//------------------------------// // Chapter Six // Story: An Assistant // by samstermlp //------------------------------// “What?! No!” “Take a look. The trail’s gone. It’s amazing that we followed it this far. The trace must have been really strong when it was fresh, that it would still be detectable ten years later, even if it was so faint.” Discord ground his teeth in frustration, knowing Twilight was right. “Still, to have come so far and lose the trail now...” He sighed, his head drooping. There was no way to know what had happened. One of the changelings could have found the baby, which was likely if the trail had been as strong as Twilight thought it had been. Maybe a timberwolf had come across his child. For all he knew, a dragon could have snatched up his child! Twilight noticed the despair settling on the draconaquus. “Don’t assume the worst, Discord. Maybe a somepony came along and found the child.” “Yeah, and didn’t notice the oddities my child was bound to have that would clearly state ‘child of Discord!’ The only place near here is Ponyville, and they know me well enough that they would know draconaquus antlers or legs or tail when they saw one!” he spat pessimistically. “You’re forgetting one thing. It was Fluttershy’s child too. Maybe it got her looks.” Twilight pointed out, packing up her equipment. “Yeah, maybe.” Discord muttered, clearly not agreeing. Musica, who had stayed quiet while they were arguing, looked between the two adults. She could tell that even though Twilight had been giving arguments supporting the child’s survival, Twilight was just as upset and disheartened as Discord. “Sh-should we get going now?” she asked timidly. Discord started. He’d forgotten she was there. “I suppose we should. And I’m assuming you know that there should not be a recurrence of this kind of, ah, incident?” Discord arched a bushy eyebrow. Musica nodded, looking at the ground. And with that, Discord snapped his claw, and they disappeared. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For the next few days, Discord was moody and morose. He snapped at everypony, and threw himself with new vigor into his search. Today he was in an especially bad mood. He slammed down the stack he had been working through. Where in Equestria is Musica?! She should have been here ten minutes ago! He stomped through the castle towards where Musica’s room was. He knocked loudly on Musica’s door. “Musica!! What the hay is taking you so long?!” “Sorry Mr. Discord!” she said, opening her door. “I lost track of time!” She hurried out of her room, dropping something inside her door before closing it. She trotted quickly down the corridor toward the records room. Discord started to follow her, then noticed that the object she had dropped was preventing her door from closing all the way. Grumbling, he bent over to pick it up, intending to toss the offending item into the little unicorn’s room. It was a small locket that was old and tarnished, an ugly thing. As he stood up with the locket in his paw, it opened. He stared down blankly at the contents. It was a strand of hair. Pink hair. Rosy pink hair that matched the mane of the mare who was always in the back of his mind. Slowly, a conscious thought permeated the fog of shock and confusion that besieged his mind. Why does Musica have a strand of Fluttershy’s mane?