Discord's Family Reunion

by Mister E

Part 10

Part 10
Chaos Rising

Gasps of shock radiate around Discords sitting room. “What did he just say?” Twilight asks.

“Twilight”, Discord responds somewhat subdued, “This next section I’d rather get though as quickly as I can, everything will become clear shortly. We can talk then.”

“O-okay” Twilight replies, “sorry.”

“No Twilight, it’s just me, this isn’t something I ever wanted to see again, but you need to know, so let’s just get through it.” Discord resumes play, and Fluttershy reaches out to hold his paw.

“An what exactly is an elemental o' chaos?”

“Well in the first place, the elementals of chaos are the only creatures left on this island. Depressing really. An entire island inhabited by only seven... well six living beings, since poor Desire met his demise. All the rest have been... eaten, I guess is the best way to say it.” Sorrow responds.

“All the rest o' the critters here got eaten? An entire islands worth?” Summergale says incredulous.

“Let me start from the beginning,” the goat-like being known as Sorrow responds. In the beginning when Zacherle and Muenchinger created the world, they made this island, and filled it with all of what they considered 'excess' chaos. They sealed it inside an immense barrier, and let it just do it's thing. Well, gradually the chaos seeped into every bit of the island, and before long life emerged. See, when they made an island they had to use order. The sand, the rocks, the dirt, all full of order. And for thinking life to exist, you have to have both. So over time big chunks of chaos, laced with little bits of order started to coalesce into thinking beings.”

“Is that even possible?” Celestia interrupts.

Discord pauses the remote with an irritated sigh. “All right. All right... I can tell that for any of the next part to make sense to you all, I'll have to explain to you some fundamentals about chaos and order.” He says moodily.{Snap} A professors robe appears on Discord and a large blackboard appears between him and the projection.

“Aww great! School. See what you went and did!” Rainbow Dash exclaims.

“Settle down Rainbow, there may be a pop quiz later.” Discord says, a trace of his former levity in his voice.

“All right,” Discord begins, can anyone tell me... what IS chaos?”

Surprisingly Rainbow Dash raises a hoof. 'It's what follows wherever Pinky Pie goes.” she answers smugly, flashing a smile at Pinky, which she returns.

“Well... not where I was going exactly, but true nonetheless. Anyone else?”

“The formless matter supposed to have preceded the existence of the ordered universe?” Twilight responds.

“And Twilight gets a gold star!”{snap} A tiny gold star appears on the tip of her horn. Discord looks at her expectantly. “And for the followup... When the ordered universe came into being with all its fancy laws and constants, what form did chaos then take?”

Twilight furrows her brow, deep in thought.

“I'll give you a hint. Two things in the universe...one can become the other...matter and...” Discord waits expectantly.

“Energy!” Twilight proclaims.

“Correct!”{Snap} A second star appears on Twilight's horn.

Twilight beams at Discord and then Celestia, her former teacher. Celestia, smiles and nods back. “Showoff”, she mutters under her breath, but still loud enough for Luna to hear.

“Now don't be jealous, sister. You know science was never your best subject.” Luna whispers admonishingly.

“If I may continue?” Discord says, directing his gaze at the two princesses, who both look suitably chastised. “Actually I'm glad the two of you drew my notice. You'll both make perfect examples of what I'm about to discuss. Alright Twilight, since you are two for two. Here we have a very close approximation to the situation my sister and I find ourselves in. To wit, for all intents and purposes, one of these two is a princess of 'Order', the other is a princess of 'Chaos', now which is which?”

Before Twilight can respond, Rainbow Dash speaks up, “Well it's obvious! Luna is the Princess of the Night, and was already Nightmare Moon. Of course she is the princess of 'Chaos'!”

“Wrong,” Discord replies,{snap}, A dunce cap is now affixed to Rainbows head, and try as she might, she can't remove it. “Sorry Rainbow, but Celestia is the Chaos princess, and Luna is the princess of Order.”

“WHAT!” Celestia explodes. “I have always, ALWAYS, put the best interests of the ponies in my kingdom, before my own. I've been good, I've been just, I HAVE NOT been at any point EVIL!”

“Evil?” Discord replies sardonically. “Evil? Why Celestia, who ever said anything about evil? Could you possibly be implying that chaos is somehow inherently evil?” Discord says, his gaze focusing on Celestia.

“Weeell,” Rainbow pipes in once again, “The way you acted in the past, could pro-”

“Wrong!” Discord interrupts, {snap} A dunce sign is now plastered across Rainbows mouth, this she is also unable to remove. “You ponies seem to be laboring under a misconception. Chaos & Order, Good & Evil, they don't have anything to do with each other. If you WERE to decide to fit one to the other I would think you would have it backwards. Here, let me show you.” Discord snaps his claw and a rock and a lit candle appear before him. “Alright,” he says picking up the rock. Now let's use this as an example of order. This rock, if nothing were to act upon it ever and ever, would stay the same. That gives you an idea of pure Order. Unchanging sameness. Now if I were to add a little chaos to it, in the form of heat energy in this case.” The rock in Discords claw begins to melt into lava. “And if I remove the chaos.” The lava instantly hardens. “Moving on.” Discord says picking up the candle. “Note the candle flame. It's pure energy, 'chaos' if you will. But not 'living' chaos, this is rather the process of creating chaos. You see the flame turns the matter of the candle into energy. Matter, and energy are the same thing. When you turn matter into energy you create chaos, when you turn energy into matter you create order. When I use my powers, I manipulate raw chaos itself into order. When all you ponies use your magic, you do the same thing with order.

“So,” Twilight speaks up finally, “When you said that Celestia was the Princess of Chaos, you meant because she was the princess of the sun, and the sun is pure energy?”

“Right again.” {snap} Yet another star appears on Twilight’s horn. Rainbow crosses her hooves across her chest, with a pouting expression on her face.

“And Luna is Princess of Order because she represents the night, and darkness represents order? I don't get that part.”

“Well, in this case I was thinking the darkness of the void. Empty, absolute, unchanging. Perfect order. my analogy wasn't perfect, but you get the idea. Anyway, back to the original question. Yours, that is, Twilight. To answer it, I'll need to answer a few others quickly. What is thought? Thought is electricity produced from your brain, which is made out of matter, or order. What is electricity? Energy or Chaos. Ah, but except for Pinky Pie, most ponies thoughts, especially Twilight's are very orderly. So basically, thinking requires chaos that is bound in order. This is true of all life. Chaos is energy, change, growth, and variety. Order is the laws that define the shape of things, and how they work. Living things are chaos bound in order to keep them rational.” A quick glance around the room, “for the most part” he adds. “The world is order laced with chaos, to keep it moving and growing. When Zacherle and Muenchinger decided to make this world they decided to alter the order/chaos balance. They wanted this world to be more orderly and peaceful than the one they came from. But they didn't have the means to remove it entirely from this world, so they siphoned off all the extra they didn't want, and put it on that island. Chaos in all it's randomness can evolve quickly, and all it needed was a pinch of order to evolve into thinking creatures. In no time at all the island was swarming with a multitudes of creatures of every shape and size.”

“But that goat creature...Sorrow. He said there were only six beings left on the island.” Twilight says, as she carefully removes her gold stars and sticks them under her wing.

“True,” Discord replies, “and you'll understand why in just a few moments. You're all about to meet a true master of Chaos.”

He then snaps his claw and the sitting room reverts to the way it was, and Rainbow Dash is freed form her accoutrements. Discord then prepares to resume the narrative. “Alright, pan... zoom, and play.”

The scene before the ponies is now another part of the island. High atop a jagged peak, the view focuses on a dark cave, the view then moves into the interior to focus on a large cavernous room. In the center of the room perched atop a rough hewn throne of stone perches the figure of a dragon. The ponies are immediately struck by the creatures apparent age. The long red serpentine figure still remains imposing, despite its faded scales, some missing in places. It's haggard visage radiates an intelligent malevolence as it gazes into a large viewing globe situated before it. As the ponies view becomes closer, they can hear the creature muttering to itself.

“Hmm. Desire has been slain? How... unexpected. And completely counter to my plans.” The creature says, anger evident in its voice. He looks over at a macabre chessboard where six pieces are situated upon various squares. “All the pieces moving on the board, nice, and dare I say it? Orderly. And suddenly we have a random element to upset all of my years of work!” And with that the dragon upsets the board scattering the remaining pieces across the floor. With a wave of his claw, they all burst into flame and quickly burn to ash.

The beast calms himself and returns his gaze to the viewing globe. “Now what have we here, hmm?” He says as he focuses on the image of Summergale. “Hmm, what indeed. Order, order order, with a small portion of chaos. And that metal rod on her belt, its been almost entirely ordered. Impossible to do here. It MUST be from the outside world! That thing crossed the barrier. And it crossed over even though it had chaos inside of it! My, my, my. This changes everything. Hmm, but there isn't much time. Sorrow will surely try to deceive the creature and devour it. As will the rest of them. Time I think, to take a calculated risk.”

Before the ponies can interject their thoughts, Discord shifts the scene to another secluded residence. “I would greatly appreciate,” Discord says somewhat coldly, “If everyone would quietly pay attention to this part. It took me a long time to unearth this.” And Discord presses the play button.

Three figures stand around another viewing globe. This one is showing the red dragon, and its musings regarding Summergale. “It begins,” Zacherle says sorrowfully.

“Events proceed as they must,” responds Muenchinger.

“I beg you both, stop this now.” An emotional Stonewall interjects. “It is easily within your power. Right now, before this goes any further.”

“They can't!” A fourth figure says, as he emerges from the shadows. His back is to the ponies in the sitting room, and his features are hidden by a long hooded cloak. “They meddled with the balance. Acted like Gods. Now they must face the responsibilities of their actions.”

“And what of yourself?” Stonewall's accusation rings across the vaulted chamber.

“I,” the hooded pony says calmly, “am only doing what I always do. What I've always done. I'm here to fix things.”

“Fix things?!?” Stonewall says incredulously. “They told me what is about to happen. They told me what will happen in years to come. How will ANY of this fix things!” he rages at the figure.

“Stonewall,” Zacherle says quietly. “Please stop. He knows what he is doing. Better than we did... As we are to you, he is to us. We will all abide by his judgment.” She says looking intently at him.

Stonewall bows his head. “As you will it, Great one. If you will allow it, I would return to the castle and gather my things, and visit my friends, before I am called to my 'performance',” he says, pronouncing the last word with a grimace.

After Stonewall makes his departure, both Muenchinger, and Zacherle look toward the hooded figure. “Are you... sure?” Muenchinger asks hesitantly.

“Yes... It will take a great deal of time.” The figure responds. “But time is the one thing we have in abundance.”

Discord pauses the remote on his own this time. As he turns to face the assembled ponies in the room, it is evident that he holding his emotions in check, but barely.

“You all saw?” he asks.

“Ye-es,” Twilight responds hesitantly. “It seemed like they all knew what was going to happen.”

“Exactly!” Discord replies, his voice rising with barely concealed anger. “They knew. They ALL knew. Stonewall as well. They knew what was going to happen. They could have stopped it. But no. They were expecting it, they were counting on it! They were our Gods, and they were USING US!” Discord shouts with rage.

“But they implied they had a reason.” Celestia argues. “And who was that hooded figure?”

“A reason!”, Discord says, flames dancing in his eyes. “Who was he? WHO was he?” Discord says, as he manipulates the view of the room with his remote, “You tell me!” As the view rotates, the ponies notice that no matter what angle they are seeing the room from, the cloaked and hooded figure always has his back to them. “You can't see him, you can NEVER see him! I've tried a hundred times, five hundred. I've even tried going back in time myself. But I CAN'T. Almost all the past, any part that I could affect, is blocked from me! They did this. They KNEW I would try to change things. They used us all, and then they left.” Discord collapses beside Fluttershy, his fury spent.

“Left?” Twilight asks.

“You'll see soon enough Twilight.”Let's get on with the 'farce'.” And he switches the view back to the aged red dragon.

“I was so very close.” The dragon says, snapping his claw, as a map of the island comes into existence. Five red dots at various locations on the map appear, with one blue dot next to one of the red. “They had almost wiped each other out. Only five left to go. Five, out of millions. So long, so very long. But I must admit,” the dragon says as he crumbles off one edge of the map. “It was becoming rather... boring. Where is the pleasure in a game, I cannot lose?” he asks himself, as outside far to the east the shore suddenly erodes into a vast chasm. “This promises to be much more...fun? Oh yes. But first, I had best reign in our little Sorrow.” The map zooms in o the figures of Sorrow and Summergale, as Sorrow is just finishing his welcome.

“SORROW!” A voice shouts in his head. The goat like being cringes, as he falls to his knees clutching his head.

“Are you alright?” Summergale asks.

“F-fine.” Sorrow responds. “S-someone is speaking to me in my mind. J-just give me a moment.” he says waving a cloven hoof at the pony. “What do YOU want?” Sorrow sends back, with his own, albeit weaker voice.

“What I want, is what YOU should want. And that is a way off this island. Wrap your feeble intellect around this one thing. That creature is from the OUTSIDE world. It was able to pass through the barrier. With CHAOS inside of it. Bring it to me AT ONCE. Alive, and unharmed. We have a chance. A chance to escape this cursed place. Do you understand what I am telling you?”

Sorrow's eyes come alight with understanding, as he takes in the dragon's mental words. “Escape! Could it really be possible?” He thinks to himself. “But that would mean trusting...HIM. And that is Impossible.”

“Oh really?” the dragon projects into his mind. “Well, I suppose you are more intelligent than I gave you credit for Sorrow.” The mental voice seems to almost sneer. “Well, what if I told you I was inviting the rest of our little island dwellers along as well, hmm? What if I were to say that I intended for ALL of us to escape together? Surely you don't think I am capable of overpowering all FIVE of you at once?”

The goat known as Sorrow pauses in thought. Finally he sends, “It's true. You couldn't match all five of us, not if we were all together. But why would you want to help any of us?”

“Lets call it, security.” the dragon says carefully. “If I were to leave, or shall we say, the both of us. That would leave whoever remained behind in control of the island. And even without any of us here it still remains a large source of chaos. Long ago when we discovered that we could absorb the chaos of each other when we devoured them, several of us became very powerful very quickly. Suppose one of the ones left behind discovered a way to draw chaos out of the very island itself? Do you really think I would take the chance of letting any of the rest of you have such advantage?”

“Drawing the chaos out of the island itself? That seems...unlikely.” Sorrow replies.

“True, at this time.” The dragon responds. “But who is to say it couldn't happen. It is chaos after all. I would rather have the five of you spread out across the vastness of the world, safely on the OUTside of the barrier, than leaving any of you alone INside with it.”

Sorrow considers the dragons words. Outside of the barrier. Spread across the vastness of the world. Places to hide, places to plan. “I can see the merits of your plan.” Sorrow sends back. “I think, at least in this one thing, that we can all come to an...understanding.”

“Excellent!” the dragon replies. “I have been sending the same messages to the others, and after a certain initial...reluctance, they have agreed as well. Please bring the order 'thing' to my abode as quickly as you can.”

“Of course.” Sorrow replies. “If you would be so kind as to arrange a shift?”

“Indeed,” the dragon responds.

Suddenly the landscape of the island wavers and changes. Instead of a beach, a pleasant arboreal forest now surrounds them, with a clear unmistakable track leading to the base of a jagged mountain in the distance.

Sorrow finally turns to regard the creature before it.

“An what exactly was THAT all about?!?” Summergale says, drawing her cutlass. “Ye fall to yer knees clutchin yer head, and then all of a sudden the whole island changes. What in the name of the sky stallion is going on here?”

“Please calm yourself.” Sorrow says placatingly. “I was receiving a message from one of the other six. The oldest of us all in fact. He is aware of your arrival, and has generously offered us his help. He is very powerful. It was he that changed the landscape to something more pleasant, and gave us this path to his home.”

Summergale studies Sorrow's earnest seeming expression, and then her surroundings. “Aye. Any creature able to landscape an entire island has some mighty strong magic. An I suppose he'd be powerful enough ta help me get back to me ship... if its still out there...” she trails off.

“Easily powerful enough.” Sorrow says smoothly. He is, by far, more powerful than any of us left... separately that is. It has been said that he was the first of us. Although no one knows for sure anymore. Long before my time...” Sorrow begins to chatter on as they walk up the path toward the mountain.

Twilight looks over toward Discord. “You said earlier that Chaos wasn't inherently evil?” she says questioningly.

“It's not Twilight.” Discord replies. But don't mistake me. Those creatures, left on that island? They most definitely are...

Comments

[Pentrath]

I just realized that Discord is made up of the same body parts that these creatures of chaos have. By any chance is this implying they somehow fused with Cordial and created Discord.

[ShadowLDrago]

5179215

Possibly.

[nebulaegalaxy]

5179215 That's a disturbing thought...

[HeartfireFirebrand]

Surprisingly Rainbow Dash raises a hoof. 'It's what follows wherever Pinky Pie goes.” she answers smugly, flashing a smile at Pinky, which she returns.

“Well... not where I was going exactly, but true nonetheless. Anyone else?”

“The formless matter supposed to have preceded the existence of the ordered universe?” Twilight responds.

“And Twilight gets a gold star!”{snap} A tiny gold star appears on the tip of her horn. Discord looks at her expectantly. “And for the followup... When the ordered universe came into being with all its fancy laws and constants, what form did chaos then take?”

Interesting Explanation