I frown while standing on my hooves in the foyer of the strange lighthouse building, “So wait! You’re an android from the distant past, sent here to collect information, and she was the unicorn you were supposed to replace!”

The bluish-green unicorn on the left smiles, “That is correct!”

I sigh and nod, “Right, but for some reason, they couldn’t return the traditional way, and were forced to return using magic!”

The bluish-green unicorn on the right smiles in an almost mechanical fashion, “That is also correct!”

“And I got sucked into Bridlewood, because I guess that’s near where the castle used to be, and it’s far in the future?”*

Misty nods, “Yup!”

I frown… “So uh, what do I do now?”

“We make you better!”

I widen my eyes, “Better?”

The android says, “Well, if you were indeed evil in the future as Misty suggests, it would make logical sense to divert you, so you take a new path… “

I stare at the robot, “New path?”

Misty says, “Are you going to keep repeating what we say?”

I stare at her, “Well, it’s a lot, okay! I mean, “I close my eyes, “they told me they were protecting me… Protecting me from what?”

“Is that relevant anymore?”

I stare at the android, “What do you mean, robot?”

She frowns, “I mean, if it was the past, what relevance does that have now? You’re here, hundreds of years in the future, where there are no Celestia and Luna, and now there’s us! Don’t you believe this would be a logical time to start over?”

I grimace, “What?”

Misty takes two paces towards me while the android looks at her, and smiles, “I’m saying, this is a new life for you Opaline! A fresh start! It doesn’t matter what Starswirl said about you becoming an evil threat to Equestria in the past!”

I frown and stare blankly when it all hits me… “They wanted to protect me from myself!”

Misty’s eyes widen, “What?”

I stare at her again, “Yes, they said that I would become a threat to Equestria one day, and that I needed to be kept isolated, in order to protect me! What if they were protecting me from myself??

“That is not logical, as a sane rational pony does not pose a threat to itself!”

I frown, “It is when they think I’ll be dangerous to others! What they told me was obviously a ploy to make me benign. If I were ever to break free… “

“No Opaline!” Misty says to me!

I stare at her, “Well, like the android just stated, regardless of the reasoning, it’s no longer relevant, right?” and smile at her… They’re gonna turn me into stone or something!

Misty sighs and says, “Well, not really? Hey!” and smiles, “Are you hungry? We were about to have lunch!”

I frown, “Misty! How could you eat at a time like this?”

She takes another pace towards me and hugs me, “It’s okay little Opaline… You’re here with us now, we know you’re not evil, and you’re safe… “

I hug this insane unicorn back, while the android continues to observe us from the side…

She releases me, and I look at Starbeam, “So I suppose I’m to hug you as well?”

Her eyes widen, “What do you mean?”

I sigh and take 3 paces towards her, and embrace her larger frame in a hug, while she remains motionless…

“What are you doing, Opaline?”

Misty says, “So Opaline, you feel that everypony needs love and support then?”

I let the machine go, and adjust my body to her, “I don’t know, okay? I was basically kept prisoner in the castle because of a prophecy, and now, I don’t know where I am, or who you are! This is all so very strange to me, so please forgive me if I need a bit of support right now!”

Misty’s green eyes grow enormous, “Wait! Opaline! Did you just say you needed support?”

I sigh and nod, “Well, yes, I suppose I did! I…” and stare to the side, “guess I’m not really used to having any support.” and back to them, “Everypony at the castle just saw me as some sort of problem to be locked away, so this is all a bit unusual to me.” and smile… “But if you’re offering, yes! I’ll accept your support!”

The unicorn begins to vibrate, “And love! We’re gonna love you too, Opaline!”

“Love is foreign to me… “

I eye the curious unicorn, “L-love?”

I suddenly hear a liquidy male voice say from behind me, “Oh, hello dear Opaline! Did you sleep well during your first night here at the Brighthouse?”

I turn around to see that familiar draconequus there, and smile up at him, “Oh, yeah Discord! They were talking about showing me love and support!”

He floats a few feet towards me and pinches my cheek with his eagle talon, “Oh, and I’m just sure this will be a wonderful fresh start for you, little Opaline!” and lifts his lion paw to a point, “But, there was one more thing I meant to do here!” before his body turns towards the android. “Unicorn-01! Tell me, would you like to become a real pony?”

The robot stares at him and says, “Uh, I’m not sure? I mean, it’s a lot to process! What about the way I’m built though? I don’t know if I could get used to flesh and blood? And so uh, the process and coding has been more or less uh, circular! I’m honestly not sure what I want?” and smiles demurely at him…

He chuckles, “Ha ha ha ha ha! It’s just so adorable!” and widens his eyes while curving his neck down to the android, “The metal pony truly doesn’t know what to do?”

The draconequus stares at her for a moment, and smiles at her, “I get it! You need some time to think, and that is okay!” then turns towards me, “And how about you,dearest sweetOpaline? Are you enjoying your time with Misty and Starbeam so far?”

I frown at him, “Why wouldn’t I be?”

He sighs, “Well, it’s just that right now, there’s so much delightful chaos that I can’t help but wonder what I may do to enhance it? You know, you were quite abusive to young Misty there!”

I widen my eyes, “I was?”

He nods, “Yes, but see, now, we have a unique opportunity here!”

I form a small smirk when I realize what this creature is up to, “Why, whatever do you mean, Discord?”

“I mean, you’re young again and we get to start over!”

“I never know quite what they mean by that, because the truth is, I just started!”

He nods, “Right, but the truth is, you don’t have to!” before pointing his talon at me.

I frown, “We were all about to have a delightful luncheon, when you suddenly decided to show up! Don’t you believe that’s enough chaos for now? There will be time for more later after, and we mustn’t get ahead of ourselves!” as I begin to realize that’s probably what he’s after?

He smiles and forces his snaggle-tooth up, “You’ve spent your whole life in relative isolation and solitude, and now you yearn for something new and different, is that not right?”

I chuckle, “Well, it certainly wouldn’t be unwelcome, although I was getting hungry!”

“Allow me!” He says before snapping his eagle talon in the air!

Blue light envelopes me, and I then teleport to a new location…

<*****>

I’ll admit that the Logos is annoying, and it seems trifling for I, the Lord of Chaos to be at all concerned with ‘the balance’, but it is what it is, I suppose…

Still, I can’t help but smile as the larger white alicorn and dark blue alicorn stare at the young magenta alicorn filly across the table for their lunch together, with a confused frown on their faces…

I finally open my mouth to speak, “Now, who’s ready for some chaotic balance?”

(To be continued… )

Author's Note

*I’ve always felt that modern Bridlewood is probably where the Everfree Forest used to be, and since she was in the Castle of the Two Sisters when she was a foal, it would make sense for her to arrive in or near the unicorn village…