//------------------------------// // Divided // Story: Discord's Patchwork Adventure // by Comicizzum //------------------------------// Fluttershy sat in the tall golden grass, her eyes not really seeing the glorious sunset painting the clouds delicate shades of orange and pink. She sniffled and wiped her eyes, her heart aching as her thoughts fueled her feelings.   Discord’s revelation had cut her to the core, leaving her hurt, confused, and angry. She couldn’t stop thinking about all the heartbreak his creation had caused and how she’d seen most of it too.  The sad looks shared between Celestia and Luna whenever Nightmare Moon was mentioned haunted not only her but many ponies. And she’d heard the hurt behind Stygian’s words when he revealed the only reason he’d turned to the Darkness was because he felt abandoned by his friends. She’d even seen his desperation to be freed from its evil grasp firsthoof. And while she hadn’t witnessed any of the events, Twilight had told her and the others of how the Rainbooms had defeated the Sirens. Fluttershy had to wonder how long those poor transformed ponies had tormented the Mirror World before Sunset Shimmer and the others freed them. Now Shadow was working through Tirek, tearing apart countless lives and ruining everything Equestria stood for. Even she had been a victim of his brutality. Her heart and stomach hurt as she thought of the deer and the blood she’d mercilessly drained from its body.  How could Discord allow this to happen? She knew her draconequus had a bad habit of keeping things to himself but many of the past issues she and her friends had dealt with would have been much easier to resolve if he’d just been upfront and honest with them. Like when he didn’t tell them he was behind the plunder vines until after the whole ordeal was over. And how he didn’t reveal to Fluttershy the reason he betrayed them to Tirek (struggling with reformation) until after the centaur’s defeat. He didn’t tell her about his plans to test Twilight both when Cadence visited nor when Twilight had gone on a three day book-sortation. He also hadn’t immediately confessed his hurt over Fluttershy taking Treehugger to the Gala until the night of the event!  It was all so frustrating! What was so difficult about being upfront and honest with her? She could understand Discord shying away from bearing the truth to their friends but why did he treat her the same?  They were supposed to be close- closer than any other! They were best friends -no- fiancés! So why couldn’t he openly share things with her? Why did he hide until he was forced to share? Why wait until things were spiraling out of control? Had she not done enough to prove he could trust her absolutely?  It hurt to even consider the possibility but doubts had crept in and Fluttershy couldn’t shake them. After so many years of sharing, she thought that an equal amount of trust was felt on his end. Through all of their time together she’d told him things that she’d never shared with any other pony. But, while Discord had shared things with her, it only ever seemed to be after some event forced his hand. It made her wonder: if this whole thing with Tirek had never happened, would she even know about Amity? About Ascension? About Shadow and all the lives he’d tainted?  She needed answers and she wasn’t going to get them sitting here under the setting sun.  Wiping her eyes, she stood on her hooves and turned to face the rubble. Taking a deep breath, she set off in search of her love. She found him hiding behind a boulder, the perfect picture of misery. Discord glanced up as she sat down beside him before going back to picking invisible bugs out of his tail tuft. While she appreciated and wanted to comfort him through his obvious guilt, the coming conversation required to set aside her timid nature and embrace the confidence she needed. Taking another deep breath, Fluttershy closed her eyes and steeled her resolve. This issue had to be addressed or they were never going to last.  “Discord,” she began, her voice firm yet kind, “There’s something we need to talk about.” True to form, he burst with a long strand of words that tumbled out of his mouth and prevented her from getting another word in. “Fluttershy, before you say anything, I want you to know that I love you more than chaos itself! I also want to say how terribly sorry I am for all that has happened. I swear I’m going to do everything I can to fix it! And-” “Discord.” “-I will spend the rest of my eternal existence doing everything I can to prove to you and the others that I will never allow anything like this to ever happen again. I know that-” “Discord.” “-there’s a distinct possibility I will be held accountable and punished for what’s happened. And, if that’s the case, I am more than willing to be turned to stone… as long as they allow me to stay close to you. If you even still want me. Which, I totally understand if you-” “DISCORD!” Finally he stopped, flinching back in surprise by the force of her shout. Fluttershy was no longer sitting next to him but hovering a foot away, her forelegs folded across her chest with an exasperated glare painted on her face.  “Forgive me for shouting,” she said, “but there’s something I need to ask and I need you to be completely honest with me, okay?” Ears pressed backward and eyes still wide, he nodded numbly in agreement.  Satisfied, Fluttershy lowered herself to the ground. Taking a deep breath, she looked him straight in the eye and asked, "Discord, do you trust me?" The draconequus blinked in surprise. "Of course I do." Fluttershy couldn't help the tears that started pricking the corners of her eyes. "Then why do you hide things from me until you can't anymore?"  He didn’t answer.  The silence that stretched out between them felt like a physical weight over Fluttershy’s withers, crushing them as she closed her eyes and released the tears she could no longer keep at bay. The rough and smooth contrast of Discord’s paw and claw suddenly but gently cupped either side of her face and he began brushing the tears away. Fluttershy looked up and saw pain, guilt, and a hint of anger reflected in his amber orbs.  “I-I’m sorry,” she stumbled, gently pulling away. “I didn’t mean to hurt-” Discord’s tail tuft, shaped like a hand, delicately placed a single finger against her lips. “Stop, please,” he muttered. “This isn’t about you. This is about my abysmal ability to freely express my true thoughts and feelings.” He shook his head and sighed. Turning his gaze towards the golden grass, Discord watched as it flickered back and forth in the slight breeze. Feeling the need to be patient, Fluttershy remained silent while her heart shouted for him to continue.  Discord lowered his gaze back to her and said, “In all our time together, I think you’ve learned by now that I have a record of keeping things close to the chest.” Fluttershy nodded knowingly. “I lie,” he said ruefully, “because I find it’s easier. Telling the truth can be ugly, make things complicated, and,” -he shuddered- “expose me in ways I’m not comfortable with. I know I’ve truly reformed but that doesn’t change who I am. I’m the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony. Being deceitful, lying, and tricking creatures is something I cannot give up. But I don’t want that to become a wedge between you and me. I want to be able to be honest with you and I have been, more than with anypony else. I just hope that you will understand that in some situations it may take a long time for me to build up to a confession.” “Like now,” she muttered. Discord nodded, his ears drooping. “I’m sorry that you feel like I don’t trust you. I do. And I always will. But I also hope that you can understand that one of the reasons I am so hesitant to let anypony in, especially you, is because…” He stopped, his tongue actually tying into a visible knot. Immediately worried, the yellow pegasus put a hoof on his arm. Discord held up a finger for patience. It took a bit of work but he finally managed to get the knot undone. “Sorry,” he said with a sad chuckle. “This is difficult to say.” “It’s okay,” she soothed, stroking his arm. He sent her a weak yet appreciative smile before continuing. “I’m hesitant because… I care. I care more than I want anypony to really know. I may be confident in who and what I am but that confidence significantly depletes when I am around a creature that I actually want to associate with. I fear that if they discover the truths I hide, they’ll revoke any tender feelings they may have towards me and label me as the monster every other creature believes me to be. I would rather suffer through tolerated dislike and somewhat acceptance than rejection and hatred.” He turned fully to her then but his eyes refused to look anywhere but the ground. “Never have I fully, albeit occasionally, disclosed myself until you became part of my life, Fluttershy. And that is why my biggest fear, my dear, is losing you. In the past and even to this day I hid my secrets because I was afraid, because I am afraid, that their exposure will be the end of what we have. I crave your approval and your acceptance more than any other creature. I treasure you so much that I will do whatever I feel I have to in order to keep you. That is why I lied, failed, and hid things from you all these years.” He still refused to look away from the ground so he didn’t see the compassion and love emanating from the little pony beside him.  Fluttershy’s heart was near to bursting. Everything suddenly made sense, like a curtain being pulled back to dispel the shadows with sunshine. She could see how his past actions proved his words, how much he valued his friendships and his relationship with her. He did trust her, she saw that now, and she knew he always would. She would just need to learn how to exercise patience and go at his pace, trusting that he would share things with her when he was able to. But there was something else that she needed to do and she needed to do it right now.   With all the love she could muster, she flapped her wings and rose up until she could take his head in her hooves. Discord finally met her eyes. The anguish and fear in his gaze transformed into surprise and then hope as he saw that her feelings for him remained unchanged.  “Thank you, Discord, for being honest with me,” she said, her voice soft and tender, “I know that must have been very difficult for you. I want you to know that you will never lose me, no matter what secrets you may still feel the need to hold on to. I trust you and I’m very proud of how far you’ve come.” “You are?” he asked, surprised. Fluttershy smiled before kissing him. “Very proud.” “But I’ve done such awful things!” “Yes,” she agreed, “but I don’t hold that against you. I forgive you, Discord. For everything.” A pair of mismatched arms flared out and wrapped around her tiny torso. Discord crushed her to his chest, his cheek nuzzling into her mane.  “I don’t deserve you,” he whispered. “I thought you’d hate me.” “Never,” she declared, wrapping her wings and hooves around him.  When he pulled her back, his eyes were clear but Fluttershy could feel a slight dampness in her mane. She didn’t comment on it, however. Discord cupped her face, his thumb gently stroking her cheek.  “I love you,” he said, pure and simple but with such strong feeling it couldn’t be anything but the truth. Fluttershy smiled. “I love you too.” They shared a very passionate kiss as the last rays of sunlight finally lost their fight with the horizon.  “We should probably head back,” she eventually muttered. “Must we?”  Fluttershy sighed, forcing herself away from Discord’s chest. She didn’t like the loss of contact anymore than he did. “We only have two days before we’re supposed to fight Tirek. The others need to know about Shadow.” Discord’s smile completely vanished while his ears drooped. “They’re going to hate me.” “You thought I would yet here I am,” she consoled. He shook his head. “Because for some very strange reason I still cannot fathom, you love me. They don’t share similar feelings. It’s tolerance for them, Fluttershy, nothing more.” “I think the power of friendship will once again surprise you,” she said, her confidence in her friends growing every passing second. “It may take them a moment to get over their shock and hurt but they need to know.” “I know,” he sighed in defeat. “You’ll stay with me?” “Forever,” she assured, smiling warmly up at him.  “Then I have nothing to lose,” he said. Snapping his tail, the two of them vanished, leaving the Valley as devoid as it was before.  Twilight was annoyed. The sudden disappearance of Fluttershy had created an abrupt ending to the meeting she had been having with the rest of the Champions. After hunting Cordy down and getting a mediocre answer as to where Discord could have possibly whisked her away, Twilight and the others were forced to reconvene the meeting at a later time. “Doesn’t he realize there’s a war on the horizon?” complained Rainbow Dash while chewing on a hayburger. “Of course he does,” said Applejack, “but when has that ever stopped Discord from doing what he wants to do?” “I just can’t understand what was so important that he couldn’t wait,” said Rarity. Twilight frowned. The last conversation she’d had with Discord was still fresh in her mind. “While we don’t know the reason, I’m choosing to trust him. He must have a good reason.” “I’m with Twilight,” said Pinkie Pie. “Discord knows not to kidnap Fluttershy when the whole of Equestria is at stake. I’m sure they’ll be back before we know it.” Rainbow Dash had just begun to scoff when there was a flash of light and Discord appeared in the middle of the tent with Fluttershy securely in his arms.  “Discord!” Applejack complained, staring at her plate. “Whoops,” he said, removing his cloven hoof from further crushing her now spoiled dinner. “I wondered why the ground felt uneven.” He snapped his talon and another hayburger appeared, good as new. Applejack wrinkled her snout and pushed the offering aside. “Just where in tarnation have you two been?” she demanded. “I think that’s something we’d all like to know,” said Twilight, standing up. Discord set Fluttershy down and began stretching. “Nowhere that you need be concerned about, Twilight. You know, those hayburgers do look delicious. I think I’ll go and find the cook to get some for myself.” He whirled around towards the tent door when Fluttershy cleared her throat. The draconequus stilled before looking hesitantly over his shoulder. Fluttershy merely looked at him. Twilight glanced between the two, watching a silent exchange unfold before Discord’s shoulders slumped in some sort of defeat.  “What’s going on?” the princess asked. Instead of answering, Discord let out a sigh before snapping his talons. When the flash dissipated, the occupants in the tent had risen from seven to twenty seven. There were several cries of confusion and disorientation before a small clap of thunder silenced everycreature. It took all of two seconds for Twilight to deduce all the Champions were once again gathered in one place. “Discord, care to explain your actions?” she demanded, the first to break the silence. “Oh, I fully intend to, Twilight,” he said, his voice surprisingly devoid of any joy as he turned to face the rather miffed group. “I’m sure you’re all wondering why I brought you here. I have information, information that needs to be known in order for us to stop Tirek.” “Is that where you and Fluttershy went?” asked Rainbow Dash, her annoyance instantly turning to eagerness. “Did you guys go on a secret mission or something?” “Not exactly,” said Fluttershy, “But what Discord has to share is vitally important and you all need to let him share the whole story before jumping to the wrong conclusions.” She turned to Discord and nodded, her eyes filled with encouragement. It took every ounce of self control for Twilight to not ask a thousand questions. Like the others she was very eager to hear what Discord had to say. The draconequus took a deep breath and began.  “What I am going to share will not be received well,” he said, “but, if you’ll do as Fluttershy asked and listen to everything, hopefully by the end you’ll still see me as trustworthy.” Starswirl scoffed quietly. “Still?” Discord sent him an angry glare but ignored the contempt coming from the now restored ancient gray pony. Instead he snapped his talons and summoned a miniature magical animation of himself.  “Bear with me,” he said, “this story is an unpleasant one.” Discord’s tale unfolded like an animated storybook, eliciting several reactions from every creature in the tent. There were many attempts to interrupt but each time Discord robbed the pony of their voice in order to paint the ugly truth in its entirety, Twilight included. When he finished, he swiped his paw through the animation, the image of Tirek and Shadow disappearing in a puff of black smoke. With a snap of his talons, he restored everypony’s voice and stood with his head slightly lowered and his paw and claw clasped together. “I know that my creation has committed the blackest of crimes over the eons,” he muttered, “but I want each of you to know that I never imagined Shadow would go this far. All I ask is that you will allow me to assist in righting the many wrongs he has committed. I want to make things right.” Twilight was the first to break the silence. “How could you?” she rasped, tears clouding her eyes. Discord's eyes held nothing but remorse and regret. “I truly am sorry.” But the princess didn’t want to hear any more.  “Leave,” she commanded, standing up. He hesitated for a moment before snapping his tail tuft, vanishing from sight. A cacophony of angry conversation exploded within the tent but Twilight couldn’t register what anypony was saying. She was still spiraling from the shocking revelations of Discord’s confession. Part of her still couldn’t believe he was the reason behind her beloved mentor and Luna’s thousand year separation. Did he really hate them so much that he’d be willing to watch them suffer for so long? And then there were the Sirens and Stygian. Those poor ponies had been enslaved by his darkness for over a thousand years!  Not to mention the countless creatures who had fallen victim to Shadow’s wrath, past and present included. This caused Twilight to think of Spike and the ache of his absence deepened further in her chest. Her adopted brother had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time and now he was in a similar state as the princesses: a slave to Tirek’s bidding.  Anger like never before flared within Twilight’s chest as she thought of her time as Midnight Sparkle and all of the horrible things Tirek -no- Shadow had made her do. She’d destroyed her friends’ livelihoods in Ponyville, tortured several ponies, and laughed at their misfortune. She reveled in despair and cheered over hopelessness. She had been a complete spawn of Discord’s creation and she loathed him for it!  How could he do this to her? To the princesses? To her friends? To Fluttershy? Wait. Fluttershy! How was she handling this? Surely these revelations had destroyed her worse than they had anypony else! With a sudden protective surge, Twilight set her own feelings aside and quickly sought out the yellow pegasus. What she saw alarmed her. While still sitting in the same place as before, Fluttershy’s body was shaking and tears were pricking at her eyes. Twilight rushed over.     “Fluttershy, are you alright?” she asked. Fluttershy raised her gaze and Twilight wasn’t surprised to see anger flickering in their teal depths. She immediately tried to soothe her friend. “Fluttershy, I’m so sorry you had to hear all of that,” she said, placing a comforting hoof on her shoulder. “What Discord shared hurt all of us but I can’t imagine what you must be going through.” Fluttershy immediately pushed her hoof away. “I’m not angry with Discord, Twilight,” she said, her voice rather stiff. “What?” Rainbow Dash cried, having overheard due to a slight lull in the conversation she was having with Applejack and Starlight. “Fluttershy, he-” “I’m angry with all of you!” she snapped, turning to face the rest of her friends.  Twilight’s jaw dropped in confusion. She wasn’t the only one. “Us? What did we do?” demanded Applejack. “Yeah,” said Rainbow Dash. “We’re not the ones who created some shadow monster that’s been ruining pony lives for thousands of years!” Fluttershy shook her head. “I know what Discord did was wrong but what all of you seem to be forgetting is that he knows it too. Why do you think he told us about Shadow? Why do you think he’s been working so hard to keep all of us safe from him? Can’t you see that he regrets what’s happened and wants to fix it?” “Ya can’t just admit something like that and expect immediate forgiveness, Fluttershy,” said Applejack. “He’s the reason for Nightmare Moon, for Stygian, for all of it!” “He turned you into a monster!” Rainbow Dash cried. “No,” Fluttershy countered. “Shadow did that.” “But, darling, Discord created him,” said Rarity. “Yes but he gave him sapient thought,” said Fluttershy. “Though he believes himself to be completely responsible, Discord cannot be fully accountable for Shadow’s actions. Shadow has made his own choices and those choices are what has affected ponykind.” “But Discord isn’t exactly innocent either,” argued Twilight. “He allowed those choices to happen.” “Some of them,” Fluttershy agreed, “but not all. He was in stone when Shadow went after Luna. There was nothing he could do about that.” “What about Stygian?” Starswirl demanded, jumping in on their conversation. “He wasn’t in stone when those unfortunate events occurred.” “Not to mention that Dream Castle place,” said Gallus. “He admitted to watching Shadow destroy it.” “And then there's the Sirens,” said Sunset Shimmer. “He knew they were in the Mirror World but didn’t do anything to stop them. We had to take care of that.” “And we’re going to have to clean up this mess too,” said Mirror Applejack.  “Discord is the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony,” Fluttershy reminded. “He can’t fix this! We have to.” “Then why tell us about Shadow?” asked Twilight. “Why not wait until it’s over?” “Because we wouldn’t have been able to summon the Rainbow!” she answered. “Think about it, Twilight! Amity’s Rainbow can only happen when there is harmony. Look around you. Does it look like harmony is present?” “We’re all harmoniously angry with Discord,” said Sunset. Several others nodded in agreement. “No we’re not!” Fluttershy snapped. “I’m not angry with him! I’ve forgiven him.” “Of course you have,” Mirror Rainbow Dash sneered. “You’re his fiancée.” “Just because I love him doesn’t mean I instantly forgave him for this!” Fluttershy cried. “I was angry too. But I had some time to think about it and I realized that it was wrong to blame him for everything that’s happened! He isn’t the one possessing Tirek and forcefully changing creatures into monsters. Shadow is. Discord revealed the truth because he didn’t want Shadow telling us first. He knew that we wouldn’t be able to create the Rainbow if we were at odds with each other. Surely that should tell you that Discord really is on our side?” There was a rather heavy silence that followed her words but most ponies still displayed animosity and mistrust. Twilight looked at the gathered Champions before turning back to her.  “I just don’t think we’ll ever be able to trust him after this,” she confessed, mostly speaking for herself. Fluttershy looked at them sadly before shaking her head. “If that’s your choice,” she muttered, turning towards the tent door. But then she stopped. Looking back at her friends, she boldly declared, “I won’t forsake Discord and the Rainbow won’t happen unless we’re all on the same page. When you’ve all had some time to think, come and find me. If not, well, we’ll have to leave the fate of Equestria in another’s hooves.”  Twilight’s eyes widened in shock as the yellow pegasus left.  There was a very awkward silence in the tent before Sunset cleared her throat and said, “I feel it might be best to do as Futtershy suggested and go over everything Discord shared. Why don’t we discuss things in our own Champion groups and meet tomorrow to discuss things?” “I suppose it is wise to take the night to ponder,” said Starswirl swiftly. “Twilight?” Starlight prompted. The princess realized everypony was waiting to hear her thoughts on the matter.  “Oh, um, yeah, that sounds like a good idea,” she heard herself say. “We’ll meet tomorrow morning after breakfast.” With a decision now made, the other Champions wisely left the tent, leaving Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Starlight alone. The absence of Fluttershy was staggering as the princess looked at the subdued faces of her friends.  “Do you think Fluttershy was serious?” asked Rainbow Dash nervously. “I believe so,” said Rarity sadly. “But I don’t want to be in a fight with Fluttershy!” wailed Pinkie Pie. “We’re friends!” “And friends have disagreements sometimes,” said Starlight. “Look, I know all of you are mad at Discord and everything he’s done but I have to agree with Fluttershy on this one.” “Say what now?” said Applejack angrily. “Ya don’t think he should be held responsible?” “For everything that’s happened? No,” Starlight honestly answered. “Look, he explained his reasons for creating Shadow and he admitted that, after all these years, he sees that creation as a mistake. But you’re all forgetting one thing.” “And what’s that?” asked Twilight, feeling upset and hurt that her student would side with Discord.  “Discord was a villain for a very long time,” she reminded. “He only just recently experienced a change of heart. For somecreature that’s been around for thousands of years and lived a certain way for that long, it’s logical for mistakes of this magnitude to be made and discovered along the way. Creatures don’t just flip and change who they are overnight. I may have chosen to stop being evil but I’ve made plenty of mistakes on the road to friendship. And each mistake has been met with forgiveness from each of you. “I guess what I’m trying to say is cut the guy some slack. He’s trying to fight against a lifestyle he’s had for longer than any of us have been alive. Ever since Tirek destroyed the Tree of Harmony, everything I’ve seen Discord do has been to protect and help Equestria. Don’t judge him on his past actions when his current ones are clearly those of a creature trying to atone.” Twilight felt like somepony had kicked her in the chest. There was an undeniable truth to Starlight’s words that rang through the doubts and anger she’d been harboring since the moment Discord disappeared. But, while she knew deep down that Starlight was right, she was having a very difficult time letting her feelings go. Were the others struggling just as much as she was? She glanced up. Rarity and Pinkie Pie seemed to have had the least amount of trouble accepting Starlight’s gentle admonition. The two were even beginning to smile. Rainbow Dash and Applejack, however, still looked upset. While comforted that she wasn’t alone, Twilight knew that it wouldn’t be right to continue to harbor her anger towards the draconequus. She needed to let it go but she also needed time. “I think what you’ve said is very insightful, Starlight,” she said, “but I feel it’s best if each of us has some time to think things through on our own.” “Good idea,” Applejack said roughly while Rainbow Dash nodded.  “How about we talk things over during breakfast tomorrow?” suggested Rarity, her eyes sad with understanding. “Sounds like a plan to me,” Rainbow Dash said before zooming out of the tent. “I’ll, uh, see ya’ll in the morning,” Applejack muttered, eyes hidden under her stetson.  Twilight turned to the other three. “You can stay in here to sleep. I think I need to be alone.” “Take all the time you need,” said Starlight.  Twilight sent her a grateful glance before exiting the tent herself.  The cold night air blasted into her body, eliciting immediate shivers. The princess quickly activated a heating spell before galloping off towards the woods. She found herself missing her wings particularly at this moment; a cloud would have been a great place to rest and think. Instead she ran past the sea of tents housing the crystal army, startling some guards who thankfully recognized and did not give her chase. She made it past the trees before bursting into the clearing she and the army of changelings and dragons had first occupied when they arrived here. Slowing her pace, she listened to the soft crunch of frost under her hooves as she let her mind shift through all the information she’d been given.  Stopping at the edge of Galloping Gorge, Twilight plopped down on the frozen ground and looked up at the starry sky. Luna’s moon shone bright amidst a backdrop of inky black sprinkled with tiny flickers of light. A few clouds lazily drifted overhead, a silver lining coating their edges from the moon’s soft glow.  The beauty was somewhat lost on the emotional princess who soon lowered her gaze towards the gaping earthen hole before her. The anger and hurt she felt seemed as deep as the chasm. Stewing over everything Discord had revealed didn’t help matters. In fact, it made it worse.  The more Twilight thought about all of the ponies that had suffered, the greater her anger grew. Adding to her anger were the mental images of every face she knew that had suffered under Shadow’s hoof, including her own. The anguish eventually became too much and the princess cried out in rage and sorrow, her magic sparking a natural reaction that melted the frost off the surrounding grass at least thirty feet. She wiped her eyes in frustration and stood up, beginning to pace.  She needed to move past this! The fate of Equestria was in her and her friends' hooves. If they couldn’t work together, they would never be able to bring Shadow down. But how could she overlook everything Discord had done? How could she forgive him?  There was a soft crunch in the grass behind her and Twilight whirled around, horn at the ready. The familiar mismatched shape of Discord glowed pink in the light from her horn. Twilight extinguished her magic but kept her defensive stance as she stared up at him distrustfully. “You’re the last pony I expected to see out here,” she said rather coldly. Discord studied her a moment before looking at the surrounding area. “This isn’t the safest place for you to be right now,” he said, not meeting her eyes.  “I’m in disguise. Nopony is going to recognize me,” she pointed out. Discord snapped his fingers and Twilight felt like somepony had dumped a bucket of cold water over her head. She gasped as her wings suddenly popped back into existence, the feathers adding extra heat to the sides of her body. She glanced down at her now purple hooves.  “Why did you do that?” she demanded. Discord shrugged. “No point in hiding anymore seeing as everycreature gathered in the vicinity knows who you really are. Besides, I missed the real you.”         Twilight scowled, unwilling to give a verbal thanks despite being grateful that she was herself again. Discord seemed to sense the begrudging thanks anyway because he grinned and plopped down in the grass next to her.  “So, are you going to arrest me, princess?” he asked while examining the end of his talons. “Arrest you?” “Did I or did I not confess to being the reason behind the corruption and suffering of thousands of ponies?” Twilight’s frown deepened. “I’m afraid I don’t follow.” It was Discord’s turn to raise an eyebrow. “What’s not to follow? I created Shadow, Shadow hurt ponies- including your beloved Princess Celestia.” The hurt and anger growled within Twilight’s chest, pushing for justice. “Yes,” she said through clenched teeth, “but you didn’t.” “Pardon?” Twilight closed her eyes. It was hard enough to say the words the first time but if she was going to save Equestria, she was going to have to force her feelings to change and say what needed to be said.  “You didn’t,” she repeated. “You gave Shadow sapience. That means his actions were his own. Not yours.” “How do you know I wasn’t giving him orders?” Discord asked, his eyes glinting in the moonlight. Twilight paused, suddenly very uncertain. “I… I don’t. I only have what you’ve said and what Fluttershy seems to believe.” Discord picked at the fur on his chest. “So, what you’re saying is you have nothing but trust to lean on.” Twilight felt like he’d just slapped her in the face. “Trust? Trust?! I don’t have an ounce of trust left for you! Not after everything that’s happened! And I’m not just talking about the most current events. Time and time again we’ve given you a chance and all you’ve done is spit in our faces. Tell me, Discord, would you put your faith in somepony with such extensive violations of confidence?” Discord’s ears drooped as he shook his head. “No.” “Then why should I trust you now?” she demanded. “Because Shadow needs to be stopped and restoring harmony between the champions is the only way to succeed. As much as it pains me to say it, I can’t do this on my own. I need your help.” “Why me?”  “Because you are the only pony that everycreature will listen to,” he stated.    Twilight closed her eyes and let out a long, weary sigh. “I’m sorry but I can’t help you. Not at the moment.” “Because you can’t forgive me.” The words were blunt, honest, and spoken with such indifference. Twilight was surprised that Discord showed such lack of emotion. She, on the other hand, felt her face warming from slight embarrassment.  “Well, yes,” she said, annoyed that she was even upset with herself when all of this was his fault.  Discord nodded to himself. “Then Equestria really is doomed.” Her head shot up as she angrily spun around to face him. “Look, I know what’s at stake but you can’t expect me to grant immediate clemency! This isn’t a simple slap on the hoof mistake, Discord! Choices have consequences. You betrayed us. I can’t overlook that.” “I know perfectly well what I’ve done, princess,” he said flatly. “And I know and accept whatever consequence will come. But right now I need you to rise to the title you’ve been given. You are the Spirit of Friendship and restoring harmony is part of the job description. In order to protect our family, you and the others must be in harmony.” “Our family?” she repeated.  Discord nodded and an unexplainable warmth erupted from her heart, flowing through every particle of her body. Her whole form trembled as the whispered truth descended upon her mind. Twilight’s eyes widened and she took a step back, staring at Discord in a whole new light. “We’re…?” “Related?” Discord grinned and threw out his arms as confetti exploded behind him. “Surprise! Oh, and congratulations, I suppose. You’re the first of the four to feel it. Though that shouldn’t be surprising, seeing as how smart you are at figuring things out.” “But… how?” she asked, overwhelmed. Discord summoned a scroll from thin air and yanked down, revealing a family tree. Twilight studied the chart. At the top was a beautiful brown alicorn with green hair next to an angry blue goat with a bell around his neck. Underneath them were Discord and Amity, clearly linked as siblings. Beneath Amity were two lines pointing towards Celestia and Luna and under the Sun Princess… “That’s me and Cadence,” Twilight gasped. “But, this doesn’t make any sense. Celestia isn’t my mother.” “She is through Ascension,” said Discord. “But, that would mean Amity is my grandmother.” “Yes.” “This chart says she’s your sibling.” “So she is,” Discord said, stroking his beard, “Imagine that.” “But if she’s your sister and my grandmother, that would make you my-” Twilight’s eyes grew as big as moons as she looked up at the now fully grinny draconequus. She immediately shook her head. “No. No way!” “Oh, I’m afraid so,” he chuckled. “Uncle Discord! Though, I’d prefer just Discord, if you please.” “How long have you known?” she asked, her head still spinning out of control. Discord folded the chart into a paper airplane and threw it straight into the air. It gained several feet before evaporating completely from existence. “Oh, since the moment you became a princess,” he finally answered, glancing at her. “Why do you think I pick on you more than the others? I have to show favoritism towards my nieces somehow.” “Your definition of favoritism is annoying the living hay out of me?” Discord laughed, booping her on the nose. “Correct!” Twilight swiped his claw away and shook her head. “I can’t believe this. All these years; you have a terrible way of showing affection.” Discord shrugged. “Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, remember?” Twilight rolled her eyes. A moment passed between them before the purple princess muttered, “So, what happens now?” Discord glanced at her. “I suppose that’s up to you. I won’t fight any punishment you decide to give but I do request you wait until after Shadow’s defeat. Hopefully my compliance for whatever you deem fit will be enough to restore harmony between you and your friends.” “I don’t think Fluttershy will agree to anything that causes you harm.” “She understands the importance of balance. She’ll accept whatever you and the others decide.” Twilight shook her head. “I don’t think passing judgment is something I should do without involving the other princesses. And they should know. About you.” Discord groaned but conceded. “I suppose a thousand years of ignorance is enough. But don’t think I’m going to stop annoying any of you just because you now know the truth.” Twilight couldn’t help a small grin from gracing her lips. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.” The air grew morose and heavy again. Feeling the need for solitude, Twilight stood up. “We should be getting back.” She began walking towards the trees but Discord called her back. She turned and found him staring at her intently, without a hint of mischief or humor in his face.  “If you do not restore harmony among the champions before you leave this forest, Equestria will fall to Shadow,” he said seriously. “And there will be nothing I can do to stop him from returning you to Midnight Sparkle. The world you know will end. Please don’t let that happen.” Cold fear chilled Twilight’s stomach and an ominous shiver trailed down her spine. Mouth dry, she nodded and returned to the forest, her mind and heart even heavier than when she left it.  Understandably, she didn’t sleep the rest of the night.