Chapter 12 Welcome Home

Chapter 12 Welcome Home
Discord stood the entire night staring at the building. His stalkers, unknown to him, couldn't make out his expression. He was wide-eyed and somewhat worried. All she could see was his body shivering as a chill ran down it.

He pulled out a cigarette and a lighter, still shivering. As he was about to light it, however, a memory came to him.

Discord woke up one morning with his body shivering in fear. He gritted his teeth, feeling his heart beat faster than he could control. Immediately, he went for the lighter and cigarette on his nightstand. But as he was about to light it, something jumped on his arm.

He didn't know what it was or who it was. In this state, he wasn't Discord, the ghostly pony with everything; he was the pony who had just come through a war zone. Whoever this was could have been an enemy ready to take his life. He immediately turned to them with the intent to kill, but stopped as he saw her gripping onto his arm. His entire body was still trembling.

She opened his teal eyes. "I don't want you to smoke anymore. It's bad for you," she said as she laid her head against his bare chest. She wore a thin nightgown that barely hid anything from view. He was in awe of her beauty; she was perfect—curvy but not too much, flat but skinny.

Who was she? He could not remember; the recollection of her was not in his mind. Still, he could tell by the way she held him that she actually cared for his well-being. Slowly, he dropped the cigarette from his claw as he asked, "Who are you?"

She only snuggled into his side as she mumbled, "Someone who loves you."

Someone who loves you—the words echoed in his mind. That was the last cigarette he had for months until the day he almost died.

His body still shook, but he dropped the cigarette, taking a deep breath and gaining control of himself before putting away his lighter. He then quickly broke into the small apartment by using his tail to undo a latch on the window and crawled right in, unaware of his follower.

Discord slipped into the room, his night vision giving him a clear look at the scenery. Confusion struck his face as he looked around.

There were small toys scattered across the floor. A rocking chair sat in the corner, and a small bookshelf stood next to it. The room he slipped into looked like that of a child's room. Fear struck him. A child's room. If this was Fluttershy's home, what was he walking into? Was his beloved girlfriend married and happy without him? Why, then, would Dash demand he come see her, so he could see how she moved on with her life? He couldn't blame her; he had been considered dead for over a year. But the thought made him sick to his stomach. His plans for them, his dreams—all gone up in flames. So why would he survive if he couldn't live his dream with her?

A small noise from behind him stopped his thoughts.

Sweat began to build up as he shivered again. He peeked over his shoulder, fearing the worst. One look would tell him all he needed to know, and he could feel his heart racing as he turned his head. His breathing began to become erratic. Still, he pushed on.

Just then, as he looked down, he could have sworn he felt his heart stop as his eyes widened.

Laying in a small crib were not one but two very strange-looking creatures.

A grey baby girl, judging by her little haircut, had angel-like wings and tiny little dragon claws instead of front hooves. The other was a small yellow boy with wings like a bat and a dragon-like tail. The two yawned, and the girl rolled over slightly in her sleep.

Discord had no words as he turned completely around; he just realized he wasn't breathing and let out a shuddering breath as his heart began to beat again. He was starstruck at the two creatures that lay in the crib.

Another sound from the door caught his attention this time. A glass of alcohol, by the smell of it, fell to the floor and rolled over on the ground. There, standing in the doorway, was her. Though it was dark, it was easy to see what she looked like. Despite looking exhausted and sad, she hadn't changed a bit from what Discord could tell. Her eyes were wide, jaw dropped. She placed a hoof over her mouth as she tried to stifle a cry. She didn't want to wake the babies.

Discord didn't know what to say or do. He tried whispering something, but as he opened his mouth, nothing came out. Only a look of amazement, confusion, relief, and worry could be seen. The only thing he could get out was their ridiculous love song.

Never gonna give up on you, never gonna let you down, never gonna turn around and desert you. Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down, never gonna tell a lie and hur—

But before he could make another sound, she rushed toward him, smashing into his body. For a moment, the two sat there quietly; the only sound in the room was the soft lull of Anya sleeping. But as she sat there, a sound came to her ears that melted Fluttershy’s fears away in an instant. Bum, bum; “a heartbeat.” She wrapped her arms around him and let out a tearful cry, as silently as she could, not wanting to wake the babies.

Discord, still in a daze, looked at her. She still barely stood at his chest. He bent over and wrapped her in a hug as she listened to him pant and cry. A single tear welled up in his eye and slowly fell over his cheek. Despite his now gruesome appearance, he was still strong enough to hold her tight, the way he always did. As if she were made of glass—too loose, and she would slip and fall; too hard, and she would shatter in his grip. It was so comforting to be in his arms, if only for a fleeting moment.

Little did Fluttershy know that someone was watching them; the sight of her parents finally together and their tearful reunion nearly broke her heart.

Discord could sense her, yet he didn’t care; he had what he wanted, and he held on to her until she calmed down. Neither knew just how long that was, but to them, it didn't seem long enough when Discord finally let her go. He wanted to do nothing but hold her closer yet decided that when she loosened her grip on him, he should do the same.

Setting his claws over her face, he used his thumb to brush away a strand that covered her gorgeous crystal teal eyes, as he softly spoke, “You amazing little pony.” He still kept his words low so they didn't wake the little ones.

“Dissy,” she uttered as she wiped away a few tears, taking his claws in with her hooves and giving them an affectionate squeeze. “Oh, if only you were truly here.”

“What do you mean?” he asked, concerned.

“You died.” She shook her head slightly. “I know you died and you’re not coming back. I try to move on for the children's sake, but I miss you so much.” Another tear ran down her cheek. “I'm going crazy. I hear your voice from time to time. I see your shadow, and now...” She took in a deep breath. “Now I’m imagining I’m seeing your living corpse in our children's room.” She chuckled slightly. “But you are dead. I mean, just look at you.” She cried.

Discord narrowed his eyes as he thought of her words, taking in every bit of information he could. “Oh, Fluttershy, it hasn't been easy without me, has it?”

“No, no, it hasn’t,” she replied, hugging him again.

“Fluttershy, I am here. I am standing right in front of you.” He hugged her back. “And I am alive. I've grown weak, but I am alive, and soon I’ll have my strength back, I promise.”

“That’s what you say, yet I know the truth. When I wake up tomorrow, you’ll be gone. You’re always gone. All I want is to wake up with you by my side; all I want is for you to be standing here and holding our children.”

Discord opened one glowing eye and stretched his neck around so he could look at her. A thought then occurred to him. “That night, you were trying to tell me something, weren’t you? And here I thought it was the old ‘I love you’ nonsense you say before someone goes and dies.” He chuckled.

“Why didn’t you let me tell you? I should have told you.” She shook, trying to hold back tears.

“Simple, my dear. If you said it, I wouldn’t have been able to leave.” He undid the hug and lowered his face until they were at eye level. “Not if you told me you loved me. And definitely not if I knew about this. I had to; I had to save everyone for my own sanity.”

She smiled a sad smile at that.

“What happened in the last year? Tell me.” He pleaded.

She looked away from him and took a step toward her kids.

“That same night when you passed and you were gone, I did what you wanted to do. I grabbed what little I could, hopped on your bike, and took off.”

I drove far past the mountains and far past the valley until I ran out of gas and landed in this little town. I figured it was just the sort of place you'd like—somewhere away from the city. I decided this was the perfect place to live out my new life, to be a mother, and to save until I was able to build that cottage you wanted to live in. She then leaned over the edge of the crib.

“I expected one child,” she laughed a little. “And I got twins, of all things.”

Discord stepped to her side and looked down. “Kids were never part of the plan,” he smiled, “but somehow, I don't mind it.”

“Which one was born first?” he asked her.

“Melody; Discord Jr. was born a whole five minutes afterwards.”

Discord nodded as he took a closer look at his daughter. “Can I...,” he stretched over the bed a little.

“Careful you don't wake her up,” the mother told him.

Discord carefully picked the filly, trying his best not to wake her. He then sat down in the rocking chair in the corner, slowly rocking back and forth.

Fluttershy just watched with a smile; she still believed this was all in her head and couldn't be real.

Discord smiled as he looked at her little face. She began to drool on his arm, but he didn't mind at all. In fact, he was thankful she still slept. In his true form, surely he would have frightened the little one had she been awake.

The time traveler approached the area carefully as she stared at the figure holding the baby. Its eyes glowed crimson and yellow, yet she could see the warm smile on his face.

The bolder version wrapped her own arms around herself, a pang of pain in her heart as she felt a burning jealousy toward the little one in his arms.

She may have been older now, she may have been a time traveler from the future, but what she wouldn't give to be hugged by her father at least once. At least in this timeline, she knew he did love her, her brother, and her mother. She thought to herself but still couldn't help but feel jealous of her baby self.

“How old are they?” he whispered as he sat down in the chair.

“Two months, almost three,” Fluttershy replied.

“Almost three months I have already missed,” he said in a dull tone.

“I wish you were here. I wish you could watch them grow up and that they got to know you,” Fluttershy told him, trying not to cry again.

“Fluttershy, I am here,” he said as he stood up and placed the baby back in the crib before turning to her.

“What's it gonna take to get you to—” Before he could say anything, he felt his son grab his tail.

He turned back to see the little one curled up to his tail in its sleep. He was holding on a bit tightly, and Discord had to wiggle it out of his grip; a few feathers and a scale were left in the baby’s hands.

“Anyway, I am here, my dear. I am alive. You see, when the explosion happened, I got knocked out for a few months. I came to, my mind scattered with little memory at first. These two strangers saved…” His eyes widened when he realized what had truly transpired. His jaw dropped open, and his eyes dashed outside the window where he knew the little spy would be waiting for him.

“Something wrong, Diss?,” Fluttershy’s question caught his attention.

“Na, nothing,” he shook his head. “A changeling got loose because of Twilight, and I know I had to stop it.” He sighed and looked back down at the child in his arms, only for dread to fill his soul.

“Fluttershy,” he leaped up. “My dear, we’re in danger,” his voice shook. “The baby’s in danger, and I’m afraid I have no strength to protect you or them.” With a wince, Discord could only place the baby back in its crib as Fluttershy stood motionless, as if it were all a dream. When she didn’t say anything, he finally turned to her, leaping to her side and taking her by the hoof. “Fluttershy, listen to me, it’s not safe here. We have to go. You must come with me. We have to run; we have to hide now!” Oh, but where to? he moaned and slumped to the floor.

“G-Go with you? Oh, that would be lovely!” she grinned. “Oh, I would introduce you to my parents,” she shook her head dreamily. “My dad would flip,” she snickered. “Oh, but my mom would see you have a good heart, and, and we’d be—”

“Your parents live in Cloudsdale, isn’t that right?” he raised his head slightly.

“Yes, we have a little guest house on the lake right by the town. Oh, it’s so beautiful! I always wanted to get married at the church where I grew up.” She sniffled happily as she clutched her wedding ring.

“Yeah—yeah, let’s go,” Discord got to his feet. “Pack your things; we’re leaving, dear, tonight!” he emphasized.

She stared blankly at him in response.

“Now!” demanded Discord as he shook her. “Grab whatever you need, and let’s go…”

“Is this a dream?” she asked once more.

His eyes fluttered as he thought of what to say next, but with a roll of his eyes, he gave in. “Yes, yes, this is a dream. I’m here to sweep you off your feet; come, my love,” he seductively groaned and raised his claw, offering it to her. “We’re strangers to love,” he began to sing. “You know the rules and so do I, yi.”

With the sound of their song on the tip of his lips, she nodded and turned around to pack her things. He soon crawled out of the window he entered, a warm feeling of joy finally filling his heart as he tightened his black cloak around himself. He blissfully sighed and closed his eyes, raising them to the heavens above. “I know you’re there…”

Discord spoke with a hint of amusement running across his voice—an almost creepy sound that caught his spy's ears.

“Melody, come here, my dear,” her father beckoned her out of the shadows. A shiver ran through her body, along with a strange warmth she hadn’t felt in years. Soon, she rose from the bushes, only to become as stiff as stone when she saw his figure against the cold moonlight, like a shadow cast against the light of the night.

“Daddy!” she chirped, crying out.

Discord's eyes snapped to her, a grin forming on his face as he watched her step into the moonlight. However, his smile faded to an emotionless expression with every step he took toward her.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” His voice turned cross, though there was a warmth in it that hadn’t been there before.

“I wasn’t supposed to; it’s time travel rules,” Melody lowered her head.

Discord narrowed his eyes and observed his daughter's form for a moment. “How could I not put it together? You’re as beautiful as your mother,” he whispered in awe before gripping, “I should have known.”

“What now... Daddy, we have to—”

Discord snickered at his daughter's words. “Oh, that’s gonna take some getting used to.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Ghost,” Melody stammered as she retreated.

“No, no, please, by all means,” he lowered his head into his claws.

An awkward silence welled up for a moment until the sound of rumbling from the house behind them told them Fluttershy was coming.

“Melody, let me tell you a secret,” his lips curved into a soft smile.

She could only nod, amazed at how soft her father's voice could be when he wasn’t acting like an evil prick.

“I love your mother… and I… I made mistakes, mistakes I wish I could take back, dear.”

“Dad, you—”

“I was so mean to your brother,” Discord shook his head. “I’m going to do everything I can to keep you safe, and right now… that’s to run,” he mumbled, turning his back to her.

“Dad, there will be nowhere to run in—”

“In the future, I know, but right now it's all I can do.”

“Ta—take me with—”

“No, your brother needs you… you must stop the apocalypse together, you two—”

“We’re not as strong as you!” Melody cried out.

“No,” Discord snapped back. “You’re stronger, and in time you’ll see how strong you are. Now go!”

“But—”

Just then the door opened, and Fluttershy trailed out with two bags full of stuff and her babies asleep, tied to her chest.

Discord slipped back into the shadows of the house and greeted her as Melody watched.

“I still have your bike,” Fluttershy giggled as she got on the back of it.

Discord happily chuckled and rubbed the handlebars, amazed that it was still in one piece. With one last exhale of fresh air, he threw one leg over the side of it and revved the engine.

This left young Melody speechless as she watched her family finally leave together. She stood for a minute, unsure of what to do next, but her father's words came back to her mind. Her brother—she needed to get back to her brother.