//------------------------------//
// All for the Vain Illusion of Strife 
// Story: Rip Off the Wings of a Butterfly 
// by LA Knight 
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"Rosedust?" Celestia murmured. The high princess of Equestria moved to the window of her private receiving room, the rainbow waterfall of her mane rippling in the light. Her sister saw that a tiny shiver moved over her ivory coat. Luna watched as her sister pressed her cheek to the smooth pane of window-glass, letting the fading sunlight caress her muzzle. "Rosedust," she said again, as if testing or tasting the name. "Rosedust."

Feathers of sunlight drifted through the glass and that cascading mane, casting rainbow sparkles upon the smooth marble floor. Luna stood near the bench her sister had offered—the bench she'd been too restless to take when she'd first arrived—and watched Celestia gaze sorrowfully through the glass. Worry for Discord was in every line of her body, in the brittle set of her shoulders, even the angle of her head as she studied Canterlot through the window. They all worried for Discord; until the day he and Luna had battled atop the highest tower of the Night Palace all those centuries ago, there hadn't been even the slightest inkling that there was anything wrong with him.

"Who do you think she is?" Celestia asked softly, pulling Luna's thoughts back to the meeting at hand. "This Rosedust he spoke of? A pony? Could he…" She trailed off, then seemed to steel herself to continue. "Could he have fallen in love with one of the changelings, do you suppose?"

Luna's shoulders rose and fell in a helpless shrug. "I don't know. I…I'm not sure. He spoke of they. Not a single pony. And he…he spoke to me of foals."

Celestia's head whipped around, mauve eyes wide. "Foals?"

The princess sighed and glared at one of the decorative stained glass windows. "He provoked me, and I told him he was acting like a foal. Suddenly he…he changed again. He was being his typical condescending self. He sneered at me, so I struck back with an insult to show him how petty I thought he was acting. It enraged him. I have never seen him so furious. He raged at me not to speak to him of foals. I didn't understand…I still don't understand what made him so angry."

"Perhaps this…Rosedust…was his…offspring?"

Luna's eyes widened and an odd feeling churned in her belly. Discord…with a draconequus kit? The thought was so alien, so bizarre, Luna could scarcely fathom it. He couldn't have a kit. Discord as a father?

But then, if not so, why had her former friend become so infuriated at the petty insult? Had Rosedust been Discord's daughter? Or if not that, then a foal he'd inexplicably grown fond of, who'd been killed during the Changeling Invasion? No, because how was that Luna's fault?

Unless in Discord's insane guilt, he had to place blame on his former protégé and friend because he could not shoulder it alone…

"I simply don't know, Sister," Luna murmured, heaving a sigh. "I do not know what Discord is thinking, or even if he speaks the truth. I came only to give you a report of what occurred last night. I know you worry for him."

"I worry for all of you," Celestia replied in a strained voice, turning back to the window. "Blueblood was so angry at being passed over for the power seat of the Crystal Empire, but…but he simply wasn't ready. Would never be ready. Cadence and Twilight are both so hurt by what Discord has done, and you…I've asked so much of you, Luna—"

The gentle smile Luna gifted her with seemed to ease some of Celestia's strain. She smiled at her sister. Luna went to her and nuzzled her shoulder gently. "You needn't worry, Sister. I will handle Discord."

"Don't let Blueblood provoke him," Celestia added. "I do not know what cruel game he plays with Discord, but his harsh words will help nothing."

Luna nodded. "Don't worry. I will speak to our nephew."


.


As before, when Luna went to the dungeons to speak to Discord the next day, she approached with silence and the utmost caution. It seemed that if she took enough care, and Discord was distracted, he wouldn't notice Luna's presence until the princess had had a chance to observe his strange behavior for a time. She was counting on that; after everything Discord had said the night before, Luna wanted a chance both to think and to observe him.

The clank of iron horseshoes on the marble floor arrested her. Frowning, Luna paused. The air suddenly seemed to hang thick in the torch-lit corridor. A sliver of apprehension whispered down the Æsir's spine as a guard hurried down the hall, eyes wide beneath the visor of his golden helm. Luna took three quick strides forward and planted herself in the guard’s path, halting him.

"What is it?"

"Discord, Your Highness," the guard gasped. "He is trying to perform a spell to break the bonds of his prison."

Something sharp and hot sliced through Luna like a blade. Discord was trying to escape? Now? Because he knew Luna was coming, and didn't wish to answer anymore of her questions? Or because of something else? Luna shoved past the guard, ordering, "Fetch my sister and Princess Twilight Sparkle."

Without waiting for the guard to acquiesce, she took off at a full gallop. The blood pumped hot through her veins as she charged magic through the tip of her spearing, sapphire horn. Discord hadn't broken out yet—the backlash of power from the shattering prison-spells keeping him bound would've been felt throughout Canterlot. There was still time to stop him.

With that thought, Luna lowered her head and put on a burst of speed that rocketed her down the corridor and around the corner, where she slid to a halt just before she would've come into Discord's line of sight.

But Luna could see Discord as plain as day.

He sat against the plain white wall of his prison, shoulders hunched, knees drawn up to his chest. His lion’s paw curled into a white-knuckled fist, pressed against Discord's mouth hard enough that Luna saw he’d cut his lips on his own fangs. His thinner, clawed hand stretched out toward empty air, palm-up, trembling as if it held up a great weight. Blue veins pulsed in his eyes and chords of muscle strained against his feathers and fur, and sweat streamed down the gray brow, plastering dust-gray hair to temples, cheeks, and neck.

Discord's breath came in harsh, ragged gasps. His chest rose and fell sharply with each breath. An intense, almost mad fire blazed in the toxic yellow of his gaze; that gaze focused on a spot somewhere in front of him, never blinking, distant with concentration. Luna could tell Discord hadn't closed his eyes, even for a second, in some time—moisture gathered and seeped from the corners of eyes.

The lion paw flexed open, shot out to join the other. Long arms stiffened, shaking with Herculean effort. White brows knotted in fierce concentration and the golden eyes narrowed to mere slits. Thin lips peeled back to reveal Discord had gritted his fangs, almost as if he were in pain. His breath whistled between his clenched fangs as he struggled against the bonds of his prison. The spells Twilight and Celestia had placed around the prison and laced throughout the room vibrated and hummed as Discord fought to bring his spell to fruition. The ensorcelled bars rattled with the force of the magic battering at them.

No. No, Discord couldn't escape. Not again. As vividly as a nightmare that would always haunt her, Luna remembered the day Discord had stepped off of his night-manticore mount at the top of the Night Tower, that smug grin on his face. As if everything were going according to plan. Luna recalled vividly how she'd run toward her old friend and former teacher, planning to shove him off the battlements with her tenebrous power, only to pass through the illusion of him like lunging through a sheet of icy water. She remembered the manticore’s claws slicing her flank, Discord's mocking, Oopsies.

All too well could Luna remember Zephyr Breeze—poor Zephyr Breeze, who’d found his place and his purpose at last—preventing Discord from dropping the wounded princess off the tower to what should have been certain death…only to see the chaos lord murder the pegasus stallion who'd inexplicably become one of Canterlot’s most trusted warriors with a thrust of those vicious, golden claws through Zephyr’s back. Discord had murdered him…stabbed him in the back…like a coward…

Luna flared her wings and bared her teeth, the sweep of dark feathers whispering against the stone walls like a softly spoken promise of vengeance. Her heart hammered in her chest, threatening to bruise her ribs. She took a step forward, rage and grief warring for pride of place in her chest. Her magic was a heavy weight on her shoulders, pressing on her bones. She would do whatever it took to prevent Discord's escape. She would…she would shatter Discord's concentration…and if that didn't work, then…then she would…what would she do?

Another step dragged her closer.

Something shimmered in the air about two feet in front of Discord's nose. Shadows twisted and writhed in the air, coiling around each other, morphing like clay to take a vaguely equine shape. Discord bit his lip until it bled. A thin trickle of blood leaked from his left nostril. The crimson droplets stood out as stark as rubies in the sun against the wan face and dark feathers. Wrinkles snarled across Discord's forehead and between his eyebrows as he leaned forward, hunger written plainly across his features.

The twining shadows smoothed out, the vague shape sculpting into more definable lines. Luna froze perhaps ten paces away from the cell. Luna didn't know as much about this sort of spell as Discord—very few did, at least in Canterlot—but she knew a little. Enough, in fact, to know that what Discord was doing would never get him out of his cell. It would never help him escape.

It was a waking illusion spell; Luna’s specialty was dream-illusions, which followed different rules of magic. But this was not the kind of illusion Discord normally used to deceive his enemies; something less malignant, less vicious. This illusion couldn't even make tactile contact. Though it could be touched, it couldn't touch anyone itself, couldn't affect the world around it. That was a subtle difference taught to every Equestrian warrior, because this type of illusion could be damaged, but could do no damage in its turn. If Discord had been forming an illusion of himself, perhaps it would have made sense, but this wasn't an image of the chaos lord at all, nor could it be mistaken for such.

Luna lifted her head as the shadows and smoke solidified into the image of a young foal. She couldn't see the foal’s face, as it faced away from Luna and toward Discord; she saw only the back of its head and body. It might have been perhaps five or six years old, judging by its size—just old enough to start foal-school. Slender, small. Its thick, lustrous burgundy curls fell to its knobbly foal knees and its tail swept the floor. A pair of dusty-gold colored bat wings flared out from its small back. A gray ribbon tied back those curly, blood-burgundy tresses, giving Luna just a glimpse of a round cheek, delicate ear, slender throat, all the color of those bat wings. It clutched a stuffed manticore in one hoof.

Was this Rosedust? She couldn't have been Discord's foal. She was too old. Discord hadn't been in the habit of fathering bastards, and even had he been, Celestia's edict regarding illegitimate issue was well-known—the by-blows were to be raised in the palace, their parents given work there, and taken care of as befitted the offspring, legitimate or not, of the royal family. Discord couldn't have had a foal—not one he knew of, at any rate—before being turned to stone all those centuries ago, or being recaptured by the Guardians of Harmony, or…So who was this foal?

Discord drew a shuddering breath. His eyes roved over the illusion of the foal with insatiable hunger as he reached out with one shaking paw. Trembling clawtips halted a brief span from the small cheek. Discord's claws knotted into a fist and his breath escaped in what might have been a sob. Then, moving as if he might shatter, he caressed the foal's cheek with his knuckles. Carefully slid his claws into the crimson curls and ran his fingers through them; his eyes tracked the movement of his hand before returning to the foal's face, which Luna still couldn't see.

"I'm sorry," Discord whispered. Luna jolted; it seemed her entire body had gone numb, then been struck by lightning. The rage and fear of Discord's escape dwindled to nothing, replaced by confusion and uncertainty. Discord's mouth quivered as he breathed, "Oh, little one…I'm so sorry. Forgive me. I swore to protect you…swore I would always…but I failed you. I'm so sorry."

Then Discord did the unthinkable—he shifted, rising to his knees, and embraced the foal, pressing his face against its shoulder. A fine tremor went through the long, lean frame. Discord crushed strands of the little foal's burgundy hair in his fists even as the illusion began to fade. Luna watched—chest tight and throat raw from swallowing back salt and sorrow at Discord’s grief—as the foal's image vanished, leaving Discord holding naught but empty air. The rattle and hum of magic pressing against magic slowly faded.

Slowly, as if afraid of bleeding to death, Discord drew his claws to his chest and bowed his head. His shoulders shook once, twice. Then he went still. He knelt there for a moment, simply breathing. Then he surged to his feet and strode to the fireplace to gaze down at the flames. Luna saw then that an entire stack of drawings were burning to black char and ash amidst the coals. Was that what had brought on this sudden need to conjure the illusion?

Discord passed a claw down his muzzle, and when it dropped back to his side, there was no sign of the anguish that had so recently pained the prince. The gray countenance was a blank mask, empty of everything. Then Discord's lip curled, his mouth twisting into that familiar and irritating smirk that made Luna's hoof ache to knock it askew. He straightened his shoulders. Rolled his neck until a small pop released some tension. Then he sighed and shook his head, before chuckling to himself.

"Luna is a fool," Discord whispered, still sneering. "But then, so are they all."

The words were a slap that struck aside everything Luna had felt in the last few moments upon seeing the illusion of the foal. Left behind was only simmering anger.

"Fool, am I?" Luna demanded. Her voice emerged harsh and strained, but the fresh anger in it came through well enough. Discord tensed, but didn't whip around to face her. Instead he pivoted slowly until he could look Luna in the eye. The princess snapped, "And why am I a fool?"

Discord chuckled dryly. "Well, there you stand. Surely the guards rushed off to tell you I was attempting to escape, yet you come running with no spell charged in an effort to stop me…again. Even though every time you've attempted it, you've failed. Is that not foolish? Or perhaps mad," he added with a bright smile that made Luna's teeth clench. "Is not the definition of madness, 'doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result every time?'"

"Celestia and Twilight Sparkle are coming to see you," Luna said coldly, ignoring his taunt. "You will offer the proper respect to your sister—"

"I believe we've already established that she's your sister."

"So you decry us all because Celestia, what? Brought you into our family, treated you as a brother to us both, then didn’t allow you to rule beside her? Truly? Don't tell me that everything you've done, every treachery committed, is because Celestia didn’t let you sit the Equestrian Throne. You’re not a pony!"

Discord shrugged and clasped his claws behind his back. "Believe what you will. You always have. Which is why, I imagine, you told the guard to bring the Princesses of the Sun and Magic, in case I managed to get past you once I'd broken my bonds." When Luna said nothing, Discord scoffed. "So predictable."

"I remember what happened the last time you escaped your prison," Luna muttered. "You killed a stallion I was proud to call my friend and ally."

Discord arched a brow. "Oh? Did I?"

Luna lunged for the enchanted bars separating her from the draconequus. Thumping her steel-shod hoof against it, ignoring the prickling of the magic bound within the bars, the princess growled, "Don't you dare mock me! He was my friend, Discord, and you murdered him in cold blood."

Another disdainful scoff. "He had a sword aimed at me. What did you expect me to do, little moon—let him slice me into a million pieces? I know you were sorely disappointed when I managed to survive his attempt, but surely you've more sense than that."

"Disapp—" Luna choked on the word. She stared at him with incredulous eyes. "Is that what you think? That I wanted you dead? Sun and moon, Discord, why would you ever think that?"

"Because I remember you dropping me off the end of Night Bridge into the blackness of Tartarus without a thought, Princess!"

He'd said that before, Luna recalled, when they'd argued at the Palace of the Two Sisters before his first imprisonment in stone. We’ve been together for centuries, Discord! You half-raised me! We played together. We fought together against countless enemies. Don't you remember any of that? And Discord had said something like, I remember you dropping me into an abyss. Luna hadn't known what to make of that at the time; still didn't. But there had been other things that needed to be said, and so she'd let it go. Yet surely Discord didn't think that Luna had let him fall on purpose when he’d been hanging by his claw-tips from the edge of Tartarus’s gates? Discord had let go of the cliffs. Didn't he remember?

"You let go," Luna murmured. And even now, that memory sent a shaft of ice through her heart. "I begged you not to. I begged you, Discord, and yet you…you let go." They’d been there to quell an uprising in Tartarus and things had become…tangled. Discord’s love of chaos and his vindictive nature had pushed him beyond what was acceptable to do in order to win their fight. Celestia and Luna had condemned his actions and then…that wretch Tirek and that monster, Sombra…they had…

Discord blinked, brow furrowing as if in confusion. He shook his head slowly. "No. No, you dropped me—"

"I didn't," Luna insisted. "I would never. You were my friend, my teacher. My brother. I mourned you, Discord. Celestia mourned you. I thought you were dead, as I did when you vanished after being freed. When I found out you were alive, both times I was overjoyed. How could you ever think otherwise?"

"Oh, yes, you seemed quite glad to see me when you and Celestia trapped me in stone as soon as I returned from Tartarus. I could see your joy as plain as a campfire in the dark, little moon."

"You'd murdered innocent ponies. Did you expect me to be happy about that?"

A flash of snow-white teeth in a smile that was more of a sneer. "Happy? Perhaps not. I suppose it isn't your fault you've become so soft. I can understand, even sympathize. No, I didn't expect you to be happy. But I didn't murder anyone. The ponies who died were unfortunate casualties—"

"Unfortunate casualties?" Twilight Sparkle demanded from behind Luna. Immediately Luna saw Discord's features close off, his eyes go blank and cold as frosted topazes. His lips thinned into a severe line. The princess hadn't realized how much the chaos lord had opened up to him until he shut down in the presence of Celestia and Twilight. Twilight continued, "Is that what you call those innocent poniess, Discord?"

Discord's lips twisted into an expression Luna couldn't quite name. "Do you think me a liar, Princess Twilight? Do you doubt my sincerity?"

Twilight's violet eyes burned as they rested on him. "Yes."

Discord gave a short, sharp laugh that seemed to Luna as if it should've left the three princesses bleeding. He replied, "Ah, but I'm never sincere, am I, Luna? You've said so yourself. But then," he focused on Celestia, and the blankness left his gaze, to be replaced by something icy and razor sharp, "neither are you."

None of the princesses spoke for several long moments. Luna studied her sister and their former protégé. She wondered if they saw as much—despite Discord's mask of boredom—as Luna did herself. Finally, the white alicorn broke the silence.

"You attempted to thwart the containment spells on your prison; why? What did you hope to accomplish? Surely you knew you couldn't break them and escape, so why waste so much effort?"

Luna opened her mouth to tell her sister about the illusion of the little foal, then closed it. Discord didn't know he'd been seen; at least, Luna was fairly certain he didn't know, judging by Discord's reaction the last time he'd accused Luna of spying on him. What sort of damage would it do to whatever progress the princess was making with the draconequus if she revealed that secret in front of him? Somehow Luna knew that Discord would never forgive her. And what would Twilight do with the information? Had Celestia already told her of the mysterious Rosedust, whose death Discord blamed on Luna?

"It wasn't a waste," Discord said simply, smirking once more. "Clearly Lord Shining Armor isn't keeping as strict a watch as you would like, since he can’t answer your questions. Then again, he’s always been a bit blind to what was right in front of him…as have you, Sun Princess."

"Discord, that's enough," Luna cautioned sharply. Discord shook his head, but said nothing more. "Sister, Twilight Sparkle, Discord hasn't escaped, as you can see. He has not the strength to make another attempt in the near future. Let me speak to him alone. Perhaps I can get the answers you seek."

When Discord snorted, Luna shot him a look that clearly said, Shut up.

After another interminable silence where Celestia and Twilight seemed to be communicating silently, Celestia nodded. "Very well. Reason with him…if you can."

And she turned and strode off down the corridor with the youngest princess, leaving the chaos lord and his interrogator alone, save for the guards. At a nod from Luna, the guards took themselves off a ways, giving the princess privacy once more.

"I hope you enjoy wasting your breath," Discord said with a smile. He turned to walk to the chair where he normally sat during his and Luna's often one-sided conversations. "Not to mention your time."

"Both are mine to waste," Luna replied, thinking quickly. "Tell me…who was the foal?"

Discord froze, as if his entire body had been encased in a thick sheet of ice. So excruciatingly slowly, he turned to look at Luna. "What foal?"

"The foal you conjured," Luna said gently. Bored mask gone, Discord leveled a vicious look at him. "Who was she?"

"That is none of your concern."

Still keeping her voice gentle, the princess asked, "Was that Rosedust?"

Claws slammed down on the table hard enough to make the ink-wells rattle. "Don't say her name!" Discord hissed, hatred seething beneath the words. "How dare you? You don't deserve to speak her name!"

Time for a single moment of ruthlessness. "Why?" Luna demanded. "Because you and I killed her?"

The effect on Discord was immediate. All the rage and hatred dissipated and he sank into the chair like his legs would no longer support him. His pale face grew haggard. He closed his eyes as if attempting to block out Luna and her incessant questions. A ragged sigh escaped him.

"That foal—that was her, wasn't it?" Luna asked. "Who was she?"

But Discord shook his head. Wearily, he said, "That wasn't her. That was…someone else."

"Who?" When Discord didn't speak again, Luna said, "You said you would give me the reasons for my condemnation today, Discord. You would tell me once and for all why you hate me so. Well, here I am. Give me your reasons. Because of a mare whose name you have forbidden to speak, and why else?" Silence stretched between, broken only when Luna implored, "Tell me why, Discord."

The seconds ticked by as Discord sat with his eyes closed, his face unreadable. Luna measured those seconds—those small eternities—with the rapid, uneasy beat of her heart. Finally Discord lifted his head and locked shadowed golden eyes with her own midnight blue gaze.

"The…the foal you saw…" Discord seemed to momentarily struggle for breath. "Her name…was…Eris."

Was. A hollow pang hit Luna in the chest. The foal had been so young…"She is dead, then."

Discord's hand resting atop the table spasmed. "Yes."

Eris. A pegasus name. Luna knew that Discord would never have given any issue of his loins a mortal name. He would never call a daughter of his after mortal fashion. But then…who was the foal?

Sensing an odd brittleness in Discord, Luna's voice was at its gentlest when she asked, "Who was she?"

The amber-eyed lord shook his head. "I know I promised you an explanation, and so you’ll get, but if you want it to make sense, I have to start at the very beginning—the moment I disappeared from Ponyville." He cleared his throat. "It’s quite a long tale. Are you certain you want to hear it?"

Luna nodded. "Tell me. I will hear you out."

Discord drew yet another ragged breath that seemed to tear through his chest like a knife. He said softly, "You asked me who Rosedust was. I'll tell you. She was a prisoner of the Changelings…a prisoner from Equestria."

"One of the prisoners you captured for them?" Luna hazarded.

Yet Discord shook his head. A rueful smile played about his mouth, edged with no little pain. His eyes were tired when they lit on Luna's baffled face, but a flicker of amusement warmed them from glacial topaz to a softer gold.

"You still think you know how it all played out. You think you're so wise," Discord whispered, "so clever." He leaned his head back, supporting the weight of it against one fist. His burgundy feathers gleamed in the lamp- and firelight. The lines of pain around his mouth deepened as he closed his eyes again, laughed softly, ruefully. "You think I caught her, like a songbird behind golden bars, and then regretted caging her when my better nature won out? You're such a fool, little moon. My prisoner? No. Rosedust wasn't my captive."

Noting his emphasis, Luna asked, "Then…who was she?"

"She was the prisoner in the cell next to mine."

TBC