//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Whose Egg is this Anyway? // Story: The Hatchling // by Dafaddah //------------------------------// Big Mac and Applejack approached the farmhouse. They progressed slowly as the mare was forced to walk upright while holding onto the egg with both forelimbs. She was regretting that decision: it was heavy, and she was sweating profusely from all the heat the object produced. As they approached they noticed a commotion on the front porch. Granny seemed upset at something or somepony. There was a clang of metal, and they saw the old mare swatting her cane against a huge stallion in full armour. Applejack was about to rush-in and rescue the poor idiot, when a white head and horn appeared above those of the ponies in front of her house. She stopped in her tracks. “Yer Majesty!” she said, and sketched the best bow she could manage under the circumstances. Princess Celestia of Equestria nodded back to her. “Minister Applejack, Big Macintosh.” Her gaze focused on the golden egg. “It would appear you’ve found the object of our visit.” Another unicorn head appeared next to Princess Celestia’s, this one just a tad lower. “Hello Applejack,” said Princess Twilight Sparkle. She stepped forward. Her regalia only partly blocked the scar that mottled her coat from her throat down to the metallic cuff of her prosthetic left foreleg. “We need to talk.” The princesses, Applejack, and a somewhat nervous Big Mac all sat around the imposing wooden trestle table in the Apple farmhouse kitchen. The huge room had more than enough space for both Celestia and Twilight’s Royal Pegasus Guards, Mac’s wife Cheerilee, who stood near the stove as she had started cooking dinner while her husband washed up, and their foals Lil’ Mac and Blossom, both sitting on their mother’s back. The colt had a dark brown mane and an orange coat while his sister’s was pale blue, her blond tresses done up in complex braids. The scents of supper cooking on the stove filled the kitchen, setting more than one stomach to growling audibly. The guards had also brought Granny’s rocking chair inside and set it in its customary place next to the huge iron wood stove. The old mare kept glaring suspiciously at the guard-ponies, who having already tasted a few whacks from her cane were keeping their distance. Applejack put down her cup of the Special Reserve Apple Acres Cider that Cherrilee had served everypony as they sat down. The egg sat in the middle of the table, in a wooden box lined with a blanket. She pointed to the object. “So, Yer Majesties, do ya’ll have any idea who’s egg is this, and what it’s doin’ in our zap-Apple Orchard?” The princesses glanced at each other. “We have a pretty good guess.” Twilight waved the hoof of her metal forelimb and smiled. “I’m sure you remember how I got this.” Applejack nodded. “Sure enough. The three Lost Souls fought y’all and almost done killed ya. If it weren’t for Discord, they would have.” Applejack wasn’t proud of the occasion. The villains had managed to neutralize the power of the Elements of Harmony, lock the other princesses out of the Friendship Rainbow Kingdom, and resist the combined power of the Flight of Flames. Only Discord’s last minute sacrifice had saved Twilight’s life. Fluttershy still wept when anypony slipped-up and mentioned the event. “So what does this egg have to do with the war?” Celestia put her own cup down. “I’ve seen this egg before,” said the elder Princess. “Several millennia ago, in fact. You see, I’m almost sure this is Discord’s egg.” Applejack’s ears drooped low. “His egg? But he’s been dead for years. And, er, –" she blushed under her stetson, "– to my recollection, wasn’t he like, uh, a stallion... and such?” Twilight laughed. “Oh, I understand your confusion. She didn’t mean to imply that he lay the egg!” Her grin faltered and she looked askance at Princess Celestia. “Did you?” The elder princess chuckled gently. “No, my little ponies. What I meant is that he is the egg.” Applejack stared at the golden orb on on the table. “So y’all are sayin’ that thar egg is Discord hisself?” “Ayuup!” drawled Princess Celestia with a glance at Big Mac, who somehow managed to look even redder than usual. “I estimate that in three weeks or so, baby Discord is going to hatch from this egg.” “How is that even possible?” asked Applejack. The words were barely out of her mouth when she realized what she had said and blushed again furiously. “I mean...” “I believe you deserve an explanation.” Celestia winked at Cheerilee. “And don’t worry, you won’t have to take the foals for a walk while I provide it.” She took a moment to gather her thoughts. “You see, Discord is not a normal being. In a sense, he is a reflection of the fabric of the universe in that he personifies one of its fundamental forces: entropy. Most ponies think of it as randomness or chance, or in its more troublesome aspect, chaos. Because of this, Discord can’t actually die or be destroyed, but his essence can be dispersed for a while. And if that happens then some time later, months or years even, his essence will regroup and reconstitute itself into an egg from which a baby Discord will hatch. There are no adult draconequii involved in the process.” “That’s so sad!” said a filly’s voice. All the adult heads turned to look at Blossom on her mother’s back. The pale blue filly wilted under the sudden adult attention. “Why do you think so, my little pony?” asked Celestia in a sweet voice. “Well”, said the filly shyly, “because he doesn’t get to have a momma or a poppa. When his egg hatches he's gonna be all alone, that’s why!” Her orange coated brother nudged her. “Your Majesties!” she added with a dip of her blond mane. Twilight and Celestia both stared at the filly, jaws open. The two princesses again exchanged long glances. “From the mouths of babes...” whispered Celestia.