A Man And His Paradise

"Wait. Let me get this straight.” I looked towards Luna with absolute confusion on my face. “Are you saying that I went bat-shit insane and tried to destroy an ENTIRE city?”

Luna looked over to me and cocked her head “Well, yes that is what I am saying”

“Excuse me, but I find that hard to believe.”

“Well if you would let me explain then it might make more sense.”

“Nope pretty sure it would still make absolutely ZERO sense to me”

I emphasised my point by raising my hands to the roof. I looked towards Luna to only see her eye twitching. Holy... did I break the royal poker face? Luna holds a hoof out to stop me from saying anything as she lifts the other one to her face, giving a shuddering sigh as she held her hoof in place.

I looked towards the clock 7:45 pm well that isn’t so... WAIT 7:45 PM!?!?! I leapt of my seat barrelling towards the door “Wait where are you going???” Luna calls after me “I’M LATE!!!”

“What would you have to be late for!?!”

“I’ve got to pick something up from the shops!!”

1 hour later – Store

The store clerk looks at me as I approach the counter “Hi what can I do for you today!”

“Uh... I’m Roderick. I’m here to pick up my order...” I say quietly, Hey don’t blame me I’m not used to talking to others!

The store clerk looks me up and down, then nods to me and reaches below the counter. “This is some pretty high grade stuff you ordered sir, I don’t know if I should rightly give it to you.” I sigh as I look around me.

“Look I can show you my ID or we can argue in front of the other customers, your choice...” The store clerk.... what is his name? I look to his badge Paul... “Paul” Paul looks to me then back under the counter.

“Alright sir, I don’t know why you need all of these tools...” I bet you guys thought it was drugs..... “But I will need to see some ID before I had these over”

I nodded as I reached into my pocket, pulling out my wallet I showed him my ID. Roderick Hallerway, 21/02/1990. Paul nodded as he pushed the bag towards me. “Thanks Paul. Have a great day.”

He smiled at me then. “You have a good day to sir.”

On the road home – 40 minutes later

I was listening to a song by Hollywood Undead as the rain poured onto the roof on, kind of ironic that the song is called Rain. Anyway I started to sing along to the song as I drove along the wet road.

“I don't mind, no I don't mind, I don't mind the rain

Simple things and subtleties, they always stay the same

I don't mind, that I don't mind, no I don't mind the rain

Like a widow's heart, we fall apart and never fade away (fade away)”

“Run like a child do you know where I came from?

No I don't, but I'm singing all the same songs

I'm alone, and you're looking for your anyone

Does it hurt just to know that it's all gone?

“I can feel the pain in the words that you say

Hidden in the letters that were written to no name

Let me be the hands that you hold to your face

Cause' I'd give it all up if I could take it away”

“Buried in red, white, and a side of some blue

Some will die too late, and somebody too soon

If he could come back, we'll see what it cost him

We had to lose it all, just to know that we lost one”

“Hi, I'm just a shape in the shadow of grates

Hi, I'm just a voice in the choir of saints

Oh all the souls that nobody could save

and just like a light, we faded away”

“I don't mind, no I don't mind, I don't mind the rain

Simple things and subtleties, they always stay the same

I don't mind, that I don't mind, no I don't mind the rain

Like a widow's heart, we fall apart and never fade away (fade away)”

“Fade away, as I fade away, away, away”

“If I could take it all back

Before the flags were forces to wave at half mast

That was long before my heart became black

There's no way to make it change or go black

You know that some of us grow old, with no homes

Some of us die in a cold house, with no hope

Still surrounded by the people you don't know, so don't go”

“Cause it's over the time fades your photo

how many goodbyes can fit in a lifetime?

How many good lies can make it seem alright?

What do you see when you look into my eyes?

Or in the sky right before you say goodnight?”

“I could be the son that stands beside of your bed

and I could be the voice right inside of your head

I could say goodbye and you know where I went

I just wrote a letter that'll never be sent”

“I don't mind, no I don't mind, I don't mind the rain

Simple things and subtleties, they always stay the same

I don't mind, that I don't mind, no I don't mind the rain

Like a widow's heart, we fall apart and never fade away (fade away)

Fade away, as I fade away, away, away

As I fade away, away, away

As I fade away, away, away

As I fade away....”

At the end of the song I couldn’t help but remember all of those who were lost to me. My parents, my brother, Olivia..... I couldn’t hold the tears back any longer and my vision started to go hazy, so I stopped the car and pulled over to the side of the road, hoping that I could hold them off.

A chocked sob escaped from the confines of my throat; undoing the belt around me I brought my knees up to my chest and gripped them with my hands. I opened the door and fell to the ground, hot tears mixing in with the cold rain. I got up and walked, no direction, not going anywhere. I just walked.

After I don’t know how long of walking, I came upon a single tree upon a hill with a root sticking out of the ground. On the trunk of the tree was a symbol, I remembered that from somewhere.... but where? Looking closely I saw two red angle wings with a golden sword in the middle. The carving had six glyphs that I couldn’t make out surrounding the symbol.

“Well my boy, it looks like you are wallowing in sadness and pity.” Turning around I saw a man with a.... IS HE WEARING A POLKADOT SUIT?!?!?!?

“Are you wearing a polka dot suit?” I laughed wiping the tears from my eyes.

“My good sir this is one of my best suits!” He smiled at me, and I laughed. Oh god did I laugh.

“Well congrats you just brought me out of my bad mood.” I patted him on the shoulder then moved to the upraised root and sat on it. “Well what do you want with me then? Mister crazy hairdo, polka dot suit man...”

He raised a bushy eyebrow at me and stroked his white goatee. “Now what makes you think I want something to do with you?”

I smiled at the white haired man. “Well I can take three guesses at who you are and what you want with me. But I’m just going to guess once, Discord what do you want from me?”

The man with the white hair’s eyebrows rose up in surprise at being found out. “Okay Roderick Hallerway, you found me out. Yes I am Discord, and I have a proposition for you my friend.” He smiled warmly at me.

Smiling I looked him in the eye. “Oh my friend and what would this proposition from you be?”

Smiling manically he summoned a pad and pen. “It’s easy, just sign here and agree to cause havoc in Equestria and I’ll give you whatever you want.”

Hmmmmm. It was a good offer, but agreeing to cause havoc in Equestria? As fun as that sounded I had a counter offer.

Smiling manically myself I said. “Ok Discord, I have a counter offer for you. I’ll agree to cause havoc in Equestria WHEN and WHERE I choose, not whenever you say. Also, I want to be able to do ANYTHING I want. Do anything I choose. But in the end I WILL still cause havoc.”

Discord smiled at the human named Roderick, “You sir, are an interesting specimen of your kind. Only a few agreed to what I had said but they didn’t want to go in the end.” He scowled at me. “Family, they said. Didn’t want to leave them behind.” Waving a.... was he wearing a giant mitten on one hand? I looked at him with a look saying ‘are you serious?’ He laughed at me and smiled.

“Anyway, I LIKE these terms you put up.” Cracking his knuckles he moved towards me. I quickly put my hands in front of me.

“You are not fucking PUNTING me into Equestria.” He frowned at me.

“How did you know I was going to do that?” I smiled at him mischievously.

“I’ve read too much Fan-Fiction for you to be able to pull off that move on me.”

We both laughed at each other. “Well Discord, I think I’m cured of my depression.” I stopped dead in my tracks.

“What’s the matter friend?” Discord asked, cocking his head to the side.

I looked at him and smiled sadly. “I left Luna at home.”

He scowled when I said Luna’s name. “What’s she doing here; we agreed you were to go with me!”

I raised an eyebrow at Discord’s ranting. “Anywho, Discord what’s going to happen to me now, now that we have this....? Deal between us.”

He stopped and looked at me. “Oh well what happens is that you get to choose what you want to be.”

I looked at him in confusion. “Wait...... I get to choose?”

“Well yes. You get to choose.”

“Huh.....” I put a hand to my chin in thought; I could be a Griffin... or a Pegasus! I know I want to be something with wings. Anything that could fly, but would be able to protect myself...... Maybe a Dragon...? Yea.... A Dragon! I want to be a Dragon! No one can fuck with a Dragon and get away with it! Im’a BURN YO ASS BOY! I started to laugh manically and Discord raised an eyebrow.

“What’s the most destructive, most chaotic, long living creature that you can think of that’s not you?” He looked at me, then raised a hand and started to scratch his chin.

“Well, the only thing I can think of is..... Oh boy. Are you sure?” He looked at me with a scared expression.

I shook my head, “No not a complete Dragon. I still want my form. But more of a Draconic image in nature, more imposing. And! I want to have the same abilities you have, plus a few other things that I’ll throw into the mess. But that’s for me to know and you to never find out!”

I laughed manically at Discord, and after a few minutes he said. “You are either so stupid that you think I’ll let you have my abilities or-”

I interrupted him saying. “Discord, my brain functions on stupid and insane. Just like yours! I’ve been in a depression for over seven years; you have just given me the greatest gift any man can ask for. Ever since my family died I’ve had no reason to stay here. I WILL cause the chaos you so wish upon the fun and happy land of Equines. But in exchange I want the freedom to do so whenever I want. Not when you say so, when I say so.....”

He looked at me with hatred in his eyes. I smiled; time to let the cat out of the bag, but only a little. I felt my back itching and my mouth burn; my eyes began to be tinged with a red hue, lightening began to trail up and down my arm and the storm above intensified, lightening streaking down and hitting my back, turning my shirt into ashes revealing the red winged tattoo upon my back.

“You were right when you said I was different from the rest of my kind Discord.” I smiled revealing the fangs now that had replaced my teeth. Discord flinched and moved back a bit. I matched him foot for foot, lightening still hitting me and the ground around me. “You see, several years ago. I had no control over my emotions, any type of emotion set of a response that I had no control over. But that’s why I came back out here, to learn to control my mind, my body. The government tried to figure me out and couldn’t. And right now. You couldn’t do a thing to hurt me. So like I said,” I lowered my voice several pitches, for more effect. “I WILL CAUSE HAVOC AND CHAOS IN EQUESTRIA BUT I AND ONLY ME WILL CHOOSE WHEN AND WHERE I DO SO. AND YOU WILL GIVE ME THE POWERS THAT I WILL USE TO DO SO. Do you understand what I am saying?”

I watched as Discord sweated bullets down unto the ground. I’m serious; he sweated BULLETS unto the ground. He finally nodded at me and snapped his fingers.