chapter 23 Family At War

Sitting in a small tunnel connected to the large mining cavern, two shadowy figures watched as nearly three hundred people went to work.

"Well, sis," Junior said as he leaned against the wall. "What now?"

Mells leaned up against her bike, watching the crowd. "I never knew Dad had such a life," she said to no one in particular, despite her brother being by her side.

"Yeah, neither Mom nor Auntie ever told us any of this. He's a strange one, that's for sure." Jr's eyes went cross. "I thought our dad was a hero."

She chuckled. "Never meet your heroes, I suppose. Still, it is interesting to know we have all his powers and that we're apparently quarter dragon."

"So, still think it's a good idea to kidnap him?" her brother deadpanned.

"Shut up! I never said that." She smirked.

"Melody, this is how he dies. By tomorrow's first light, he is killed in the morning."

"And if so, the world loses. We gotta stop it. It is our mission. Otherwise, Chrysalis wins."

"And how are we gonna do that?" her brother asked.

"We have no choice: go to war and protect Dad at all costs," she said just above a whisper. She raised her eyes to meet his.

Neither of them said another word. They didn't need to; they knew what had to be done. After a moment of silence, all they could do was give one last hug before the final battle.

Once Fluttershy's leg was wrapped up and looked over, Rarity sat down next to her.

At first, neither said anything, nor did they need to.

"You okay?" she asked Fluttershy.

"Physically, yes," she replied tiredly.

"That's him, isn't it? The colt you've been with."

Fluttershy gave a sad nod as a whisper escaped her lips.

"Well, he's a bit, uh..."

Fluttershy whined.

"Hey, he's not the villain. The—um—Discord," she struggled to say his name without sounding scared. "He is our ally now, at the very least."

"You don't know him like I do," Fluttershy cried. "Discord, I know was a chimera, but I don't know any of this. Still, he's..." She cried more.

Rarity wrapped her in a friendly hug. "Hey, hey, it's okay," she soothed. "As long as he cares for you, then I'm fine with it. And so will the others eventually."

"But what if it was all an act? What if—"

"Hey! Do not do that to yourself. If anything, I think it's clear how much you care for him. And if he has half a brain, I don't think he'd fake such a thing, especially with you."

Fluttershy still cried but smiled at her friend's encouragement. "Do you really think the others would be okay with this?"

"I think Twilight's gonna need some time, considering it's her brother. But then again, a lot is happening right now."

"Can you keep this between us? Please, Rarity, I don't want to cause any more of a scene than what's already happened."

Rarity looked at her, amazed. "Uh, sure, sure, you know you're not the same Fluttershy I met a few years ago."

Fluttershy looked away, wiping her tears.

"You're a lot stronger," Rarity finished. "Can you fly?" she asked.

Fluttershy looked at her a bit confused but nodded.

"Then fly to him. Go, go and tell him what you need to say, dear. I'll keep everyone busy; we're going to see Twilight's mother anyway, just go find him."

Fluttershy wiped her tears and nodded as she took in a deep breath.

As Twilight walked down the dark hallways of Chaos Villa's secret base, she held tightly onto the key Discord gave her. This key was to his lab in Chaos Vill, and within it lay the cure to all of this.

She was lost in thought, even now as she watched the back of Capper guide her down the halls. It was strange to her. How could she have been so wrong? She had even gone toe to toe with Capper, and now they stood on the same side.

"Just through that door, you'll find your mother," he said as he gestured to the door up ahead. "I have work to do, so I'll be back in half an hour to get you ready for the fight ahead." He said somewhat in a dull tone.

None of Twilight or her friends said a word as they entered. Inside the room, Twilight and Shining finally had a chance to digest the fact that their mom wasn't just alive but was a secret agent working for the government and was the mother of their Discord as well. It happened so fast that no one had a chance to process any of this, and soon the room turned its attention to the dark purple mare who lay on a makeshift bed on the ground. She was hooked up to a heart monitor and had her legs and arms bandaged.

Sensing everyone's eyes on her, she took in a deep breath and let it out before she said, "Well, it seems I have some explaining to do."

The room just nodded as they waited on pins and needles to learn the history.

"Right, well then…" she winced. "If I'm going to tell you this story, I'm afraid I'm going to have to start from the beginning." She tried to sit up but couldn't and decided to remain in her position. She gestured for Twilight and her brother to sit down, which they did, circling the mare.

"I was a single child adopted by the government, raised to be a top spy. Barely 15, I was sent on my first solo mission out of the country. I've had other missions but never been away from home. I was sent to the Lizard Lands; my alias was a foreign exchange student trying to get my archaeologist license. The truth was, however, far more complicated. Though there wasn't a full-out war for centuries, tension ran high, and always in the shadows a cold war was fought for government power. As an agent, it was my job to prevent anything from going hot." She shook her head. "That I failed."

A young dark purple pony with a fiery red mane sat at a table with a non-alcoholic drink in her hoof, listening to the tall gray lizard who sat across from her. With ruby spikes and matching eyes, he dressed a bit fancy, with a dark blue suit, a black shirt, and a white tie—a bit unconventional for just a plain date, but one that he didn't think too much of.

"So, how are you liking it here, Mrs. Shadow?" He grinned a friendly, somewhat flirty grin, even if it was full of sharp fangs. "Being so far from home must be hard on you—feeling a bit homesick?"

"Perhaps, but really, I didn't like it much there; that's why I left in the first place," she replied as she took a drink.

"I see. Well, thank you for taking me up on my offer to have a drink with me. After all, I hadn't seen you make many friends since you moved in across from me a month ago."

"Yes, well, a nice night to get my head out of my books is just what I needed," she returned a smile.

"So tell me, how are your studies in history going?" He moved his gaze around the room.

"Well, actually, I'm just trying to get my license so I can go to Catgypt."

"Catgypt? Really? Even with everything going on there?" He narrowed his eyes.

She grew a smile as she replied, "Oh, who cares about the ins and outs? Just think of what riches could be discovered there—the greatest archaeological discoveries yet to be unearthed just below the sands." She laughed. "Sorry, I get excited when I think of the possibilities," she narrowed her eyes.

"I see," he nodded. "Well, here's to finding riches untold among the sandy dunes." He smiled with a twinkle in his ruby eye. He was somewhat charming and handsome among lizards. He walked her back to her apartment, and just before she walked in, the purple pony started feeling a headache. "I don't feel so good," she said before she passed out.

Rainbow gasped. "Oh, oh! I know this one! Daring Do wakes up captured by the bad guy. He congratulates her on also getting the drop on him since he felt drugged too."

"Yeah, I mean, it wasn't Daring Do who drugged him. The two were surprised that both were double-crossed by a mutual friend and soon had to battle it out for, in the books, the golden key to the mummy's sarcophagus. And it turns out the gold she found was the friendship—or, as many guessed, the love she found with Larry the Lizard on their adventures in the sandy dunes," Rarity finished.

"Uh, guys?" AJ raised an eyebrow.

"No, they're right," Tempest nodded. "Only it wasn't a key to a mummy like in my book. It was secret plans to an entire army facility. Our entire journey through that book was all pretty much true." She chuckled. "Including our somewhat strange romance." She coughed a few times before continuing. "Neither of us could tell each other's names. He was secret agent Scales; I was Tempest Shadow, an agent that came from different corporations. Our goals were the same: to protect the world and stop an underground cold war from going red hot. But we failed." Shadow grew a sad look as she sighed. "When he died, a part of me went with him... and I couldn't take it anymore. I left the spy group entirely, failing my mission, and that's why the war started. The same war that didn't end until long after you kids were born. To my surprise, however," she grew a sly yet sad smile, "he did leave me with a surprise that not even I was expecting."

"Discord," Rarity looked away.

"Correct. I was happy at the time; I thought I could have a little bit of the creature I loved back in my life, if only a little."

"So what happened? Why didn't you raise him?" asked Pinkie.

"Well, you see…" Tempest coughed again as her tone shifted to one of regret. "He was born a strange creature. He came out twitching and skinny. And despite the noises he made, which did not sound like that of a pony at all," she winced, "he wouldn't open his eyes."

"The doctor told me he wouldn't live for very long and that it was a miracle he came out breathing at all. I spent what must have been a month trying to coax him, trying to make sure he survived. I even made up that lullaby to calm down his endless tears. And simply put…" her voice began to crack, "I felt like I was losing him all over again. I couldn't handle it, and so I left, thinking he'd never survive." She coughed again. "It would be a few years later that I would finally fall for someone else. I didn't want to, but your father won me over and we had you two kids." She shook her head solemnly. "I never knew he was alive until much, much later."

Fluttershy hovered down the hallways of the massive building. She was surprised by how large it was, considering it sat in the middle of an underground cavern. But even so, it would not deter her from her quest. If anyone asked—she did run into a few guards—she always asked for directions to the ladies' room.

A weak excuse, perhaps, but one that worked well enough; despite their suspicious looks, they often pointed her down her path. But it wasn't to the bathroom she was searching for; despite the growing sensation in the pit of her stomach, what she was on a quest for was one thing.

Him.

He needed her, perhaps now more than ever. She tried to remember the pathway Twilight mentioned when heading up the tower, but to no avail, being for the most part completely lost. After turning down the hall for what must have been the fifteenth time, she gagged in frustration. She pounded a wall, not caring for who would hear, a look of defeat on her face as she whispered, "Where are you?" frustratedly.

She leaned against the wall, tired. As she turned her back to it, she slid down, trying not to cry. She lowered her head into her hooves as she felt her stomach turn again, the pit of worry overwhelming her senses.

She shook—not with fear nor anger—but sadness. This is hopeless, she thought as the smell of smoke filled her nostrils. She hated that smell more than anything. Wait a minute! "Smoke?" she asked herself as she lifted her head. A quick sniff told her what direction it was coming from. Not wasting another second, she immediately jumped to her feet and ran toward its source. Using her heightened sense, thanks to being a chimera, she followed it step for step. She could even tell what direction it was coming from and, more importantly, she also knew that the source was moving.

She followed it all the way until she got to a door and headed out. As she did, she could no longer smell the underground caverns but instead the fresh night air. Still, there was a hint—just a hint—of him, but a hint was more than enough for her to follow the smell of smoke.

As she got closer to its source, she realized she had exited a small side cave. Now she was on a small path that was on the side of the mountain. And not just any mountain; she recognized it as their mountain. She soon found the location of a small windy road and she instantly knew where she was and, more importantly, where he was.

Discord took a gulp of whatever he had in his bottle. He gasped for air as he moved it aside from him; two more bottles already empty sat in the branches below him. He sat with his back against the tree, on top of one of its many strong branches. The only sound he could hear was the crackling of the fire and a few chirps and cracks from the inhabitants of the forest. So peaceful, so tranquil—everything he was not at that moment. He winced in pain as an angry growl escaped his throat. His head was pounding, his body ached, and it took all he had not to barf up the bile in his stomach. To his surprise, a cold breeze swept through the night air. In some ways, it felt nice against his pulsing skin. His many scars bathed in the relief the cold brought him, but it also made him feel lonely and reminded him of just how alone he was, how alone he truly felt at that moment—despite being the king of an entire crime organization that all praised him and did his bidding.

Their so-called love and adoration weren't what he wanted at the moment; if anything, it made him feel worse knowing that all of them had the one thing he never could: family, friends, loved ones. What a joke, he muttered at the thought as he raised his other hoof and bit onto the cigarette he had in his eagle claw. He deeply inhaled it, feeling its effects working. The pain he felt coursing through his body subsided, if only a little; a little was all he needed to push past the pain—both physical, emotional, and mental.

He narrowed his eyes at a chessboard set that was hanging off the edge of a branch, a black king and a few pawns set up against a white army.

This is what he needed to focus on: the oncoming attack and his next move to make in the game. He let out a puff of smoke as the word "game" spread across his lips. "It’s all just a game."

Just then, he heard the small outer pattern of movement outside the canopy of the forest.

He growled as he leaped off his branch, landing perfectly and raising himself to his full intimidating height. "Capper, I told you not to disturb me," he said.

But to his surprise, it wasn't Capper who stumbled onto his location; no, instead it was a mare. And not just any mare, but Fluttershy who had come to him.

Finally, she thought to herself as she raised her eyes to see him at his full height. She had to admit that with the scars and height, he did look quite scary; his back against the light of the campfire behind him made him look like a tall, empty shadow devoid of any detail except his glowing red and amber eyes. It reminded her of the day they first met; he looked so much like the shadow of the night itself in that alleyway all those months ago. His expression didn't help either as she shook a little; why she didn't know—she wasn't afraid of him. She knew he would never hurt her.

But to him, that's all he saw. It was bad enough he had seen her face earlier that night, and now she stood inches from him, shaking in fear to his perspective. And with it, his heart sank, and the pain just seemed to return. He longed for her touch, the warmth and love he felt from her in his arms the past few months, but now it was gone. She was scared of him, and he couldn't blame her. He was, after all, a monster. As the thought hurt him, he took in another inhale of his cigarette... its smoke circling his entire body as he lowered his claw.

"Go away," he moaned with more emotion than she had ever heard from him in all the time she knew him. There was something there, and she knew what it was—pain.

"That's why you drink and smoke, isn't it? And why you take these?" She pulled out a bottle of painkillers. "I noticed them in your house one time and... and…" she repeated softly, not knowing what else to say.

He looked at the bottle and then at her, only to return his gaze to the bottle. In a quick slash motion, he snatched the bottle from her, making her flinch in surprise. He opened it and scarfed down all the pills he had, wobbling back over to his tree to grab the bottle he had of whatever liquid substance he was drinking. He used it to flush down the mountain of pills he had just taken. With the bottle empty, he threw it into the fire; it smashed and shattered as the fire grew slightly—clearly, whatever he was drinking must have been some type of alcohol.

He looked back at her over his shoulder. She was still there, a look of fear on her face, but at least to him, it appeared to be fear. It hurt him to see her like this, yet there was nothing more he could do for her.

"Well, go on then," he groaned, making her flinch once again, but it was only at the sight of him.

"Oh, Discord," she stuttered.

"Why are you still here? Didn't I just tell you to get lost?"

His question struck a nerve with her; all the pity she had for him nearly turned to anger at his tone of voice. "I'm not leaving," she stated clearly but seriously.

Discord raised an eyebrow at this. Just a second ago, she was shaking in fear and now she was talking back to him. Brave girl, he thought to himself. "Oh, and why is that?" He retorted with a huff.

"Because I promised you I wouldn't," she said in the same strong tone.

This nearly broke Discord's poker face, and it showed as his posture began to soften.

He looked away so she couldn't see his expression, but his voice gave him away. "Aren't you—" he said before lowering his head, "Aren't you scared of me?" he asked, as if it hurt him to just say the sentence.

"No," was all she said. The one word was enough to finally break him. His expression softened a bit in surprise. "I’m sorry I…" He turned away from her as he winced. "I just thought you'd be like the others."

"Do I look like the others?" she asked sternly.

He looked back. Even in her now torn superhero outfit, she was beautiful. In fact, her torn suit made her look even more attractive to him, strangely enough. The way it sat tight against her body showed her true form—not too curvy, not too straight. If anything, she looked perfect to him, as she always did.

"You say you’re not scared, but I saw the look on your face during that fight earlier."

"Because I was scared for you," she pleaded. "I don’t like seeing any of my friends in danger. Especially you," she whispered the last part.

He looked away, ashamed of his own thoughts. "I'm sorry, I... this... I never had this before. I’ve never been loved by anyone or loved someone as much as I do you, so when I saw you were scared of me..." He lifted his head and looked at the sky above, like Luna, like Twilight, "I thought I lost you like everyone else."

With that, despite her own tears, Fluttershy giggled. "You haven't lost me, silly! You never will." She placed a reassuring hoof on his back as high as she could reach.

His eyes widened as his body shivered at her touch. He bit his lip, trying to hold back the emotional outbreak he wanted to have.

"Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down," she chuckled as she spoke the words of their song. Even if the song had started as a joke, it meant so much to her now.

"Just tell me, Discord. I want to know. I can't help you if you don't tell me."

Discord lowered his head in defeat to the mighty mare. "Very well," he said in a hushed tone as the wind blew past, making the tree above them creak and sway. "But it's not a very good story." He sat down.

With him sitting, she was finally able to place her hoof on his shoulder. "I'm here," she told him.

"It all started when I was just a kid, seven or eight—I can't remember. It feels like a lifetime ago."

Author's Note

Oh boy next chapter is a long long loooooong one giving all the back story. Welp now to continue this author note story.

lol this was supose to be out last week but oh well beter late than never, I do plan to upload the next chapter either chritmas eve or christmas day so look forward to that.... I really should't make promises like that lol.

Ok so here we are, we talked just about everything except for one key charecter. Tempest shadow. How'd that come to be. Well in one draft of the story I had Fluttershy help discord find his long lost mother. Who that was I had no idea and decided to figure it out later. When I finally had to add this charecter It was either gonna be an oc, or someone I liked a lot. Hay you know who I like a lot. Tempest shadow. HURAY we have her. 😆 It was long after this that I figured out twilight was discords sister. So adding tempest to be her mother was simple. Oh but what about the daring do thing. Well as I was writing the story I wanted to give everyone something to contribute to it. In highndigjt sight, I could remove apple jack and pinky compleatly and it wouldn't change a thing. It's nice they add to that family part of the story, but they don't serve much a role. Rarity I new I wanted her dad to be part of it, since I did have discord want to capture her in the beginning. Flutershy was fluttercord. Twilight was mc. I needed something to do with dash. Eventually I wanted them to try and infiltrate the ranks of chaos vill. And I could give this to anyone
I picked dash to give her something to do, and I continued with it I really liked it. She was a super spy. Literally super. Now I also had her bring up daring do only beacuse I wanted to reference it from the show. I had no plans to put her in the story. But eventually as I wrote the super spy dash, I wanted to have her be found by a real super spy working for the government. And so adding daring do was ano brainier. But just having her there and not connecting her to anyone wasn't gonna work. So I made her tempest. Don't even know why just thought it would work. Did I get the pay off I wanted. I'll leave you to decide that.

Ok more about this later.😂👋