//------------------------------// // Interlude: Taming Chaos // Story: Three to Five // by TwilightsmyMare //------------------------------// "Hey! Watch where your galloping, you'll knock over that vase!" "Can't you just fix it with magic uncle Cord?" "Naturally, and don't you call me that... Scoota... Belle?" A trio of giggles was his only reply for a moment. "No, I'm Scootabelle!" The cute yellow furred filly with her red mane and tail as well as her pink bow. "And I'm Appleoo!" Another adorable filly pure white with a purple and pink mane and tail. "And I'm... Um... Sweetie Bloom?" Giggled the last cutie with her orange fur and messy mane and tail. "Riiight... As much as I love chaos I must..." "Can you turn into a bug uncle Cord?" Appleoo interrupted smiling angelically. "Of course I can but that’s only..." "What about a piggy?" Scootabelle grinned? "Or a kitten!?" Appleoo chimed in. "Anything! I can turn into anything, see?!" And with a poof he was a filly sized bug causing Appleoo to shriek and duck behind her friends, another poof and he was a pig resplendent in a three-piece suit, monocle and top hat then a cute kitten with his own face. But he wasn't done there, poof and he was a dragon! Who barely managed to avoid cracking his skull on the roof. Then an elephant the size of a mouse, then a mouse the size of an elephant! Birds, fish and ponies even a few they recognized! Finally he was himself again breathing heavily leaning against the wall. "Now will you..." "My dad says you were really dangerous once..." "Once...?" "And that all Equestria was in your grasp until you were stopped by the only thing that could stop someone as powerful as you." Sweetiebloom smiled a matter of factly. "Oh really? The elements of Harmony I presume?" "Nah, though that would have been a lot cooler..." "No? Then what?!" "Love... That’s what he said, mushy I know but he said it must have changed everything for you. Not only with auntie Luna but Fluttershy too." "Well I..." "Is that true uncle Cord? Aww... It's so romantic!" Appleoo cooed. "Eeyuk, but ah guess it's alright cuz now we get ta spend time with you an auntie Luna." Scootabelle smiled. "Yes... I suppose... And your father is?" "Rick." "Rick... Ah! Then that makes you Scootaloo, you Sweetie Belle and you Apple Bloom!" "Aww he figured it out." "That’s ok it was fun anyhow." "Ah'll say!" They jumped him altogether knocking him over flustering him as three adorable fillies hugged him. "Oh let them play Discord, come here." Luna's voice came from another room. He disengaged himself gently patting each of them on the head. "All right you three go have some fun, but be careful don't be smashing too much. And don't be breaking any walls, especially not that one..." He pointed behind him. "I've always been fond of that fourth wall." He chuckled leaving the room and three confused fillies. "What was that about?" "No idea..." "Who cares? Tag your it!" "Ah! No fair Apple Bloom!" Discord winced a moment hearing a crash behind him then sighed closing the door to their bedroom behind him finding Luna kneeling before their bed nuzzling the cute little foal on it, her... No, their god-daughter and he didn't care who said otherwise. He leaned on her back massaging her shoulders peering over her at the little foal. "Unca!" "Hello little Star, you’re not giving your auntie any trouble are you?" He grinned leaning down so she could boop his nose. "How are the girls doing?" Luna asked turning so they could kiss. "Fine... Though we'll likely have to mend every vase in the castle at this rate, are you sure you want one of those...?" He gestured behind him. "A child of our own my love? Of course, someday... And those three fillies would be fine daughters for anyone, over exuberance just comes with the whole package." She giggled. "I suppose... Why can't they be more like Star?" "Oh just you wait, she'll be as much of a hell-raiser as they are I have no doubt." She giggled again as they turned their attention back to her, she just lay there between Lunas fore hooves watching them talk. When she was with a group she knew she tended to be more outgoing but in a group of adults or those she didn't know very well she seemed happy to stay quiet watching and listening cuddling up with someone she loved. "Perhaps, but for now she's perfect as is." He chuckled scooping her up tossing her in the air making her squeal in delight catching her dexterously with his tail holding her behind him. "Where did she go? Did I toss her out the window?!" He rushed to the window to look out in mock horror ignoring the giggles behind him. "Nope... Aha! I must have caught her with my tail!" He swept his tail around theatrically though she'd climbed out of its grasp and onto his shoulders a moment before. "Well I'll be..." He scratched his head thoughtfully as Luna and Star giggled. "I know! I'll listen for the sound of her little hooves!" He rotated his ears back and forth only to have a pair of little fore hooves cover them. "Any luck?" Luna smiled barely able to contain her mirth. "What? I can't seem to hear anything... I know! She had peanut butter and jelly for breakfast, I'll locate her by her peanut butter breath!" He prepared to take a mighty sniff but something stopped him, perhaps those same two sneaky forelegs reaching out to cover his nostrils. "Anything?" Luna asked sweetly. "Nod a thing..." Luna burst out laughing at his nasal voice and the adorable little filly on his back. "Maybe... You should... Try... Something... Else...?" Luna gasped. "Now that you mention it my shoulders do feel funny... Mayhap I'll just turn and look in the mirror..." He turned slowly to the mirror then stopped. "Well isn't that strange? The lights seem to have gone out..." The two little hooves covering his eyes might have something to do with that. "Luna... Ach!" He turned moving toward her bumping his shin on a table. "Ow... Oh, let me try..." And in a blink he was a foot behind himself, the 'Discord' Star balanced on dissipated into mist letting her fall all of an inch before he caught her up in his powerful paw and claw. "Gotcha!" She froze in shock a second then broke out in squeals and giggles hugging his muzzle then eliciting an adorable yawn as she calmed down. "Oh dear, looks like it's time for a nap little Star." "Kay... Auntie..." She swept her up and away from Discord laying her down on their bed slowly but with great determination changing her tossing the old diaper over her shoulder with a grin. "Catch!" "Hmm... Oh!" The rolled diaper bounced back and forth between his claw and paw several times as he desperately tried to catch hold of it before it slipped by landing on his face. "Curses!" He yanked it away in disgust then confusion as it wasn't even soiled! "What?" Luna and Star both giggled as she put the finishing touches on her diaper job. "Forgetful? Stars been using the potty lately, and doing such a good job!" She nuzzled Star gently as she was trying to keep her eyes open. "Of course..." He tossed the diaper into the hamper coming over to kneel by Luna one arm over her but his head detached floating on her other side. "I swear if I didn't keep my head securely attached I'd lose it... Oops!" "You’re such a ham..." She chuckled kissing him before he could turn into a pig, boar or any other type of porcine. Together they tucked her into their large bed one on either side of her. "Sleep tight Star..." Whispered Luna. "Sleep sweet little one..." "..." She was already out like a light, they watched her a moment before looking up at one another. "I know you'll be a great and entertaining father one day." "Luna I..." "When you’re ready my love, we have time..." He smiled and nodded. "Yes..." They kissed passionately each stretching out on either side of Star watching her sleep and smiling knowingly at one another at the occasional bump, squeak and crash from the other rooms. Everyone knew music and singing were an important part of Equestrian culture and life but no one really knew why, even she and her sister only knew the barest of basics. A very old and very powerful spell cast... Intertwined into pony kind and could affect them no matter when or where sometimes even others with them. All ponies were affected differently, a few like Pinkie Pie needed little urging to burst into song. Some it was an occasional thing and others maybe only once or twice in a lifetime. It never forced anyone to sing but if one chooses to it helped, lyrics, rhyming and even music from nothing on occasion! She'd felt her fair share of urges but she and Tia she knew had few occasions to let them happen with the expectations on them and all. Discord even less so, he wasn't a pony of course but he'd spend nearly all his life among them and it had happened before, more common long ago before... She could feel it rising up now and while she worried about waking Star she wanted to, needed to sing... Song She finished, they finished... Discord had sung as well somehow keeping time and rhythm with her. They both smiled Star still fast asleep between them. "Well now, that was unexpected..." Discord chuckled quietly. "A bit, but you kept up beautifully... Thank you." "I still have my moments..." "That you do beloved..." They kissed again pausing hearing a couple of 'eews' and three sets of staring eyes. "That was amazing!" "Ah liked it, thar's been a lota singin on the farm lately with Mac an Inkie... It's sweet ah guess." "I wish I could sing like that..." "Ya can sing like that Sweetie Belle, heck it's yer dang talent!" "That and being a dictionary..." Scootaloo giggled. "Well sometimes, but I get it wrong a lot too..." Luna and Discord stood and ushered them out of the bedroom sitting them on the couch. "Let's let Star sleep, practice Sweetie Belle. Practice is what you need, you know the basics and in time you'll learn more and more." "It's true, you think I just became the master of chaos overnight? It's been a long road paved with pies, pranks, puns and even the occasional chocolate rain..." He chuckled. "Not the best role-model for you fillies..." Luna laughed as he clutched his chest in mock heartbreak. "However he's quite right, Celestia and I both trained and worked hard and we still do there’s always something new to learn. Be it a new verse, an aerial trick or even a better or faster way to fix or build something. The important thing is we keep trying, keep learning, keep moving forward." "Does that make sense girls?" "You bet!" "Darn tootin!" "Indubitably!" Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked at Sweetie Belle confused. "What?" "Um... I think it means okay? Rarity uses it sometimes..." "Dictionary and thesaurus..." Scootaloo whispered making Apple Bloom giggle and Sweetie Belle blush. "Hey! Thesaurus is a pretty big word too!" "Nah, mom's always got one laying around. She's got books on everything... Wait!" "What?" "I've got a great idea but it'll have to wait until mom and dad get back." "What? Tell us! Tell us!" "Nope, ya gotta wait Sweetie Belle." "No fair!" Apple Bloom chimed in the two of them looking ready to tackle her. "That’s enough! Clearly we need to burn off some of that excess energy before supper, I know just the place where you can wrestle, fly loops and circles, sing your little hearts out and mayhap I'll bring a vase or two and you can try your hoof at putting them back together..." Discord chuckled. "Kay!" They echoed. "I'll keep an eye on Star, try not to have too much fun without me. Bye girls!" "Bye auntie Luna!" They called out as they rushed out the door and down the hall. "Wait! I need to show you where..." He sighed coming over to give Luna a quick kiss. "I'll get you for this you know?" "Oh I know beloved, better hurry before they get away!" She grinned winking as he scowled shaking his head and blinked away. She pulled herself up still smiling heading back into the bedroom retrieving a bottle of milk laying down with Star letting her cuddle up she'd surely be hungry when she woke up. She let her eyes shut touching Stars daydream and thinking to herself letting her mind wander. If only you could see how good you are with them Discord... Someday, someday... Just keep moving forward.