//------------------------------//
// Dear Discord 
// Story: Offshoots and Oddities 
// by Semivivus 
//------------------------------//

Discord sat at the table, frowning softly as he stared down at the offending envelope. The packet of paper hadn't done anything to warrant his disapproving glare, but he stared down at it just the same.
"Um... Discord?" His wife asked softly as she pushed her way through the door. "Have you still not opened the letter?"
The draconequus in question looked up from the paper leaflet and turned to glance at his wife. "No. Not yet. I don't know if I should."
Fluttershy smiled gently and leaned in, nuzzling against his side. "It's alright to be afraid, you know."
The mad god scoffed in response, looking away from her. "I'm not afraid. I'm never afraid. I... just..." He sighed. "I'm just not sure if it would be right to find out. Maybe it would be best if I just leave my descendants be. I doubt any of them would be pleased to know that I'm their great-great-great-whatever."
Fluttershy let out a soft giggle. "Discord. I'm sure everything will be fine. You don't even have to contact them. The only other pony who knows about this is Twilight, and does she seem like the kind of mare to share a secret like this?"
Discord sighed in response. "You're right, my dear. As you always are." Taking hold of the letter with a shaky paw, as if it was an explosive about to go off in his face, he peeled off the wax seal and pulled out the sheet of paper. He took one last glance at Fluttershy, staring into her deep eyes for comfort, before unfolding the parchment.



Dear Discord,

First of all, I'd like to personally thank you for trusting me enough to let me help you with something like this. While it came as a great surprise to me that you would have had offspring, I believe I may have found what became of the foal.

The orphanage in question burned down a few centuries ago, so any paperwork of admittance or adoption was nearly impossible to find. I had almost given up hope, before finally finding the name of Silly String in a marriage certificate. It seems she had taken the last name of her husband, one Basalt Pie. Once I knew that I was looking for a Silly Pie, it became much easier to find a few records, including the original deed to a small farm in the south. The only thing of note was their product not being agricultural, but geological.

I doubt you have ever been to this farm, but I'm fairly certain if you brought this information to Fluttershy, she would be able to tell you more about it. The six of us are quite familiar with this location, after all. I'll leave the rest of the explanation up to her, as it would be a bit rude for me to say any more just over the mail.

Your Friend,
Princess Twilight Sparkle

P.S. Thank you for sending me a letter instead of teleporting to me in the middle of the night.  I appreciate the consideration, and it seems Fluttershy has been an even better influence on you than any of us ever expected.




Discord finally looked up from the letter, frowning in confusion. When Fluttershy silently turned her head in question, he passed the letter to her to read. Her expression seemed mostly unchanged, right up until the end when her eyes widened. "O-oh! I see. Well... that would explain... quite a lot actually. That answers more questions than just what happened to your child." She said, staring off into the distance.
Discord raised his brow in response. "How so?"
Fluttershy only gave a small awkward smile, hiding behind her mane once more.
Frowning, Discord leaned in and put his paw and talon on his hips. "Oh, no you don't. You can't just go quiet on me when I'm this close to finally having the answers. Come on, Flutterbutter. What's going on?"
Letting out a squeak, the pegasus pulled away from him. "I-I-I'm sorry!" She peeped out, shuffling her hooves awkwardly. "I just don't know how to say it..."
Discord sighed, rubbing his head. "Well, by what Miss Book-flank said, I'm assuming you're friends with my descendants? Do you know which one inherited the chaos magic?" Fluttershy silently nodded. Discord pursed his lips as he tried to be patient with the game of twenty questions they were having. "Do I know them?" Again, the pegasus nodded. "So I'm assuming they're from Ponyville?" Once more, a nod. "Well, that doesn't help. Everypony in this town is crazy enough to fit the bill of having a core of chaos inside them."
"W-well..." She began, looking away from him. "I'm sure if you asked Pinkie, she would help you find the pony."
Discord tilted his head to the side. "Well, she does know everypony in town... but why are you bringing her up? Can't you help me?"
Fluttershy shook her head. "I-I'm really sorry. I just... can't."
Discord only sighed and shook his head. "Well, then I don't see how asking Pinkie would help anymore. Is she even better friends with this pony than you are?"
Fluttershy opened her mouth, before closing it and trying to think through the answer. "She and that pony are the only ones who really understand each other."
Discord continued to frown silently. "Somepony who understands Pinkie? Does such a pony truly exist? I didn't think there was a creature alive who understood that mare. Not even I can predict her. How could a pony know what goes on in Pinkie's mind... unless..." His eyes snapped open. "Fluttershy. Where did Pinkie grow up."
Fluttershy finally smiled, letting out a sigh. "She grew up in a farm on the outskirts of Equestria. A rock farm."
Discord froze, his eyes bulging out of his skull as the loud, crashing sound of his brain snapping itself in two echoed through the room. After a full minute of doing an awfully good impression of a statue, he snapped his fingers and vanished suddenly, warping off to a bakery down the streets.
Fluttershy just let out a small giggle in response, returning to her morning cup of tea.