The Secret Side Of Discord

by Lemon Pegasus

Ripe turned spoilt

Author's Note:

Note: I personally have nothing wrong with homosexuality, any homophobic statements in this chapter have no reflection of what I think at all. I'm just dreading a flood of angry comments and dislikes, but remember, I don't mean anything bad said here personally. If you were affected by it, personally email me and I shall try to fix it, I don't wish to cause any harm or offence.
Email: [e-mail]

"Story time, is it?" Friar started. His voice reminded Discord of some kind of war hero, but with a little joker thrown in. "Fasten your seat belts." That's right, Friar back story, how many friars could Friar fry if Friar could fry friars?

"And you're sure your ready?"Friar's pale red father was persistent. "You can wait until the next enlisting, you don't have to go now!" His black mane was starting to sweat, it was just as big a moment for him as it was for his son.

"Dad, I have been waiting since I was five years old, I'm enlisting!" Friar had only just turned 16 last month and the royal guard had started enlisting more young recruits last week, he was seizing this opportunity! And with the recent conflicts involving a herd of changelings, the Celestial guard needed him! More than 10 years of preparation had led him to this moment, if he turned back, all the study and physical exercises will have been for nothing!

Friar's dad gave a sigh. "Alright, now don't be worried." He started adjusting the collar on Friar's neat, brown uniform. Traditionally, the royal guard would wear armor of a yellow color, but newer recruits would wear a brown army uniform with black trousers and holsters until they had passed all three of Celestia's schools. There was one for physical endurance, one for wisdom and tactics and one for courage and bravery.

Knocking away his father's hoof, he made his way towards the grand hall where the other ponies wishing to be enlisted would fill in their forms and be assessed. He didn't look back for his father, he knew exactly how he would look, worried. He had been a soldier ever since he was Friar's age, the main inspiration behind why Friar wanted to enlist. Supposedly, he was nervous because he knew what hard work it was and hence he was concerned for his son.

He didn't feel, in any way, nervous as he walked through the large, marble archway and into the enormous hall. The roof was insanely high up, three more stories could easily be built in this one room, if it wasn't for the giant stained glass windows that lined the walls, depicting legendary scenes of past defeats and predictions. The light shining into the room created colorful sparkles on the tough stone floor, thanks to the bright colors in the windows.

At the far side, sat at a small table, was a pony in the traditional yellow armor, white fur with a brown mane. He seemed to have a large pile of paper beside him, though Friar couldn't tell exactly what it was from this distance. There was only a couple of ponies -wearing the same uniform Friar was- lined up, as Fiar wanted to get there early. Maybe 30 minutes was a bit much, but all well. Friar started approaching the short line. Even though he had no nervousness on entry, his nerves started to build as he got closer.

Taking his spot behind the pony in front of him, Friar held all his nerves back. He wanted to sweat, but he wasn't going to let himself. He wanted to shake, but he wasn't going to let himself. He stood smart, proud and powerful. He could only hear the ponies talking in front of him, one asking questions, one answering them. The line got shorter. Not only that, the pony stood in front of Friar was the only pony standing between him and the questioner. The pony asking the questions had a very commanding voice, one that was deep and clear. The pony he was questioning sounded like he was nervous but trying to hide it, probably what Friar was about to sound like. He just now noticed his physical superiority to the pony in front of him, maybe all that training HAD paid off.

It was a long wait. Odds are it was the nerves, making time seem slow and painful. It was self-warfare, a battle Friar's mind was going to win. Soon enough, the pony walked outside. Friar just now realized there were more ponies behind him. He slowly stepped up to the pony sat at the table.

"Name." The pony demanded a name. Friar took a deep breath, thinking "don't fuck this up, don't fuck this up..."
"Friar Swift." Friar was shocked, he sounded very confident! He spoke clearly and boldly, his nerves weren't shining through! His big secret probably wasn't going to help calm him, but he doubted his sexuality would come up as one of the questions.

Every one of the pony's questions were answered with pride and strength, Friar showing no signs of slack.
"Race?"
"Pegasus."
"Age?"
"16"
"training?"
"all my life, by my father, who works here already."

Soon enough, he had passed. Every question, absolutely nailed! Friar would happily leap into the air and shout "nailed it, hell yeah!" but, you know, that would probably get him kicked out right there on the spot. He was given the order to walk outside and take a seat. He did so, walking outside to reveal a magnificent view of Canterlot from a high up balcony. He could admired the view later, for now he had a seat to sit in! There were many seats lined up, 6 rows of 10 seats. Not many ponies were sat down, as we gathered earlier, he was very early. He took a seat away from the other ponies and waited.

He just now realized, the new security laws! The changelings have put the guards around here on high alert, the unicorns are requested to occasionally look into the minds of other ponies near the castle to make sure they are genuine. If they found out... he just had to focus on something else. "Don't screw up, remember your training..." There was a commander stood not too far away.

"Leave." Friar's heart was in his mouth. "You, second row back, out!" This was not fair, nor was it ethical!
"Sir, with all due respect, I wish to enlist, I have been training for over a decade!" The commander looked unaffected.
"You don't fit qualifications, hate to see you shag a man on the front line." The other recruits started laughing. He shouldn't have, but Friar stood up.
"Sit down, idiot." Friar was not about to.
"You're not my commander just yet!" Hello hello, banter! The commander stepped forward "What can these men offer I can't?" Friar made a good point. The commander didn't seem to let up.

"I'm not asking you again. We don't want you. Piss off." Friar, honestly, was happy to go. He wasn't going to leave without a quick remark first. He stepped onto the edge of the large open balcony, or whatever you might want to call it, a platform? He stood at the edge, faced the commander and said,
"Those hats look for feminine than I ever will." Apply ice to burned area. Friar leaped off the balcony and swooped towards his home, his flying giving him a chance to think.

"All my life I was training to be a member of the royal guard. Now that I can't be, what else can I do? What will I tell the guys back home? If they find out, will they abandon me?" The wind whistling past his ear drums and blowing his mane everywhere didn't exactly help him gather his thoughts.

His house was in sight, a simple two bedroom home. Nothing to shout about, it was very similar to the houses neighboring it, simple box shape, triangular roof. Closing in, he landed steadily onto the cobblestone road. He took a deep breath. Approaching the door, he was thinking about what to say when he was asked why he couldn't get in... The door swung open. He slowly walked in, heart racing. His dad sat in his green patterned chair. The pegasus looked up at Friar with both surprise, and glee.

"You're back! ...And, quite early, do they no longer give smaller tests and information on the day of recruitment?" He sounded enthusiastic and confused.
"Yes, and they've also hired the minimum age for recruitment to 18," Friar replied, the dad looking puzzled, "Suppose they didn't want anypony who hadn't matured on the guard following the incident with the changelings?" That was actually a plausible argument! Hooray!

"Well, they never told me? Surely they would have announced a thing like that..." Friar hated it when his heart was in his mouth, it tasted weird, "But... I guess there is nothing we can do about that, you'll just have to wait." That was a relief. "Anyway, I have a shift in an hour, I must get ready." He arose from his chair and marched upstairs. Friar, in need of a rest, sprawled himself out onto the couch. He was suddenly overcome by a barrel of rage. Training all his life and a completely unrelated factor get's him the boot... how could they? What is that saying about the modern Equestrian society? He felt ashamed for wearing this uniform, he didn't want to be seen in it. He unbuttoned the coat and threw it onto the floor, followed by the holster and the trousers (or pants for you 'Muricans). He exhaled lazily. What now?

He must have fallen asleep. He didn't wake up until his dad returned. The dad returned to his chair, turning on the firefly lantern, as it was now dark, Friar must have been sleeping for a while. However, it was late Autumn, it got dark rather early.He looked serious. Great.

"The minimum age for enlisting is still 16," He said. Friar, just give your heart a bed in your mouth, he seems to be there a lot, "I asked one of the guards, they told me that. So, I checked with the lad who was signing ponies up. He tells me you were failed enlistment because one of the commanders discovered a flaw with that new mind reading spell that's being used for security purposes." Friar got up.

"Okay, what about it?" Friar spoke in sounded different since he had just been sleeping, but he still knew what he was talking about. The dad seemed to as well, and he sounded mad.
"What about it? It's just that my son is a liar and a sinner, yeah what's wrong with that?" Friar was going to stand his ground.
"Why do you think I lied to you? This society is so homophobic, we are ponies too, we have emotions too! Honestly, what's your problem?"
"Get out-" Great, losing your life dream and getting disowned in one day. What next? Just like earlier, Friar was glad too. He got up, and immediately he cursed his dad.

"Don't speak to your father like that!" He responded.
"...you're not my farther." Friar headed to the door, no tears what so ever coming to his eyes, only a goal: don't look back.
"Wait... I over reacted," Oh, hello? "Let's talk about this." Now he had a decision to make. Whatever life awaited Friar, surely it would be more accepting. Really, there was no decision. He didn't speak another word, he just walked out, only to be pursued.

"Friar... I can... I don't know, there might be a way to make you... normal!" That was a very insulting thing to say. Implying homosexuality is not "normal."
"And what's normal, stranger," Friar chose his final words carefully, "insulting your offspring for being individual? I think I'll take my chances elsewhere."
"You leave you're not coming back!" That's cliche number... is it three, of this chapter?
"...That's the idea." An Friar flew away, into the darkness.

"And you found Hollow Shades later that night, correct?" Discord asked him. Friar's story was a good one.
"No. Laba found me. He then took me to Hollow Shades." Laba seemed to be a common hero, here.
"Looked tired, hungry, wet, the lot," Laba responded, "Get some rest. We'll need it for tomorrow, we're heading for Rambling Rock Ridge."
Discord lay back, resting his head on his pillow. The ponies had eaten while Friar was telling his story. They had also drunk and given out blankets as well as pillows, all thanks to... THE BOX OF MYSTERIES! Or is it just mystery? Eh.

Starswirl came to Discord's side, snuggling up to him like a puppy, staying close to him for warmth and purely to be with his father. Discord would never disown a child, how Friar's father had the nerve was beyond him, but perhaps there was more to it than he was told, it was a pretty personal subject to touch upo--- he fell asleep.