This morning seemed to start well, Discord expected to awaken to either a sofa, or a poorly kept bed in a messy room. Instead, he awoke to a thick quilt and a soft mattress, in a very good quality room. Bookshelves, a cupboard, a cabinet unit, a beautiful firefly lamp. Not only that, but that it was warm, unlike the chilly place he once lived in.
He slowly and lazily awoke from his bed, moving his sheets away, giving a big yawn into his bear-like paw. He walked slowly and clumsily towards his bedroom door, remembering not to put too much weight on his leg. He felt like he was on holiday: happy to be in a new place, yet waking up was still gonna make you look like a zombie!
He grabbed the door handle and dragged it down, before pushing open the door. And he was greeted by screams. Great. That's how he wanted to start the day. Hold on, screams! Discord immediately flicked into action, and sprinted for his front door. He desperately pulled at it, but it was locked! He quickly snatched the keys off the nearby kitchen table and sprinted back to the door, before rapidly unlocking the door. After giving it a mighty shove and stepping outside, Discord saw countless unicorns run by him, sprinting for a tall building that was being consumed by a mass of fire! Unicorns started surrounding the building and desperately cast water spells on the building, but the couldn't cast too much otherwise the structure might be damaged and collapse. Pegasi rolled up on the scene, attempting to put out the blase using rain clouds, yet the fire was spreading too quickly.
What could Discord do? He didn't know any water spells! And he sure as hell wasn't about to save a baby from that burning building, that's the most cliched thing to do...
Without warning, Discord was almost knocked off his feet by... Starswirl??? He was sprinting towards the building, looking determined! Of course, Discord may not be at that level of cliche, but Starswirl had no response to that kind of stuff! Discord immediately started running after him once he saw him speed by, but Starswirl was inside the building before Discord could catch him! Not only that, but if Discord tried to fit through there, he'd be turned to John De Lancing roast!
He desperately called "Starswirl, come out from there, you'll get hurt!" Repeatedly, but to no prevail! He flew up the side of the building, looking for some sign of the foal, all he got was the occasional glimpse of blue, yet what he really needed was an opening so he could enter and find that foal! What Discord did next was a T-shirt moment!
He finally got clear view of Starswirl, he was in the center of what appeared to be a nursery on the top floor. There was a window behind him, and a window between Discord and Starswirl. The building suddenly started groaning like crazy, and was falling to one side! It was now or never...
Discord, in full Michael Bay style, charged right through the window, caught Starswirl mid flight, and flew right out the other window, glass flying every where all the while! He covered up Starswirl's tiny body with his free hand as the windows smashed. The building gave a final groan before it collapsed, Discord hovering no more than 10 feet away as it fell into a pile of dust. The flames were put out under the weight of it's own rubble, and Starswirl seemed to have something on his horn... a ring?
Discord was going to take it off his horn, but he immediately pulled his finger away when it was burnt after touching it. Supposedly, Starswirl couldn't feel it's heat since it was on his horn, specifically. Discord then decided to stop floating above this pile of debris as if he was a lord of chaos... actually... no no, moving on! He landed beside the crowd of ponies, and immediately Laba showed up, looking very VERY pleased!
"D- Discord... Starswirl... have you any clue what that is?" Discord had no clue, question is: did Starswirl? Laba clearly did.
"V... that's my engagement ring," well dayum! "I thought for sure it was going to be forever missing... your child saved it!" Discord was shocked, shocked beyond belief. How did Starswirl know Laba's engagement ring was in there? He looked down at the foal, who was using his magic to give the ring to Laba, who held it with his own magic now.
"I have to say, this is a wonderful thing you have done!" Laba finally managed to say. "Your child deserves a million cookies for his brave work! Speaking of which, everyone, run along!" The crows started clearing. "Off to work, off to work..." Oh yes, work! Discord had a job now as lookout, but he wasn't going until Starswirl had a place at school. He called for Laba.
"Laba," the doctor turned to face him "could you please point us towards the school? And, how exactly will Starswirl here get a place?" Discord would have to get a map or something for this place, he was living here now, and he didn't exactly know his way around...
"Well, the school is right," Laba pointed to a building just down the road, only a short walk "there. You should be able to get a place just by walking in and introducing your foal, we're not fussy..." Discord thanked Laba for the directions and headed towards the building. It was one of the larger buildings in Hollow Shades, yet the structure was still mostly wooden. The pointed roves were lined with a small layer of stone, and there was a single small door beside the courtyard, which was only small, probably large enough to fit only a dozen or so fillies or foals.
He walked through the gate-less courtyard and entered through the small door. He saw the sight of a large classroom, chairs and tables neatly aligned, recent pieces of work decorating the walls. However, the room was empty, except for a single teacher. This Pegasus had a bouncy looking, fluffy mane, brown in coloration. Her fur was yellow, and she wore a pair of half moon glasses. She approached Discord calmly and introduced herself.
"Hello, sir" Aah yes, more of the sir! "I am Miss Bud, I teach art here! And, what might your name be?" She seemed very polite, and she didn't seem at all intimidated by Discord's large size... that's a first.
"I'm Discord, and this is Starswirl!" Starswirl waved playfully, Miss Bud waved back and gave a timid "hi!" "He tends to learn very quickly, and... seems to have some sort of supernatural connection with rings..." What other way could he put it? He was a super foal, here to save the day by clearing the streets of red hot engagement rings? Uhm... no.
"Well, he looks excited!" Miss Bud informed him, Discord placing down Starswirl, he just stayed by his side. "Is it okay if I leave him here with you, I have work." Crossed fingers...
"Sure!" Yes! Fingers un-crossed, score one! "Remember to pick him up at 3pm, okay?" 3 pm, that was fine for Sir Discord of Hollow Shades. Yes, he liked that name!
"Sounds good!" Starswirl pawed at Discord's leg, he was going to have to leave him! Discord looked at him... he shouldn't have. Puppy eyes, no! Not the puppy eyes! He would have to brave it... Crouching down, he spoke to young Starswirl.
"I trust the ponies here, Starswirl, so you should too! You'll have a lot of fun here, and I'll be fine! Besides, at one point or another we'll have to part ways for good, so this isn't all that bad by comparison!" Well, he tried! It seemed to work, Starswirl gave Discord a BIG cuddle, and after Discord got up, Starswirl seemed happy to join Miss Bud's side. With a farewell to the two of them, and a wave to his child, he could now see what his new place of work would be like!