“The first time it rained up, I knew that was the life for me. It started slowly, like regular rain, a few drops here and there landing on your neck sticking to your mane then it slowly picks up until it drenches you if you don’t make it inside in time. I felt the first few drops on my hooves and my belly and soon the bottom half of my body slowly became soaked as I refused to move from my spot. The water drops flew from the ground up to the clouds as I watched in amazement. “You’re real,” I said in complete disbelief looking over to my imaginary friend.
He grinned from ear to ear almost slithering over to me, he waved his hand and the water froze in place. I could hardly believe it, backwards rain frozen in time. “Of course I am, but what does that matter when you can see this before you, isn’t this so beautiful?” He handed me an umbrella.
“What good will this do?” I chuckled as the rain started up again.
“Just try it,” he said looking perfectly dry himself.
There was something in me that told me not to trust him, but I buried that under my curiosity. I opened it up and it certainly stopped the rain. Now frogs melted up from the ground and were flying up to the clouds. I should’ve been afraid, but the rush I felt from it all clouded any judgment I might have had. That was, until I remembered my Ma, “They tell me you’re evil.”
He looked at me, almost disappointed, it made me upset that he was looking at me that way. The frogs stopped appearing and the rest hopped away as fast as their legs could carry them. “They just can’t appreciate how much fun I bring into their boring lives. You can see it can’t you? This, my dear, is chaos. Not evil, but pure beautiful fun.”
“The rain it looked so pretty, and then the frogs,” it made me giggle; they had such a funny look on their face as they tried to swim downward in the air.
“Anything can be made a million times beautiful when chaos is added in,” he said grinning again.
I turned away, “I should really go, my Ma would be worried and, ow!” I felt a sharp tug on some of my mane; I turned around to see my imaginary friend gone. I looked up at the sky, no more clouds only the night sky. Then I noticed the part of my mane I had felt him tug on, I gasped. I wasn’t much to look at, a dusty light brown coat with blue and green splotches on the back on my legs from some birth difficulties. My mane was a curly mess and a dark boring brown color that many people loved to point out to me how much it looked like something they’d seen coming from a pony’s other end. But that small portion of my mane was a brilliant red with seemingly random squiggly lines of yellow running through. “Anything can be a million times as beautiful when chaos is added,” I repeated never taking my eyes off that part of my mane, and I couldn’t stop smiling.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
When I was younger my only vaguely clear memory was me playing some kind of game with some other fillies. I was separated from them for some reason I can’t recall and that’s when I saw him. He looked scary at first but then he looked almost funny. He laughed then I laughed, when the other fillies found me I was rolling on the ground with laughter that I couldn’t even explain. As I grew up I would see glimpses of him and sometimes he’d talk to me as I fell asleep. He’d tell me he could do marvelous things no other pony could. He said he’d show me some day when I was ready. As I drifted off to sleep I’d hear him laugh. Then one night he told me he was crafting a storm just for me. He said follow me and you’ll never feel lonely or bored again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our next outing was one I could never hope to forget. We sat on a large floating leaf, colored purple with blue spots. He showed me his vast kingdom and all the lands he ruled, including my own. My home town was such a small settlement compared to others he showed me.
“We had so much fun with the possibilities of rain last time,” he glanced at me with a mischievous look on his smug face, “What kind of rain should these people experience?”
I thought for a moment, “Ducks with tails made of soap,” I answered.
“I like it,” he rubbed his mismatched paw and claw together as I watched the ducks fall on the little village we happened to be hovering above. He took me in closer and I saw ponies running around, frightened. “Will they be alright?” I looked up at him.
“As I said before, they just don’t understand. Remember how much you enjoyed the rain? One day they’ll see it too,” he said gazing at me. I looked back as the ducks slid every which way when they tried to sit down and I laughed. In fact I couldn’t stop laughing. I rolled around the leaf as more ducks fell and my giggles and snorts echoed.
In an instant we were hovering above my own town. I slowly stopped laughing and looked up at him, “Are we going to make rain here?”
“Why yes, in fact I have saved the best kind of rain especially for here,” he grinned, suddenly he was sitting on the other side of me holding a cup of some weird liquid. “Have you ever had chocolate milk?”
“Chocolate milk?” I asked, “Chocolate is so rare, why would somepony waste it by mixing it with milk?” In fact I had only had chocolate once as a gift for my birthday. It was sweet and I had immediately wanted more but Ma had saved up for forever to get just that little bit.
“Pity I find it to be the most delectable thing I have ever tasted. Why should you poor ponies go any longer without it?” He grinned as weirdly colored clouds started pouring the brown liquid all over my town. I watched as they screamed and slipped all over in the chocolate puddles.
“I don’t think they like it,” I started giggling.
“Try some for yourself,” he said bringing a cloud over right above me. The liquid poured from the cloud, I had stuck out my tongue tasting it for the first time. He was right; it was so sweet and tasty I wanted to drink it forever.
“You seem to have a bit of chocolate in your coat,” he said trying to stifle laughter but he couldn’t hold it in.
I looked all over me; I was covered in the chocolate milk from head to hoof. I started to laugh louder and louder and soon we were both laughing together as the chocolate rain continued to pour on us and the town. I was laughing so loud I couldn’t even hear the loud angry shouts coming from below. I couldn’t even open my eyes and I started snorting. When the laughter subsided enough that I could open my eyes, I saw that I was home. The leaf was gone and so was he.
I was about to find out what happened to the rain when I heard a large group of ponies barreling up the stairs. There were so many shouts that I could hardly make out my Ma shouting above them. My door swung open as angry soaked villagers stormed into my room.
“See I told you lot!” I heard my Ma say as she pushed her way through the crowd to my bedside, “She was in her bed the whole time. My daughter isn’t with that monster Discord.”
“But I saw her!” the mayor yelled, “Up on that thing above the clouds!”
“How could you have seen her there a minute ago when she’s here perfectly dry in her room now?” Ma snapped back at him.
“I know she’s in cahoots with that monster!” I heard another lady yell, “I saw her!”
“Can everypony just calm down!” My Ma yelled. Everyone quieted down as my Ma sighed, “I know that when our grandparents settled in this land we thought it was perfect, but we can’t let this stop us,” she rubbed my head, “We can’t let bickering get the best of us again. My daughter couldn’t have been up there, as we all know that thing hates ponies. Why would he bring one with him?”
There were some murmurs and soon the crowd disappeared leaving me and Ma all alone. “Oh dear,” she hugged me, “if that monster really ever comes here don’t trust him,” she said, “Come and find me as soon as possible. I heard there is this group of ponies who are as strong as all three pony types combined, maybe we could find them and overthrow that monster.”
“That old rumor? Ma, do you really believe there is some group trying to stop him?” I asked worried for his sake.
“Maybe, we can only hope. I really do wish there is, because if there is any more sightings of him around here they could try to hurt you again.”
“Don’t worry Ma, I won’t ever go anywhere with him ever,” I said smiling and hugging her back. I told my first lie for him and I couldn’t help but wonder if these outings were worth it if it meant hurting my Ma.
She left giving me a small kiss on my forehead before she went back to tend to the shop. I waited a few minutes and climbed out of my bed to stare out my window, "Thank you,” I whispered. I didn’t know how they could call him a monster; he had sent me home just in time so I wouldn’t get in trouble. If that wasn’t nice, then I didn’t know what was.
It was also sweet of him to dry me off before he dumped me back into my room. I checked all over and didn’t see one stain; I bet the brown of my coat helped that. But I also noticed something out of place on my flank. “My cutie mark?” I stared in disbelief. It was a pink cloud raining smiles, “My special talent is smiling and laughing!” This made me start laughing again, but much quieter so I wouldn’t disturb my Ma. And as I laughed and laughed I thought I heard him laugh along with me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eventually we started going out every night pulling pranks and spreading chaos. I had the time of my life and thought it would never end. I was careful to avoid my town as much as possible but it turned out to be inevitable. I thought it would be fine if we were at the outskirts of town and it would be only that one time. We were turning trees there into butter; I was having so much fun that I didn’t even notice that we were being watched. When I suddenly appeared home that night the entire town was waiting for me.
“She’s a menace!” I heard them cry as they tried to push their way into our house. Ma tried blocking the doors but they smashed through our windows.
“Why did you go with him!” my Ma wailed, “you were such a good girl!”
I looked at all the panic and chaos, it wasn’t beautiful at all. I began crying as I smelled smoke. I saw the flames ruin everything my Ma had worked so hard for, I felt the flames burn me and the smoke choke me. I coughed harder and harder and my eyes swelled with tears.
“Save me please,” I whispered as I lost sight of my Ma.
And then I no longer felt the heat, I was somewhere I didn’t recognize. The walls were made of stone and large rocks were hanging from the ceiling. “Ma!” I called seeing her nowhere, “Discord!” I called a bit weaker unsure if I wanted to see him.
“They aren’t here,” I heard a powerful voice tell me. A white pony stepped out to meet me; she was like no other pony I had ever seen. She had large powerful wings and a long horn; she was also the biggest pony I had ever seen. Her mane was truly a sight to see, it was all different colors and flowed behind her like a river, “My name is Celestia and I have come to save you.”
“You, you’re one of those ponies my Ma told me about,” I said in awe, then that awe turned to worry, “My Ma, where is she?”
Celestia looked down unable to look me in the eye, “I’m so sorry but I couldn’t save her, she was already gone before I brought you here.”
Tears welled up in my eyes and I collapsed to the ground, “No she can’t be!” My last image of her was of her looking at me disappointed. This made me wail louder.
“Can’t you see now? It is all his fault, he’s been using you!” she said stroking my mane. She looked at the red and yellow part of my hair and frowned.
“He, no, he’s sweet, he cared about me, he saved my Ma I know he did!” I yelled pushing her away, “Discord help me! Save me!” I cried.
Then I wasn’t in that cave anymore I was face to face with my imaginary friend, “You.” He said coldly.
“I’m so happy to see you!” I laughed in relief, “I bet you explained everything to my Ma, right?” He looked back at me not giggling, not even smiling. “Where is she?” I asked almost hysterical, “Where is she!” I screamed stomping my hooves on the ground.
“You were always so blind,” he said grinning, “I said you could see it but could you really?” he circled me and laughed, “I used you this whole time for a purpose much bigger than you or your silly Ma. She died horribly in the fire knowing it was your fault she was there. I would’ve let you die too but that Celestia apparently has a soft spot for gullible mares.”
I started laughing, “You’re joking, you said I was special and that rain…”
“Pathetic, I was lying duh, what part of I used you can’t you understand, I can’t believe you really thought I was your friend,” I couldn’t stop laughing even as my eyes began crying, “I should just end it for you now, you serve no more purpose.” He lifted up his paw and put it on the top of my head and, uh well that’s all I’ve got,” a mare with curly brown hair
and a light brown coat said staring up at a weird statue.
“That’s it!” her companion wined, “what do you mean that’s it?”
“I mean that’s the entire story I haven’t decided how I’ll end it yet,” the mare said.
“Fine,” the other mare came up next to her and looked at the statue too, “I can’t believe you made up that whole story from what Pinkie Pie told you.”
“Yeah, well after I came back from that trip Pinkie Pie wouldn’t let me rest until she explained the whole Discord ordeal to me.” The mare said, “When I finally did get some sleep I kept having these dreams and I just connected them and that’s how I came up with it.”
“You haven’t dreamed the rest of it yet?” the other asked.
“No the dreams just kinda stopped like there wasn’t any more story to tell,” the mare said getting closer to the statue.
“I know why,” the other mare explained, “It’s because the pony in your story dies, and that pony is obviously a version of you your subconscious placed there. And as everypony knows you can’t die in your own dream.”
“You think so?” the first mare said moving so she was almost touching the statue.
“Yeah, the blue and green splotches, the weird different colored part of your mane thing you have, even your cutie mark is the same as the one in the story,” the mare explained, “Even if you never state her name it’s so you.”
“That’s not what I meant,” the first mare looked back at her friend, “I mean do you really thinks she dies?”
“Definitely, the Discord in your story said it himself, and hey!” she cried. The first mare moved the statue a bit to the left so it was slightly askew. “You know you should get that disorder diagnosed, you’re always moving things a little to the left or the right you know what my mentor says-”
“I’m fine Healing Heart,” the first mare said, “remember, a little bit of chaos makes things beautiful.”
“If you say so Consonance,” Healing Heart said still worried about her friend.
“Hello girls,” both Consonance and Healing bowed as Princess Celestia walked up to them.
“Hello Princess,” they said in unison standing back up.
“Do you have all the information you need for your upcoming book?” Celestia asked.
“Yes, and thank you for allowing me to see it before you moved it again,” Consonance said.
“You’re welcome, but it was no problem at all, besides Pinkie definitely put in a good word for you,” she laughed, “but I need you to start heading back to your place you’re leaving for Ponyville in the morning correct?”
“Yeah we should go,” Healing Heart said.
“Thank you for everything again,” Consonance said trotting off with her friend chatting about what they’d do when they got back.
Princess Celestia watched them and her smile slowly faded into a frown and she looked back at the petrified monster, “She’s the reason Discord,” she told the statue, “the one and only reason I’m going to try to get you to cooperate and use your magic for good.” She sighed looking back at old memories over one thousand years old.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“She wouldn’t listen to me sister,” Celestia said as a blue pony stepped out of the shadows to greet her.
“I was hoping she would listen to reason, I fear he will make his move any moment now,” the younger sister said showing a brown bag to her sister, “will we still be able to use these?”
“I don’t know, it all depends on what he does next,” Celestia shook her head, “all of that work gathering these elements for him to find a way to stop them.”
“Wait,” her sister froze, “I felt something.”
“Yes, so did I,” Celestia thought hard, “that monster did something to that mare, I can’t believe it.”
“Nor can I sister, we may have a chance now,” her sister said in disbelief.
“A chance? I suppose you might,” the voice of Discord was floating through the room.
“How dare you come here after doing that,” Celestia cried out.
Discord appeared in front of them holding a glass with a brownish liquid in it, he did not respond to her question.
“That was a foolish move,” the sister said horn glowing.
“Yes,” Celestia said quietly, trying to figure it all out.
“Now sister we must finish him off!” the sister cried.
“Hush Luna,” Celestia said, “I need to know why.”
“Why I destroyed all of my carefully laid plans,” discord said with an uncharacteristically dull voice, he dropped the glass creating a horrible crash sound.
“You knew we would be angry after what you did to our race; you knew we would be coming for you with the elements. So you stumbled across a mare and from birth you’ve slowly been turning her into the element of laughter,” the cave was silent, “She truly cared about you, so much so that if we tried to use our weapon against you the element of laughter would refuse to work and we would lose but you, you,” Celestia was very confused.
“I erased her memories so she is no longer connected to the element,” he said with a slight smile.
“Yes and now you will pay for your foolishness,” six gems floated out of the bag as both sisters closed their eyes and their horns glowed.
“You can’t escape Discord, I'm not sure why you would come knowing your defeat was ensured,” Luna said.
“I knew you were coming for me, why delay the unavoidable, but ooh do tell how glorious this battle is won how you chased me down and killed me years from now, make it a good one,” he said with a bigger smile.
“Die Discord, for all of the suffering you caused,” Celestia said, “And for that poor girl who is the only reason, the one and only reason I do not hesitate to kill you.”
The rainbow light hit Discord and a bright light filled the cave. When it cleared Discord was still standing there perfectly fine. He grinned from ear to ear about to laugh.
“But how could it have not worked?” Luna cried.
“No it did,” Celestia said solemnly, “just not in the way we had intended.”
Luna watched as Discord turned to stone in front of her eyes, “He’s becoming a statue.”
“Of course, oh and make sure to visit my dear Consonance once every few years or it might become a tad confusing for the poor mare,” he began to laugh until his face became frozen, stuck with a grin.
“I don’t understand sister,” Luna ran over to her.
“I do,” she frowned, “if we had used the elements and Consonance was still attached to it, regardless of them working or not, she would have literally become the element trapped inside that gem forever, maybe even conscience of the fact every moment.”
“But it still doesn’t make sense,” Luna complained.
“Discord apparently has a soft spot for gullible mares, by erasing her memory he saved her but also saved himself. He may have mostly broken the link between her and the element but there was still a faint connection that stopped him from being killed and instead turned him to stone to spare him, it seems somewhere deep down Consonance still cares about him.”
“Will he stay that way?” Luna asked.
“As long as Consonance is still alive there is always a chance he could escape, but did you hear what he said, make sure to check on her every few years, what did he mean by that?” Celestia asked.
They soon found out, they stood over the mare sleeping with a tear streaked face. “He did more than save her, he saved her permanently,” Luna said.
“She will never die, he made sure of that," she sighed angrily, "not even with our powers combined could we undo the spell he put on her, I’ll have to erase her memories every few years or she might notice something’s wrong or worse remember everything and become the element.”
“Come sister, we must place her somewhere no pony will recognize her,” Luna said, “may she have better lives a thousand times over to make up for the horror she experienced in this one, and I hope that monster knows what he's done."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Oh. Well, I've...,” he paused and looked at Fluttershy who smiled sweetly at him, he couldn't help but think of a mare with a boring curly brown mane with just a touch of chaos that he had to hurt to save, the one he could never see again, “never really had a friend before.”