Discord needs something to keep himself occupied that won't make him end up as a glorified lawn gnome for another thousand years. Knowing that causing chaos on any scale he would like is off-limits, he decides to play his hands/claws at a diversion Celestia seems to have a addiction to: teaching students!

While the search for little ponies he can tutor in the ways of chaos is cold at first, he eventually stumbles on a little pony who seems after his own twisted patchwork heart. A little pony who's bossy. A little pony who's annoying. A little pony who, just possibly, reminds him a little of himself when he was just a few thousand years old.

Indeed, this "Diamond Tiara" is going to be the best student he's ever had!

Iris knows about the world. It's two-thousand steps wide and five thousand steps long, and it has a lot of food. She just came out of a nap, and there's screaming outside. It's really annoying, but she does what she's told by the angry pony, because she does not want to die or, even worse, get more medications than usual.

She also knows the world is a lot bigger beyond the walls, but her wings are too small to fly and it's really cold outside anyway. She could really use another nap, anyway, if only the stupid pony could shut up.

And then everything goes to hell, and Garble is trying his damnedest to hump her.

Ever Watchful was a typical young bull, eager to see more of the world outside his isolated home. At least, more of it besides the bleak wastelands that surrounded him every day. However, when actions beyond his control sends him in the direction of the city of Tauronto, the other last great city, he must question everything he has assumed about the world and himself as he carves out a new life.

Also, what the hell is this "Crystal Empire" place, anyway?