//------------------------------//
// A Splinter of Discontent 
// Story: Inverted Harmony 
// by AmazingBluie 
//------------------------------//

Discord was having a bad day.

It wasn't anything specific at first; he just didn't feel like himself when he woke up that morning. Everything was so… constrained. Pull a little prank here, make a little mess there. There just seemed to be something spontaneous missing from his life of chaos since reforming.

Not that the chaotic being felt this way every day. It was really nice having friends and being — somewhat — respectable. Barely. Upside-down tea with Fluttershy was always nice, though the poor girl was frequently distracted staring up at the ground. He had fun discreetly sending oddball creations across Berry Punch's path when she took to drinking, observing how she interacted with the prancing platypus, fretting flamingo, and other characters of his imagination. Although, the cactus kangaroo was admittedly not one of his finer achievements; he got quite the lecture from the Princesses after he lost track of it. Luckily, the spines were a snap to take care of.

Regardless, today he had woken on the wrong side of the hammock and found himself bemoaning the lost times when he could really let loose: transforming streams into Nacho Cheese, growing piranha plants all along the roads, twisting the hills into caricatures of himself… he’d always had a fondness for the old Mount Discord. It was now re-chiseled to look like ponies and called Rushmare, those barbarians….

The draconequus sighed.

He observed Celestia's sun hover over Ponyville, gazing from his spot on a large hill a third of the way to Canterlot. There were a few trees around, but it was an otherwise open area. It was not quite suited to his mood, but he couldn't see anything from the Everfree and just about any other place that could be thought dark and dreary had its own issues.

Discord swung his legs back and forth a bit. The mismatched creature was perched on one side of a seesaw, with Tom the rock holding down the other end. Bored, he flicked a finger and watched the lump of rock disappear, leaving him to fall flat to the ground. With a lazy tap on the metal handle he was leaning on, he brought it back into existence at the top of the other end. His upward arc lasted until Tom hit the ground, but Discord’s blank expression never changed.

The silence was interrupted with a popping sound some distance away, which only his ears could detect. He knew that sound, and found himself wondering what could bring her to see him.

Anticipating her next teleport, Discord snapped his fingers. When Twilight arrived, instead of the usual popping sound, there was a bamf and sulfuric smoke filled the area where she appeared.

"*cough* *cough* Dis- *cough* -cord!" Twilight Sparkle's voice snapped from where she stumbled out of the smelly haze. After a moment of catching her breath, she glared daggers at him. "Why did you do that?!"

Discord shrugged, using the bare minimum movement to get his point across. His expression never changed.

Twilight growled, but stood straight. "I've come because we need your," the unicorn rolled her eyes, "assistance. Princess Celestia thinks it's time you help out around here and there's a mad pony that's giving us grief."

Discord frowned at the curt dismissal of what he'd already done for the ponies. Floods don't stop themselves, you know, and it wasn't his fault those Diamond Dog mines were where he redirected it. You'd think the Princess would thank him for giving them a bath. There was also that earthquake he patched up with super glue; again, not his fault that all those ponies weren't looking where they were going and got stuck. He got them out, didn't he? And that fur would grow back eventually.

However, a mad pony was something worth giving attention to, so he settled his thoughts as Twilight continued.

"His name's All-Star Smite. He used to live in Manehatten, until he created Equestria's first magic-powered robot: the Cider Sprayer. He was laughed out of the magic society for some of his ideas regarding their use. I'm sure you'd be a fan." Twilight gave him a petulant look, having never gotten over her dislike of him. She viewed even his current, completely harmless pranks as dangerous to pony society.

Discord's frown deepened, but he rolled his arm in indication for her to keep going.

Twilight grimaced as she realized she was being childish, then coughed before continuing. "After that, a series of unfortunate events turned him raving mad and he swore revenge against Equestria. He's made a number of attacks already, and he doesn't seem specifically focused on any city or town in particular. Citizens all over the country are covered in poorly produced cider and homes are being ruined by the small floods. That robot is fairly capable."

Finally, Discord couldn't take it any more. "That's it? Cider? You need my help for a one-trick pony?"

Twilight glared at him again. "The Elements of Harmony are perfectly capable of handling this ourselves!" She jabbed a hoof at him. "You need to lend a hand to prove you’re worth something of value!"

This stirred something, and Discord found himself flaring at her unsaid accusation. "I need to prove my value?"

Twilight nodded a quick, precise jerk of her head. "Yes. You've been lazing about too long and it's about time you show you're capable of being an honorable member of society.”

The draconequus gritted his teeth and clenched his hands. After a momentary stare-down, an idea flickered into his head. An awful idea. A wonderful, awful idea that sent a hidden chuckle reverberating across his body, like a shiver.

Relaxing himself, Discord fell into a thinker's pose, crossing his arms and then reaching up to stroke his beard. He nodded, like he was agreeing with the mare in front of him. "Very well, Twilight Sparkle. I shall give you your assistance… in my own way. Please meet me in front of your library with your friends in one hour. I shall be bringing company with me, so do please provide some guest rooms for them." He crookedly angled his body to lean forward and sideways, almost coiling around the small pony, then hooked an arm around her neck as she tried to back up, pulling her head next to his and speaking low, as if divulging a secret. "Friendly hospitality makes such good first impressions, you know."

Twilight, caught off guard, merely stutterd, "U-uhhh… uh, I guess so?"

Pleased, Discord stood back up. "Good, good, I look forward to introducing you! Although you might find these ponies awfully familiar as it is. Now run along and get ready; retrieving them will be exhausting for me."

Twilight narrowed her eyes. "Why's that?"

The spirit of chaos smiled darkly as he faded away. "You'll see…."

Left alone, Twilight was still for a few moments before feeling comfortable enough to turn around and teleport away. *bamf*

"*cough* Discord!"

___________


"So… what are we doing here, again?" Rainbow Dash pawed at a flower sprouting out of the ground, watching in apathy as it bounced back and forth.

Several ponies groaned at the repeated question. They had all been out here for the past hour, at Twilight's request, and each had something better to do than wait around for a tardy creature of chaos. Rarity had even brought some stationery supplies and was busy designing a dress, although Twilight had no idea who for or for what occasion it was meant. The fashionista continued to study a drawing she'd been working on for the past hour, before erasing a portion and remaking it again.

At least Applejack was content to recline against a stump with her hat pulled low. She had work to do on the farm, but there was no reason not to rest since she couldn't be there, anyway. Fluttershy was also happy enough, nuzzling a family of chipmunks that had come to rest next to her after dashing about the field around them.

Pinkie Pie was… vibrating, or something like that. Twilight watched in confusion as the popping pink party pony was either really excited or trying to pack the dirt beneath her hooves really tight; it was difficult to tell her intentions. There was a very big smile on her face, however; so whatever it was, she seemed happy.

Twilight let out an exasperated sigh. It was easy getting the girls together, but harder keeping them there and still. The chaos-loving animal conglomerate seemed to be in no rush and was running half an hour late. Much longer and AJ would have to return to the farm and Rarity to her shop. She doubted Dash or Pinkie would last even that long.

Deciding to answer her friend's impatience, Twilight repeated, "Discord's going to help fight Smite, and he told us to meet him here so he could introduce some ponies he's bringing with him."

"Uh-huh." Rainbow Dash bounced the tulip again, watching it sway. "And why do we need either of them?"

"Any of them," Twilight corrected. A perplexed look flashed across her face as she sat back and raised a hoof to her chin in thought. "Or either set of them could work… and if one were to consider the set would be implied due to—"

"Twilight," Rainbow interrupted, "I'm fine waiting. Keep your grammar lessons to yourself, ok?"

The purple unicorn stared blankly at her friend for a moment before falling back to thinking aloud. "I wonder if colloquialism plays an effect in this situation? I've never been very good at that concept. And would that even validate your use of—"

Before Rainbow Dash could let out a wail of despair, the universe cracked open a few feet away.

The gathered ponies leapt to their hooves and covered their eyes as brilliant light busted through the hole in reality and filled the area. As their pupils somewhat adjusted, the six of them could make out another six pony figures approaching from the source of the blinding white, as well as a tall, familiar, disfigured form behind them. With another flash, the bright light disappeared with the closing of the rift.

Before anypony's eyes could readjust and make out what the newcomers looked like, the elegant and dramatic voice of Discord rang out in triumph. "My delectably quaint equine friends, let me now introduce you to some disturbingly familiar faces: my gift to you, the Elements… of... Disharmony!"

As he finished speaking, Twilight was able to make out the new ponies. At first, she wondered why her friends were across from her and looking in her direction, until she realized she herself was among them. It was like looking in a mirror, except the positions were all wrong. For one thing, none of them looked like they were recovering from being blinded. Then there was the small stack of luggage behind them.

Several of the ponies on both sides moved forward to examine their counterparts. The Fluttershys stayed still, watching each other shyly, while the Pinkie Pies bounced their way to each other and hopped around in a circle, laughing. The others had varying states of interest, with the Twilights studying each other in a way that was nearly forensic.

Finally, the normal Twilight looked at Discord in confusion. "What's going on here, Discord? Who are they?"

Discord chuckled, somewhat maliciously, before becoming jubilant again. "Why, they're you, of course! You from other universes! Each one of these awfully unique ponies was taken from a different parallel universe, an Equestria exactly like this one, with maybe one or two little differences." He emphasized this with his fingers, spacing the thumb and forefinger minutely apart. Then he shrugged and added, "You did say the Elements of Harmony could take care of the problem by yourselves, so I simply extended yourselves to… double the fun, you could say."

Twilight looked back at her double, who simultaneously looked back at her. They cocked their head at each other identically, before the first turned back to Discord. "But why did you call them the—"

In an instant, Discord vanished. A puff of smoke was left behind, but no other trace of him remained. After a moment or two of searching for him, Twilight realized he wasn't coming back.

An air of chatter started to fill the area as the surprised ponies started acquainting themselves with their guests. Twilight couldn’t make out what was being said, but everypony seemed fascinated by their alternate selves. Turning to her own counterpart, the scholar was surprised to see a hoof held out in greeting.

"Well, Twilight, nice to meet you, I guess." The other Twilight's smile was stretched nervously, her eyes searching.  Celestia’s student imagined her double was looking for the same things she wanted to see: familiarity, camaraderie, studiousness… friendship.

Twilight smiled and accepted the shake. "Likewise, Twilight.  I think we’ll get along great!" She frowned. "Although, this is quickly going to become confusing."

The other Twilight nodded. "I agree." After a moment where both were stuck in deep thought, she added, "I could be Other Twilight... or perhaps Sparkle?"

A frown crossed the local Twilight's face as she considered the ramifications for the others. "But what about Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy? We can't call one Rarity Rare and the other Itty."

The two Twilights stared at each other for a moment before bursting into a quick snicker at their friend's expense. 

Looking up in thought, the local Twilight put forth a possible solution, something that could keep things simple. "How about, instead of Other Twilight, I could be First Twilight and you could be Second."

Second Twilight slowly nodded. "That makes sense. Naturally, you'd be first because it's your universe. And we only need to specify when we have to differentiate. I don't expect we'll have too much trouble, especially if we later break into smaller groups."

First Twilight nodded. "I agree." She smiled. "I think we're going to get through this pretty well, after all!"

Backing up, she called for everypony's attention. "All right, girls! We're going to convene in the library for snacks. We will discuss sleeping arrangements and our plan for dealing with a mad pony that's been attacking Equestria. Please follow me, and Spike should have glasses of lemonade ready for us."

One of the Rainbow Dashes rolled her eyes. "Discord already filled us in about Smite, why not just go bust him and get it over with?"

First Dash threw her foreleg around her double, grinning. "I knew I liked this pony as soon as I saw her! What are we waiting for?"

Second Twilight stepped forward, shaking her head. "It's true, Discord filled us in on the circumstances regarding your cider troubles, although I don't see the point in making it a multidimensional incident." The purple unicorn scrunched her face in confusion, before moving on. "However, we need to take time to learn to work together if we're going to take advantage of our being here. We simply don't know what kind of effect meshing our two teams together will have. It's too dangerous to hunt a criminal with such an unknown variable."

Both speedster pegasi took a few seconds trying to piece together exactly what she was saying, only recognizing it as a "No." Realizing she was being talked down to by a stranger, Second Rainbow Dash lowered her head in a somewhat aggressive stance. She didn't know either of these Twilight Sparkles; the one she did know was on a whole other world. "Hey, you're not my Twilight. Why do you get to tell me what to do?"

"Calm down, Dash. Er, both of you." First Twilight moved a bit between her other self and the two rainbow-maned ponies glaring at her. "I don't know why Discord brought you from individual worlds. We need to work together, though, and everything I've seen so far shows we're at least similar, if not identical, to each of our counterparts. Do you not agree?"

Blinking, the two Dashes looked at each other. After a moment, they both stuck their tongues out and made a face, before leaping into the air and doing a twisting backflip and then landing. Looking back at Twilight, they both shrugged and said in stereo, "I guess so."

"Good." Twilight started walking toward the library, grasping their guests’ luggage in a telekinetic grip as she went. "Now, if you would all follow me…."

As she passed the group, the local Twilight got the first hint of coming irritations; the type of frustration only close friends can bring about.  Friends that were now doubled.

"Why does she smell like rotten eggs?"

She froze, then continued forward at a less enthusiastic pace, grumbling. The baggage behind her sagged but still followed dutifully as she passed the orange mares.

First Applejack leaned toward her double that had spoken. "Discord did something to her teleporting that makes her smell that way." At the other's sympathetic acknowledgement, the two got up and followed their sulky friend.

The rest of the group also slowly fell in line behind her, making their way to the promise of snacks. It was a short journey, so Twilight moved a bit ahead of the group to give Spike a warning. It could be a shock to see everyone's doubles entering their home; especially with two Raritys.

Feeling better after shouting her announcement at Spike, making sure he'd have the preparations covered, Twilight held the door open for the twice-familiar faces entering her home. It was starting to occur to her how nice it would be to study the reactions of everypony to their guests. She smiled at her now-larger group of friends and nodded in satisfaction. This would actually be fun. After it was over, she may even have to thank Discord.

This is going to work out just fine!

________

As the group moved toward the library, Second Twilight lagged behind a bit. Nopony noticed her whispering, "Quiet, Byuk. I know what I'm doing. As long as we're careful, this is going to work out just fine."