Broken Spirit

by Cryssy-miu

Chapter 7 - The Pain We Hide

"That was the last of the lettuce."

"I know."

"...You turned the rest of my lettuce into taffy."

"I know."

"...I can't eat this sandwich now."

"..I know~"

Fluttershy groaned, her saffron form rolling into the rich grass, the blades tickling her nose, brushing over her soft cheeks. She absently pulled the mayonnaise covered, wet and slimy piece of green taffy, grimacing as it stuck to her hooves. She was glad she noticed he had once again transformed her vegetable into some sort of sweet before eating it. That would have been a vile mixture.

"If you keep this up, you naughty thing, we'll be all out of vegetables soon!" Fluttershy punctuated her sentence with a firm, admonishing poke with her hoof to the cinnamon colored chest. The anger in her eyes only made the impish draconequus snicker.

"Oh please, my dear, because veggies are actually better than candy and sweets?" As he said this, an eagle talon snaked towards the soiled sandwich, peeling the mayonnaise covered taffy from the flabby bread. Fluttershy was amused to see he seemed to take a hesitant glance at the slimy candy, before gobbling it up.

"Ugh - gag!" The satisfied smirk on his face contorted into one of pure disgust, cheeks puffing out to keep in the vomit, although he spat the multicolored morsel of food halfway down the hill. Fluttershy fell on her back in giggling hysterics as the horrified spirit desperately pawed at his tongue to cleanse it.

Discord hastily summoned a pitcher of chocolate milk, gulping it down and ridding his tainted taste buds of what was easily one of the worst things he ever had the misfortune of assaulting his poor tongue with. He flashed a glare to the giggling little pony, and Fluttershy barely managed to roll to the side before the rest of the pitcher came down in a torrent of brown liquid where she was originally laying.

"What did you expect?" the pegasus laughed, giggles further fizzing out behind her saffron colored hoof when she saw Discord's tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth in disdain. "You just ate apple taffy covered in mayonnaise and mustard!"

He gargled away the last of the lingering taste with chocolate milk before speaking, notably having to swallow several gags. "I've tried countless different food combinations in my everlasting life, and I figured this chaotic creation would be no exception to deliciousness. Apparently I was wrong."

The saffron pegasus's eyes twinkled mischievously in the sunlight. "Interesting foods? You mean when you ate my bath towels last night?"

"They were cream colored and had oranges and strawberries stitched into them. What else was I supposed to do with it?"

"..Dry yourself," Fluttershy advised, only to earn an insufferable eye roll and a long drawn out "booooring" as he turned the rest of their delectable, three feet sandwiches into cinnamon buns. So much for a healthy lunch. Well, they still had the milk – that he just turned into soda.

"I would say eating mustard coated candy and towels doesn't even begin to compare to the way he drinks the glass instead of his milk."

Both pony and entity flipped around on their checkered picnic blanket, just in time to see the lavender form cantering up their hill, a playful smile on her face.

Fluttershy beamed, eagerly making some space on the blanket as she hastily swiped the used-to-be-vegetables off the blanket, amidst Discord's protesting whines as his creations tumbled into the dirt.

"The drinking the glass incident, I almost forgot about that," Fluttershy laughed, happily and affectionately nudging her forehead against the unicorn's, ignoring the heavily sulking draconequus across from them. She knew he still wasn't particularly fond of Twilight. "Twilight, how did you know we'd be here?"

Twilight smiled, resting her head against the rugged bark of the tree trunk behind her. "Well, I know on the nicest of days you usually take picnics outside the cottage underneath your favorite cherry tree!"

As if on cue, a bright, golden flash transpired up in the leaves and every cherry became a thick, sugar coated gumdrop. Discord descended down from a tree branch, an uncharacteristically compassionate smile on his face.

"Not to worry, my dear Twilight Sparkle, I've saved one just for you." He held out the bright, crimson cherry in the palm of his feline paw, and a hungry Twilight took it with magic, amidst Fluttershy frantically shaking her head.

"Thank you, Discord. Spike ate my pancake this morning when I wasn't looking, so a cherry is most appreciated!" Keeping the fruit in the magic bubble, Twilight was just about to swallow it whole..when a worm wriggled its way out of a tiny puncture hole. The worm was wearing shades. It flashed her a toothy grin.

Discord fell to his back in laughing hysterics, his brown belly shaking with mirth as Twilight gave an indignant shriek and tossed the cherry, worm and all, down the hill.

"Ohoho, that was pe-her-icele-hess!" He tried to splutter out a snarky remark, but only burst into more guffaws each time he looked at the unicorn's horrified face. "Don't you know it's not n-ni-hice to refuse a gift?" He smirked. "And beggars can't be choosers after all~" He poofed the cherry back into a gum drop, tossing the fruit and worm into his open jaws.

Twilight pursed her lips in annoyance, gratefully accepting a cinnamon bun held out from Fluttershy, and turning to reprimand the mischievous spirit. He was gone.

"What?" Beyond perplexed, Twilight stared at the spot on the blanket he had been laying on. There was nothing but a small stream of fluttering leaves from above, and a smirking saffron pegasus holding a feather duster. Twilight's eyes roamed up to the tree branch, where she saw the miffed spirit clinging, back hunched and ears back like a paranoid cat.

"I found this idea yesterday afternoon when I was dusting," Fluttershy giggled, placing the feather duster on the blanket and turning to her friend. "Now, what brings you here, Twilight?"

"Well.." Twilight was trying to ignore the draconequus that was stacking gumdrops on her her head. "A couple times a year when Celestia's royal duties let up a bit – or in this case, Princess Luna takes over – the princess and I get a day or so together to talk about my studies, and well, everything." A dreamy look came into her eyes, and Fluttershy smiled, knowing how much her friend loved pleasing her mentor.

"It's the most anticipated day of the year for me, and I was wondering if you...maybe wanted to come this time?"

To say that Fluttershy was surprised would be a gross understatement, as the pegasus knew how much time with the princess meant to her friend, and just how rare it occurred. Twilight was not a stingy pony in the slightest, but she always did want to drink in the private moments with Celestia.

"That is very generous, Twilight, and I'm ever so grateful, but why?" She placed a hoof on the unicorn's shoulder. "Don't you want to be alone with Celestia? I mean, I understand that. It's not like I will feel left out or anything."

Twilight gave her friend a wayward smile, dipping her head and speaking in hushed tones so the draconequus currently chasing birds wouldn't hear.

"You see Fluttershy, I figure this would be a perfect chance for you and Celestia to talk about Discord. I know you tried it before and it didn't go very well..."

"That is putting it lightly," Fluttershy mumbled, remembering her worthless conversation with the princess that night. "I suppose..I wouldn't mind giving it another try." A small grin spread over her face. "Not to mention stay in Canterlot Palace!"

Twilight laughed, nudging her forehead playfully against Fluttershy's. "You have to be on your best behavior," she teased, grinning, "and for the record, you'd be in the library with me. Well, the library wing in the palace." Her smile fell as she narrowed her eyes at the spirit painting polka dots on some trees. "So would he."

Fluttershy groaned, wincing as the healthy green leaves were turned colors of purple, yellow, and red. "Don't worry, I'll make him promise to at least let up a bit on the mischief. I can't promise anything, but I'll try."

Twilight stood, taking a few cinnamon buns into a veil of purple magic. "Pack up then; we leave in an hour."

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A canvas of pink and orange was already overtaking the skies above Canterlot Palace, and the air was already becoming chilly in the summer evening. Sunsets in Canterlot were the single most magnificent thing a pony could witness, and this had been Fluttershy's first.

"Wow," she whispered in awe, her cyan eyes sparkling in the twilight skies. "The sunset makes the roof of the palace sparkle so beautifully. Oh – Canterlot gardens!" She scampered off towards the gates.

Twilight was about to gently scold her friend on her insubordinate arrival, but was halted by the gentle, angelic laugh from behind her.

"The gardens do make for quite a sight in the sunset when they're already sparkling in the evening dew, don't they? I figured Fluttershy would love that."

Celestia bent her head to give her student a greeting nuzzle, ignoring the scowling, mismatched entity behind the unicorn, and focusing only on the childish pegasus in the gardens.

"Excuse her, Princess," Twilight begged with an embarrassed flush, nervously rubbing behind her head with a hoof. "She just loves flowers." She watched as the butter colored pony began chasing a distressed gopher through the flowers. "..And animals. Ehehe. Fluttershyyy!"

The pegasus skidded to a stop before nearly trampling a few roses; the grateful gopher scampered away when he had the chance.

Fluttershy came galloping out of the garden in a frenzy, head bowed in shame as she kowtowed to the princess. "Oh, Princess Celestia, I am so so sorry." She chewed the inside of her cheek, smiling sheepishly. "I got a little carried away when I saw the gardens again."

Celestia chuckled, turning towards the entrance of the palace, the two ponies and draconequus following. "It's quite alright, my dear; I know how much you love all nature and creatures." A stressed look leaked into her violet eyes as she briefly glanced at Discord. "All creatures," she mumbled.

Fluttershy bowed her head, her rosette mane dragging in the dirt path as she realized the princess knew why she had come. Well, of course she'd figure it out – why else would she come to the palace?

"You may go unpack your things and get ready for dinner," the princess told them cheerfully. "Luna should be finished with the royal audience soon and she may be joining us after raising the moon." She caught Fluttershy's nervous smile, remembering how her sister said she unintentionally petrified the poor pony on Nightmare Night.

"Thank you, Princess; we'll meet you in the dining room shortly." Twilight gave her friend a gentle nudge from behind, and she noted both the pegasus and alicorn were looking evenly at the spirit hunched there in a childish position on the floor.

Celestia aimed her horn at him, and Discord didn't have a chance to demand an explanation as he disappeared with a soft, violet glow. She turned to the horrified ponies, fixing the two with a reassuring smile.

"I teleported him to one of the palace green houses. It's about to be torn down you see, but there's plenty of things for him to mess with and keep him occupied." She trotted towards the dining room. "It will at least keep him out of our manes until after dinner.."

Fluttershy and Twilight made their way to the library wing, and Fluttershy gawked as Twilight opened the large swinging doors.

The palace library was just incredible, from its twisting, spiraled stairways, to the rows and rows of multicolored books flooding the old shelves, to the massive silver, protruding telescope sitting on a stand outside the balconies that were lined with vines.

"Wow," Fluttershy murmured in astonishment to the endless line of books and scrolls. "Did you read all of these?" She knew Twilight would confirm it in a moment, but she still couldn't fathom anypony reading so much books in such a short lifetime.

"Yep~!" The unicorn held her head up with pride. "All four thousand, nine hundred and fifty six of them." She hesitated, tilting her head at the dusty shelf at the back of the library. "Well, not all of those ones. Those are the Equestrian History books and where I found the book on Nightmare Moon and the Elements Of Harmony."

The lavender unicorn trotted towards her old bed, blowing dust off the wooden rails and enveloping her quilt in a magic glow, that shook the layers of dust clutching to the fabric like millions of tiny burrs.

"I'm glad you're finally a lot more comfortable with using your magic," Fluttershy said as she nudged her rolled up sleeping bag to a flattened position. "I know it took a while to get over..what it did." She noticed her friend seemed to freeze for a moment, and the pegasus's heart began to pound, regretting her words.

"It did take a while," Twilight agreed, a distant look in her eye as she averted her gaze to the window. "It was by far the worst blunder my magic ever caused." She laughed quietly, turning to grin at Fluttershy. "And I thought the whole manticore thing was the worst thing I had done.."

Fluttershy hopped up onto Twilight's bed with her, perching her chin in her hooves, a look of amusement on her face. "The manticore incident? I don't think you ever told us about that."

Twilight laughed, rolling onto her back, in snickers at the memory of her child idiocy. "Well, I was seven years old at the time, and I really wanted to catch a manticore with my magic." She bit down the giggles, especially when Fluttershy laughed as well.

"The princess told me no, obviously – well, she didn't know I wanted to catch a manticore, she only knew I wanted to go to Everfree. Well I went anyways, and I managed to capture a manticore with my magic. I had almost succeeded in bringing it back when it got free!"

By now the two were laughing hysterically, Twilight especially as she relived the memory.

"I was so scared and I was screaming my head off and running from the rather angry manticore! Celestia of course shows up, and – you've never seen Celestia angry until you see her trying to protect the ones she loves. Not to mention when the ones she loves disobeys her and nearly get themselves killed in the process."

Fluttershy gasped from behind her hoof, but couldn't keep in a further nervous giggle. "Oh no, what did she do?"

Twilight bit her lip, which was trembling from the repressed laughter welling inside. "I, well..I went to bed a little sore." The two stared at each other, before promptly bursting into further peals of laughter that continued until a unicorn servant at the door finally summoned them for dinner.

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Wait until every pony is seated, wait until every pony is seated. Wait. Wait.

Twilight found herself chanting the mantra in her head, which seemed useless as she found her hoof starting to spasm at her side, wanting so bad to reach out and take a bun or something. Between Spike eating her breakfast and a worm with shades living in her cherry, the unicorn was famished.

The spread on the long, stretching, royal table did not make fighting the temptations any easier. The table had every food imaginable, and it was all staring right into her soul.

"If you're hungry, dear, eat something," Celestia advised with a slight frown. "I've never been too keen on the customary dinner rule I know you're currently loathing more than anything right now." A slight smirk crossed the ivory face. "Especially since Luna takes forever to get her royal rump out here."

"I heard that, sister!" The three heads turned to the night princess as she sauntered from the kitchen, her posture slightly slouched and childish at her sister's teasing remark. "And in my defense, Celestia, I was helping Rain Drizzle with icing the cookies."

Celestia laughed, shooting her younger sister a knowing smirk. "And by helping do you mean eating the icing?"

The dark blue cheeks flushed a pale pink as Luna whipped her head to the end of the table so as not to look at her sister's playful and teasing grin. She was greeted with the sight of a smiling unicorn and a slightly cowering pegasus. A bit of panic rose within the princess as she struggled with her greeting, especially when she saw Fluttershy.

"OH, FLUTTERSHY, TWILIGHT, WE ARE CHARMED TO SEE THEE AGAIN!"

Fluttershy squeaked in fear, ducking behind Twilight, while Twilight cringed and Celestia quietly cleared her throat. The embarrassed alicorn took a deep breath, approaching the two cautiously.

"Apologies," she said quietly, trying to smile, but obviously looking upset she had screwed up. "We – I am still getting used to...not screaming a hello." She gave a soft giggle, and Fluttershy quietly peeked out.

"And if it isn't Fluttershy, currently the keeper of that despicable being." Luna's eyes narrowed in disdain at the thought of the draconequus roaming the property somewhere, but she shook it off. "It is wonderful to see you again. I'm sorry I scared you last time."

Fluttershy relaxed to the princess's gentle smile, and she grinned in return, hesitantly shaking the offered hoof. "That's okay, princess. I-I know you were just nervous about meeting everypony. I mean, I get scared all the time."

Luna was about to greet Twilight, but found the unicorn was already hungrily ripping into a biscuit. Giggling, the alicorn took her seat at the head of the table with her amused sister, watching Twilight eat in awe and starting to feel a tad guilty.

"I really am sorry for being late," Luna mumbled, brushing a hoof through her sparkling mane sheepishly. "I really was helping Rain though – honest! Oh, don't give me that look, Celestia." She pouted as her sister snickered. "Just ask Rain Drizzle if you don't believe me!"

"I will then." Celestia looked up to one of her closes servants and adviser as the elder mare came near. "Rain Drizzle, did Lu-" She and Luna hopped back as Twilight threw herself at the unicorn, nearly tackling her down with impact of her overjoyed hug.

"Oh, Rain Drizzle!" Twilight exclaimed, nuzzling her childhood nanny from her days at the palace. "It's been so long since I've seen you." She nestled in as the unicorn wrapped her hooves around her, stroking her mane.

"Darling, I was so happy to hear you were coming today." The wrinkled mare lightly nuzzled her surrogate child's face, hovering a stack of cream buns onto Twilight's plate and laughing as her filly gasped in delight.

"I even made your favorite cream buns for the occasion!" She blinked as Twilight gave a quiet squeal of delight and scampered back to her plate.

"I see you made somepony's day, Rain," Celestia laughed, watching in endearment as her young charge sat back in her chair and devoured bun after bun.

"All part of the job I suppose, Celestia," Rain Drizzle chuckled, about to trot back to the kitchen, and only sitting down when Celestia quietly requested her to stay and pulled back her chair for her.

"I can't take credit for the meal, but I hope you all enjoy the cookies. It was hard wrestling them away from Luna."

The table fell into an amused silence, save for Luna's, which was more of horror when she realized she had been caught. Fluttershy and Twilight grinned as the night alicorn tried desperately to escape from Celestia's impending wrath. Judging by the purple bubble of magic that grabbed and dragged the night alicorn back to her sister, it had been a failure.

"Oh, you're such a little sneak and liar!" Celestia exclaimed, holding her sister to her lap and rapidly nuzzling the blue belly with the end of her snout. Luna gave a laughing shriek, fighting to curl her body up and out of range of the snout.

"Tiaaa!" Luna wailed with laughter, trying to push her older sister's snout from her belly and wriggle away. With Celestia's strength it was never any contest as who would win. "Ple-hease, everypony is watchinnngg!"

Fluttershy and Twilight beamed at each other, observing the heartwarming sister bonding in silence as they finished dinner and nibbled on their cakes.

Fluttershy especially was having a blast, forgetting for a moment the real reason she was here – until the bright, yellow flash appeared three feet above the table. At least he had the decency not to land on it.

Luna tried to disguise the iota of valor she lost at seeing this manipulative, hurtful creature for the first time in eons. She had refused to come out of her room the day he broke free, and Celestia hadn't pressed her. Thus, this was the first time Luna had seen Discord since he was imprisoned the first time, more than a thousand years ago.

"Discord," Celestia growled, snorting in anger and stepping back from her seat. She used magic to remove him from where he was over the table, instead slamming him onto his backside on the tile floor. "Aren't you supposed to be in the green house right now?"

Discord rubbed his sore backside with a grimace, nonchalantly floating onto his back, a cold look on his face.

"Actually, Celestia, if we're going to be speaking in literate terms, I should be in stone right about now for refusing to submit to your worthless rule like the rest of your brainwashed subjects."

"Discord!" Fluttershy yelled, mouth hanging incredulously as she slammed her hooves against the table, causing several dishes to jump and come back down with a loud clatter. "Do NOT say such things about the princess!"

"Thou treacherous snake!" Luna snarled, fanning her wings threateningly and igniting her horn in a thin, dark blue veil of magic. "HOW DARE THEE INSULT OUR SISTER, INCOMPREHENSIBLE WORM!"

The tears threatening her faded in rage as she stood up to the beast, scraping her hoof against the floor and aiming her horn at the draconequus, ready to impale him if need be. He glanced back to her, looking bored, but then a cruel smirk snaked over the twisted muzzle as he approached the alicorn.

"What, feeling left out, Luna? I have some lines for you too." He twiddled casually with his fingers as if a sharp, pointed horn wasn't inches from his body.

"How does it feel to be off the moon after your well deserved discipline for being such an ungrateful brat?"

Celestia knew what was coming even before it happened. "Luna, don't-" The princess hastily cast a a thin veil of magic to envelope the quivering ponies into a protecting shield as a bolt of blue fire sliced through a good portion of the table, sending splinters of glass flying.

Discord curled his body up, doing a quick back flip to bring his feet and tail out of the way of the blast of fire. He also summoned his own golden orb of magic around himself and Luna as the glass rained down from the shattered window.

Luna was breathing heavily, harshly, tears in her eyes as she took a fierce leap at the mismatched spirit. Discord merely watched as she jumped and jumped, only to slam into the bubble and repeat the process with growing exhaustion.

"Luna, cease this!" Celestia slammed her hoof down onto what was left of the table, her tone both enraged, deeply concerned, and sympathetic as she watched her sister continue to attack the entity in grief. Finally, Celestia needed to use magic to physically yank the night princess off the guarded spirit. Gritting her teeth, she also used magic to teleport Discord away from them, leaving only the wreckage and devastation behind.

Luna continued snarling and bucking in the magic hold, but eventually she collapsed, breathing harshly, as if trying to contain tears.

"You two need to go back to your rooms," Celestia whispered to Twilight and Fluttershy, her eyes shut tightly, voice thin with pain. "I should take Luna to bed."

Fluttershy wanted to cry. Everything had gone so perfect the entire night. She had been having such fun with her friends, and it was all so..wonderful. Now her tear filled eyes roamed the ground littered in a sea of glass; the chopped up table; Rain Drizzle's beautiful splattered food; Luna's favorite cookies destroyed. Above all, she looked at the pained princesses who's smiles she had only just seen moments ago. She watched Luna tremble and pant against the floor.

"I'm so sorry; I promise t-to talk to-"

"NO."

Celestia watched Fluttershy shudder from the severity of her tone and she cleared her throat, adopting a softer tone.

"No, please don't do that. He could have said much worse, and done much worse. At least..at least he didn't try attacking anypony. Please let it go. Please promise me you will just let it go. Nothing can be done anyway."

The princess stood numbly, using magic to lift her little sister and drape her over her back. The young princess that usually despised to be treated like a filly didn't even lift her head when she was laid over her big sister's back like a toddler.

Twilight and Fluttershy exchanged looks of anguish, merely turning to look back at the disaster, Celestia's rising moon darkening the room, shrouding the broken dishes, the evidence of the trauma in an ebony veil of darkness.

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The soft, purple patterned quilt draped over the still, quietly breathing form; Fluttershy leaning forward to press a soft, motherly kiss to the gray forehead. She sighed, nuzzling him ever so softly, careful to pull away from Discord before the tear dripped onto his face.

"Maybe tomorrow will be a better day," Twilight intoned quietly, glancing up from where she was reading a book in the candle light. "You-you never know." She draped a wing and part of her quilt to the distraught pegasus that sat next to her.

Fluttershy's heart felt empty and hollow, the only thing running through her mind being the faces of the hurt ponies from that evening. She could see it so clearly, as if those vibrant turquoise and violet eyes were right there in front of her. She could see all the pain, the hatred, the anger...

The cold look on Discord's face, and the frigid tone to his voice caused chills to ride up the pegasus's spine. He seemed to just hate them, and it looked as if the feeling was mutual, especially on Luna's part.

But...Fluttershy had seen the tears Luna thought were so well concealed. This was before he even insulted her or Celestia. It was merely when he had just summoned himself into the room. There was something else in Discord's voice as well, and – like the rest of the hidden emotions - only Fluttershy seemed to catch it. It was...pain. Pain in his words; pain in the princess's eyes.

But why? Was he that angry they had rightfully punished him? Were they that angry he had messed with their land a little? ...Or was there more to this than meets the eye?

"Twilight.." The pegasus hesitated, turning to look at the dusty shelf her friend said she barely touched. "What kind of books are in there?"

"Equestrian History books," Twilight responded absently, flipping a page with magic and nibbling on one of the only surviving cream buns from the dinner catastrophe.

"I'm reading up on the Elements – trying to figure out how we can keep them from weakening again if an even bigger threat appears."

Fluttershy wasn't listening, trotting to the old and dusty shelf, barely by her own accord, and sifting through the old, torn books and scrolls. She grimaced from the gritty taste of the dust in her mouth, and she furiously spat some out, emerging with a thick leather book.

Gently, careful not to awaken the dozing spirit, Fluttershy set the book on the ground. She took a deep breath, blowing the layer of dust up into a billowing cloud – and promptly giving an astonished squeal as she gazed at the cover in awe.

Equestrian Royal Origins.

"TWI – oh!" Stuffing her hoof into her mouth, the pegasus flitted anxiously towards her friend, holding onto the book with a hoof. Twilight glanced up, chagrined, the cream bun falling from her mouth as her jaw hit the floor upon seeing the cover.

"Wh-where'd you find that?" the unicorn demanded, practically tossing her other book aside and pouncing on this new one before her friend even had a chance to turn the first page.

"The back of the shelf," Fluttershy rushed on excitedly, butterflies fluttering around in her stomach as she gripped the edges of the first brown page in her teeth. She nearly tore the fragile paper as she whisked it aside, revealing the first page.

Celestia and Luna as fillies.

"Oh, sweet Celestia," Twilight breathed, a large grin spreading across her face as she looked at her mentor's poofy pink mane. "She's just adorable." She ran a hoof tenderly over the faded, grainy photo, giggling at newborn Luna's adorableness.

"King Aegeus and Astraia, Equestrian Gods and royalty gave birth to Celestia and Luna," Fluttershy murmured, briefly skimming the text, clearly only concerned of finding something related to Discord in there.

"Aegeus and Astraia? I've heard of them – Celestia didn't say much about her parents, but Rain Drizzle briefly taught a lesson in Equestrian history and she mentioned them. She also said they died.." Twilight's ears lowered slightly, forgetting one important thing her mentor told her: alicorns were incapable of dying without some sort of brute force.

"There's probably details of that on the next page," Fluttershy said, flipping a page. "But I don't-" She stopped, mouth hanging open enough to complete the look of shock on her face. Her breath came fast, and Twilight lunged forward to clamp a hoof over her friend's mouth as Fluttershy muffled her loud, high pitched, and endeared squeals into it.

"He's so cuuuute!" She giggled like a school filly as both laid their eyes on the tiny, mismatched, fuzzy little spirit hanging from Queen Astraia's mouth. "Look at his big red eyes, and his fluffy fur, and-"

"Okay, okay," Twilight laughed, "yes, baby Discord is adorable, now let's read here." Her smile wavered into a concentrating frown as she examined each word closely. "The King and Queen took in the spirit of Discord, nearly their adopted son. They entrusted his care with the palace nanny, who was the mane guardian that raised him."

"Oh, poor thing," Fluttershy murmured, shaking her head. "He must have been so sad when they died."

Twilight's ears began to lower, her heart dropping to the hollows of her stomach as she read on. "The King and Queen's adviser warned the two not to take the draconequus into their hooves, and an Equestrian seer told them this was the spirit of Discord, an ancient evil that needed to be destroyed.

He was said to be the incarnation of many evils before him, demons that poured their energy into him and made him what he was supposed to be. Other assumptions were that his being was born and spurred from the hate that once plagued the land. The seer warned them that his power was not something they'd want to reckon with and hoping to make the baby a part of their family would be a fatal mistake. The two didn't listen, and it wasn't long before her predictions started coming true.

He enjoyed...causing pain to others after a while, causing chaos. He wasn't sure why, and it began with very innocent things, doing things for the benefits of the princesses and his parents. He summoned clouds that poured candy for him and the princesses, and after a while he started to cause mischief. The King and Queen never truly did much about it since it was only apt for children to cause trouble..but it reached severity in a short amount of time."

There were now tears in Twilight's eyes, although it barely held a candle to the amount pouring from Fluttershy's. She sniffled, wiping at them, afraid to turn back to the book.

"The King and Queen tried to tame it with routine discipline, as they hadn't yet seen any true evil like the prophecy foretold. The spirit of Discord still loved them and the princesses, Princess Celestia especially. At the tender age of five, Celestia and Discord were betrothed, as legally Discord hadn't truly been adopted by the alicorns."

"Betrothed!" Fluttershy exclaimed, mouth hanging, joining Twilight's on the floor. "They were going to be married!"

"Neither of the children knew about the future marriage, but they were already showing signs of love at an early age. The seer once again warned the King and Queen that Discord would need to be banished from the family at once, but they refused to give up on the son they had come to love.

His pranks turned into full out pain that he inflicted, and he learned different tricks by smuggling the black magic spell books from the library. He enjoyed manipulating others, brain washing them and causing them to fight with one another. Strain was put on the family relationship, and his magic and very being could no longer be tamed."

Twilight put a hoof over Fluttershy's back as she wept into the cold floor; Twilight's every word shattering her heart.

"The King and Queen decided they were left with no choice but the heartbreaking decision to banish the draconequus from their palace and hearts. It is unknown if either princess or Discord learned of this, because the King and Queen died the very next day. Discord took over the throne, plunged Equestria into chaos.." Twilight took a deep, shaking breath. "And we know the rest."

Twilight shut the book, wrapping her forelegs around her friend and letting her cry into her shoulder. Fluttershy wasn't the only pony to feel heartsick, and her own tears added to the tiny puddle under the pegasus.

"Wri-written by Honey Dew," Twilight murmured, reading the back of the book. "Th-that's Rain Drizzle's ancestor Celestia and Luna's nanny, and therefore..Discord's nanny." She dropped the book, nuzzling back into the quietly crying pegasus.

"W-we should get to bed," Twilight murmured, "and we should put this book back in case he wakes up and sees it there." She didn't want to imagine what might transpire.

"No." Fluttershy's hoof gently came down on the book as Twilight got ready to lift it with magic. "P-please..I want to look at it a bit more."

Twilight nodded sympathetically and understandingly, only taking her book on the Elements and silently trudging off from the candle's light, towards the dusty shelf in the darkness.

The more of the old, brown pages Fluttershy turned in the orange candle light, the more pain seeped into her heart. Every photo was filled with laughter, friendship, family..and love. Every page the baby spirit looked to be laughing. Those bright red, ruby eyes shone with a playful childishness...and innocence.

Every new photo provided a deeper insight to the relationship between Discord, Celestia, and Luna. In almost every one of them he was attached to Celestia in some way, whether it be grappling with her, gnawing on her pink mane, or trying to ride on her back.

The princess was young in the photos, and Luna was clearly barely more than a newborn foal. All three of them were tiny, fuzzy, and just..so happy. Their relationship, the friendship, the simple days of rough housing and not having any cares in the world...

Fluttershy blinked away the stinging, salty liquid in her eyes as she shakily blew out the candle. Tenderly, the pegasus picked up the book in between her teeth, trying to balance the tear drops at the end of her muzzle, so not to ruin the worn, leather cover.

Sniffling quietly, the disheartened pony trotted softly to the side of his bed and plopped onto her haunches. She replaced the book on the ground, breathing out quiet, squeaky sobs as she observed his sleeping form swaddled in the expensive palace quilts.

Compassionately, Fluttershy brushed her cheek against the talon hanging out of the side of the bed. She felt the fingers flex as they subconsciously felt the new texture of her rosette strands from her mane at their tips.

Fluttershy allowed the tears to quietly drip off her muzzle; they twinkled as the moonlight caught their gleam, and they slowly formed a puddle just clear of the book.

Where had it all gone so wrong? If Discord was once so happy with the princesses what prompted everything to change so drastically? What prompted it to..to be destroyed? It was nearly incomprehensible that the laughing little fillies and the baby youngling entity in the photo were really the same, cold alicorns and draconequus. It was hard to believe the three ever smiled at each other, or that they ever played together.

"Fluttershy?" Twilight's voice spoke softly from the dark library, and in the moonlight Fluttershy could see the pressing concern in her friend's eyes as she came near.

"I just..I just wish I knew why it had to change," the pegasus whimpered softly, beginning to quietly cry again as she nuzzled Discord's eagle talon, wishing it would awake from its slumber and rake through her hair.

"They were so happy, and now they hate each other," the pony hiccuped, her sniffling cries shaking her entire frame. "What could have-"

And she was cut off, giving a gasp of pain as bright yellow flash obscured her vision – next to the sudden, cold, searing pain across her face. Fluttershy stumbled back in alarm, clutching her now bleeding face in fright and confusion. It was then she saw the mismatched arms flailing and heard the panicked whimpers as he threw his quilt to the floor.

"What's happening?" Twilight gasped, at her friend's side within two seconds after seeing Discord strike her. "Are you alright? What's the matter with him?"

Fluttershy barely seemed to register the pain in her cheek now, completely fixated on the distraught, trembling spirit as he continued to be tortured by the vicious nightmare.

"It's one of his nightmares again," she murmured, bringing her hooves to her face helplessly. "I have no idea what to do when he gets like this."

Twilight observed the spirit's rare, terrified mental state for a few moments, before moving a hoof to shake him. Instantly, Fluttershy put it back to her side.

"No – don't wake him! If you do he'll only get really upset because he'll know he had another freak out, and worse – we saw it all!" Her ears flattened when the spirit let out a loud, ringing scream, causing both ponies to flinch fiercely and back away.

"Well, we need to do something!" Twilight whispered fiercely. "How do you think he'll feel if Celestia or Luna will be the one to hear and come wake him? He'd be mortified!"

Fluttershy set her jaw tightly, grinding her teeth inside her closed mouth. Subtly, she tried climbing up the side of his bedsheets, carefully perching on his belly. The pegasus uttered a few gentle shushes and even tried humming to seep some level of comfort into his tormented mind, but the thrashing spirit only threw her off the side again.

Tears sprung to Fluttershy's eyes as the breath was knocked out of her, her muzzle pressing against the cold floor. She was running out of ideas, and she glanced helplessly up, feeling sick as a hint of wetness was visible on the rim of his shut eyelids.

Her eyes roamed through the dark, and they settled on the unicorn by her side. Or rather, they settled on her horn. Twilight looked on with an expression of confusion and nervousness as her friend's eyes remained glued to her horn.

Fluttershy knew just what to do, what would hopefully finally be the answer to it all and put these nightmares, his fear, and all the pain to rest.

"Twilight, I need you to help me with something."

xxxxxxxx

(Firstly, the worm with shades comes from one of my friend's pictures on DA. XD Too funny of an idea not to do anything with it.

Rain Drizzle is one of my most cherished pony OCs, despite her only being present in a few fics for several lines. And, yep, enjoy. I'm quite proud of this chapter to be honest~ I hope to have the next one up soon - I'm not really in a rift with it anymore.

The next chapter is still at the palace and is rather dramatic. The one after that is centered more on the mane six.)

Comments

[Blik]

First! Bwahahaha!

EDIT: Real comment ahead.

It's so funny to see Fluttershy learn how to deal with our favourite Draconequus. She can't quite match him for strength, but she makes up for it in creativity. She got the dishcloth back without breaking a sweat!

Luna's going to be taking his presence awfully hard, isn't she. Even more so because her Tragic Backstory gives him so much ammunition.

Wouldn't something as integral to History as the Princess' Family Records be part of the main collection? Why is it languishing behind the other books on the archive shelf?

[Cryssy-miu]

297765 HAHA, nope didn't break a sweat, just Discord's valor at that little butterfly kiss. XD Probably not something he's used to.

Ohhhh yes. Very much so. In fact, she develops a fear of him. :(

In the beginning I think it was on the main shelf, but it was probably too painful for Celestia to keep it there so she shoved it behind a bunch of books nearly never read.

[Hiccup251]

Ow, chronology. So Honey Dew is Rain Drizzle's great grandmother, and she lived 1000+ years ago before the banishment of Luna. That's like 300 years per generation. It's a small detail, and the rest of the chapter was wonderful as always.

[GuyFace]

"A dreamy look came into her eyes, and Fluttershy smiled, knowing how much her friend loved pleasing her mentor."

Not gonna say it.

[burning-ruin-666]

discord has sayed that ''it shoulden be happening that way'' of some sort??? i think he was using dark magic and by no meaning of harm, killed his foster parents... knowing that its not weard hes so broken up about it... that how ever is what im thinking....

[Toolkit]

Celestia's rising moon Shouldn't that be Luna's? Just sayin'.

[Muhanoid]

There must be Sad tag.
Some time ago I thought about character saying "I did all I could, but I can't save Discord. Sorry, I am sorry, really sorry, I can't" and now I am reading this fanfic.

Well written.
Eh, next chapter.

[Firedon]

Celestia's rising moon Well, somepony got used to being the one controlling all of the sky...

[TheApexSovereign]

"How does it feel to be off the moon after your well deserved discipline for being such an ungrateful brat?"
Sit. Down. Luna.

[Cellin]

There was nothing but a small stream of fluttering leaves from above, and a smirking saffron pegasus holding a feather duster. Twilight's eyes roamed up to the tree branch, where she saw the miffed spirit clinging, back hunched and ears back like a paranoid cat.

Discord doesnt like Feather dusters?
oooh, he just hates feather dusters when Fluttershy is coming at him with one.

[SpeedyAstro]

683913 Granny Smith is about 300 hundred years old too. Since she was one of the leading founders of Ponyville, (as shown in the Family Appreciation episode) and in Winter Wrap Up Twilight said that ponies in Ponyville have been doing Winter Wrap Up the earth pony way for hundreds of years, that means Granny Smith must be at least a couple hundred years old.

This means that either zap apples might make you live 200 years longer, or ponies naturally live up to 300 years.

[alexanderhunt88]

I. Need. A. Baby Discord image NOW!!!!

[Berxerxes]

2284412
Here ya go, this should suffice.
th06.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/i/2012/279/7/f/baby_discord__final__by_drawponies-d5gxev4.jpg

[Dr_Tornado]

2783954 soo...cuute GACK *dies of cuteness*

[Faithful Follower]

2783954
It does not suffice, im afraid I will need more.