Fluttershy lay on Rarity's chaise lounge. Four of the other ponies glared at Discord, who floated nearby with his alleged daughter. Pinkie Pie seemed more interested in Eris herself and the little purple device she had.
"Discord, THIS! IS! WRONG!" Twilight yelled. "What in Equestria possessed you to do something like this to your closest friend?!"
"Why, I have no idea what you're talking about," Discord said.
"Discord, you've done some messed up stuff, but this! This is BEYOND not cool," Rainbow said, hooves on her hips.
"How could you? After all the times Fluttershy has stuck up for you, defended you, helped you..." Rarity shook her head, then waved a hoof at Eris. "How in Celestia's name could you pull a stunt like this?"
"Love you too, Aunt Rarity," Eris said.
"This is really sick, Discord!" Twilight ranted. "I should write to Princess Celestia RIGHT NOW and—"
"Ladies, ladies! Please! Calm down!" Discord said, holding out his mismatched hands in supplication. "I was honestly as surprised as you all that there's a timeline where I get married to Fluttershy!"
"Ah don't believe it fer a second," Applejack said.
"Eh, it's not THAT strange," Pinkie said. "That thing she's playing with is, though. What IS that?"
Eris looked up at Pinkie, who somehow was sitting on top of her head. "It's my phone?" she said in irritation. "Do you mind, Aunt Pinkie? Personal space?"
In a flash of white, Pinkie was on the ground next to the others.
Fluttershy stirred and sat up, rubbing her head with a hoof. "Ohhh..." she groaned. She looked up at Discord and Eris, and her eyes widened. She flew up to Discord, hooves on her hips. "Discord! Explain this!"
"It's just like I said!" Discord said. "You know I have the power to bend time and space, right? You were there when we took that little...aheh...trip..."
"Yes..." Fluttershy said, frowning.
"Well, like I said...our little talk last week got me to thinking, and I wondered if there was a future timeline where I'm a father. I mean, I know how strange that sounds, but..." He shrugged. "Anything's possible."
"Ah don't know about that," Applejack said.
Discord raised an eyebrow. "Really, Applejack? Because I just so happen to have seen one timeline where you're all alicorns." He frowned. "I also saw one where I developed a wasting illness and decided to give Fluttershy my powers, and she became the new Discord..." He shuddered. "That was a nightmare..."
"Oh my," Fluttershy said.
"And then I happened upon the timeline where lovely little Eris here came from!" Discord swept Eris into a one-armed hug. "Believe you me, I was ever so surprised at how that particular timeline unfolded! But once I saw how happy we all were, I just had to borrow my potential daughter and bring her here to meet you all."
Twilight massaged the bridge of her muzzle with a hoof. "Discord, you can't honestly expect us to believe any of this—"
"Umm...actually, I think he's telling the truth," Fluttershy said softly. The others turned to her. She wilted slightly, but pressed on, "It...it's strange, yes, and...and I'm very weirded out by this, but...I know when Discord is being sincere, and...and what he's saying is true." She shuddered. "As crazy as it sounds, somehow or another, this is Discord's daughter and...and I'm her mother." She blushed furiously. "Oh my. I...I'd rather not even think about how that happened."
"You an' me both, sugarcube," Applejack said, turning green.
"Okay, fine," Twilight said. "So this whole...daughter of Discord thing...is for real." She frowned. "Discord, how could you just...mess around with time like this? Bring her here, changing her past...and what about her parents? Future you and...and Fluttershy..."
Discord chuckled. "Twilight Sparkle...how little you understand about time and space," he said. "Eris is from a potential future. She might exist, she might never exist! For all I know, Fluttershy might marry Big Macintosh and be the mother of a whole new generation of apple buckers!"
Eris frowned. "Wait, isn't he with Mrs. Cheerilee?"
"Details," Discord said, waving her off. "The point is, no future is written in stone, and there are literally hundreds of ways my future and Fluttershy's future could unfold. Eris only shows up in...oh, I don't know...two or three? Seven at the most."
"Sooo...she's what could happen, except you used your freaky Discord magic to make her real?" Rainbow asked.
"Exactly!" Discord clapped his hands together. "So! I hope you'll all make Eris feel welcome!"
The ponies looked at one another. "Umm..." Twilight hedged.
"Yyyyeah..." Rainbow said.
Pinkie scratched her head. "Well...we should throw her a party?"
"This is going to be awk-waaaard," Rarity muttered in a singsong tone.
Eris snorted. "Really feelin' the love here."
"Oh! I...I'm sorry, umm...Eris...dear..." Fluttershy said. "We...should be more...nice to you! I mean, you...didn't ask for this, and—"
Eris held up a sphinx paw. "Totally used to Dad's nutty schemes, Mom. You learn to live with it."
"I need to go prepare a room for my daughter," Discord said. "I'm sure she'll be fine in your hooves. Oh, this is going to be so exciting!" He disappeared in a white flash.
"Right. Okay then." Fluttershy put on a brave smile. "How about...I show you around town?"
Eris shrugged. "Whatever."
As Fluttershy and Eris flew off into Ponyville, the others looked around at each other.
"Anypony else wanna go throw up now?" Rainbow asked.
"Definitely."
"Absolutely."
"You have no idea..."