//------------------------------// // One in the Same // Story: You're All Alone, Sweetheart // by TheApexSovereign //------------------------------// "What are you? And what do you want?" I asked with a depression thick voice. The creature simply said, "Oh, I'm just a good old friend of Princess Celestia just passing through the......peaceful town of Ponyville." The being stopped flapping his small contrasting wings and knelt beside me. I examined his odd features. This.....thing looked like he was made from a jigsaw puzzle of different animals. We both stared across the vast body of water in an awkward silence. There was just something about this creature that seemed very familiar. I just can't put my hoof on it. Out of nowhere the creature became frustrated. He hovered a couple inches in the air and said, "Oh for pete's sake! You don't remember me? Class field trip? Almost four years ago? Plunged Equestria into everlasting chaos?" It suddenly hit me. "Oh, right. You're Discord, the chaos guy. My sister talked about you, said you're annoying." My voice was flat and monotone, devoid of any emotion. The draconequus folded his arms and rose a single bushy eyebrow. "'The chaos guy' she says. I'm Discord! Lord of chaos and mischief!" My eyes closed half-shut. "Then why aren't you doing any of that now? How'd you get set free anyway?" He fell to the ground and crossed his legs, facing me. "I've been free only mere months after the incident, so it's been about four years. I don't make the same mistakes twice, darling." He spoke in a darkened tone, but soon returned to his exuberant demeanor. "So, instead of doing entirely out of the ordinary things that would make the ponies suspicious, I only create chaos through more....subtle actions." He gave a sullen groan. "It's so BORING! If only I could find a way to defeat those insipid ponies, then the world would be fun again!" I paid careful attention to every word, but I had to ask once more, "How'd you escape?" He ran his eagle claw through the sand as he recalled the tale, "Well, after those wretched ponies turned me into stone, the Princess threw me away!" I said an exaggerated, "No way!" He nodded his head. "And you won't believe what actually freed me." He arced his snake-like neck and I leaned in, actually interested in hearing this. In a loud, over dramatic whisper he said, "At the dump, two ponies were fighting over a silly corn muffin." I attempted to suppress laughter, placing both hooves over my mouth. Discord retracted his head and pointed an eagle finger at me. "Oh, I see a smile on that face!" Not wanting to stop his comedy act, Discord materialized a glass of chocolate milk in his hand. "This one always knocks 'em out!" He said enthusiastically. He tilted his head back and drank the milk. But instead of the milk being drunk, somehow the cup itself was consumed and the formula remained in the glass's shape. Discord threw the milk behind him and it exploded rather cartoonishly. A broad grin etched my coarse lips. Together, Discord and I started to laugh hysterically. I couldn't even remember the last time I had so much fun. But there's one thing that still irked me. "Why're you doing this?" The being shrugged. "I live to be random, my dear. But I do enjoy making others laugh." He took a deep sigh as a bottle of soda appeared in his lion paw. He used the one pointed tooth jutting from his upper lip as a bottle opener and pried the cap off. When it opened, an explosion of streamers and confetti fluttered out. Setting the random item aside, Discord asked. "Now tell me my dear, what's the problem?" I glared at him with the grimmest of expressions. He seemed unfazed. "Don't you see? I'm a freak! A hideous monster everypony laughs at. Even my sister hates me." A series of unpleasant memories from the past three years made tears cloud my eyes. Discord stroked his silvery beard. "Ah yes, Rarity. You're her little sister, no doubt. What was your name? Ah, yes. Sweetie Belle." I pounded the sand. "Nopony likes me anymore. They all think I'm hideous, a monster." "I don't think you're hideous." I turned to look at the being who just said that. I was so taken aback I was at a loss for words. I could only manage to say a stuttering, "Wh-What?" I searched his glowing yellow eyes for any hint of deceit. He repeated himself, "I don't think you're hideous. Now me on the other hand, oh dear." I wiped my eyes and gave a little snicker. Discord continued in a humorous tone, "Let's just say you won't be seeing me on the fashion runways of Fillidelphia." We both shared a good laugh at his remark. This was the happiest I've been in my entire life, and it's with the largest threat to ponies in history. Discord took a deep breath, stuck a finger in the lake, turning the crystal clear water into what looked like....melted butter? The draconequus sighed and said in a calming tone. "Nah, you're not ugly." Thinking he was lying to me, I sprung up on all fours and said, "Is that some sort of sick joke." Discord fluttered a few inches above the ground. He arced his head down to my eye level. "This is not a joke child. I can't justify other's appearance when I look like......this." He stared down his body of mismatched body parts. At that moment, I realized something: Discord didn't seem to care about his appearance, yet he knows he's the very definition of a freak. In out-of-character words of wisdom, Discord philosophied, "Your appearance shows who you are, child, don't run away from it, embrace it. Look at me, I'm a chaotic mess of different animals. So what'd I do? I turned into a crazy off the walls super-powered maniac!" I gave a lopsided smile and nodded, taking his oddly brilliant words to heart. Discord disappeared and reappeared hovering above me, grimacing at Celesita's setting sun. I shifted the sand around my hooves and randomly asked, "Hey Discord? What should I do with my life?" Of course, being the lord of mischief, had to make his response as obscure and confusing as possible. "All the world is a stage, my dear. Death is the finale, so you must plan out the acts beforehand. You're the director, you make the decisions." He simpered deviously. I rolled my eyes. "Gee. Thanks." I think I'll look deeper into what he said later. I looked up. "Hey, I should go. My sister's probably worried sick about me." Discord teleported in the lake of liquefied butter, turning it back into water. "So long my dear. Perhaps we'll cross paths again soon." I waved goodbye and turned to make my way home. I wasn't gonna tell Rarity about my new friend, she'll just take that away too. "Rarity! Just calm. Down." Twilight placed both hooves on her friend's shoulders. She stepped back and blew into a tissue levitating in front of her. "Calm down!? With Sweetie Belle missing? Did you even hear what those awful fillies said to her!?" "She's a smart kid. She'll turn up eventually." The lilac unicorn reassured her, followed by the slamming of the door. Sweetie Belled trotted in with a stern look on her face. Rarity galloped towards her and stood beside her, not making physical contact. "Sweetie Belle! You're alright!" She glared at her elder. "I'm going to bed." She said flatly. As she hopped up the stairs, Rarity wrinkled her nose. "Don't forget to take a bath!" "SHUT UP!" Twilight flinched at the outburst. She slowly scooted out the front door saying, "Well, I guess everything's in order. I'll see you tomorrow Rarity." In a sad tone she said, "Yeah, I guess." Twilight gave her a consoling smile. "It'll be okay, Rarity. When her birthday comes next week, I'm sure she's gonna flip." The pearl white unicorn beamed with hope. "Perhaps darling, perhaps." All the world is a stage. You're the director, you make the decisions. You're appearance shows who you are. Discord's hypnotic words ran through my head. What did all of this mean? Is he telling me to use my power to shape the world? No, that's silly. I'm not even that powerful, even though I'd like to be. As I lied in bed wrapped in my purple silk blanket, I stayed wide awake just trying to sort out this puzzling creature. Should I even trust him? He's known to be deceptive, but he really did seem like a guy trying his best to cheer up a sad little filly. And you know what? It worked. He really did make me feel better about myself. The very thought of happiness almost seemed like a far-fetched hoax. Why couldn't Rarity do that? She's so caught up in her work she forgot what being a sister even meant. I might as well be one of those eerie mannequins downstairs, because that's pretty much how she treats me; dresses me up in those gaudy dresses as her way of having fun. In fact, though it made me sick to my stomach, Discord was more of an older sibling than Rarity was the entire eight years of my life. We're pretty much one in the same; Freaks cast aside by society, only to wield the most powerful weapon of all time: Betrayal. Oh sweet Celestia! What am I even thinking? I'm no murderer. I'm just a filly that had some bad luck. That's all. Eventually, I slipped into a deep sleep. I experienced sweet comforting dreams of burning meadows, sunken cities, and Princess Celestia bloodied and beaten with a pool of crimson beneath her. I sat on the throne, proudly boasting her royal crown as all of Equestria crumbled under it's own ignorance.