Blazing a Trail to the Past.

by Daylight_Dreamer


53- Small gift. Big smile.

"Dude," I said to Discord, "This isn't the party. We gotta get back or they'll notice we're gone. Besides, I may be cool with you calling out her technicality, but Fluttershy may be upset about it."

"You have a point," Discord admitted, "Still. I don't plan to lie. If she didn't want me talking to you about her special somepony she should have said so. Relax, I just wanted to make a pit stop."

"What is this place?" I asked.

"Some kind of abysmal abyss near where your griffin friend grew up," he answered, "I use this part as a storage locker. Where did this come from?" He picked the Idol of Boreas up off the ledge we were standing on, "Whatever, my stuff is over here." He threw it to the side causing it to fall deeper into the abyss and walked over to a random overhead door set into the rock wall. "You and I are the only ones to ever see this. You're not the only one hiding things that could rip Equestria apart. I'm trusting you not to go talking about this. Even Celestia shouldn't know what's in here. She may be immortal. That doesn't mean she's been around as long as I have. I'm the embodiment of chaos after all."

"Then why are you showing me?" I asked, "I can only even claim one full century. I kinda skipped a few in there."

"Because I like you, I was hoping we could be friends," Discord chuckled as he threw the door open.

The first thing I saw was what looked like a white, blue, and gold wall with a splotchy pattern, But shapes began to emerge as the wall bulged in the middle. All at once thousands of stuffed Celestia figurines came erupting into the abyss.

"I swear these things multiply," Discord complained as he snapped his fingers causing them to stack neatly in a pile to the side of the platform, "That's why I had to place that shield that's blocking the wind. I only buy one of these every decade or so-granted I did track down the ones from while I was imprisoned. This one's my favorite. It's the very first ever made." He held out a plush baby white unicorn, complete with a tiny diaper, "She hadn't even earned her wings yet. She got them at a young age."

"That is adorable," I said, "but remember the clock is ticking."

"I'm starting to think you're no fun," Discord said, "But I get it. Just let me find what I came for."

Discord turned his attention to the pile still in the locker. He started digging around and throwing Celestia plushies everywhere. Then other pony plushies started to emerge. One by one Discord pulled out all of the mane six, Spike, Starlight, Thorax, himself, Trixie, the Cutie Mark Crusaders-with and without cutie marks-, Lyra, Bon Bon, Derpy, Mayor Mare, Screw Ball, Cheerilee... The list went on into ponies I couldn't even name.

"AHA!" Discord finally stopped and pulled out a box. He walked up to me and held it to his chest. His face looked strange. Like he was trying to look serious, "I had to pull some strings to get this. I was a little too petrified to get them when they came out, but I got my claws on two sets."

He held the box out and opened it revealing six plush figures. It was the Protectors of Peace. I was a little disturbed Discord had a toy Daylight Dreamer. That was a toy me after all. Not to mention he had my late wife and our friends.

"I ah," Discord cleared his throat, "I was watching everything from the garden you made your plans in. I suppose you figured that out by now. You really threw those ponies through a loop. Using chaos to end the chaos. I wanted to show my respect. So... Here! Just take them! Call it my Cutecenyera present. I wasn't going to get you anything when I thought you were just some random human. Daylight Dreamer, you were the first pony that made me want a friend. I just didn't know what the feeling meant at the time. I'm just glad I met Fluttershy before this reunion. Now I know that this is how you make friends."

"Thank you," I said. I opened the box for a closer look. The detail on our cutie marks was astounding, and they were in perfect condition.

"When I say I found two sets what I mean is that you only missed two when you erased everypony's memory," He said, "They were lost in an attic of a house that was being torn down. You could tell my set had been played with. I had to re-stuff my Kizzy. I gave you the good one. Now... Do you want to play with your new dolls? Or do you want to party?" He snapped his fingers and we were at the refreshment table at the party. I was no longer holding the box. Discord whispered into my ear, "There under your bed, I'll leave it up to you who you show them to, pal."

"Thank you," I said, I still wasn't sure he wasn't up to something, but Discord is never, not up to something. I could have figured that out in just this meeting. Let alone seven seasons of MLP.

At that thought, I actually relaxed a little. Here I was, on edge because he had been watching me and collecting my action figures. I had forgotten I used to watch him on TV... and had a Discord lamp in my living room on Earth. Its like we were old friends that never got to meet so we stalked each other instead.

"Now if there is one thing I remember about you," Discord said, "you need to let loose and have some fun. You were always the serious one. I'll let you mingle for now, but if you aren't enjoying yourself..." his eyes went red, "...I'll see to it that you start." He disappeared.

"There you are!" Gilda landed next to me, "Where did you go?"

"Sorry, Babe," I said, "I ran into an old friend."

She gave me a funny look, "You've only been here a couple weeks. I thought all your old friends were either dead or on earth... Sorry to be so blunt."

"It's fine, I thought so too," I said, "Other than Celestia of course. Things can get chaotic sometimes, I'll explain at home. He gave me something I want to show you. It's at home."

"Alright," Gilda said still looking at me strangely, "I won't drill you. Ponies are waiting to meet you though."

"Well, I guess I better mingle then," I said.

"Jerry!" Spike shouted over the crowd, "I have a couple friends I want you to meet. Would you mind hanging out?"

"Sounds good to me," I said, "It's probably best if I stick with someone who knows all the important ponies anyway."

"Awesome," Spike celebrated, "If you wanna meet all the big shots. There's nopony better to hang with than 'Spike the Brave and Glorious'. Come on, my buddy Thorax is right over there."

I followed Spike to the edge of the stage where Ember was talking to Thorax.

"Ember!" Spike greeted his friend with a hug, "You make it!"

"You kidding," She reluctantly returned Spike's embrace, "I wouldn't want to miss out on a party with my oldest friend, Spike."

"Ember, Thorax," Spike got both friends attention, "I'd like to introduce you to the guests of honor, and my personal friends, Jerry and Gilda."

"Nice to meet you," Ember held out a claw to shake. Gilda and I each accepted in turn. I was surprised she didn't clamp down as hard as I expected.

Then a human hand reached out to shake. I automatically shook it but jumped back about five feet when I looked up and saw my own face looking back at me.

"I'm sorry!" Thorax's voice came from my doubles mouth just before turning back to his normal form, "I wanted to shake but I don't have hands in my normal form. I guess I should have gone with something else."

"It's fine," I assured him, "I just didn't expect it."

Before we could strike a conversation Vinyl came over the speakers, "Alright everypony! Are we having fun?" The crowd cheered, "Well turn your attention skyward. The Wonderbolts are about to start the show."

Rock music started playing in the background as the Wonderbolts began the show. It was a pretty basic routine that ended in an areal flower formation. It ended with Scootaloo coming out of nowhere to take the place of honor flying through the center of the pedals. Two of the Wonderbolts flew to the ground before climbing to a higher altitude than the rest. They dropped something before shooting back down and landing on the stage.

I was confused about what they had dropped until two parachutes unfurled that read 'Welcome Jerry' and 'Welcome Gilda'. As the parachutes descended the figures of Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom took shape.

Apple Bloom was much lower and managed to steer her parachute to the top of a pyramid the Wonderbolts had started on the stage and release her parachute, Sweetie Belle had a little hiccup but managed to land next to her friend. Scootaloo landed at the very top and they posed like that just long enough for a picture before Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom grabbed on to a pony below them and they all took off in different directions like a firework going off. The parachutes were left laying on the stage.

They did a few laps around the crowd before landing in a row on the stage and taking a bow.

The show was amazing but only one part of it really stood out to me. I had never seen Scootaloo or Rainbow Dash look so happy. They were doing a little dance together at the edge of the stage.