//------------------------------// // The Start of a New Life // Story: An Heir's Frailty // by Codex92 //------------------------------// I stared at Princess Celestia as she continued to glare at me. She thought I was Discord? I glanced at the other ponies around me. The guards still leered at me with weapons pointed at me, and the Mane Six, as fans and my sister called their group, eyeing me, some in shock while others were just as threatening as the alicorn still holding me and her soldiers ready to strike at a moment’s notice. “W-Wait!” I exclaimed nervously. “I’m not Discord!” “We’re done playing games, Discord!” the princess said, apparently fed up with the real draconequus’s chaos and wanted respite from the madness he had unleashed. Again. “Our celebration honoring my students and her friends for using the Elements on you again was interrupted when one of my guards told us your statue went missing.” “B-But he should be in your garden!” I said. “Where did you put him?” Celestia turned me around in her magical aura, pointing out where Discord was supposed to be resting in his re-imprisoned state. There was an empty stone dias that was perfect for a statue, but if I recall correctly from the beginning of the premiere where Discord was introduced, this was the same exact spot in the garden he stood in when the teacher in Ponyville, Ms. Cheerilee, I think, took her class on a school field trip. “We put ‘you’ right there,” Princess Celestia said. “There’s not a single trace of stone, dust, or debris around the area,” one of the guards said. “If Discord didn’t break free like before, then it must have disappeared. Or transformed into a child.” “What!?” I shrieked, quickly covering my mouth when my voice cracked. It felt worse than hitting puberty when I made such a shrill noise out of getting shocked by this. Thankfully, no one was laughing or mocked me, but it still didn’t help that they thought I was actually Discord. “...B-B-But...But he said-” Being quickly turned back around, I yelped, facing Princess Celestia once more. “Whatever devious schemes you’ve got up your amalgamous limbs, you will not be fooling any of us with this youthful charade.” She dropped me, but I was quickly picked up by a unicorn guard’s magic aura, forced into the middle of the group with spears trained at me. I gulped, nervous and absolutely terrified. “Guards, follow us, and keep a close eye on him. If he begins to spread chaos, try to contain him as much as possible. We’re using the Elements again, and this time, he will not escape.” The princess turned on her heels, leading her entourage through the garden. I helplessly floated in between the boxed-in formation of the soldiers, shaking uncontrollably at the thought of being permanently turned into a statue. Since no one was going to hear me out, or even try to, I just took one last look at my surroundings before I would remain stuck in one pose for the rest of my possibly new immortal life. The garden had a lot of different, exotic plants and decor, making it scream royalty. Nearby was the grand castle where Princess Celestia and Princess Luna reside. They took me inside the grand halls, which looked exactly like how the show’s animators designed it. The long halls had columns along the walls, red carpeting in the middle of the halls, tall glass windows overlooking the garden or other sections of the castle within the perimeter walls. As regal as anyone could imagine, but it didn’t help with my anxiety about what my fate had in store. Through one of the halls, I saw the stained-glass murals depicting important moments in Equestria’s history that the ponies revere. The first image was of Discord causing trouble by controlling three different ponies, then the one next to that with Celestia and Luna turning him to stone. Then there was one of Princess Celestia battling Nightmare Moon, Princess Luna’s dark alter ego from the despair of her loneliness and lack of adoration from her subjects, banishing the evil alicorn mare with the Elements of Harmony. The next had Nightmare Moon being stopped by the Mane Six with the Elements of Harmony, which led to freeing the Princess of the Night from the evil in her heart. The next window after that seemed to be a work in progress, which was no doubt going to be the image of the Element bearers stopping Discord. The pony artists who were working on it noticed us, then me, causing them to gasp, accidentally drop one of the fragile pieces of glass art, then flee for their lives. I was definitely going to be paying for that. With my freedom. “This doesn’t make any sense,” I heard Twilight between the guards and their golden armor shifting with each step. “Discord let us use the Elements on him again, and he barely flinched when he saw that they were working.” “Maybe he had a backup plan in case he really did think he would lose,” Pinkie pondered aloud. “By turning himself into a colt?” Rainbow questioned. “Duh. To make the Elements of Harmony not harm the innocent youth?” Pinkie explained. “I highly doubt there’s any innocence in that horrid creature, even if he looks adorable as a colt,” Rarity haughtily said. Great. I’m adorable and horrid. I look almost exactly like the fanart some people online made about Discord as a baby or a young draconequus. I will admit the foals and young colts and fillies are cute, even baby Discord. Too bad I don’t have the charm to win any of them over and make them believe me. As we got closer to where I assumed the vault Princess Celestia held the Elements of Harmony for safekeeping, I noticed Fluttershy glancing over her shoulder to look at me. I know she’s the Element of Kindness, loves animals, and is really, really timid around other ponies. I thought she would turn her head back around to avoid my gaze, but she didn’t seem all that frightened of me. Maybe she thinks I’m innocent? After all, she was the only one Discord wasn’t able to manipulate with his traps in the maze. Her innocence and understanding her own flaws frustrated him and he forcibly changed her personality in order to win his fake game. We arrived at the vault. It was huge with alicorn statues beside it, the door colored red and blue with a sun symbol in the center with an indent for Princess Celestia’s horn to insert and unlock with her magic aura. The unicorn holding me unceremoniously dropped me to the floor, making me land hard on my belly with a winded grunt. They backed away, though still kept their weapons aimed at me in case I tried anything. I’m still struggling to try to stand up on four legs. What danger could they even be in when they’re detaining a child? Celestia was about to unlock the vault when we heard a pair of loud hoofsteps echo through the hall. “Sister, where art thou?” I turned around, and there I saw the Princess of the Night herself approach us with a slightly annoyed look. “We have heard that roguish fiend, Discord, had been freed from his prison. Has he been sealed away by the-?” She froze when she looked at me, surrounded by guards while the Mane Six were beside Princess Celestia, who was about to stick her horn into the vault’s “keyhole”. The look she gave me made me want to find a place to hide and slither away forever, but with the stallions keeping a close eye on me, all I could do was just sit awkwardly in place with a nervous grin on my face, or my muzzle, I should say. “...Is this not Discord as an infant? Or are our eyes playing tricks due to his infernal magic?” My grin was quickly wiped from my face. Add another pony who doesn’t trust me by my appearance. Now that I think about it, Equestria seemed very judgemental about other creatures before getting to know them, even before the country was founded. At least later seasons made better moral lessons about judging a book by their cover. “Yes, Luna,” Celestia said. “We thought Discord was sealed away once more, but he seemed to have fooled us by using a magically crafted copy and replaced himself in the form of a foal.” Luna leered at me, walking around the guards to join her sister and the Element bearers. The girls all stared at Luna as she approached, though it was understandable as to why. They wouldn’t have seen her real design until the Nightmare Night episode, her smaller, brighter blue form in the season one premiere basically considered a “rough draft” for the animators until her true design was finished later in this point in the show’s story. Celestia continued unlocking the vault, using her magic to light the door and open it up. Inside was a small pedestal with the same royal blue ornamental chest the Elements of Harmony were placed. Celestia peeked inside, letting out a sigh before opening the chest, revealing the five necklaces and crown, each of them bearing the same symbol of the mares’ respective cutie marks in different colored gems. “Good. They’re here this time. Discord was not smart enough to take them from under our noses again.” “But I’m not Discord!” I exclaimed, getting desperate at this point. I tried to stand, wobbling slightly while getting a feel for being on all fours. “Don’t make any moves, creature!” one of the guards shouted as he thrust his spear at me. I flinched and fell over, getting frustrated and visibly upset. I didn’t like confrontations, I behaved at home and at school, and I always did my schoolwork on time. I was a good kid, and I’m being mistreated because I look like the chaotic deity who just wreaked havoc on Equestria, but in a younger form. Discord didn’t tell me I was actually going to be his scapegoat. He promised he was still going to leave a statue of his defeat so he could retire and take his place as the heir to his chaotic throne. But when I realized how much trouble I was in, I felt just like a bigger fool who got suckered into his lies, just like the Mane Six. I didn’t bother getting up this time as I saw tears begin to blur my vision. Celestia hovered the Elements of Harmony to the six bearers, putting them on one by one. They wouldn’t lend me their ears and hear why this was happening and who I really was. I was going to turn into another one of the royal sisters’ lawn ornaments. I curled up in a ball, clutching the long tail I now had tightly to my chest as I began crying. “Alright, girls. This time, let’s not miss,” Twilight said. I just shut my eyes and waited for the inevitable. “Fluttershy, put your necklace on.” Through my tears, I squinted my eyes, choking back sobs. Fluttershy seemed to be staring at me with concern, the Element of Kindness still held in her hoof. Why was she hesitating? She and her friends all think I’m the monster who tricked them. Does she feel sorry for me? Or is she fooled by the fact I’m a colt version of Discord, and as a different creature, she doesn’t want me to be harmed? “Fluttershy, wake up!” Rainbow exclaimed with impatience. “We got an evil chaos lord to put in stone! Put your necklace on!” Fluttershy glanced at her friends, then back at me, then back to everyone again. “Umm...If this was Discord...why doesn’t he teleport away if he broke free?” she asked. “Discord is a deceptive and manipulative creature, Fluttershy,” Celestia said. “He can take any form he wishes. His magic is able to bend to his will and change anypony and anyTHING with a simple blink. He is the embodiment of disharmony.” “When us and our sister battled the draconequus, his magic overwhelmed ours by an unprecedented margin,” Luna added bitterly. “We have tried, but we could barely scrape the fiend while he openly mocked us, changing our features around for his own amusement. That is when we sought the Elements of Harmony to seal and dispel his chaotic evil on the land before he destroyed it.” “Then why does he look so scared?” Fluttershy asked. “Can he regress to a younger age?” “To fool us,” Twilight stated. “Do you girls remember what he did before his influence transformed your personality to the point where I was about to give up hope on all of you?” “He told me Cloudsdale would be in trouble without me before my brain started getting fuzzy,” Rainbow said. “I remember a fun party with balloons, but the balloons came to life and laughed at me, not with me,” Pinkie said. “I do not wish to recall mine,” Rarity reluctantly commented. “All I remember was a rock wall blocking my way with my cutie mark shimmering like real diamonds.” “And ya thought that boulder you were luggin’ around was a big diamond that ya named ‘Tom’,” Applejack mentioned. Rarity grimaced, only to look away with a huff, her cheeks flushing pink in embarrassment. “Ah walked into some piles of livin’ apples that showed me what would happen if we failed. Ah’m ashamed to admit Ah would even consider lyin’ to hide the truth if the worst came to worse.” Everyone then looked to Fluttershy to recount what happened to her, a scene I recall many times as Discord’s cheapest tactic in his game of trickery. “Well, I followed some butterflies in the maze, which I guess was Discord trying to trick me,” the yellow pegasus said. “He mentioned how alone I was, that you girls wouldn’t bother to find me because...well, I’m not really the strongest of us, both physically or emotionally.” “And he broke you for picking on you?” Rainbow questioned with a snarl, then leered at me. “That’s it! The rainbow zapping’s gonna have to wait! Let me at that brat!” My eyes widened as Rainbow flew right at me faster than I could blink. Before I could even flinch, Fluttershy had let out a gasp, then flew with surprising speed, and to everyone’s shock, she tackled her friend down to the marble floor. My jaw dropped. Fluttershy was able to display some incredible feats later in the series, but being able to catch up to Rainbow Dash, the pegasus who was fast enough to break the sound barrier AND the light spectrum in a sonic rainboom before her other defining moments in bravery? “No, Rainbow Dash! Discord didn’t trick me like he did all of you!” Fluttershy scolded. She got up off of Rainbow Dash, who looked startled after her timid friend took her down so easily. “I know I’m not the bravest, or the strongest, and I know I can be a bit of a burden to all of you, but I know all of you want me to be the best I can be! I told Discord the exact same thing and admitted I have those very flaws he pointed out. I’m lucky to have made friends like you to help me improve, even if sometimes they seem like big hurdles I can’t jump over.” “...Wait. Discord didn’t fool you?” Twilight questioned. “But you were so mean and heartless! That makes no sense! How did you manipulate you when he failed to do so!?” “He cheated,” I mumbled aloud. I didn’t think anyone heard me, but it was loud enough to get everyone’s attention. No one uttered a word as all eyes were on me, waiting for some sort of explanation. I mean, I was basically Discord to them, and I knew exactly what happened, so they all wanted to know what I did. Slowly, shakily, I sat up on my haunches, sniffling a little as I wiped my face with my bear paw of my stray tears. “...Fluttershy didn’t get tricked at all. She accepted all the things Discord said.” “You mean what YOU said,” Rainbow grumbled, but quickly shut her mouth when Fluttershy turned to give her a harsh glare. Fluttershy glanced back at me, giving me a small smile and an encouraging nod, letting me continue. “...For his plan to work...he needed to corrupt all of you,” I continued. “The maze was all just a game to fool you all, but his manipulation couldn’t trick Fluttershy. So, he forcefully changed her against her will with his magic in frustration.” The girls and princesses gasped in shock. “You mean Discord cheated at his own game that he made up for us!?” Pinkie shrieked. “That’s...That’s so unfair!” “And so was giving back Rainbow’s wings when she managed to fly away right at the end!” Twilight added. “You just gave them back to her right after you tricked her!” “He did, but he left a present that had Rainbow Dash’s wings inside when his spell took hold,” I explained. “He gave her a choice to ignore them or take them to ‘save Cloudsdale’, but his spell was stronger than her loyalty, and she took them back, costing you all the game. So, it was fair, and Rainbow Dash was the last pony he needed to corrupt regardless.” “Discord being compared to fairness,” Princess Luna scoffed. “Such a farce.” While the others were startled by the outcome of Fluttershy’s “test” and Rainbow costing the girls the game, I thought I saw Princess Celestia have some sort of revelation. “Fluttershy’s kindhearted nature was immune to Discord’s wiles?” she uttered. “Why is Discord talking about himself like he’s a different pony?” Rarity wondered aloud. “Because I’m not Discord,” I said again. “I just woke up in this body, and I’m being accused without being given a chance to defend myself.” “Really?” Twilight questioned, growing skeptical at me. “If you’re not ‘Discord’, then who exactly are you?” “I’m his heir. And my real name is Charles.” All the ponies were taken aback by my words. Even the princesses were shocked to hear I was, in some weird way, Discord’s “child”. I know they were wondering how that was possible, if Discord could even have a child with any creature, or when I was even “born”, and after being treated so badly, I don’t know if I should even answer any of their rising number of questions at the point, but I wanted to speak my mind when they threatened to turn me to stone. “I’m not his biological son; I was originally a human in another world that he randomly picked to be the next Lord of Chaos, but he didn’t tell me all the magic he would pass on to me meant turning me into his ‘Mini Me’! He said he was retiring while I was to take his place, but I didn’t plan on being his scapegoat and turning into stone in his place! I haven’t even used this chaos magic once since I woke up, and your guards are pointing their spears at me threateningly when I’ve done absolutely NOTHING to anyone! So, in pony terms: I was a sucker just like the rest of you!” I panted heavily, giving every pony in the room a huge piece of my mind. At least, for those who did deserve it, unlike Fluttershy. She may have been shocked at first at my presence, but it quickly passed when she saw how distressed I was. I broke down in tears in defeat, didn’t fight back against them, even while being magic handled by both Princess Celestia and the unicorn guard, and the fact I was stumbling when I tried to run to the fountain to see my reflection earlier should have risen some suspicion that I was not the malicious draconequus that razed their kingdom with his chaos. Silence was all that rang in the corridor aside from my frustrated breathing. Most of them remained skeptical, of course. All except Fluttershy. “...This has to be another trick,” Luna mumbled. “Ah don’t think he’s lyin’,” Applejack said. Twilight, Rarity, Princess Luna, Rainbow Dash, and the guards glanced at the farm pony like she had a second head. “Obviously, Ah can be a terrible liar. But if that colt really was Discord, as strange as that story was, just from how upset he is, there’s no way he’s makin’ it all up.” “Seriously, AJ!?” Rainbow exclaimed. “You BELIEVE him!?” “Element of Honesty,” Applejack stated, even as she pointed to her necklace. At least someone else gave me a chance. “And thinkin’ about it now, Discord would have made some elaborate escape plan by usin’ his magic. It all disappeared when he was hit by the Elements’ power, and with this young Discord around, there hasn’t been any weird things happenin’ since we found him.” “Really!?” Pinkie zipped over to one of the windows, smushing her face against the glass as she seemed to look up at the sky for something. “Awww! There’s not even a single cotton candy cloud making chocolate milk rain! Applejack’s right.” She peeled her face off the window, which I thought would have been hilarious with her cartoonish antics, but I was still a bit miffed with the group misjudging me. Pinkie then looked at me, and when I blinked, she was suddenly right in front of my face, startling me on my back. “Say, you think maybe you can...make some chocolate milk-raining cotton candy clouds? Just one at the very least?” I blinked a couple times, trying to ponder her question, but I scowled angrily at her. “I don’t know how it works,” I said, pushing Pinkie’s muzzle away from me as I sat back up. “Discord told me it was simple to do, but he probably left out how complicated it actually was to trick me into agreeing to be his heir.” “What were his instructions?” Twilight wondered. “Just think of something and then snap my fingers,” I scoffed. “Sounds too easy to be true. Just think of cotton candy clouds filled with chocolate milk, and then snap my fingers.” I lifted my eagle hand and snapped my fingers to emphasize. However, popping in front of me, to mine and everyone’s shock, there was a pink cotton candy cloud floating in front of me. It wasn’t as big as the one Discord showed me back in my world, but that was enough to make Pinkie squeal with glee and snatch the cloud. She stuffed the whole cloud in her mouth, and with one bite, her cheeks swelled up, humming in delight as I saw some brown liquid, which was definitely chocolate milk, seeping out between her lips. Dumbfounded and slack jawed, I slowly looked down at my hand, then back to the ponies. The guards eyed me warily, backing away, though unsure if they should point their spears at me. “...Ok...Maybe it...really is that simple.” “And then the chaotic power will eventually go out of control,” Luna added. “Thou might spread more chaos than Discord, and even he had some semblance of controlling his own magic.” “I could practice in small increments?” I suggested sheepishly. I looked at my hand, my fingers still poised for another burst of chaos magic. Quickly, I separated my digits and placed them behind my back. “Probably not right now.” And back to the skeptical glances and worried frowns. Applejack and Fluttershy had vouched for me, but me displaying my small bit of chaos control didn’t help clear me that much. Fluttershy then stepped forward, past the startled guards, and sat down in front of me. I never thought I would feel so tiny compared to Fluttershy of all ponies. I’m probably as big as either of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. I wonder if I might meet them, assuming I won’t still get turned to stone. “You’re not really dangerous, are you?” she asked to clarify, even though she knew the answer moments ago. “No. Just confused. And a bit traumatized,” I said, giving the guards a dirty look. My gaze softened when I looked back up at Fluttershy, silently judging me through my eyes. She still held the Element of Kindness in her hoof, never considering putting it on to go through with using the Elements power against me. She looked down at her necklace, then back at me. “I think we should give you the benefit of the doubt and give you a chance,” Fluttershy finally said, then, to the others’ shock, she tossed the Element of Kindness over her shoulder. I didn’t even see that coming. She suddenly picked me up in her hooves and hugged me against her chest before I could process what just happened. “We’re so sorry for scaring you, little guy.” “Uhh, actually, I’m really fifteen years-” Fluttershy gently squished me closer against her, completely ignoring me while whispering some cooing sounds like I was actually a baby. I got sick of being treated like a baby when I was seven, and it seems like I’m going to be coddled by Fluttershy. Hopefully not for so many years. “Fluttershy, don’t hug him!” Rainbow cried out. “He’s still probably trying to trick us! Or...infect you to be a rude jerk again!” Fluttershy turned around to face Rainbow, showing everyone my annoyed blank stare while being squished against her gentle, but surprisingly firm grip. “He’s just misunderstood. He hasn’t done anything wrong since he woke up. And what if he really isn’t Discord? We should give him a chance, and we can teach him to use his magic for good.” Snapping out of my irritation, I squirmed myself in Fluttershy’s hooves to look at everyone with a small grin and an eager nod. This moment seemed a bit too early for Discord’s reformation since that came up later in the show, but with me in his place, I’ll take that chance to avoid being petrified by the powers of harmony. Rainbow Dash blinked, then frowned after a couple seconds of silence. “Ok. It’s official. That kid’s already corrupted Fluttershy,” she said. “I’m not corrupted,” Fluttershy argued. “Yes you are; by a baby creature, who is our ENEMY,” Rainbow emphasized. She swiftly flew over to where Fluttershy’s necklace was tossed aside, then came back, holding it out to her. “Put the necklace on and let’s blast him.” “No!” Fluttershy exclaimed, smacking the necklace out of her best friend’s hoof. “Don’t judge Discord Jr. because of what he looks like! I thought all of us learned that when we met Zecora!” “My real name is Charles,” I tried to voice out. “Zecora is a zebra, a different kind of pony compared to us!” Rainbow argued. “If he’s the spawn of that...that...whatever he is, or if he really shrunk himself to look younger, he’s going to destroy Equestria again!” “He’s just a baby!” Fluttershy yelled back. “I’m fifteen years old!” I exclaimed. “I just look young because Discord turned me into this form after I drank that chaotic chocolate milk concoction he gave me! I’m not a toddler!” I was forced to listen to the two pegasus mares bicker with each other like an old married couple while I was the unfortunate “baby” in the middle of it all. Despite my grievances, I glanced at the other four bearers and the princesses. Pinkie finished swallowing my first ever chaotic creation, licking her lips clean of the chocolate milk dribbling down her muzzle, so I don’t know what she’s thinking. Applejack seemed reluctant to side with Fluttershy, but since she understood I was telling them all the truth, she might be able to back me up, too. Twilight and Rarity were unsure, Luna clearly disagreed, but Celestia was still struck with that expression of revelation. She finally snapped out of her daze, noticing me staring at her. She’s clearly mastered masking her real emotions after over a thousand years ruling a kingdom, which worried me as to what she wanted to do with me. She cleared her throat loud enough for all to hear her, silencing Rainbow and Fluttershy’s argument over me. “Guards, you may return to your posts,” Princess Celestia said. Confused, the stallions glanced at each other, then back to their Princess of the Sun. “I-I’m sorry, Your Highness?” “You are no longer needed to assist us in reigning in...Charles.” Baffled, I watched the stallions flinch at her command. And the princess actually used my name, not Discord, which didn’t sit well with Luna. Silently, the guards gave Princess Celestia and Princess Luna a salute, then filed in line and marched back to their original posts throughout the castle. With a flick of her head, Celestia used her magic to pick up the Element of Kindness off the floor, then took the other remaining Elements from the other mares. Shocked, everyone looked at Celestia as she placed the six accessories neatly in the chest and closed it. “I believe Fluttershy has come up with a brilliant idea. We will give this young draconequus the benefit of the doubt and give him the chance to prove he is not really Discord.” “Really?” I asked quizzically. “Really?” Fluttershy asked hopefully. “REALLY!?” Rainbow Dash exclaimed in exasperation. “Really,” Celestia answered with a curt nod. “Sister, this is not ‘brilliant’!” Luna argued. “We are going to let the child of a monster roam free without consequence!? His tale holds no flame to a candle of woe that is nonexistent and will burn the foundation it was crafted upon!” “...What did Princess Luna just say?” Pinkie Pie asked. “She’s basically saying Discord - or, Charles, rather - is only pretending and will eventually betray us,” Celestia translated, then gave her sister a small frown. “We’re going to have to work on your modern speech a bit more, Luna.” The lunar princess huffed, giving me a furious glance. “But I am not going to let him run free in Equestria as he sees fit. He will be under the watchful eyes of Twilight Sparkle and her friends in Ponyville.” “Whoa, wait, Princess Celestia, are you serious!?” Twilight exclaimed. “You want us to watch him!? What if he-!?” “If he acts out of line, I will leave the Elements of Harmony in your care.” Celestia lowered the chest, placing it on her pupil’s back. I could see that level of responsibility was going to cause Twilight’s mind to snap. As hilarious as it can be to watch the purple unicorn struggle, it is a bit disheartening to see her go crazy over something she sees as more important than life itself. “I hoped I would have crafted a spell in time to prevent the Elements from being taken by Discord again, but if Charles is telling the truth, I will trust him not to cause any trouble.” Celestia looked at me, giving me a warning gaze, which I immediately heeded. “At least, as much trouble as you can handle if you’re practicing controlling your chaotic magic.” As much of a kindhearted and forgiving goddess Celestia was, she appears to have some limits if you cross her too much. I just quickly nodded my head silently, clearly not going to cause any harm to anyone. And I’m going to live in Ponyville with this limited freedom, which I am completely ok with. I’m not like Discord, so I’m not going to squander this deal. Fluttershy squeezed me tightly with a squee, happy to know I’ll be given a chance. After leaving the castle, I was helplessly carried by Fluttershy as I traveled with the girls through the city of Canterlot. While passing by the posh noble ponies of the rich city, most of them never paid us any mind, too busy lifting their noses high into the air as they walked by. I wonder how they could navigate these streets doing that on a daily basis. I imagined them being so blind to their uptight aristocracy that they’ll smack into a light pole or run into a bench, barely phase them, and continue their neck-breaking stroll. We eventually reached the train station and boarded the first train bound to Ponyville. I’ve never been on a train before, at least not a small rollercoaster ride at an amusement park my parents took me and my sister to a few years ago. As soon as we got inside and found our seats, I looked out the window when the train began to move. I nearly fell out of my seat when the train lurched forward, but I hung onto the windowsill to support myself. I’d rather practice walking while not in a moving vehicle and trip over my own feet on unstable ground. Watching the scenery pass didn’t feel as different while riding in a car, just the fact you’re in a much bigger mode of transportation and you’re not so cramped and confined in a singular seat for long trips. The world was just as bright and colorful as the show made it look, almost like I was a part of the animation. “So, anypony want to volunteer to watch Little Discord?” Twilight voiced out in the train car. My ears folded against my head as I stared blankly at the window. “My name is Charles,” I said as I turned around to stare at Twilight, who was sitting in the row behind me with the chest containing the Elements of Harmony. Fluttershy was sitting next to me, Rainbow and Pinkie sat on the opposite side of us with Rainbow sitting as far away from me as possible, and Applejack and Rarity sat behind them. “And if anyone calls me a mini Discord, it’s not going to help me show others I’m not like him.” “Hee hee! Charles is a weird name!” Pinkie laughed. “Maybe you’d like Baby D.? Ooh! How about Dizzy!? Oh wait, that nickname’s been taken by another story written by this author.” Wait, what did she just ramble about? “Oh, I know! Crypto! Like the word ‘cryptic’, and it makes sense since Discord makes much less sense than me!” I just stared at Pinkie Pie, baffled that she doesn’t seem to make any sense when she goes on a tangent, and I hope being the young Lord of Chaos doesn’t mean I’ll be able to understand her. “...Just Charles,” I repeated. “After all that, I don’t ever want to BE associated with Discord.” “...Ok!” Pinkie said with a shrug. “Charlie it is!” “No! Just-!” I huffed, rubbing my eyes, which felt so much bigger compared to my small hands. “Don’t question Pinkie Pie. Don’t question Pinkie Pie. Don’t question Pinkie Pie.” Twilight’s question still hung in the air as she giggled nervously. “So, uhh, Di- I-I mean, Charles’s living arrangements?” she asked. “Not happening,” Rainbow said with a scowl. Yeah, same to you too, Rainbow Dash. I wonder how Scootaloo, your number one fan and surrogate sister, deals with your attitude when you’re moody. You improve a little in the future, but goodness gracious, you’re more stubborn than Applejack on a work binge. “Ok, that answers that,” Twilight mumbled. “Uhh, Pinkie?” Pinkie let out a loud, excited gasp, but she paused, shifting her eyes around before shutting her opened maw. “Eh, actually, probably not a good idea. The Cakes allowed Gummy to stay with me since he’s my pet, but if they saw a small, itty-bitty version of Discord, it might not be good for Sugarcube Corner if ponies saw the real Discord in Ponyville earlier.” “...Really?” I asked. “If I practiced this magic, you wouldn’t even reconsider the idea if I made all different batches of candies or baked goods?” “As yummy as that all sounds, and I really, REAAAAAAAALLY wanna be your taste tester, Mr. and Mrs. Cake prefers hard work when baking their treats instead of taking shortcuts,” Pinkie explained. That...was actually a decent enough reason. Mr. and Mrs. Cake are earth ponies, so doing the work themselves would feel much more satisfying when making customers happy. And I think this is before Mrs. Cake gives birth to the Cake Twins, Pound and Pumpkin. Now I can’t wait for that moment to happen. My sister loves the babies in “My Little Pony”, even if others might not agree they’re cute with their beady eyes. “Applejack? Rarity?” Twilight gestured to the mares across from her. Both mares looked at each other, probably the busiest out of the group with their lines of work. “Uh, sorry, Twilight,” Applejack apologized. “Ah’d love to take Charles in, but if he wants to practice his magic, Ah don’t want him to accidentally turn the apples into pears, or uproot the trees and turn them into chocolate, or...somethin’ weird by mistake.” “Yes, sorry, darling,” Rarity apologized as well. “I’d rather not see my supplies hopping around and hiding from me. Especially if they get turned into...garish colors for the fashion lines I’m working on.” I wanted to protest, but they did have a point. If I can’t control this magic, then I won’t be able to reverse whatever mistakes I make on my own. Plus, Applejack and Rarity have such serious jobs: one supplies delicious apples and apple products throughout Equestria while the other sets fashion trends that could help her lead to growing her business and spread her clothing line throughout the kingdom. I didn’t want to destroy what they’ve both worked hard at what they each strived for. “Are you sure?” Twilight pleaded. “What about your sisters? They could have a playmate so they don’t distract you.” Rarity grimaced, then let out a nervous titter as she shifted her eyes warily. “Oh, definitely sure, Twilight!” she quickly said. “I’d be too busy anyway!” Or she’d be worried I’ll get Sweetie Belle involved in making a mess of your house and place of business. At least I know how to make toast and not melt it into porridge. I couldn’t help but grin as that scene popped into my head. Just the confidence in Sweetie Belle’s voice after cooking her version of breakfast was hilariously adorable. Twilight glanced over to Fluttershy, looking pretty desperate. “Fluttershy?” “Oh. I can take care of Discord Jr.” Darn it, Fluttershy. I don’t want to be upset with you, but why are you the most innocent out of the Mane Six? I just sighed in defeat and slid down my seat, hearing Twilight let out a relieved sigh and possibly copying me. I felt Fluttershy pat my head, making me pout as I was either treated like a puppy or a little kid to her. I think I’m only a couple years younger than these ponies. I actually have no idea how old they really are, but I’m pretty sure they’re either young adults or older teens. “I should have enough room at the cottage for him with all my animal friends visiting.” “Am I sleeping in a dog house?” I asked sarcastically. Fluttershy giggled at my question, then scooped me up in her hooves and cuddled me again, much to my chagrin. “You’re so silly.” “Ok! That’s settled!” Twilight said. “I mean, I would have, but I’ve got...quite a lot of studying to catch up on! And I need to find a good place to store the Elements of Harmony! Which are entrusted to me! Not pressured or anything!” Yeah, I think Twilight’s being “silly” here, not me. And she clearly doesn’t trust me that much. Understandable. Squirming out of Fluttershy’s hooves, I thought of some cotton candy and chocolate milk, then snapped my fingers, creating another small ball of sweet fluff in front of the unicorn, which startled her. “Twilight, have some cotton candy filled with chocolate milk,” I said. “Why?” she asked. I stood up in my seat and gave Twilight a blank stare. “You’re not you when you’re hungry.” “What’s that supposed to-?” Suddenly, Twilight’s stomach began to rumble. She glanced at her belly, then up to me, where I gave her a cheeky grin. She frowned at me, using her magic to move the chaotic creation away from her. “I’ll eat something when I get back home. And I also need to check on Spike and his stomachache from Princess Celestia sending all those friendship letters back to me.” “Hey, can I eat that, Twilight?” Pinkie asked. Twilight tossed the sweet treat/drink combo to the pink pony, which she eagerly caught. “Yay! More yummy chaos!” I watched Pinkie chomp down on the edible strawberry cotton, squirting chocolate milk from her bite and splashed Rainbow Dash with some of it. “Agh! Pinkie!” “Want shome?” Pinkie asked with her mouth full, offering Rainbow a bite of her snack. “No thanks!” Rainbow wiped the chocolate milk staining her fur with a look of disgust. Pinkie shrugged and continued eating her second helping of my chaotic food. I think that little remark I made to Twilight just made it harder for me to gain her trust. Actually, where did that snide comment toward her slowly dwindling sanity even come from? I’m not that mean. But, then again, I was threatened to be turned to stone by these six mares after completely misunderstanding my own situation. I just shook my head, hoping I won’t do anything too stupid to get me in more hot water than I never jumped into. The train eventually reached the train station in Ponyville, the friendliest town in all of Equestria. We soon got off, and I began to practice the first thing any newborn did in life: learning how to walk. And walking on four legs was weird, as well as embarrassing. Even though the train had stopped, it was troublesome trying to put one leg in front of the other with both the back and front legs. I continued to stumble out of the train car while the Mane Six followed after me, clearly finding my awkward waddling amusing from the snickering behind me. My goal to get off the train was met with messy results, but I made it. “Ok. I think I’m getting the hang of walking on all fours: right front and left back, then left front and right back. Rinse and repeat, and rinse, and-” Getting a bit too confident, I clipped my hooved back leg and my eagle claw. I yelped and fell flat on my face with a grunt. My ear twitched when I heard Rainbow bust out laughing at my slip up. “Yeah, yeah. You try walking with a different pair of legs.” Fluttershy gave Rainbow a disappointed frown. “Rainbow Dash, don’t make fun of him,” she chided. Fluttershy came over to me and helped me back up. “Just take it slow. There’s no rush, Jr.” “Why doesn’t he just fly?” Rarity wondered. “He has wings.” “If I can barely figure out how to walk, why would I try flying?” I questioned. Curiously, I looked at my sides, scrunching my face to try to move these new appendages. I managed to find them after a few seconds, but it was so weird having wings to control. They flapped erratically and out of sync, and the thought of hovering up in the air a bit too high and stopping was pretty scary. I folded them back to my sides, giving up on trying that until I was a bit more confident in this body. “Yeah, I’ll stick to walking.” “Welp, great meeting you and everything, ‘not Discord’, but I got work to do. Thanks for causing a scare, and ruining an awesome party dedicated to us for stopping your ‘dad’.” Rainbow Dash sped off after her “heartfelt” goodbye. Soon, the others took their leave back to their homes. At least Pinkie Pie and Applejack were genuine with their farewells, although Pinkie can make friends with just about anyone. Rarity only gave me a small nod, barely uttering a word, and Twilight just walked off with the Elements of Harmony back to her tree library. I hung my head, slightly disappointed that my first day in Equestria was already going poorly. At least three of them were giving me a chance. “Maybe everypony just needs a bit of time to get to know you better,” Fluttershy said. “I’m sure they’ll like you as yourself and not like Discord.” “We’ll see,” I said. “As long as I’m not a statue, I can sort of live with that.” I felt and heard my stomach growl a few seconds later. I kinda wished I stayed at home a little bit more and waited for that pizza. “Sounds like it’s dinner time,” Fluttershy giggled. “Let’s head to my cottage and I’ll whip up something to eat.” She began to walk on ahead, only for me to realize something: Fluttershy’s cottage is on the other side of town. And the walk there with my size and slow stumbling on four legs, it’ll take me a couple hours to get there. I didn’t notice Fluttershy came back to me while contemplating how I was going to make it. She snapped me out of my thoughts when she hoisted me up with a wing and placed me on her back. “We can also practice walking while we’re at home, too.” “T-Thanks, Fluttershy,” I said sheepishly. “You’re welcome, Discord Jr.,” she said with a smile. “Can you please stop calling me that?” I begged. “My name is Charles. Heck, you can even call me Charlie. Anything but Discord Jr.” “Oh. I like Charlie better.” I just sighed, glad to finally get the name situation sorted out with Fluttershy. While taking a ride on Fluttershy’s back, I got a good look around Ponyville. There wasn’t much that I needed to know about the layout of the town from the cartoon. All the more prominent buildings that stood out among the normal houses were there: Sugarcube Corner, the hospital, Rarity’s boutique, the Golden Oak Library, Town Hall, the schoolhouse, Sweet Apple Acres, the bell tower, and even the market. Navigating wouldn’t be an issue, just the long walking. There’s also teleporting, but after last time, I kind of don’t want to feel like losing my lunch or blacking out while staring at an epileptic void. There were some ponies I did recognize as we walked through the town. I spotted Derpy Hooves flying above us, the town’s resident mailmare and fan favorite to lots of the bronies back home. I saw Big Macintosh, Applejack’s brother, delivering some apples in a cart to a supermarket we passed called “Barnyard Bargains”, and the owner of the establishment, Filthy Rich, was outside waiting for the farm stallion. Speaking of Filthy Rich, I caught a glimpse of the business stallion’s daughter, Diamond Tiara, and her friend, Silver Spoon, hanging out by themselves at a cafe, drinking extravagant smoothies that cost more than a simple one while poking fun at other foals their age without a cutie mark. I really do not like those two fillies. I’ve had my fair share of bullies at school, and that rich filly and her best friend picking on Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo made me dislike spoiled rich jerks like them. We finally arrived at Fluttershy’s cottage, which was just as being out in nature as much as it could. The path went over a small bridge over a small brook, and the cottage stood on a small hill on the other side with a grassy roof, a few birdhouses, and some burrows along the hill made by some of her underground animal friends. I never had a dog or a cat before, but I guess I’d be the first to tell my close friends I was around lots of different critters, and I might help take care of them with her for taking me in. “Here we are,” Fluttershy said. Opening the door, she walked us in and closed it behind her. In the living room, there were mice, birds, a ferret, and some squirrels minding their business, but when we walked in, they looked at us, though I think they seemed to be staring at me. “Hello, my little friends. We got back from Canterlot a little bit earlier today.” Fluttershy lowered herself down to help me climb off her back. I just slid down her side, being careful not to hurt her wing. “Everycreature, this is Charlie. He’s going to be staying here with me for a while.” “...Uhh...hi?” I greeted awkwardly. I know the animals in this world were pretty intelligent, and from how quiet they were, I think they’re a little bit wary of me for who I was. I don’t blame them at all. “...Yeesh. Tough crowd.” “I’ll go and get dinner started. It’ll be ready in a few minutes.” Fluttershy trotted through the living room and into the kitchen while humming a little tune. I was left alone with the animals. Thankfully, they went about their normal animal business, making me sigh in relief. I thought for sure they were going to swarm and attack me. I guess they can tell if someone’s got a good heart if they look suspicious. Out of the random animals that come and go in Fluttershy’s home, there was one specific pet of hers I didn’t see yet. I took a curious look around the living room, keeping my steps slow so I can avoid tripping over myself while getting the hang of walking around. When I looked at the stairs leading upstairs, that was where I saw the delightful little rodent Fluttershy dotes as her pet. A white bunny hopped down the steps, his huge ears no doubt hearing his owner return home. But when he laid eyes on me, he stopped hopping, stared at me, then gave me a dirty look. “Oh. Hello, Angel,” I greeted with a leer of my own. I shocked the rabbit when I knew his name. I disliked this pet out of the Mane Six’s, even worse than Rarity’s Persian cat, Opal. Her cat was spoiled rotten and was always picky and moody no matter what Rarity tried to do to appease her feline companion. Angel was a despicable little bunny who gets pretty aggressive with Fluttershy when he doesn’t get his way. He’ll throw a tantrum like a five year old child when he doesn’t get the exact food he requests, he kicks her out of the house to force her to do something she’s terrified of doing, and he’ll even thump his foot against her leg to get her attention when she’s busy taking care of the other animals she looks out for. “My name is Charles. I know everything about you. And I already don’t like you.” Angel growled, clearly expressing his disdain toward me as well. Oh, we were definitely going to be the best of friends. During our small glaring contest, Fluttershy came out from the kitchen. “Ok, Charlie, dinner is- Oh, hello, Angel.” Angel and I dropped our gazes as Fluttershy approached us. “I see you met Angel Bunny. He’s my pet.” “I had a hunch,” I said. “Angel, this is Charlie. He...looks like Discord, but he’s really not,” Fluttershy said to her bunny. Angel eyed me, seemingly recognizing my form. I almost forgot Angel and his rabbit buddies were affected by Discord’s chaos, growing long legs and trampling everything in a stampede. “Now, I want you to be nice to our guest, Angel Bunny. And be careful when he practices his magic. We don’t want another chaotic bunny stampede running through the town again.” Angel sighed, then nodded his head, semi-promising to be on his best behavior around me. I doubted that would ever happen. “Anyway, time to eat. I’m starving.” She hummed and trotted back into the kitchen, oblivious to the staredown Angel and I resumed. He gestured to me with his paw that he was watching me, and I did the same right back at him. His name may be Angel, but he’s a little demon dressed as an adorable cartoon rabbit. I turned and began walking toward the kitchen, but I spotted Angel hopping on ahead. I didn’t notice him kick one of his big feet in my path, tripping me as I smacked my muzzle against the wooden floor. Growling, I lifted up my head, cheeks puffed out angrily, watching the evil bunny shake his butt and fluffy tail at me mockingly before hopping off innocently to his owner for his dinner. “Oh, you’re lucky I can’t torture you,” I grumbled. “At least not yet.” Rubbing my poor nose, I stood back up and walked into the kitchen. I leered at Angel while he munched on a bowl of carrots before I climbed myself on one of the chairs around Fluttershy’s kitchen table. I watched her set up a couple small bowls for us and some forks, while in the center was a big vegetable salad. Not exactly a pizza, but I’d rather eat that than gorge myself on cotton candy clouds and get a stomach ache from all that sugar. Or am I able to tolerate pounds of sugar and sweets without suffering from a sugar rush or an upset stomach? “I’m not really sure what kind of food Discord preferred to eat when he was wandering free besides candies and the like, but I hope a healthy salad is fine,” Fluttershy said as she scooped a decent helping into my bowl. “I don’t care what it is. I’m so hungry, I could eat a hor-” I quickly stopped myself, jaw hanging open in shock as I slowly glanced over to Fluttershy. She tilted her head at me curiously, wondering what I was about to say. I can’t think of any animals, I can’t think of horses, otherwise I’ll traumatize her and have a good reason to be kicked out and turned to stone in a flash. “...Uhhhh...I could...eat a…” I looked down at the bowl, at the mix of lettuce, tomatoes, bell peppers, cauliflower, chopped carrots, and spinach. “...A hoard of...delicious, healthy veggies?” “Oh. Well, there’s plenty to go around.” She went to get herself her own helping with a smile. I had to be careful with what I say with Fluttershy. I just grabbed my fork and quickly stuffed a huge portion of leafy greens in my mouth. Everything tasted really delicious and fresh, though it was obvious she gets her produce fresh from the market in town for her animal friends. I wonder how much she actually makes being Ponyville’s resident animal caretaker. Clearly not enough for the spoiled rabbit happily munching away at his owner’s seat. Maybe the mayor gives her a stipend for her job or something. We spent some time in silence as we munched on our dinner. At least Angel didn’t cause any trouble for me, but I kept an eye on him just in case. I watched some random critters going about in Fluttershy’s home, some going for the indoor feeders or begging for a bite of our salad. Oh man, if Alyssa knew I was actually in Fluttershy’s cottage and hanging out with her animal friends, she would flip out and hate me forever. After I ate my second bowl, I felt so full. My belly even looked comically bloated in fullness. Or was my body doing that on purpose with some passive chaos magic to make that happen? Getting out of my seat, Fluttershy took our dirty dishes and washed them up while I went back to the living room. It was unfortunate that Equestria didn’t have certain technologies to entertain everyone, like TVs. I know there’s video games, but the best they have are arcade machines in the show. And I highly doubt Fluttershy would want to buy one for herself with all the work she does. I hopped up onto the couch, wondering what to do now. I ignored Angel as he hopped past, giving me the stink eye before he bounded off to a small opening next to the double-hung front door to rest in his little home outside. Thank goodness he lives outside and not inside. He’d probably take up all of Fluttershy’s bed and kick her out on the couch. I looked over my new body to pass the time, curious about all the different animal parts Discord had. His body definitely shrieked chaotic, making him seem like a freaky genetic mutation that went out of control, and the creator just put everything together in one body, even the kitchen sink. I flexed each of my limbs, from my hands, feet, my dragon-like tail, and my wings. I tried to get used to moving around muscles that were attached to my back, but it felt so weird. It wasn’t like flapping my arms up and down and pretending to fly. It was like an extra set of arms that shouldn’t exist, and there had to be a specific part of my brain that was meant to control their movements. I tried to flap them again, slowly this time, and tried to do easy flapping motions. I didn’t get myself off the ground, but I was getting the hang of moving these things. Now, flying, that’s going to be a long while until I can practice without freaking out about “falling with style”. “What are you doing, Charlie?” Fluttershy startled me, causing my wings to suddenly shoot out and stiffen. I didn’t even hear her walk into the living room. I guess she was already done with the dishes. “Were you trying to hover?” “Uhh...Just getting used to this body, actually,” I said. Looking at my stretched out pegasus and bat wings, I pushed them back against my sides after the shock passed. “I wish I was actually Discord’s real size. I’d rather walk on two legs than four.” “You said you were a...hue-man back in Canterlot,” Fluttershy said, finding it funny as she tried to enunciate the species I formerly was. “I’ve never heard of a hue-man.” “...How do I explain what a human is?” I mumbled to myself. I scratched my head, thinking of a good example without making me sound like a tall, gangly, and grotesque creature that Equestria probably doesn’t even have. “Well...we’re part of the primate genus. So, like monkeys, just less hairy, taller, less hunchy, unable to climb or swing from trees with much ease, and we’re a bit more intelligent.” Fluttershy glanced up as she imagined what a human would look like from the simple description I gave. If I was able to transform, I could give her an actual image, but I’m not risking anything after I learned to control my new powers. “Goodness. How do you stay warm with less hair?” Fluttershy asked curiously. She had a small glint in her eye, an eager curiosity to learn about this wonderful new creature she’s never heard of. “Do you have opposable thumbs? Are hue-mans similar in stature to a gorilla or a chimpanzee? What do hue-mans eat? Well, you actually ate a salad, so if you are like monkeys, you’re omnivorous.” So much for Fluttershy being shy and timid. As soon as animals are the major subject in the room, she’s acting like Twilight during her excitable study binges. No wonder these two have a close connection with each other: both of them are reclusive, they enjoy learning about the things they enjoy, and when push comes to shove, they can get pretty aggressive. I answered as many questions as I could, but she was rapid-firing them in her excitement, she looked like she was dying to meet one. I wonder how she’d feel when she gets cuddled by a human when she was the one doing the cuddling to any cute critter she meets. I didn’t even realize how much time had passed during the questionnaire. It was starting to get late. The sun was already down and the moon was up in the air, the sky littered with twinkling stars in the dim moonlight. “Wow. What time is it?” I asked. Fluttershy noticed the time as well. “Oh my. Time really flew,” she said. She let out a small, startled gasp. “Oh! I completely forgot about setting up a room for you! I was so distracted with all the things hue-mans can do!” “I can just sleep on this couch,” I offered, bouncing slightly on the cushion. “Better than the floor.” “Oh, no no no no. I can’t let you do that,” Fluttershy said. Before I could protest, she scooped me up, much to my chagrin, and carried me up the flight of stairs. Down the hall, Fluttershy took me into her spacious bedroom. There were some more bird houses hanging from the ceiling, a small hearth for a fire on cold winter nights, a chest at the foot of her bed, and some dressers and a small bookshelf on the left side of the bed. Fluttershy set me down on her bed after pulling back the covers, then began tucking me in. “You can sleep in my room for the time being.” While I didn’t enjoy getting tucked into bed like I was a baby, I didn’t want to take her room while I was her guest. “Fluttershy, you don’t have to do this. I’ll be fine sleeping on the-” “Ah ah ah. I insist,” Fluttershy interrupted. “You’ve already had a rough day as it is. You just relax and get a good night’s sleep.” I just let her continue tucking me in until I was as nice and cozy as she wanted me to be. Once she was satisfied, she surprised me by giving me a light kiss on top of my head. My face turned a bright red. The only one who ever kissed me good night was my mom, when I was little. “I’m sure my friends will warm up to you a little bit more tomorrow. I’ll see you in the morning, Charlie.” I watched Fluttershy exit the room and quietly shut the door behind her, my cheeks still burning red. I think she still sees me like a kid and not a fifteen year old, as I had stated numerous times to everyone. Maybe she’ll understand one day, assuming she can believe me when I actually sound like I was back to being five or six years old. I just sighed and shook my head, nestling my head into the comfortable pillow. Today was not a really good day, but at least I’m not turned to stone. I wonder if my family even realizes I’m missing. And where the heck did Discord disappear to? I have a few choice words with that draconequus if he’s somewhere out in Equestria enjoying his retirement. After spending a few minutes leering at the ceiling over Discord’s “benefits”, I closed my eyes and tried to get to sleep. Hopefully, I’ll be much more welcomed by Ponyville tomorrow. Assuming everyone doesn’t cower in fear at the draconequus colt freely wandering town after his second defeat.