//------------------------------// // Chapter Twenty // Story: Envy and Arrogance // by Mindblower //------------------------------// Chapter Twenty ******* The Royal Garden was probably the only part of Canterlot that was spared from the Daymare’s wrath. That was for a very specific reason; a reason that a pony, with a white cloak over her head and a smug grin on her face, was about to illustrate in full splendor.   The pony walked up to a particular statue. It was of a creature that looked as though its body parts had all been taken from various animals and sewn together haphazardly. The creature had a horse-like head with both a deer antler and a goat horn, one fang and a small beard hanging off its chin. His four appendages were an eagle’s talon, a lizard’s leg, a goat’s leg, and a lion’s paw. He had a snake’s tail, a dragon’s wing, and a black pegasus’s wing.   It was a draconequus, and one that was posed very theatrically, as if it were singing an opera solo in front of a grand audience.   The pony walked up and touched the statue’s base. It glowed, and cracks started to appear along the statue, spreading up its chest and to its now glowing eyes. Slowly, as the statue shed what appeared to be only an outer layer of stone, the original being revealed itself from underneath.   The creature stretched and yawned. “Five thousand years…” he said, “will give you such a crick in the neck!” The surrounding space seemed to warp and twist for a moment before returning to its natural state.   The pony smiled. “It’s been a long time, Discord. I trust you are well?”   The draconequus, Discord, scowled. “Yes, because plaster is so wonderful for the skin. You left me here for eons, Mistress, how do you think I feel?”   The pony, Mistress, laughed, though her laugh was sharp and biting. “I think you feel spectacular, what with the calcium carbonate laced into your pelt. Do not take me for a fool, Discord. I know exactly how your nerves are generating emotions at present, and I also know what you’re capable of... provided you do not let those trivial chemicals interfere.”   “You want me to mess around with those Elements again, don’t you? Because I hardly believe you’d release me simply to discuss the weather,” Discord sneered. A plum emerged from of a nearby daisy, and Discord popped it between his jaws. Swallowing, he said, “I know your game, my lady. I have played it myself, and it is not a game I usually win.”   “Well, the odds are quite with me, true,” Mistress admitted, “but my games, you see, are not things that simply end and begin.”   “I am aware,” Discord said. “You shouldn’t take me for a fool, either. What’s your proof that we aren’t destined to lose, however? How do I know that this ‘grander scheme’ is the horse’s bray like you say it is?”   “Because I know exactly how the Elements process data, and I shall use that to my advantage as I take them down one by one,” Mistress smirked.   “Oh, yes, your typical thing, right?” Discord folded his arms. “Give me a break. So you gave the Elements some boo-boos. Big deal! They always come right back and ruin all the fun.”   “But…” Mistress said, “what if they don’t come back...?”   Discord raised an eyebrow. “Alright, fine. How in Equestria do you plan to turn that fantasy into the glorious reality you see in that pretty head of yours?”   “It’s actually quite simple, really,” Mistress grinned. Continue the adventure: Guilt and Hate ===================================================================== [Note]: I do not own anything in this story that already belongs to someone else. This entire storyline takes place BEFORE season two, but AFTER season one. Thank you all for reading! Let me know what you think of the story in a comment or a private message. I'll be sure to respond! And above all, have a pleasant day.