The streets of Canterlot were a mixed sight after spending so long in the woods. There was a delectable element of chaos to the way ponies would run to and fro, and Discord savored it. The woods were too peaceful, and the deer far too orderly. In Canterlot, it felt like anything could happen at any time.
Of course, their adventure in White Tail Woods was an exception, but that had been perhaps too much chaos for someone so old. Discord was not blessed with lasting youthfulness like Applejack, after all. It had been astounding to learn someone who seemed so young was well over four hundred years old. Many of the other deer were even as old as Discord himself.
Somepony heard her name being called and turned to look. She tripped and dropped her loaf of bread. It rolled along the ground where a bird started pecking at it. The bread distracted the bird while a cat snuck up from behind.
Everything was connected in the most delightful series of unpredictable events. Anything could happen at any time, and Discord relished in the beauty of it.
But not everything in the city was beautiful. More than a few ponies noticed him as he walked past, and he didn’t care for their looks. His stature, his mane that stood on end, his ears, along with myriad other traits about him all marked him as different from them. It had been unlikely that his noble unicorn father would fall in love with a low-class donkey, then it had been unlikely that his mother would come to reciprocate. Given the social norms of the time, it was unlikely for them to act on these feelings, and given the biological complications, it was unlikely for them to conceive a child.
It had been nothing short of a series of completely unpredictable events. It had been, in a word, chaos.
In any event, at least he knew as he walked through the gates of Canterlot’s Academy of Magic that no one would dare disrespect him here. Not, at least, in his presence, although Discord had no delusions of what they must say behind his back.
“Oh, Professor Discord, you’re back!” one of his brighter students said as she caught up with him in the hallway.
“Yes, Moon Dancer, it would seem that I am.”
“How was the trip?” Moon Dancer asked.
“Exhausting.” In truth, the last week had been nothing of the sort. The deer mistrusted him for being a pony, although that was nothing new to an old hinny like himself, and the deer had otherwise been accommodating to his wishes. He suspected that had mostly been because of Applejack and Fluttershy.
“Well, at least you’re back now. Princess Celestia is here at the Academy if you wanted to see her.”
Discord grinned. “Yes, in fact, I would. Is she in her office?”
“Yeah, she was in a meeting with the dean, but she should be finished now.”
“Delightful.”
He sent Moon Dancer on her way and then made for Celestia’s office. He didn’t have any particularly urgent business with her, but it did save him from having to make a trip to the castle.
Along the way, he was greeted by a few students, but most of them ignored him. He was a familiar sight at the Academy and had been for as long as anyone could remember. There wasn’t much reason for anyone other than his own students to pay him much attention.
He didn’t bother to knock as he entered Celestia’s office; it was more fun to catch her unaware. “Good day, o radiant one! And such a fine day you’ve blessed us with today, I might add.”
Unfortunately, Celestia was far too accustomed to him to pay the intrusion much mind. The other occupant of the room, however, wheeled around in a start at the intrusion.
“Welcome back, Discord,” Celestia said with her trademark slight smile. “Your trip went well?”
The large purple dragon she had been speaking with was less pleased to see him. “Of course. We would hate for it to have been anything short of perfect.”
Twilight Sparkle’s tone suggested that she would not hate that in the slightest, although deep down, he also suspected she would be sorry if he had been harmed. They were far from friends, but years of being colleagues had brought a certain camaraderie about them. Dragons were not more accepted among ponies than hinnies were, after all.
“It was quite the experience,” Discord reported. “In my typical fashion, I stumbled into a wealth of unexpected things, the likes of which we’ll need to discuss in time. But above all, I can say that the woods just have such a wonderful sense of harmony.”
“I do hope you collected samples,” Twilight said, her tone finally lighting. There was no faster way into her good graces than by science, after all.
“My reptilian friend, I do believe you’ll be delighted with my findings.”
“I look forward to hearing the full results of your study,” Celestia said. “It will be a good break from all the paperwork I’ve been doing. This new law reform has been an absolute nightmare.”
“Yes, there’s been a lot of that for a long time now,” Discord said with a nod. “But, it seems to me that is an element of change coming.”
“I hope you’re right. Although I do wonder who would bear such an element.”
“Twilight!” An earth pony colt – purple with a tan muzzle and a green mane and tail – excitedly ran into the room. He approached Twilight, who seemed to be puzzled by his appearance.
“Spike? What are you doing here?”
Spike tilted his head. “You said to come get you before Professor Inkwell’s lecture.”
“Is it three o’clock already?”
Discord chuckled. “Run along then, Twilight. We can catch up later, and I’ll tell you all about the discoveries I’ve made.”
Spike eyed him suspiciously, but Twilight seemed content. “Great! You don’t mind, do you, Princess?”
Celestia smiled. “Of course not. Enjoy the lecture, Twilight. And do try to find something for young Spike to do besides helping you take notes this time.”
Twilight chuckled nervously and didn’t answer as she led them out the door.
Once alone, Discord turned to Celestia. “Bear the element? A little on the nose, isn’t it?”
Celestia dropped the pretense of her eternally calm demeanor, instead allowing herself to look annoyed, as she only would when in Discord’s presence alone. “It was all I could think of. You know I’m not good at that sort of thing.”
Discord smirked. “Well, at least Twilight is as perfectly oblivious as ever. I doubt she’ll question it.”
Celestia bowed her head, and when she looked back up, her expression had completely changed. She now looked concerned, but not without hope. “You really found it, though? Hawthorn’s element?”
“I did.”
“Perfect! Then you have it with you?”
“I don’t.” Discord allowed himself the guilty pleasure of savoring Celestia’s shocked expression before continuing. “It’s with its bearer now. It’s a deer again this time, a doe by the name of Applejack.”
Celestia finally allowed herself to look relieved. “And you think she can be relied upon?”
“Harmony does not choose her bearers poorly.” Discord could tell Celestia was not comforted; it had been nearly a thousand years, and she still did not believe that. “Yes, I would place my trust in her. Did, on a number of occasions.”
That seemed to do the trick much better. Celestia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I suppose I should meet her.”
“I don’t think there’s any need to hurry. It sounds like the deer may open their doors to ponies again, so I think a meeting is a given. Wait until then.”
“But –”
“We only have three Element Bearers so far,” Discord said curtly. “Diplomatic ties with the deer are also important if we’re right about the showdown being in the Everfree Forest. If the other three make themselves known sooner rather than later, then you can arrange a meeting. Otherwise, do not go until you’re welcomed. Do not take Aspen’s help as a given; he is not the welcoming ruler that his mother was.”
Celestia nodded. “Thank you, Discord. I don’t know what I would’ve done all these years without your counsel.”
Discord chuckled. “I scarcely know what you did a week without me.”
Celestia laughed as well. It was good to hear that; she did not laugh nearly enough these days. “We’ll get her back this time.”
Then again, Discord couldn’t remember the last time he had genuinely laughed himself. “Of course we will. We are not going to lose her again.”
