//------------------------------//
// Part 3: The Original Battle & The First Observations 
// Story: Darkness Awakens 1 : Discord's Side 
// by Tyler-the-Brony 
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	“Well, you certainly got my attention. And you could have done just that so much simpler.” Discord spoke up as he uncoiled into existence in the air above Celestia and Luna.

Celestia and Luna did not initially answer Discord, as they had to reset the sun and the moon respectively. The sisters had caused each of them to rotate in shapes directly above, so as to draw Discord’s attention so they could battle him once more.

Once the sun and moon had been returned to their current proper positions on the horizon, Celestia and Luna turned to face Discord, both mildly out of breath, but still with enough energy to use the Elements of Harmony.

“Discord! Your chaos ends today!” Luna shouted up at Discord, worry more prevalent than anger in her voice as she feared she may not truly be able to stop the God any more today than she had the other days past.

“Oh really? And whatever makes you think that?” Discord asked as he inverted himself completely so as to try and make the sisters believe he’d flipped the entire world upside down instead.

“Today, the Elements of Harmony stand with us.” Celestia answered Discord, a mild sneer upon her regal face.

“Very well then. Let’s get this over with. I’m supposed to reconstruct Manehattan entirely backwards later today.” Discord replied, mild exasperation clear in his words and actions, as he set about conjuring a stage for himself to stand upon while he waited for the inevitable attack attempt.

Luna and Celestia each closed their eyes and began to focus upon the Elements in front of them. Celestia focused upon Generosity, Kindness, and Magic, while Luna focused on Laughter, Honesty, and Loyalty. Slowly, as the sisters focus grew, the Elements formed a small aura about them and began to rise from the ground before shining immensely bright.

Discord chose this moment to yawn in lack of awe at the Regal Sisters, hoping to disrupt them. Celestia and Luna would not be deterred by his actions today however. The Elements continued to shine bright, and before Discord could even begin to react, their shine peaked and engulfed a huge area around the sisters in a rainbow of magic.

The sisters both collapsed and shielded their eyes upon the Elements melding, only opening them when they were absolutely sure there was no hint of extra light in the air. Upon opening their eyes and rising up on their hooves again, the sisters were in shock at what they saw next.

Before them stood Discord, perfectly petrified into stone in the pose he had been in mere moments before. The Spirit of Chaos had not even had a chance to change his pose out of his mocking yawn. Celestia and Luna each inspected the statue for a long time, before finally conceding to the idea that they had truly defeated Discord with the Elements of Harmony. Each smiled at the other, and then rejoiced shortly after.

Upon regaining their normal composure, Luna and Celestia returned to Canterlot to oversee the repair of Discord’s influence, though much of it had naturally reversed upon the God’s defeat. Once they were content the opportunity was there, the sisters dispatched a battalion of Royal guards to retrieve the statue of Discord from where it currently laid, and bring it to Canterlot Gardens, so that the sister could always watch him.

And so Discord stared through his imprisonment, unable to move or act, but still able to watch and think. And so the God waited for his next chance within the Gardens of his greatest enemies to date.


**


Discord watched Canterlot for many long years, though none of its residents were even mildly of this fact. Discord saw and heard everything within the walls of the city, though very little of what he could see or hear interested him at all.

Discord saw buildings raised and destroyed as the city evolved and grew around him. And though he truly did not care about them, he began to notice changes in Princess Luna over the years. Discord began to see the glimmer of envy and minute hatred in Luna’s eyes whenever she looked at her sister or her subjects in the Daylight.

The gleam of envy and hate grew brighter every time Discord viewed it, until envy and hatred fully shone in Luna’s eyes one day when the sun set over Equestria. Discord watched as Luna brought out the night as was her routine, and was surprised and pleased when Luna refused to lower it the next day.

Discord watched with wonder as Luna truly morphed before his eyes, into a being that called herself Nightmare Moon, and also bore witness when she was banished to the moon by her own sister for 1000 years.

Upon Luna’s banishment as Nightmare Moon, Discord began to feel his chaos again as Luna’s link to her Elements faded, though only minutely. Discord knew that this meant his time would come again, and that he had just seen the beginning of that very occurrence with his own frozen eyes.