Sunny walked over to the smaller clearing in the trees “Wow these remains must be really old” she said inspecting a brick like stone off the ground. As she admired the large wall of vines that hung in front of her, she heard a small crack coming from the bushes, she quickly turned, her gaze flickering through the trees “Huh…funny I thought I heard something?” She turned back to the vines “hmm” she mumbled curiously. She reached up grabbing the vines with her hooves before quick pulling away “Ouch!” She winced “stupid pricks” she reached up again and more cautiously got a grip on the vines with her hooves, she pulled hard on the vines “Oh my stars” she said in amazement as the vines fell revealing an off-white wall, she dropped the vines and ran her hoof along the cold brick wall “This is amazing!” She gazed up at the bricks, the wall was covered in dirt and looked to be falling apart “I wonder how long this place has been abandoned?”
A deep, silk voice rang out from the trees “About a thousand years ago” He chuckled softly “You know I still can’t believe it’s been that long”
She quickly turned her gaze once again beaming into the bushes “Who…who said that? Who are you?!” She yelled her voice shaking with fear, she reached down picking up a stick holding it firmly in her hoof “I…I have a weapon and I’m not afraid to use it!”
“You really think I stick will hurt me? I would think again” he laughed
“Show yourself, coward! Who are you!” She yelled again, her tone getting louder
He scoffed “Since you're so eager to know” he said in a sarcastic tone. He slowly emerged from the bushes, the creature she saw before her was no normal stallion, he was a tall snake like creature who l was made of different animal parts with the horns of a deer and ram, a long fang hanging from his mouth, a lion paw as his right arm and his left was an eagle claw, a bat and pegasus wing, the foot of and goat and what looked to be a dragon, the tail of a red snake with a tuff white of fur at the end and a long silver mane that ran down his shoulders “I am Discord, Lord of Chaos, Spirit of Disharmony. And you are?”
Her jaw hung open she had never seen anything like him before, she was in absolute awe “I…um…I’m uh…S…Sunny Starscout” she stuttered before quickly shook her head trying to get her thoughts together “Oh..um if you don’t mind me asking…why are you hiding in the bushes?”
He paused, not really wanting to answer that, truthfully at least “l same as you I suppose, I’m just...enjoying the scenery”
She raised a brow “The scenery?” She questioned, she could clearly tell he was lying, she crossed her arms over her chest before continuing “From behind the trees? Really? I don’t believe you”
He looked at her with a fake expression of hurt on his face placing his paw on his chest “Well you should because I assure you, I’m telling the truth" he said with a slight grin
She rolled her eyes in annoyance
“What is one much like myself not allowed to enjoy a walk in the abandoned gardens in the old castle of Canterlot?” he said smugly
“You do realize that abandoned means left for ruin, never to be thought of again, right?” She asked
He walked towards her towering over her, a stern look crossed his facial features “Well then Miss Starscout, if that’s the case,” He said, his grin returning “then why are you here?”
Her mouth opened to protest but she was at a loss for words
His smile widened knowing he had won this little ‘game’ she was playing “So, are you going to answer my question or are you just going to sit there like a statute” his smile wavered slightly at that last word
She looked down mumbling something under her breath before meeting his gaze again “If you must know, I am her to finish my studies on ancient monuments of Equestria”
“Studies? So, you’re still in school, and you're out here alone, at night, with no supervision?” He said with a raised brow “Wow parents these days are out of their minds” he said under his breath
She grumbled softly “I’ll have you know I’m a not doing this for school I just enjoy studying history, I’m a full grow mare not some filly who needs to be watched over 24/7 and I’m more than capable of taking care of myself” she snapped
He laughed at her sudden anger
“What's so funny?!” she yelled
He continued laughing as he tried to speak between breaths “I’m sorry..it’s just...all I had to do was slightly insult you…to get you to tell me who you and…what you're doing out here...aw man, kid you have too much pride,” he ceased his laughter before continuing “so how long did it take you to walk here?”
“What do you mean?” she asked
He rolled his eyes “Well, no trains come around anymore and you being an earth pony, no offense, it would be an awfully long walk here” he said, as if it was obvious
“Well seems like someone’s an expert when it comes to these gardens,” she said sarcastically
“Well, I should, I’ve been here for over a thousand years, I know this place like the back of my palm” he bragged, inspecting his paw for emphasis
She rolled her eyes and sighed “I didn’t walk here, I flew.”
He looked back down at her confused “What do you mean ‘flew’?” he asked
She now wore a smirk. She closed her eyes and concentrated on her movement; a soft golden glow illuminated around her
Discord quickly took a step back
The glow around Sunny was getting brighter and in a bright flash of light she had sprouted clear golden wings and a horn. She opened her eyes again and looked up at Discord, who was staring at her, wide-eyed
“Sweet Celestia...how did you...what just...huh” he exclaimed “there's no way you could...I mean I can but...how!?”
She laughed softly at his confusion “Well after me and my friends brought the unity crystals back together, I was turned into an alicorn, but my wings and horn don’t stay permanently, as you just saw”
Discord just stood there “I haven’t seen an alicorn for what feels like eternity”
“Wait but aren’t natural alicorns immortal?” she asked
“Well yes,” Discord sighed “but after magic disappeared from Equestria the alicorns immortality did as well”
“Oh,” she said softly “but wait if magic and immortality were gone at that point in time, then how come you're still alive?”
“You see my immortality is balanced on a different type of magic, chaos magic, something the ponies didn’t have, nor could they control it. And after...um...certain events, I left Equestria and stood in my own chaotic world.”
“Well, what happened that caused you to leave?” she asked
Discord leaned against a tree that stood behind him before sliding down to sit in the grass, he gazed directed the ground “I rather not say, hurts to talk about...what happened so long ago” he said, his tone barely above a whisper
Sunny walked over and sat next to him “I understand, sometimes the past can hurt”
They sat in silence for a moment before she looked up and saw a small flash of light through the trees, “What is that” she said softly as she stood and started walking in the direction it came from, she walked past a thick row of trees and continued walking
Discord stood about to ask her where she was going but instead he followed closely behind her thourgh the trees