The New Guy
Pete pulled out his sword and pointed it at the mismangled being that was floating in front of them.
"So... Hello, I'm Pete, it's interesting to meet you." Pete said introducing himself.
The being just chuckled in front of them. "I must say in all my time I have never had the pleasure of speaking to another as chaotic as you four. My name is Discord, Lord of Chaos.
"Lord of Chaos?" Jay asked looking over Discord while pointing his pistol. "Yeah that makes sense, from what I've heard you sound like a fun guy to hang around with." Jay said with a small smile.
"Fun!?" Twilight asked slightly irritated.
Discord simply ignored her. "What have you heard about me?" He asked Jay.
"Oh you know this and that, mainly the whole cotton candy cloud, chocolate rain, turning towns topsy turvey quite literally I've heard" He said with a small chuckle. "And what per say have you heard of us?" He asked.
Discord put a hand to his chin and pondered a moment. "Well for starters that you’re not from this world, you have a higher infected body count each compared to the entire population, and in general you've caused enough chaos to gain my interest." He told the four of them.
"Good interest or bad interest?" Matt asked.
"Just interest, whether it's good or bad has yet to be seen." Discord answered.
Pete stared intently at the Lord of Chaos. He slowly stood up from his fighting stance. He put his sword back in his belt. "Well now that introductions are over, I think you six have a bit of diplomacy that needs doing." He said turning to the mares.
"But-but I mean we-" She stuttered.
"Diplomacy?" Discord said rolling his eyes. "Such a boring thing. Tell you what, why don't we play a game?" He asked smiling.
"Depends on the rules and conditions." Pete told him.
"Easy, none and none." Discord told them all. With a snap of his talon and a bright flash they all found themselves sitting at a small circular table with Discord sitting at one spot a plastic divider separating himself and some assorted sheets of papers from the rest of them.
"Great!" Pete exclaimed putting his head into his hands. "We're playing Dungeons and Dragons or whatever variant is used here." He said with a sigh. "...Dibs on the rouge assassin build." He said quickly and Discord passed him a sheet.
"I'll take a barbarian tank." Matt told him getting a sheet of paper like Pete.
"And the rest of you?" Discord asked.
"Sorcerer" Jay told him.
"Bard." Liz responded.
They both got a sheet leaving the mares confused.
"What's going on?" Twilight asked.
"We're playing a game." Pete told her taking some dice from Discord and rolling them filling in his sheet as he did.
"I'm surprised you’re familiar with it." Discord said to the four.
"Well we came across some manuals scavenging one day, we were really bored so we decided to give it a try. It's a good time waster." Pete told him.
"So you already each have a character?" He asked.
"Well yeah, but a load of good it does us now." Pete told him.
"True, but I feel terrible, you really must have had a connection with them. I'm sure you bonded with them." Discord said.
"Not really, we made new characters every few weeks because Miss Fortune over there decided whenever she DMs that there are no survivors." Jay said indicating to Liz.
Discord just looked at her. "Well that's just cruel. A true game should last a long time with characters that eventually reach their true destinies." He told her.
"Well excuse me, but it's their fault for not being able to figure out how to get through my dungeons." She responded.
"Because your dungeons involve the first enemy we fight being five greater dragons. In every single freaking game!" Pete told her.
"Oh like yours are any better." She told him.
"At least their balanced." He told her.
"STOP!" Twilight shouted. "He's discording you we need to-"
"What the heck is discording?" Pete asked.
"He alters your mind and turns you against others." She told him.
The four humans were silent and looked at one another. They then proceeded to burst out laughing. "I hate to break this to you Twilight, but it isn't him. You may call this discording, but we just call it a Saturday game night." Pete told her still chuckling.
"Wha-what?" She asked.
"We get into this argument every time we try to play this game why do you think I was not interested in playing it? I love the game, I just knew it would end up in argument like always." He told them all.
"See, I'm not always so bad." Discord told them passing out sheets to the six. Now make a character so we can get started.” He told them.
“But we don’t-” Twilight started.
Discord gave a loud sigh and in a flash he poked each of the mares in the middle of their foreheads with a small flash coming from each touch. “There I’ve given you enough knowledge to start making a character. Hopefully you do some good with it.” He told them.
The mare reluctantly started filling in their sheets. Discord collected the sheets and started to look over them. “Hmm, I can see your experienced playing as an assassin.” He told Pete. “Not many know how to make a truly good setup for it.” He stared flipping through the pages. “I’m really liking the chaotic neutral alignment you all chose.” He told the four humans.
“Its how the world works, it gives us a wider range of possibilities.” Pete responded.
“I suppose it does.” Discord said flipping through again. Looking at Twilight “Wizard, Lawful Good. Makes sense.” He turned to Fluttershy. “Druid, Neutral Good. Of course.” Rarity “Artificer, Neutral Good. I suppose.” Applejack “Paladin, Lawful Good. Naturally.” Pinkie. “Psion, and finally a Chaotic Good.” Rainbow “Ranger, Lawful…Evil?” He said raising an eyebrow at her. Everybody looked and the colorful flier.
“What? I think it’s good to take some pride in being different.” She said trying to give a reason for her choice.
Discord just shrugged “Well it’s your character I can’t really tell you how to make it.” He told her. “Now allow me to give you a set up for you most amazing adventure that I shall create.” He cleared his throat. “Long ago in ancient times Equestria was ruled by a soul king. Many considered him cold hearted, manipulative, and inherently evil. Though after many years under his rule he was finally defeated. Equestria enjoyed a time of peace and prosperity, but soon the ground began to run dry and began to fall apart. Rumors of the old kings return spread through the lands. Though other rumors also spread, like talk of a few ancient artifacts that had been used to defeat the king before. They were said to have reappeared. As rumors of the king’s return spread the citizens became fearful and looking for any hope they could latch onto. The new rulers began to search for the artifacts hoping they would lead to peace in the kingdom, but they were not found easily. Soon the rulers sent out word that there was a reward for finding and bringing the artifacts to the kingdom. Asking anyone with an able body to try their hardest. This is where you dome in. Your party has decided to search for the artifacts in hopes of the rewards that lay and the end of your quest.”
Twilight raised a hoof. “This is a game not kindergarten, you can just ask.” Discord told her.
She showed a slight bit of annoyance but it passed. “Does this have anything to do with your own rule over Equestria?” She asked him.
“I won’t deny that it has some similarities.” Discord said with a smile. “Now where was I? Ah yes, your quest. You have chosen to seek the guidance of an ancient prophet that is rumored to be deep within the woods.” Discord finished.
“Alright, let’s go into the woods.” Pete declared with nods from the other humans.
“Wait.” Twilight told them. “We don’t know what’s there, we should go and do research over the forest and-” Twilight continued her rant but none of the humans were listen anymore they each shared a glance and gave a small nod. Pete tore off a piece of paper, wrote something down and passed it to Discord. Discord gave a small smile. “-Then we should look through any of the articles they have on-”
“The wizard soon found herself talking to air and the four others of her party made their way towards the woods.” Discord interrupted her.
Twilight then looked confused before casting a glare towards the humans.
“Twilight relax.” Pete told her. “Liz isn’t GMing so we should run into anything super overpowered this early on.” He told her, earning a glare from Liz. The six ponies began debating amongst themselves. “So are we all in agreement to enter the forest?” Pete asked.
Everyone at the table gave a small nod.
“Excellent, your party enters the dark woods.” Discord said, and then his smile grew larger. “Now the adventure truly begins.” He snapped his claw and there was a blinding flash of light.