Discord slowly made his way out of town, walking up towards Sweet Apple Acres. He grinned at the figurines in his hoof, the grey Diane contrasting the multicolored pastels in his hoof. 1 down, 7 to go.
He walked up past the apple orchards, straight to the homestead. He could smell apple pie out to cool, and all together the warmth of family radiated from this home. Lightly he knocked on the door, smiling to himself as the figurines in his hoof disappeared.
The door opened to the tawny haired Applejack. “Why, howdy there, mister. What brings y'to Sweet Apple Acres?”
His smile grew. “Applejack, merely visiting an old friend.”
Her eyes widened at his voice. “Wait... Discord, is that you? Y'look all fancy an’ orderly.” He nodded to her, chuckling. “Well, why don’tcha just come on in and sit on down. We got some apple pie just waitn’ to be munched on.”
Discord walked inside and sat at the table, smiling at the country mares movements around the kitchen. She kept working all the time, never stopping. It was amusing to watch for him, seeing as he could make whatever he wanted a reality.
“Here y'are, sugar cube.” She laid a pie at his hooves and he began to eat it happily. “Y'really like my pies, huh?”
Discord chuckled. “You are a wonderful baker, Applejack. You should teach Pinkie how to make Apple Cupcakes.”
Applejack nodded, laughing. “Already ahead of y', Discord. Zap Apple cupcakes. T'die for, she said.”
Discord smiled, then started his game once more. Round 2, he thought. “So, how is everyone?”
Applejack was in the kitchen, making more apple pie to sell at market. “Oh, y'know better than Ah do. They’re all fine.”
Discords smile grew. “I’m glad. Would be a shame if anypony was hurt.”
Applejack smiled. “Mhm. T’would be. Still, everypony's fine, and our elements have been shinin’ brighter than ever since Twi became a princess.”
Discord nodded. “Yes, my wings look very nice on her.”
Applejack nodded to this, then stopped when she realized what he has said. “…Your wings?”
Discords eyes widened as though he had said something he really shouldn’t have. “Oh, dear, d-did I say MY wings?” Applejack nodded, looking at him suspiciously. “W-well, I uh…”
“Tell me t'honest truth, Discord. Why'd y'say 'MY wings’?”
He sighed slightly. “I suppose there’s no sense in keeping it secret any longer. You see, the truthful reason Celestia wanted you all to reform me was to make Twilight a princess. I have the power to give and take away wings, and she needed that magic to give Twilight hers.”
Applejacks eyes widened at this startling revelation. “The princess told us we were helpin’ ‘er make good magic, somethin' she could use y'for. Is that really what she meant?”
Discord nodded and Applejack turned away, thinking. Discord smirked and poofed up the second figurine, Applejack, lightly turning it around in his hooves. Already the statuettes coloration was darkening. “So sorry Celestia kept that from you.”
“Nah, Ah guess it’s really not her job t'tell us everythin’ she does. Still,” she said, sighing, “Ah kinda wish she’d a told us what was happenin’. We were all real worried ‘bout Twi when she disappeared like that.”
Discord nodded. “Isn’t it painful when you learn somepony has lied to you?”
Applejack looked at him curiously, and he could already see the grey forming on her coat. “Whatcha mean? She ain’t lied to us.”
Discord stood, his pie finished. “Are you sure about that, Applejack?”
Applejack's eyes narrowed, her suspicion rising. “Discord, why are y'sayin’ all this?”
He grinned, holding up the figurine for her to see. “Simple, dear Applejack.” He suddenly teleported behind her, grabbing her. He leaned down by her ear and whispered softly, “Because I have lied to you all.”
Her eyes widened as her coat changed to a grey hue, and she felt her beliefs slip. She had been convinced that this God was her friend… She had let her honest heart get the better of her. “Y… y'lied to us all…”
Discord chuckled. “And nopony will believe it either… do you know why?”
She snarled at him, her eyes toned grey and cold. “Why the buck should ah care? Yer horrible.”
He grinned that horrible grin of his, sneering in her hatred. “And you’ve just answered my question. Let your anger control you, Applejack. Prove me right. After all, you always tried to tell the Truth.”
As he said the word Truth, her mane, coat and everything else on her body changed to that lifeless grey he had come to know. He watched as the child of the crop slowly but surely changed into the victim of chaos. “Yer horrible…”
He smiled brightly at this, his eyes swirling with his chaotic power. “And that’s the truth of the matter, isn’t it? After all, this all started because Celestia hid something from you.”
Her eyes glazed over as she stared into his eyes, her own growing as swirled and twisted as his own. “Celestia… hid somethin…” Discord grinned, his eyes returning to their usual state. Applejack stood, swaying.
“Well, if that’s everything, I’ll be on my way. Thank you very much for the pie, old friend.”
Applejack shook her head, trying to reclaim her stolen thoughts to no avail. It was too late, he knew. Her heart had already wavered to his chaos. Her eyes hardened as she glared at him. “Yea, yea, you're not welcome. Get outta here, y'varmit.”
Discords eyes widened, his spirit soaring at the level of his discordation. “My, my Applejack, such language. What would your friends say?”
“My friends are close t'me an’ don’ care ‘bout my foul mouth. Now, get out. You're muckin’ up my house.”
Discord grinned. “Really, Applejack, you’re over-reacting. Surely your friends lie to you too. Why, just today I asked Pinkie what was wrong. Something is clearly bothering her. Yet, she still said nothing was wrong.”
Applejack glanced at him. “Why should ah believe you? Y've lied to all of us.”
Discord smirked. “Simple. Because she still thought I was her friend when she told me.”
Applejack's eyes widened as Discord calmly walked out. Was what he had said true? Was Pinkie alright? She thought about it for a few minutes, then decided that even if he had been lying, it would be best to check on her friend. She put down what she was working on and galloped to Sugar Cube Corner.
Walking in, she already saw the change in her friend. Pinkies mane was straight as an arrow, and she no longer had a wonderful smile on her face. Instead, when Pinkie saw Applejack, her face took on a wicked smile, one that echoed pain and sadness. Applejack's heart felt torn asunder by the sorrowful smile. “Pinkie? Are y’alright?
Pinkie nodded. “Y-yeah, AJ, why wouldn’t I be alright?”
Applejack looked at her friend, concerned. “Ah'm a bit worried ‘bout you. Why’s your mane all straight instead of all froo frooy and puffy?”
Pinkie shook her head quickly. “N-no no, no need to worry, I’m perfectly fine!” Pinkie couldn’t take any more pain or worrying, she needed A
Applejack to not worry.
Applejack felt torn, knowing her friend was lying to her. Discord had been right. Still, how could she tell Pinkie how much she hurt? Pinkie had always loved to smile, and telling her about how much pain she was in wouldn’t help her smile at all. “A-alrigh’, Pinks. Ah won’ worry a bit.”
Pinkie nodded and Applejack slowly walked out. Applejack hung her head. What good was being honest with herself if she couldn’t be honest with her friends?
Discord laughed, walking away from Sweet Apple Acres. “When pain and truth hurt as bad as lies, may dark and light and chaos rise~” With his simple yet profound riddle, he began to make his way towards Cloudsdale. It was time to pay a visit to Loyalty.