disappeared. I felt whole. Does that sound weird?”

“Not at all,” Discord assured, kissing her mane. “My mother mentioned that you’d finally become what you were always meant to be.”

“She called me a Flutter Pony.”

Discord smirked. “I personally love the name. It suits you perfectly.”

They leaned in to kiss-

“There you are!”

Fluttershy yelped and Discord would have fallen out of a chair if he’d been sitting in one.

“Mother?!” he cried, his surprise transforming into annoyance. “What are you doing here?!”

Mother Nature ignored him, giving Fluttershy a big hug. “I didn’t think he’d take you to space so soon. How are you holding up?”

“It’s a little disorienting,” Fluttershy admitted, “but beautiful too.”

Discord inserted himself between them with a flash. “Mother, why in the name of all things chaos are you interrupting our honeymoon?”

“Oh, I forgot to give you my wedding present,” she revealed, holding out a box.

Discord scowled. “And this couldn’t wait until we got back on Equus because…?”

“Oh just open it,” she said, thrusting the box at him.

Rolling his eyes, the draconequus took the package and yanked off the lid. He was about to make some rude comment when the sight of what was inside gave him pause. He looked at his pleased-as-punch mother in genuine confusion.

“What is it?” Fluttershy asked, concerned by his silence.

“Eggs,” he said.

“Huh?”

“Eggs,” he repeated, holding the box out to her. “Reproductive eggs.”

Fluttershy peeked inside and gasped. She too looked at Mother Nature but her eyes shined with wonder and hope. The brown alicorn’s grin widened as she nodded.

“It’s exactly why you’re thinking, Fluttershy,” she confirmed.

“But… how?” Discord demanded. “I’ve never been able to have children before!”

“You’ve never been with a pony before,” his mother replied, smirking. “Now, while we did remove any chance of you being able to have immortal children with Fluttershy-”

“You did what?” Discord interrupted at the same time Fluttershy asked, “Why?”

Mother Nature frowned. “Surely that doesn’t come as a surprise to you? We can’t have a bunch of immortal beings coming into existence; we’d run out of jobs for them to do. By the way, Fluttershy, you’re now the Spirit of Benevolence and Comprehension. Once all this trial business is over and you two are settled, we’ll talk more about your new responsibilities.”

“Oh, okay,” Fluttershy muttered, suddenly feeling overwhelmed.

“Now, about my gift,” Mother Nature said, pointing at the box. “You’re not able to have immortal children but with those eggs you can have mortal ones; seven, to be exact. This gift comes with the acceptance of a willingness to see them grow old and die. But you will also experience the joys of an endless posterity.”

Discord could put two and two together. He wasn’t a fool. Fluttershy’s new appearance made it quite obvious anyway. “You want us to create a new species of pony.”

Mother Nature grinned and nodded. “The Flutter Ponies.”

“How long have you and Father been planning this?” Discord demanded.

“Since the moment you met Fluttershy in the maze,” she answered.

“Excuse me?” Fluttershy interrupted.

“Yes, my dear?”

“Um, from Ascending, I now understand that you are the creator of all the ponies on Equus. I’ve always felt like I wasn’t a true pegasus. I didn’t like flying because my wings were weak. Did you always intend to make me a Flutter Pony?”

Mother Nature sighed. “I would be lying, Fluttershy, if I said no. When I made your spirit, some unexplainable anomaly occurred. You were a Flutter Pony but they didn’t exist yet so I had to place you as a pegasus, hoping that would be best for you. I won’t deny I was beyond delighted when I saw Discord’s attraction for you. I began to hope that, if things progressed, I could make you into what you were always meant to be. Fate played a hand in making that happen and now here you are!”

“What I was always meant to be,” Fluttershy muttered, looking at her long translucent wings.

Discord needed a drink. Snapping up a glass of chocolate milk mixed with pickle juice, he downed the contents. He could not believe things had worked out as perfectly as they had. Sometimes his parents played a hand in moving things along but mostly they liked to step back and let Fate weave its own course through the lives of their creations. The fact that all of this had happened on its own left him flummoxed.

The revelation that Fluttershy had always been a Flutter Pony spirit stuck in the body of pegasus was also a surprising explanation as to why he’d been so physically attracted to her in her mortal life. She had been a perfect chaotic cocktail, a spirit at war with its own body. Despite that now being corrected, he still found her utterly alluring. Maybe it was because she was different from any other known pony. She was an oddity… like him. There was none other like her.

This realization immediately increased his love for her. Two misfits. What a perfectly imperfect pair they were. And now his mother was proposing that they create more!

“Will any of them be like me?” he wondered, staring down at the eggs again.

“Not in the sense of being a draconequus,” Mother Nature answered, “But several of them will have your eyes and a penchant for oddities. Your magic will also be part of them.”

Discord held a bittersweet smile. He would have loved for at least one draconequus but the thought of them having some part of his physical appearance made him happy. And they would all look like their mother who was the most gorgeous creature in existence.

“Discord?” Fluttershy prompted. “Are you okay?”

He nodded, his eyes a little glossy as he looked up at his mother. “I don’t know what to say.”

“You’ll make excellent parents,” Mother Nature smiled. “When you are ready to start your family, magically place an egg in Fluttershy’s reproductive system and alter your sperm to that of a mortal's before any love making; she won't conceive if you don't. Also, the eggs won’t last forever so I do urge you to use them soon. Preferably within the next ten years. Oh, and two of them are supposed to be twins. You’ll be able to tell which ones. Congratulations again! I look forward to having more grandchildren!”

She turned to go but Discord, remembering something, stopped her. “Mother?” he called.

“Yes?”

“Can you explain Flurry Heart’s existence?”

Mother Nature grinned. “Actually, no.”

Discord stared. “What?”

“As stated before, we can’t have a bunch of immortals running around so your father and I made it so the immortal reproductive cells of any alicorn ‘born’ from Celestia and Luna would not exist. Twilight and Cadence should not be able to have any alicorn children. But Cadence is the Spirit of Love and love is sometimes unexplainable.” She chuckled. “It finds a way. Flurry Heart was only meant to be a unicorn. Like Fluttershy, she is an oddity. Impossibly, part of Cadence’s alicorn magic passed to her. I suspect there is a reason for that, a reason we will discover as fate unfolds its course.”

Discord frowned in thought. “If that’s true, maybe it is possible for Fluttershy and I to have a draconequus child.”

Mother Nature smiled. “The impossible is always possible if Fate decides to play a hand. We’ll have to see. Regardless of what children you may have, I hope that you cherish them, Discord. And do try to be kind to their future mates, whoever they may be. The Flutter Pony race won’t expand if you don’t allow them to venture into the world and find a partner.”

“I’ll try not to be an overbearing dad,” Discord replied while Fluttershy giggled.

Mother Nature peered over his shoulder. “It looks like it’s almost time.”

The couple returned their attention to the star. The pressure had indeed dropped significantly. Discord could feel the coming chaos. Suddenly gravity took over and the star collapsed in an explosion of white light. When the light dissipated, a nebula began to take shape. Discord snapped his fingers, manipulating the gas and dust into the shape of a butterfly, the colors a beautiful array of pink, teal, and yellow. Fluttershy gasped, her hooves covering her mouth. She turned to Discord, the nebula reflected in her eyes.

“Discord…”

He swooped down and kissed her. “For you, Shyfly.”

She smiled up at him. “I love you.”

She then noticed the box hovering just off to the side and gasped.

“What is it?” Discord asked.

“Your mother; I forgot to thank her!”

In the moment of the explosion, Mother Nature had disappeared, returning the privacy she’d intruded upon. Discord found that in her place was a little card. Snatching it with his tail, he and Fluttershy read the inscription together.

You’re welcome, Fluttershy. I look forward to your beautiful family! Love you both!

It was signed with a flower.

Discord frowned, glancing at the box Fluttershy now held in her hooves. While excited to have children, the draconequus himself was starting to feel the worry future fathers do. He’d never been a father before. His own wasn’t a very positive example of what a loving father should be. How was he to know what to do and say?

Fluttershy’s hoof suddenly rested on his arm, her eyes sparkling with understanding and love. “We’ll figure it out together,” she assured him.

“How did you know?”

“Spirit of Benevolence and Comprehension,” she answered with a smile. “That and I know you. I’m just as nervous but we have time to plan and decide when to start our family.”

“Our family.” Discord began to smile. “I like the sound of that.”

“Me too,” Fluttershy smiled.

Discord looped an arm around her, the two returning their gaze to the nebula, both in awe of this new and wonderful opportunity.

Maretropolis Gazette

Lord of Chaos, Lord of Nowhere

By Nosey News

Discord, Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, has been sentenced to one hundred years in exile by Princesses Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and Twilight pending a long-awaited trial for the villain’s latest near destruction of Equestria. Tirek, a vile centaur who took over Equestria a few years ago with the help of the Chaos Lord, was possessed by Shadow, a being now known as one of Discord’s past creations, and usurped the land a mere few weeks ago. Like all ponykind, this reporter is appalled by the upheaval caused by this despicable being and agrees with the Princesses decision to have the plague known as Discord dispelled from Equestria. Many ponies have expressed relief knowing they and future generations will be free of the Chaos Lord’s tyrannical ways.

“I was turned into a wyvern,” says Silver Lining, a member of the Wonderbolts. “I had no control over my actions and was forced to commit acts of destruction per Shadow’s commands. Knowing Discord will no longer be a threat to us is a huge relief not only to me but many others.”

“During Shadow’s brief reign, I, along with my fellow soldiers, was captured and shrunk by the Chaos Lord,” says Night Wing, one of the bat ponies in Princess Luna’s Night Guard. “We were transformed into literal vampires by Shadow, forced to do everything we were told. We’ve suffered in more ways than we can describe and personally feel that having that Spirit exiled is the best punishment the princesses could give besides turning him back to stone indefinitely. Good riddance, in our opinion!”

As to how the princesses will ensure this exile is followed, a special spell invented by Princess Twilight will be cast on the villain at sunrise tomorrow by all four princesses. Knowing that their magic is involved is a huge relief for many (Continued on page 3).

Cosmare

Fluttershy Becomes a Goddess?!

By Fashion Plate

Fluttershy, former local animal caregiver in Ponyville, has married the eternal disruptor, Discord, Lord of Chaos! But that’s not all! Apparently, marrying him came with the condition of ‘Ascension’, a process that, until now, was only given to the princesses. While we don’t have all the details -the new goddess refused to give any comment- we have learned that Fluttershy is no longer the simple pegasus she used to be. The pony has undergone a marvelous transformation that has left most, if not all, of Equestria green with envy!

Word through the grapevine is that she is now immortal and classified as a ‘Flutter Pony’, possessing wings comparable in looks to a butterfly. But these wings, according to an unidentified source, possess magic! And let’s not talk about her mane and tail! Years ago Fluttershy briefly wowed the fashion world as a model but now, with eternal glittery strands, she leaves us completely blown away! It’s quite the shame Equestria may not see this new beauty since she has decided to leave with…

Canterlot Chronicle

Discord Banished for 100 Years!

By Inkwell

A month ago Equestria suffered from the effects of Shadow, a creation capable of mutilating creatures to do its bidding, who took over Equestria and enslaved many- including its rulers. Since Shadow’s overthrow, there has been a thirst for justice and a sentence has finally been given to his creator, Discord. After a lengthy trial, Princesses Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and Twilight determined a century of exile for the Spirit that has periodically violated the ways of ponydom for more than a thousand years. The reformed villain himself appeared solemn during the proceedings and surprisingly accepted his fate without any protest. Many ponies have expressed a desire for further justice but the Princesses have made their decision and will stand by it. Discord -unavailable for comment- will leave our lands at sunrise tomorrow, giving the Spirit a few hours to get his affairs in order. Some deem this kindness to be due to his marriage to Fluttershy, Element of Kindness and apparent (continued on page 4)

Hoof Beat

Ordinary to Extraordinary!

By Wild Wire

Element of Kindness, Fluttershy, has traded her pair of pegasus feathers for glamorous magical wings comparable to a butterfly’s! Her mane and tail sparkle like nothing else and she’s grown in size similar to Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. What could have caused this drastic upgrade? Why, her scandalous marriage to the Lord of Chaos, Discord, of course! (Seriously, who would have thought a pony could fall for such a hideous creature!) Some have speculated that the Spirit of Disharmony transformed her to better suit his tastes but this fashion magazine discovered that her newfound glam is due to Ascension, a physical change that took place shortly after her marriage. We believe this change is comparable to our beautiful and beloved princesses, Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and Twilight. Fluttershy’s marriage has also resulted in a change in status from mere mortal to immortal! While hard to believe that a shy wallflower would ever become a goddess, this magazine has confirmed that…

Equestria Daily

Banishment Brings Relief

By Copy Paste

After a three hour trial filled with testimonials, Discord, Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, was sentenced to eviction from Equestria. The Chaos Lord has until sunrise tomorrow to get his affairs in order. The city of Canterlot was packed with ponies crying out for justice, eagerly awaiting the verdict of Princesses Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and Twilight. Discord and his new wife Fluttershy, Element of Kindness, arrived in the palace square to boos and shouts of indignation- after the initial shock of Fluttershy’s newly Ascended appearance wore off (see article on page 2 for more information). When the news finally released of Discord’s punishment, many stallions and mares expressed displeasure, believing the princesses to be too merciful on a being who has caused terrible repeated offenses in the past. Others are simply relieved they and their immediate posterity will be free of any further involvement from the Chaos Lord.

It is a wonder to many why this exile is not permanent. Sources say that the princesses believe that a hundred years spent with his reformer and now eternal wife, Fluttershy, should help Discord become further reformed and acceptable to pony society. When he is allowed to return, he will endure a trial run that will be closely monitored by pony officials who will determine if the Chaos Lord is worthy to live in our land; his marriage to one of our own being the biggest factor a return was even allowed in the first place. (continued on page 3)

PegasUs Weekly

From Shy to Fly!

By Chitter Chatter

A pegasus has traded her wings for those of a magical butterfly! Fluttershy, Element of Kindness, has married Discord, the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, resulting in a drastic change in appearance. Apparently undergoing a process called Ascension, the process that changed Princesses Cadence and Twilight into alicorns, Fluttershy has experienced a miraculous transformation and is no longer considered one of our own. Why did she become this new, frankly gorgeous creature? Nopony truly knows but there is speculation that Amity, the newly discovered Spirit of Order and Harmony, is somehow involved. The glorious white alicorn shares the same glimmer of glitter in her mane and tail that now occupies Fluttershy’s luscious pink locks. The former pegasus looks absolutely flawless and we would all love to know just-

“Discord, what are you reading?”

The six Discords fused together as one, the newspapers and gossip rags featuring photos of him and Fluttershy at the trial disappearing with a single snap. Fluttershy frowned, staring up at him. The draconequus sighed and slithered down from the tree he and his doubles had occupied.

“I wanted to see what Equestria is saying,” he revealed.

“Oh.” Fluttershy’s ears fell slightly. “Was there anything positive?”

“The Canterlot Chronicle was the only one that based its articles on facts. Everything else is truth mixed with rumors, speculation, and opinions. All the gossip rags can talk about is how gorgeous you are. And while totally right, I wish more of them would mention that you were just as beautiful before Ascension too.”

Fluttershy smiled, kissing him on the cheek.

Discord happily sighed before straightening, clearing his throat. “Right; all finished here?”

“I think so,” Fluttershy said, looking around at her former dream.

Sweet Feather Sanctuary would remain but now under the care and management of Dr. Fauna and Treehugger. With her new duties as Spirit of Benevolence and Comprehension, Fluttershy had to allocate her earthly duties in the hooves of those she trusted. She would still visit on occasion, and would always take care of animals in need, but she also sensed future responsibility to oversee all creatures and gently influence them to pursue acts of kindness and understanding. That being said, Sweet Feather Sanctuary wouldn’t be able to open until after Ponyville was reestablished; the next thing on Discord’s To Do List.

Sensing her distress, Discord looped an arm around his wife. “They’re going to be okay,” he promised. “Besides, it’s not like you can’t pop in and visit whenever you want.”

“I know,” she sniffed, wiping a tear from her eye. “It’s just, I always thought my life would be here, taking care of animals.”

“Funny how destiny has a way of swooping in and changing our plans,” Discord said, kissing her head. “You don’t regret your new state of being, do you?”

Sensing the undertone of nervousness in his voice, Fluttershy looped a wing around his torso and gently squeezed. “Not at all,” she assured, truthfully. “In many ways, this is even better than what I imagined. I can help all creatures now. And I’ll still be able to care for animals in our new home.”

“Speaking of, I have an idea of where to go,” Discord revealed.

“Really? Already?”

Discord puffed out his chest. “No wife of mine is going to be homeless! And before you ask, it’s a surprise!”

Fluttershy bit her lip. “Discord-”

He placed a talon against her lips. “I know you generally don’t like surprises but you’ll love this one. Indulge me. Please?” His eyelashes thickened and extended as he batted them in quick succession, his hands clasped together near his jutted-out lip.

Fluttershy sighed. “Okay. I trust you.”

“Huzzah!” Discord threw out his arms, confetti raining down around them. “Now, with that out of the way, why don’t we go to the ruins of Ponyville and snap it back to its former glory?”

“I like the sound of that,” she admitted.

The two Spirits teleported, reappearing in what used to be Town Square. Discord’s displeasure for the sorry state of the town was visible as he observed the broken buildings, burned remains, and upheaved earth. (The residents were still living in his Everfree castle, the Chaos Lord sending them a note inviting them to stay until he could personally fix what Midnight Sparkle and the pony wyverns had done.)

“This is horrible,” Fluttershy quietly rasped, her emotions clearly burdened.

“Don’t cry, my dear,” Discord consoled, stroking her head. “I’ll fix it in two snaps. I can’t leave the one pony home I ever knew looking like this- even if I personally want to keep the scorch marks on Town Hall.”

With a flourish, he snapped his fingers and tail. The scattered and burned wood leapt up renewed, realigning in the form of businesses and homes, the structures magically building themselves in haphazard ways. Some grew from the ground up, others from the middle out, and a few from top to bottom. Fluttershy let out a watery chuckle at the chaotic display. Discord glanced at her, happy to see her gasp in joy and tears at the sight of Sugarcube Corner’s restoration. The pair began to walk through town, silently reliving the past and all that had happened there.

When they passed the old library where Twilight used to live, Discord decided to change one thing about how the town looked before its destruction. He snapped his fingers and the old library was restored. He had personal history with it, after all. A small smile appeared on his face as he remembered Twilight throwing ‘Tom’, Rarity’s “hunk of a diamond” through its wall. His smile fell, however, when reminiscing his triumph over harmony’s defeat and the joy he’d experienced as Twilight turned gray like her friends. Maybe his niece and others would see his restoration of the former library as a display of his true intentions of reformation. He was still a being of chaos and he’d have to stir up insurrections every once in a while but he was no longer malicious nor did he want to be.

He heard Fluttershy sniffle and he glanced around. She was standing in front of the library with silent tears falling down her cheeks. She turned to him and, in a flash of pink light, barreled into his chest, her hug sending them both to the ground. Before Discord could speak she was kissing him. His eyes fluttered closed in bliss.

“Oh, Discord, thank you!” she cried, hugging him tight. “She’ll be so surprised! They’re all going to love it!”

Knowing she was talking about their friends, Discord smiled. “Well, I thought it would be a nice goodbye present. Although I didn’t make it the library again. The inside is actually a museum focused on the six of you and your contributions to life in Ponyville. Of course there’s a whole section dedicated to yours truly but-”

Fluttershy cut him off with another kiss. “It’s perfect,” she smiled.

Discord’s return smile was wide.

They got up and continued their walk through town and memory lane, heading towards the Castle of Friendship.

As they walked, Fluttershy asked, “Discord, why didn’t you make it the library again?”

“Well, the Friendship Castle serves that purpose now and Amity has to have something to do besides training her new young champions while living there. Besides, it’s a good send off, don’t you think?”

“I suppose so,” Fluttershy agreed, a hint of sadness in her voice. “I still can’t believe Twilight is going to move to Canterlot to train as the new ruler of Equestria for the next five years.”

“Yes, Celestia and Luna’s announcement of retirement after my trial was surprising,” Discord admitted, “But I think they’re ripe for True Ascension. They’ll be training with Amity and my mother on all the duties that come with being the literal Spirits of the Sun and Moon at the same time they’ll be training Twilight to rule. They’ll be pretty busy.”

“So much is changing,” Fluttershy muttered. “Even Rarity is leaving.”

The fashionista revealed that she was also moving to Canterlot to continue her now known relationship with Fancy Pants; the two of them had been secretly dating for two years and were ready to make their courtship known to the masses.

Discord glanced at his mare. “Change is a good thing, though.”

Fluttershy nodded. “I suppose.”

They reached the Friendship Castle.

“Are we ready?” she asked.

“I think so.” Discord did one more magical sweep to make sure everything was in order. Sensing that the repairs were complete, he raised his talons. “Here we go.” He snapped and the citizens of Ponyville magically appeared along with all their friends. “Welcome home!” Discord crowed over their heads. “I hope you enjoyed your stay at the Castle of Chaos but with your town now restored you can go back to enjoying your miserable harmonious pony lives. It’s been a pleasure terrorizing all of you. I’ll see your descendants in a hundred years. You may now cheer.”

To his surprise, not one pony shouted praise at his forced departure. In fact, many looked uncomfortable. The deafening quiet was so unexpected it left Discord reeling. Not knowing how to handle the situation, he looked to Fluttershy for guidance. She appeared just as surprised as him.

The quiet was broken by Mayor Mare, who approached the Chaos Lord with grateful eyes. “Thank you for opening your home to our town, Discord. While partly the reason it was destroyed in the first place, we don’t blame you. In some ways, we’ve become used to your unexpected interruptions and sudden disruptions. We’ll miss having you and Fluttershy around.”

Discord’s jaw dropped as he witnessed many ponies nodding in agreement with Mayor Mare’s statement. A few even chuckled at his reaction.

“You mean, you’re not going to chase me off with torches and pitchforks?” he asked incredulously.

Twilight walked up to him, shaking her head. “Discord, have you learned nothing about Ponyville? There’s a reason the Friendship Castle was built here. You’re our friend.”

“You’ll always be welcome here,” Applejack declared, several ponies nodding in agreement.

“But… I’ve done such terrible things to you. I uprooted your town more than once! I’m a menace!”

“Yeah, we’re going to miss having to clean up after you,” Rainbow Dash smirked.

“It wasn’t all bad,” Rarity chuckled. “You gave us opportunities to work together.”

“And some of it was really fun!” Pinkie Pie cried tearfully. “You can send a chocolate rainstorm my way anytime!”

Discord was completely flummoxed. Fluttershy sniffled beside him, tears of gratitude sliding silently down her face.

Starlight joined Twilight’s side. “We’ve all made mistakes, Discord. I know I’m not the only pony that has seen the progress you’ve made over the years. You’ve made your own friendships and done your best to repair any damage you’ve done. You’ve come a long way from that creature trapped in stone. I’m proud to call you my friend.”

“I think we all are,” Twilight said, beaming.

Something lodged in Discord’s throat, making it hard for him to swallow. He looked at the citizens of Ponyville and saw something he never thought he’d see: acceptance.

“Let’s hear it for Discord!” Applebloom shouted. “The best chaotic friend a pony could ask for!”

“Yeah!” Scootaloo cried.

“Discord! Discord!” Sweetiebell began to chant.

“Discord! Discord! Discord! Discord!”

A thin butterfly wing wrapped around his thin torso and Discord glanced at Fluttershy who stood beaming up at him with happy tears. His vision blurred and he blinked, two tears falling into his fur. Swallowing hard, he lowered his head and whispered an overwhelmed, “Thank you.” as the ponies continued to cheer.

Twilight announced that a farewell party would take place at the Friendship Castle that evening before dispersing the crowd. Shortly thereafter it was only their immediate friends who remained. Amity had also appeared, standing beside a very happy Spike.

“Hey sis,” Discord greeted, accepting her wingful hug.

“Are you okay?” she whispered.

“Just surprised,” he muttered before pulling away. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

She smiled. “Well, Ponyville is a unique place.”

He chuckled weakly. “Indeed it is.”

Twilight approached. “So, are you up for a tour?”

Discord blinked. “Tour?”

“Of the School of Friendship,” said Starlight. “Fluttershy made us aware of a grave error.”

“You mean I can see the school?” he asked, surprised and excited.

“Sure! Though, given the circumstances, there won’t be any students to meet ya,” said Applejack.

“That’s okay,” Discord said, rubbing his hands together. “I can always make some.”

He snapped and a whole slew of Discords appeared, milling about the school grounds as they approached. Some were playing kickball, others were reading books, and a few were swimming up the waterfall. The ponies chuckled, leading the way across the bridge into the colorful building. They showed him each room, Discord smiling at the aesthetics reflecting each personality as they gave a brief example of what they taught. Of course he loved Fluttershy’s classroom the most; a combination of nature and animals and all the things required to care for them.

“I hate to put a damper on the mood,” he said, “but what are you going to do with three of you leaving Ponyville? You’re going to need some new teachers.”

“Well, we’ve given it some thought,” Twilight said, looking at Starlight. “Starlight is taking over the school and Trixie has agreed to become our new guidance counselor. The CMC’s will take over a class together and Amity and Spike have offered to become the two other teachers.”

“Really, sis?” Discord said, turning to Amity in surprise.

The large white alicorn shrugged. “With my form now restored I can go and do wherever I please.”

“About that,” said Applejack, “mind telling us how that happened?”

“Not at all,” Amity smiled. “I suppose I should clarify a few things. Discord told you I had split myself into pieces, a portion of my spirit resting inside my Champions.” They all nodded. “That was correct.”

“What about the Elements of Harmony?” asked Starlight.

“And the Tree of Harmony,” added Rainbow Dash.

“The Elements, Tree, and Geodes possessed by your friends were all extensions of the Rainbow of Light,” Amity revealed.

“What?” Discord yelped in surprise. “I thought the Tree was you!”

Amity chuckled. “Well, part of me was.”

“Explain,” he demanded.

“Very well,” she said, “But it is a long tale.”

“Good thing we have a few hours before the farewell party.” Discord snapped up a bunch of pillows and everypony settled in the headmare’s office where the tour ended. “Start talking.”

Amity sighed. “Long ago, many monsters created by our father terrorized the ponies of this land. Stygian, a good friend of mine, saw a need for heroes. Sensing his talent to find those who qualified, I sent him on a quest. Slowly he formed the group you know as the Pillars. After bestowing Ascension to Celestia and Luna, I deemed the Pillars worthy” -Discord snorted- “and gave them a portion of my power, splitting my spirit into 6 pieces. With my additional abilities, they saved the land from many foes. That is, until the Pony of Shadows consumed Stygian.”

Discord shifted uncomfortably. Fluttershy, cuddled beside him, took his hand and squeezed it gently.

“Knowing how they planned to stop him, I influenced them to plant a seed,” Amity continued.

“The seed of the Tree of Harmony,” said Twilight.

Amity nodded. “To protect the Pillars from the Darkness while in limbo, I split myself. Half of my spirit remained with them, the other possessed the seed. As the tree grew, I created the Elements of Harmony from the remains of the Rainbow of Light.”

“Wait, what do you mean ‘remains’?” interrupted Starlight.

“Forgive me, I forgot to explain that detail,” Amity realized. “When Starswirl sent the Sirens to the Mirror World, Discord took the opportunity to leave a portion of himself there in the form of a coin, in the hopes that a host would one day find it and become chaos in that world.”

“Cordy!” several of the ponies cried.

Discord shrugged. “The Sirens brought Equestrian magic to that world. It was only fitting that I place my chaos there too.”

“So a portion of you lives inside Cordy?” Fluttershy asked curiously.

Discord nodded.

“And that is why I sent a portion of the Rainbow of Light to that world,” Amity said. “Mother advised placing it in crystals until my champions would naturally be led to them. Your friends, the Rainbooms, eventually found the geodes and the Rainbow of Light joined the portion of myself that already dwelt within the girls; I had chosen them as Champions when they defeated Sunset Shimmer during Twilight’s first visit to the Mirror World.”

“You split again using the portion of your spirit inside me, didn’t you?” Twilight realized, remembering how her human friends had glowed during her friendship speech.

Amity nodded. “It was a little painful having myself spread so thin but necessary for events to unfold as they have.”

“So back to you being inside the tree with the Elements of Harmony,” Discord prompted.

“Right,” Amity muttered. “The originally split me stayed in the Tree until Twilight and her friends united to defeat Nightmare Moon. Sensing the immense harmony they shared, I chose them as Champions and joined them at the same time the Elements of Harmony appeared to them.”

“So the Tree became nothing but a shell?” asked Fluttershy.

Amity nodded. “With me and the elements no longer living in it, it began to decay, hence the attack of Discord’s plunder vines. You returned the Rainbow of Light to the Tree but I remained with you which is why you were able to defeat Tirek the first time he and Discord tried to take over Equestria.”

“Okay but how were you able to come all together again?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“During your fight with Shadow,” Amity answered. “Having all my champions together in one place allowed me to reform and become what I once was. It also allowed me to split the Rainbow of Light into each of you.”

“Why did you come back together?” asked Discord curiously.

“I think that was rather obvious,” Amity said, her cheeks darkening as she looked at Spike.

“You longed for companionship?” guessed Rarity.

Amity shrugged. “I felt it was time for a change. And the Rainbow of Light can continue to do my work.”

“Is that why you had to gather the young champions along with the older ones?” asked Discord. “You needed them there during the transfer of the Rainbow to the rest?”

“It was more convenient,” she admitted sheepishly.

Discord laughed. “Did they have a portion of your spirit with them at all during that fight?”

“They did!” she defended. “But it was only a quarter of myself since I only had what remained with Twilight and the others to work with.”

“You literally had fallen to pieces,” he chuckled. “And I’m supposed to be the chaotic one. Well, I suppose I should say you’re welcome that Shadow forced all your Champions together. At least we all get to enjoy the fully complete you now.”

Amity smiled. “And now I can involve myself a little more intimately in pony lives. Besides, I personally needed the change. How else could I be with Spike?”

A round of ‘awwws’ came from the ponies as she nuzzled Spike’s cheek. Discord visibly gagged. Fluttershy swatted his arm while Spike rolled his eyes goodnaturedly.

“Hang on!” Discord suddenly realized. “If you couldn’t physically show yourself unless all your champions were around, how did you free Spike from Shadow in the first place?”

“That is something I’ve been wondering too,” Twilight confessed.

“Mother Nature helped her,” Spike answered. “She gave her the temporary ability to appear on her own to save me.”

“Using my love for him to do so,” Amity finished.

Discord slapped his forehead. “Of course. The whole ‘love conquers all’ trope. Should have known love would be the reason we were saved from complete and utter disaster.”

“I’m sure Cadence will be very happy to hear that,” Amity chuckled.

“Yes, well, thank you for explaining your side of things,” Discord said while stretching. “I’m sure some of the readers were wondering why you hadn’t disappeared after the whole Shadow debacle was over. So you and Spike are going to live in the Friendship Castle and send creatures on Friendship Quests when you’re not helping the school.”

“Pretty much,” Spike confirmed.

“How boring,” the draconequus said, sticking out his tongue. “Meanwhile Fluttershy and I will be off in exile, exploring new lands and living life to the fullest!”

“Yay,” Fluttershy quietly cheered, clearly nervous over so many unknowns.

“Where do you plan to go?” Rarity asked curiously.

Discord wagged a finger at them. “I’m not giving away details- it’s a surprise for Fluttershy- but we’ll let you know where we’ve settled once we’ve settled, right dear?”

Fluttershy nodded, her ears drooping slightly. “We really are going to miss you all.”

The air turned heavy as the reality finally hit that this really was their last day together as friends.

“It’s like the end of an era,” Rainbow Dash muttered.

“Yeah,” Applejack said, her voice suddenly thick. “We’ve been together for so long.”

“And now you’re all going away!” Pinkie Pie wailed, being the first to cry.

“I’ll visit as often as I can,” Twilight promised, her ears drooping slightly.

“And I’ll have to come back regularly to check on Carousel Boutique,” said Rarity tearfully. “Lily Lace has agreed to take over management but I want to be sure the transition is smooth for Ponyville.”

“But what about Fluttershy?” Pinkie Pie cried, grabbing the goddess around the neck.

Fluttershy returned the hug before carefully removing Pinkie’s hooves. “I can come visit,” she said. “But it’ll only be once in a while.”

“What I want to know is how all of you are going to protect Equestria if Fluttershy’s not here all the time,” said Starlight worriedly.

Discord wasn’t the only one who looked at Amity for an answer.

The white alicorn sighed. “As much as I have enjoyed working with all of you, your time as Champions is drawing to a close.”

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked nervously.

“Time marches forward, Twilight, and with time comes change,” Amity smiled a little sadly. “There is a reason I selected six of your students to be my next Champions. The surrounding kingdoms are drawing closer together because of your friendships. A Champion from each race will be necessary as future events unfold.”

“So you don’t need us anymore?” Twilight said, her voice quivering a bit.

“On the contrary,” Amity countered. “Your friendship and your help defending Equestria will be invaluable to us for a few more years. But with Discord and Fluttershy’s departure and your ascension to the throne, a time of peace is on the horizon.”

“Give or take a few decades,” Discord chuckled. “Don’t worry; I’ll be back soon enough to cause loads of problems!”

The ponies sent him watery smiles.

“And we’ll look forward to it,” Twilight stated, truly meaning it.

Discord’s eyes softened. “Thank you, Twilight. Who would have thought all these years later I’d consider my enemies my friends?”

Pinkie Pie zoomed over and wrapped her forelegs around him. “We love you too, Discord!” she sobbed.

The others soon joined in on the hug. Embarrassed, Discord awkwardly pat some of their heads. “Great, we love each other. Okay, that’s enough.” They each let go, smiling up at him. “Silly little ponies.” He rolled his eyes, smiling.

Several of them chuckled.

Applejack readjusted her hat. “Right, let’s go and get that farewell party set up.”

They all agreed, leaving the school -and temporarily their sadness- behind.

The next morning, Discord stood before the princesses in the Canterlot Garden, a wistful expression on his face. While he didn’t care at all for the location, he did care about his present company.

“I’m going to miss seeing the four of you,” he admitted.

“We’ll miss the unexpected interruptions,” Celestia smiled.

“Will we though?” asked Luna though she was smiling.

“I didn’t experience much of that,” said Cadence.

“You were married,” Discord said with a frown. “I wasn’t about to randomly show up knowing the possibility that I might see something I honestly didn’t want to see.”

“So that’s all it takes to get some privacy?” said Twilight, surprised. “Maybe I’ll marry Flash while you’re gone. That way, when you come back, I’ll get some peace and quiet.”

Discord laughed. “Don’t worry, bookhorse. I’ll find plenty of opportunities to catch you unawares.”

Twilight smiled ruefully. “Challenge accepted.”

“Well, are you ready?” Celestia asked.

Discord looked past them. His sister stood next to his wife and the rest of their friends. Thorax and Big Mac had also come to say goodbye. A heavy weight pushed down on his heart and for a moment Discord’s eyes watered. Some of these ponies wouldn’t be here when he returned. He’d already said his goodbyes but it was still painful; this truly a fitting punishment for all the trouble he’d caused them and their families.

“Take care of them,” he said to Amity.

Amity nodded, the twinkle in her eye a little dim as she promised, “I will.”

Discord took a deep breath and faced his nieces again. “I’m ready.”

“Once we’ve cast the spell you’ll be forcefully teleported out of Equestria,” Twilight explained, her voice sad. “You won’t be able to reenter until the one hundred years are up.”

“I understand.”

“Are your affairs in order?” asked Luna.

Discord nodded. “I sealed off my castle and gave jurisdiction of the Everfree to Zecora. My parents will watch over the forest after she has…moved on. Ponies are free to visit the zebra but they will not be able to deviate from the path that leads to her hut. I put up a barrier.”

“Very good,” Celestia nodded. “Let us begin.”

The four princesses surrounded the draconequus and lit their horns. Their magic swirled around him in a spiral, the colors coming together like a carefully woven web. The spiraling magic began to wrap around his body, like a thin blanket resting against his skin. When he was completely covered, he felt something akin to a fishing hook latching against the nape of his neck, yanking him forcefully away from the life he had painstakingly built. The palace and his friends disappeared as he was pulled into a tunnel of magic that expelled him near the Equestrian border. He watched as the tunnel disappeared, shutting him out of the one place he had ever truly called home. An unbidden tear fell down his face.

“You’ll see them again,” he muttered to himself.

“Some of them,” Cordy Two muttered, wrapping an arm around his shoulder.

Discord shut his eyes, desperately trying not to release all of the hurt he was feeling. His shoulders were shaking against his will and there was a terrible lump in his throat. A ragged breath escaped him and a pit of despair opened beneath his feet. He was about to be sucked into it when a long pair of forelegs wrapped around him and the sweet smell of strawberries and cream soothed his senses.

“I’m here,” Fluttershy whispered, holding him tight. “I’m here. And I always will be.”

The sob ripped its way out of Discord’s throat and the draconequus broke. Wrapping himself around his wife, he released all of the sorrow and hurt he’d tried to keep hidden. Fluttershy allowed him to grieve, kissing his head and whispering promises of companionship and love. It was the one thing that kept him going. No matter what, he had her. He would always have her. Discord’s hold on her tightened. His eternal anchor. His eternal love. He didn’t know what he’d done to deserve her but this one thing was sure: he’d treasure her until the end of existence.

After what felt like an eternity, the Lord of Chaos gathered his emotions and stood up. Fluttershy hovered close, observing him with her eternally caring teal eyes. Discord smiled weakly and kissed her.

“Thank you, Fluttershy,” he mumbled. “I needed that.”

She smiled sadly. “I know. Are you going to be okay?”

“I will be. As long as you’re with me.”

“Always,” she promised, kissing him again.

Discord nuzzled her before standing straight. “Right. Are you ready to see our new home?”

Fluttershy nodded, suddenly growing nervous.

Discord took her hoof. “Don’t worry, my dear. You’re going to love it.”

She smiled weakly, unable to speak.

Discord gave her one more encouraging smile before snapping his fingers. The two whisked away to a land that Fluttershy found surprisingly familiar. The valley was covered in snow, the river leading into the bare woods frozen over. Gasping, the goddess staring wide-eyed at the open field and gleaming pink and gray castle in the distance.

“Discord…” She turned to face him. “Is this…?”

Discord spread his arms wide. “Welcome to Flutter Valley!”

“Flutter Valley? But I thought…”

“It used to be Dream Valley,” Discord confirmed, “but I thought a change in name was in order.”

“This isn’t part of Equestria?”

Discord shook his head, grinning. “Equestria’s borders end at the Celestial Sea. There are other ponies that live further east and south of us but they’re not under Equestria’s jurisdiction. This land, as I stated before, was abandoned after Shadow and I desecrated it. But, with a lot of help from my mother, it’s been restored and will serve as the perfect place for us and our Flutter Ponies.” He paused, wringing his tail due to her silence. “Do you…like it?”

Fluttershy turned around to face him, her wings fluttering happily as she zoomed forward and tackled him in a hug. “It’s perfect!” she cried. “Oh, Discord, I love it!”

The draconequus beamed and scooped her out of the snow. “Well then, allow me to escort you to our palace, my dear.”

The solid pink and gray stone protected an interior that suited them both. The decor was chaotic yet homey. Some rooms were organized while others were completely uncoordinated. Fluttershy loved everything about it, to Discord’s joy.

“I have one more surprise for you,” he said after showing her their bedroom that was divided down the middle with one side as orderly and the other utter chaos.

“There’s more?” she cried with excitement and slight exhaustion.

Knowing that she was rather overwhelmed, Discord took her hooves and kissed them. “Trust me, love. Indulge me one last time and I’ll let you rest.”

“Okay,” she muttered, allowing him to lead her through the magnificent yellow and red hallways towards the back of the castle. Discord opened the covered french doors and stood aside, basking in her surprise and joy.

Fluttershy’s exhaustion disappeared as she squealed and rushed out into the most lavish garden the land had ever had. And, what was more, it was filled with animals; including Angel, much to Discord’s reluctant allowance.

“Oh my goodness!” Fluttershy sobbed, hugging as many of her furry friends as she could. “Angel! What are all of you doing here?” Many of them chittered out a response. “You wanted to be with me? But, what about Ponyville?”

Discord stepped in. “They were more than happy to relocate. Our surrounding forest hasn’t been populated in a really long time. They’ll be able to start their families and grow without fear of a timberwolf ruining their progress or homes.”

“Oh, Discord!” Fluttershy teleported into his arms and placed a very passionate kiss upon his lips. “Thank you so much!”

Discord’s head felt all fuzzy and he sent her a goofy smile. “You’re very welcome, my dear. I know how much they mean to you.”

“Oh, I am so happy! I love you so much!”

Discord scooped her up and wiggled his eyebrows. “Shall we celebrate? I feel like now would be a great time to familiarize ourselves with our new home.”

Fluttershy’s gaze grew sultry as she leaned up and whispered, “I can’t wait.”

Discord needed no further invitation. Leaving the garden, they teleported into their bedroom, the draconequus snapping the door shut with a little sign that read ‘Do Not Disturb’. It was the perfect beginning to a new unexpected adventure.