//------------------------------// // Interlude π: In the Gardens // Story: According to You // by Razor Blade the Unicron //------------------------------// As fun as referring to himself as a creature of Chaos and Disharmony, Discord did have to admit that one of the two wasn't exactly a proper description. Chaos was the opposite of Order, and Disharmony was supposively the opposite of Harmony. But Harmony was the balance of Chaos and Order, so there wasn't exactly an opposite. It hardly matters, really, thought the cracked statue in the Canterlot Gardens. But it's not like I can go around proving it yet. Just a little more and I'll finally be free! Discord wasn't stupid. He wanted to spread his Chaos far and wide, but it would remain as Chaos. He wasn't a creature of Insanity, just like that aggravating Tree wasn't a creature of Control. Those were the extremes of Chaos and Order, which they both understood were terrible things that should never happen. Not joking. The key difference between him and the Tree - other than it being a tree, of course - was that Discord was active while the Tree was passive. He actively tried to introduce chaos into the world, while the Tree was more passive. He snapped his fingers and instantly turned the world tipsy-turvy, while the Tree had amply provided the Elements to allow others to thwart him. Celestia and Luna, ever the naive fools they were, thought the Tree came from Harmony. That was utterly absurd, even by his standards. The Tree was planted in a seed of Order, and the Elements it bore followed suit. The Elements wanted Order, no matter what, which is why he became a statue in the first place. Celestia placed too much personal faith in the Elements. When Luna went insane - ironically wanting Control - Celestia had thought that the Elements would purify her dear sister. Obviously, she had been wrong. She must have realized that the Elements were of Order, which was why she had sealed them away in stone. That satisfied Order. But the unicorn had changed them. Not just in names, but in purpose. She made them into the true Elements of Harmony. They were no longer of Order. Even the Tree had sensed the change; it's surprise echoing all the way to where he was in Canterlot. Unity was strong. Discord knew that he could have started manipulating an eager multitude of things by that point, but he was going to play smarter this time. He used his power to "disharmonize" Unity, as well as that irritating guard who had kept examining him with growing suspicion. Sure, it had forcefully pushed his ultimate escape back a few days, but just this once he had decided to play it safe. The ragged stone around his eyes began to crumble to the ground. Oh, it was going to be wonderful to see the world in something other than grayscale once more! Maybe he would turn Celestia's mane gray just to spite her. That would be hilarious. Wait, no, he had stupidly forgotten about the Elements! Celestia had them locked away in a vault for proper security, which would be easy for him to break into. Getting rid of them was another disagreeable matter. The Tree was strong enough to hold the Elements in a certain radius if the Bearers weren't wearing them. Plus, it would take a large surplus of energy to move the confounded things without accidentally activating them. What if he merely sent them right back to where it all began? Where Unity and the other Bearers unanimously chose to go into Everfree? They would never think to look in the silly library! He could forcibly send them on a wild goose chase and then "disharmonize" them at the same time. It was ingenious. Speaking of that library, he was undoubtedly going to turn it gold. After all, it was the Golden Oaks Library, yet it was green as can be! Or maybe silver, just to be that much more annoying. Even better, every color except for gold or yellow. That was peak hilarity. Maybe add some plaid here and there. Wait. Who were those two ponies at the library? An orange earth pony and a silly-looking pegasus with a rainbow mane. Must have been some of Unity's friends. They were certainly going to be in for a bewildering surprise when they spoke with her. Ooh, orange and rainbow? His eyes were freed from the stone! All the colors were so welcoming, as Orderly as they looked. Before long they would be much more Chaotic. He most certainly had to change the pegasus's mane. He could swap it with her coat color, or even better, inverse all of her colors. Yes, of course! Instead of a red-orange-yellow-green-blue-purple mane, blue coat, and pink eyes, he would give her a green-blue-purple-red-orange-yellow mane, orange coat, and green eyes. That would even make her look like the Earth pony, and that would be even funnier. As for the Earth pony, she had an apple cutie mark. Maybe make it into a pear mark or an orange mark. An orange wouldn't be seen, though - wait, she had Pear ancestry in her. That could be hilari- The little mare's mother was the Pear. As tactless as he usually acted, Discord wasn't cruel. To force her to think of something such her parents, even he couldn't do. A strawberry would have to suffice instead. Or maybe he could just do something different entirely. She seemed to like how loose her hair was, so maybe do it up in a much more fancy way? That would be much better. Make it toned-down enough for her to try and undo it, only for it to instantly pop back to the way it way. How infuriated she would be! The stone around his wings crumbled to the ground. Just a little bit more, and he would be able to do anything once again! As soon as either of his hands were free, he would have all of his power back. The world would be his once more. And this time, the Elements would not be his downfall. He was going to win.