5 Months Old...
All was peaceful in Discord's castle. He and Maria were fast asleep, seeing as it was almost 2:30 in the morning. And, save for Maria's soft snores, the entire castle was silent.
Then a wail pierced through the night like a knife.
Both parents stirred, Maria getting up to check on their daughter. She yawned sleepily, padding into the room down the hall.
In the large crib, Screwball squirmed and whimpered, an occasional cry leaving her mouth. Maria reached in, taking the little filly into her arms. After doing a quick check, she found the source of her uncomfortableness-a full diaper.
Maria brought Screwball over to a small table where she exchanged the nasty diaper with a clean one. Still, the lavander colored filly continued to cry.
Maria summoned a bottle of warm chocolate milk, which Screwball drank eagerly. The bottle was gone within a few seconds, and she burped with satisfaction. But still, she squirmed and whimpered, unable to find sleep. Rocking the filly in her arms, Maria hummed to calm her down.
Screwball stopped squirming for a little bit, an occasional whimper leaving her mouth.
Maria smiled, making herself comfortable in the wooden rocking chair in the corner. When she found a steady rhythm, she began to sing.
Dancing Bears, Painted Wings,
Things I almost remember.
And a song someone sings
Once Upon a December
Someone holds me safe and warm,
Horses prance through a silver storm
Figures dancing gracefully across my memory...
She hummed the interlude of the song, watching as her daughter yawned, fighting to stay awake.
Someone holds me safe and warm,
Horses prance through a silver storm,
Figures dancing gracefully
Across my memory,
Far away, long ago,
Glowing dim as an ember,
Things my heart used to know,
Things it yearns to remember...
And a song someone sings,
Once upon a December...
At this point, Screwball was sleeping peacefully in her mother's arms. Maria couldn't hold back her smile, standing to her feet and setting her in the crib. When she looked up, Discord was standing in the doorway.
"Did we wake you?" she whispered.
"Not at all," he said. "I simply wanted to hear my lovely wife's voice,"
Maria blushed slightly, rolling her eyes. Discord brought Maria close, kissing her. A small cry disrupted their moment, and Maria sighed.
"I'll be back..."
17 Months Old...
"Scre-Screwball! No, sweetie, don't put that in your mouth!" Maria cried. She teleported to where Screwball sat, pulling out the shoe she had put into her mouth, replacing it with a gel toothing ring. For a few moments, she chewed on it, before spitting it out.
Maria groaned as Screwball began to cry, reaching for the shoe. "Discord!" she called. Her husband appeared.
"Yes, my queen?"
"Can you please help out here? I can't clean and keep her quiet at the same time!"
Discord frowned, picking up his daughter and looking her over. Screwball went silent as her dad put her down, circling her. Suddenly, Discord made a plush shoe appear. Screwball giggled, grabbing the shoe and chewing on it.
Maria looked dumbfounded before she shook her head. "Nevermind," she said, leaving to finish the housework.
Discord sat back on a cotton candy cloud hammock, sunglasses on, and preparing for relaxation. But Screwball lost interest in the shoe plush rather quickly, tossing it aside and crying for attention. Discord sat up, looking over the top of his sunglasses. The two items disappeared, and he picked the shoe plush up and handing it to her. She tossed it again, wailing.
Discord didn't want Maria to have to calm her again so he did his best to keep her quiet. He gave her chocolate milk -- she refused to let the bottle touch her mouth. He tried to give her a pacifier, but she spat it out and continued to cry. Discord made a rattle appear, and while it kept her quiet for a few minutes, it failed to entertain her.
As she continued to cry, Discord tried everything to keep her silent. "What would Maria do?" he asked himself aloud. Suddenly, an idea popped into his head. He snapped, making a small bat and ball appear. Screwball looked at the items in curiosity. Discord watched as his daughter stood to her hoofs and took the handle of the bat in her mouth.
After slobbering over the bat for a few seconds, she watched as the ball floated in mid-air. With a small grunt and a twist of her head, the bat made contact with the ball, and it flew across the room, hitting the wall. It bounced off the walls a few times before lodging itself into the opposite wall.
She giggled, looking over her shoulder at her father. Discord stared at the ball, jaw hanging loose.
"How did you...?" he stuttered. A proud smile crept across his face as he took Screwball in his arms, spinning her around. "That's my girl!"
"Okay, I've finished with the cleaning, how are things going down...here..." Maria trailed off as she saw the damage on the walls. "Discord..."
Both father and daughter pointed at each other, and Maria sighed.
6 Years Old...
Screwball's skill with the baseball only grew stronger after that. She would practice outside with her parents, which would sometimes turn into a full game between the trio.
Sometimes, she would dream about what it would be like to play with the other ponies her age. But Discord didn't want her to suffer any cruel taunting from them, as he had in his childhood days. Her eyes would almost instantly draw hurtful comments from the others. He tried to shelter her in any way that he could, despite Maria's attempts to get her acquainted with the others.
It was that fateful day in the middle of Spring that she had dared to ask her parents to take her to a baseball game.
"Hey Daddy?" she asked. Discord looked up from the book he was munching on.
"Yes, princess?"
"Do you think...maybe...we could go to the baseball game tomorrow afternoon?"
Discord frowned, thinking. "I'll discuss it with your mom," he said.
"You'll discuss what with me?" Maria asked, walking into the living room. Her stomach was swollen once again, and it took some effort to sit on the couch next to her husband.
"Momma, I want to see a real baseball game," Screwball said.
"A real baseball game?" Maria repeated. "Are you sure? What's wrong with watching it on TV?"
"I just want to see a real game," she pleaded. "Please? I'll be real good, I promise!"
"You will?" Discord asked, amused. Screwball nodded eagerly. "If that's the case, then there shouldn't be any reason why you can't go!"
"Really Daddy? We can go to the game?"
"Certainly!" Maria gave her husband a surprised look.
"Oh thank you, Daddy!" Screwball cried, hugging her dad and teleporting to her room.
"Discord, are you absolutely sure about this?"
"She's getting older m'dear. Besides, we'll be there to make sure nopony picks on her,"
"You mean you'll be there. Doc said I'm in no condition to travel with the twins,"
Discord smiled at this. He pulled Maria close so she could rest her head on his shoulder.
"Twins," he repeated. "First Screwball, and now twins,"
"At least now you'll have a colt,"
"Don't forget my second daughter," he reminded.
"How can I forget? They started their squabbling after several months,"
"Well, chaos seems to run in the family,"
"What a shocker," Maria said sarcastically. Discord kissed her.
"Indeed it is,"