//------------------------------// // Chapter Two // Story: Discord of Tomorrow // by ChaoticConduct //------------------------------// PRESENT Traveling through time to the future using chaos magic was extremely similar to being shot across Equestria from a gigantic slingshot except this time Discord wasn’t wearing goggles or a helmet. Wind was whipping around him and his surroundings sped past him in a blur. In fact, he was pretty sure he went through a couple dozen houses and a season antagonist or two. Everything came to a sudden stop and he smacked face first into the ground at the center of Ponyville, leaving a deep crater. His magic was almost completely drained but he forced himself to shoot into the air, barely sparing the citizens a glance, and disappeared into the temporary haven of the Everfree forest. Just as he oriented himself to dive into the trees, his flying ability went out and he dropped down through the branches and leaves until he came to a stop at the bottom branches of a crooked tree Discord groaned and let his body hang limply along the branches of the tree that had caught him, looking very similar to the vines around him. His magic was practically gone. He knew it would be, of course. Traveling to the future didn’t come without its consequences, but he was a Spirit of Chaos. His magic would return to him eventually due to the natural chaos that occurred in this land and the Everfree forest was perfect for that. As soon as he recovered a bit more power, he’d be able to create his own Chaos and be back to full strength. Still, it would be a boring recovery. He dragged his paw down his face, wiping it off and onto the ground. Oh, how he’d love to see how Celestia was doing without those precious Elements. He would usher the land to a beautiful era of Chaos where he could force Celestia and Luna to be his own personal entertainment. How fun it would be to see the strongest ponies in the land reduced to clown ponies! He chuckled and wrapped his tail around a branch, sliding the rest of his body off the tree so he could hang upside down and extend his neck to slam his head onto the ground where his face lay. All body parts and features accounted for, he retracted his neck to normal length and flapped his wings lazily, pushing himself forward and back so he could begin swinging, completely unaware that he was being watched. Twilight Sparkle was making her way through Ponyville back to her castle, flipping through the pages of a brand new book she levitated in front of her. In her saddlebags was a takeout order for her and Spike. She fully expected to spend her afternoon reading in her bedroom, free from the hustle and bustle in Ponyville. Something seemed to be going on in the middle of the town but she was much too invested in her book to take a look herself. It wasn’t until she was only a few meters from her castle door when she took notice of a yellow and pink pony flying towards her. It took her only a moment to realize it was Fluttershy. “Twilight! Twilight!” Twilight shoved her book into her saddlebag and waited for Fluttershy to get close. “Fluttershy, what’s wrong?” she asked. It was rare to see Fluttershy quite this flustered without warning. Fluttershy stopped in front of Twilight but in her anxiety continued to shuffle the dirt under her hooves. “Discord… he’s gone!” Twilight frowned. “Gone? What do you mean, ‘gone’?” “We were having our Tuesday tea with the Smooze and he just vanished!” After she heard that, some of Twilight’s own anxiety drained, although she was still concerned for her friend. “Doesn’t Discord disappear like, a lot?” Twilight asked, tilting her head. “He can get pretty random.” “This was different. We were in the middle of tea. He never leaves without excusing himself.” This time Twilight couldn’t hide the expression of disbelief. Excusing oneself seemed to be something too polite for Discord to do but perhaps she didn’t know Discord as well as Fluttershy. She took a deep breath and smiled at Fluttershy reassuringly. Twilight herself may not see Discord’s disappearance as something to cause alarm, but it was something her friend was clearly worried about and she would do her very best to ease her friend’s fear. “Don’t worry Fluttershy. I’m sure he’s fine,” Twilight said, touching her shoulder reassuringly. “Its possible that something important popped up and he had to leave right away.” “Do you think maybe Princess Celestia summoned him?” Twilight smiled. Fluttershy seemed to be calming down and was now thinking logically. “Now that you mention it, I’m sure that’s what happened.” She gestured to her castle with her horn. “Come inside, we’ll write a letter to Princess Celestia and ask where Discord is and when he’ll be back.” “Twilight, you’re back!” Spike said when the two ponies walked in. He eagerly accepted a sack of lunch that was levitated toward him. He opened the bag and shoved his claws inside, pausing when he noticed who was accompanying Twilight. “Um, is something wrong, Fluttershy?” “Spike, we need to send a letter to Princess Celestia,” Twilight said, using her magic to lift a quill and piece of parchment in the air. Spike looked at his sandwich longingly, then put it back in the bag so he could give Twilight and Fluttershy his full attention “Discord and the Smooze have gone missing,” Fluttershy explained, looking down at the ground. “What’s this about Discord?” asked another voice before Spike could respond. The three looked up to see Starlight Glimmer had entered the room. She closed the door behind her and joined them. “He’s missing?” “The Smooze too?” Twilight asked, looking up from the letter she was writing and giving Starlight a small nod. That was a bit more concerning. What purpose would Princess have for the Smooze? She made sure to include the Smooze’s disappearance in her letter. “Doesn’t Discord go missing often?” Spike asked. “I mean, I don’t think any of us even know where he lives.” “He lives in a pocket dimension where his chaos can run free,” Starlight said. She blushed when Twilight looked at her with a surprised expression. “It’s a lovely house,” Fluttershy added and then turned her attention to Spike and Starlight, ignoring Twilight’s disbelieving stare. “Discord just disappeared in the middle of our Tuesday tea party. I waited to see if he would return but he never did. I’m just so worried. It’s not like him.” Twilight rolled up her parchment and had a ribbon wrapped around it, stamped with a seal. She levitated it towards Spike. “Got it.” Spike plucked the scroll from the air and sent it to Princess Celestia in a burst of green flame. “Discord is the master of Chaos,” Starlight said, walking to Fluttershy’s side and nudging her a little. “He can take care of himself. I’m sure he’s fine.” “I’ll feel much better once Princess Celestia responds,” Fluttershy said, shuffling her wings and gazing at Spike hopefully. Twilight and Starlight exchanged glances. Twilight cleared her throat and smiled. “So, while we wait, why don’t you tell me how you know where Discord lives, Starlight? I don’t even know where he lives!” “He invited me over there not too long ago but I don’t actually know how to get there on my own,” Starlight said with a small smile. “Everything just floats around in a really dark void. There’s plants and I could’ve sworn I saw some animals too. It’s all pretty crazy but I really wouldn’t mind going there again. He said something about teaching me about chaos magic.” Twilight scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. I can't believe he actually tried to make you his student.” Starlight shrugged. “Actually, it was rather interesting. Discord had a really strange way of teaching.” Despite her disapproval, Twilight was interested. “Discord has never talked to me about his magic before.” she said. She tapped a hoof to her chin. “Did he actually teach you Chaos spells?” Starlight looked reluctant to go into detail, well aware that she may have just presented Twilight with a new research topic that Starlight would inevitably get sucked in. “First rule of Chaos magic is there is no rules. The second is there is no spells,” Starlight said. “I didn’t learn how to actually do anything with chaos magic. Discord just does and uses his magic to do. The best he could do was tell me actual spells he learned to cause chaos without using actual chaos magic.” “It must be due to him being a Draconequus,” Twilight said. “This is worth looking into another time. Reality warping powers like his could greatly benefit Equestria if used by somepony responsible.” Starlight grimaced. “I don't know, Twilight. All that power…” she shook her head. “It feels like nopony should wield it, like it'd be impossible not to let it get to your head.” Twilight nodded thoughtfully. “I suppose I can see what you mean. Discord can be a pain, but his own nature keeps him from…” she tossed a few words in her head, attempting to find a suitable one. “Completely enslaving us and controlling each of our every single action from the day we’re born to the day we die and solving every conflict in existence so our lives go without growth or change and life is meaningless?” Starlight suggested. “I guess it's a good thing he's the Spirit of Chaos. Unpredictability is what he lives for.” “He did take over Equestria, though,” Twilight said. “Twice. Almost three times. You know, it was probably almost four times.” “Causing Chaos,” Starlight said, smiling as though what Discord had done hadn't been terrible. Twilight rolled her eyes. Guess you had to be there. She was about to go into detail but was interrupted by Spike burping up green flames and a scroll. She caught the scroll with her magic and immediately opened it. She read over quickly and then lowered it, frowning. “Well?” Fluttershy pressed. “Celestia hasn’t heard from Discord. She says she’ll let us know if she comes across him and she doesn’t think there’s a cause for alarm yet,” Twilight said. “You don’t have any way to contact him directly, do you? Or a way to visit him in that ‘pocket dimension’?” “Discord has only ever teleported me there himself. I don’t know for sure if there’s a door or a gateway or portal or… or anything,” Fluttershy said. She perked up. “There has to be a way, though! I know the mailpony has visited him before. To deliver his letters.” “Even if there isn’t a standing portal, I’m sure we can make one,” Starlight said. Her horn began to glow. “I’ve been working on a spell. If I combine it with-“ “A spell!” Twilight cried. “That’s it! We have a spell to summon Discord!” “How convenient,” Starlight grumbled, the light in her horn going out with a spllt. “But Twilight, last time we had to use the Elements of Harmony to summon him and… we don’t have those anymore,” Fluttershy said. “I might be able to do the spell on my own, if I just-“ “You could just ask around town,” Spike suggested. “Maybe somepony’s seen him.” The three ponies in the room looked at him at the same time. Starlight cleared her throat. “We do seem to be overreacting a bit. He hasn’t been missing too long, has he?” Fluttershy blushed. “He’s… he’s only been gone for about an hour.” “So, he could already be back at the cottage,” Starlight reasoned. Fluttershy drew an imaginary circle on the ground with her hoof as she considered the possibility that she was overreacting. She didn’t need to know where Discord was every second of his life, did she? He was probably very busy… “If something important did come up, it might be something in Ponyville,” Twilight said. “Like an appointment or he had to meet somepony… Does he have any other friends in Ponyville?” “Um… well there’s the girls… and Spike and Big Mac,” Fluttershy said. “Other than that… He’s not very good at making friends on his own. Oh, please don’t tell him I said that!” Twilight smiled at Fluttershy reassuringly. “Then its settled. We’ll check with the others and ask if they’ve seen him. Fluttershy, you go to your cottage in case he’s come back and we’ll meet you over there, alright?” Fluttershy nodded and slunk out of the castle. When she closed the door, she spread her wings and took flight, making her way back to her cottage.