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Unwanted2,965 words
Who's Guilty?2,723 words
What's Been Lost2,601 words
Cold Moments2,889 words
Conditioning2,064 words

Unwanted

Purple smoke trailed from black eyes as Sombra grunted and crumpled to the padded floor. Discord could still feel the force of the blow he had given traveling from the pipe in his white-knuckled hand. He pulled back before striking Sombra again, feeling a painful jolt in the bones of his own wrist. Every blow he delivered brought relief, but not enough to satisfy.

Sombra clawed at the fabric of the wall, trying to stand again. His shackles clinked. Perhaps this time he would respond to his punishment. But, the shadow king only snarled into his gag, a metal face mask with a piece of wood forced into his mouth to stop him from biting into his tongue. Another blow went to his already bruised shoulder blades.

A woman watching from the doorway cleared her throat. “Was he really bad today?” she asked.

Discord stopped to catch his breath and dry his cheeks. “Yes... and he knows it too.”

The woman sighed. Her brow was furrowed when Discord turned to look at her. What is she all gloomy about? Discord wondered as he left the room, making sure the lights were on their brightest setting. The bar rang as he tossed it aside after shutting the door behind him. The adrenaline shook his hands as he tried to smooth his grey hair back. The woman stood before him with his white coat in her hand and the trace of a scowl still on her mouth.

“You don’t understand...” he grumbled. “So, where’s Screwball?”

“She’s with her,” Chrysalis said, rolling her eyes, “Dinnertime.”

“Good,” he said, running his hand over his goatee.

“You know I noticed something about Screwball when she came in to help with Celestia—”

“Thank you for your help, Chrysalis.”

“Excu—”

“And her name isn’t Celestia, remember?” he said, grabbing the coat.

She pulled back on it, staring him down. “Why will you never let me finish my questions? You don’t even know what I noticed!”

“I don’t really care what you noticed. I’m more curious about what you didn’t notice.”

“Wha—”

“In fact, I’m very curious how you came all this way without noticing that you’re not wearing pants.”

Her eyes snapped down and widened at the lederhosen that had replaced her jeans. When she looked up again the trickster was almost to the door.

“Discord!” she yelled.

“No shouting, my dear changeling, you might disturb the patients.”

“Why does Sarah have to hide her real hair color?”

Discord froze. His teeth ached as he clenched them. He felt the beige paint of the metal door chip as his thumbnail scraped across it. He knew she would figure it out eventually... just not now.

“Have a good evening, Chrysalis,” he said in a low, even tone before slamming the door shut behind him. Beating times always sent his muscles into cranky protest. He stretched with a groan, pulling his coat on as he walked down the grey hall towards the patient’s room. This body wasn’t as young as it used to be. Unfortunately, things weren’t about to get any less tiring.

Sarah had left the door open again. He straightened his coat and stepped over the threshold and into the small, cold room. Sarah had fallen asleep sitting next to the bed again, her head resting on the stomach of the woman lying there. Her arm was draped around the woman in a hug. No reason to scold her for that, Discord thought, approaching the bed quietly.

His eyes turned from Sarah to the face of the bedridden woman. No matter how many times he felt ready to see her, he never was. The feeding tube was the worst part. While she would wake up in a few days, that thought never made it easier to see her like this. Discord’s footsteps tapped against the concrete floor as he came closer. His brow contracted as he looked down at Sarah. She looked as exhausted as he felt. The dark circles under her eyes were diminishing but not yet gone. Becoming human again hadn’t been easy for either of them. It would probably be worse for...

Discord’s left hand cautiously reached out and brushed the comatose woman’s cheek with the back of his fingers. The skin of her face was still feverish to the touch and sickly pale. His heart gripped his chest as he sighed before turning to Sarah, placing a hand carefully on her shoulder.

Sarah jerked awake, blinking against the light coming from the doorway. “Dad, I’m sorry... I...” she groaned as her father lifted some of her golden bangs up to look at her hair more closely.

“It’s fine. Your roots are coming in, though. Chrysalis noticed. Also...” he added, letting go of her hair and looking at her eyes directly, “Remember what I said about closing the door?”

“I’m sorry...”

“I know you’re sorry, but it is important that the door is always locked. You know what might happen.”

“I’ll shut it next time, ok Dad?” she said before sitting back and covering a yawn. Her hand went to rub the fabric impressions on her forehead.

Putting his arm around her shoulder, Discord rubbed her back a bit. “I know you will. Don’t worry, It won’t be much longer. Maybe one or two more days at the most.”

“I hate having to do this...”

“I know, I don’t like it either... but, it’s the only way we can get her back.” Sarah nodded then leaned against him her eyes dropping closed. “Come on, let’s get some dinner and some more dye.”

“Okay...” she yawned again as she stood, pushing herself up by the back of her chair. She rubbed her half-opened eyes and led the way out of the room. The lock clicked into place as Discord pushed the door closed.

“Be sure to check her later, Chrysalis,” Discord called out without looking up as the other woman entered the corridor. A pair of jeans had replaced her lederhosen. “Oh and change into scrubs before you do.”

She narrowed her eyes in disbelief, “Are you kidding me? She’s not waking up for days!”

“She could wake up any second. Scrubs. Now.”

She sighed and turned back. He knew she wouldn’t change but he couldn’t be concerned with that now. Sarah needed to spend time out of this place.

Closing the hallway door, he stepped into the side stairs of the building. The scent of peppermint handrails contrasted nicely with the sugar glass and gingerbread staircase. The walls had decided to go with a vibrant green today, a nice contrast with the stairs. Unfortunately, today’s color also gave Sarah and Discord a sickly hue as the light reflected off the walls and onto their skin. The spiders looked down at them and even turned to keep watching the descending pair.

“So, what will it be today, Dad?” Sarah asked at the end of the stairs.

“Open the locker,” he said, snapping his fingers and making a locker appear. Sarah pulled on the handle but it wouldn’t budge.

“You forgot to unlock it.”

“I want you to try again,” he said firmly.

Sarah sighed and closed her eyes then held her hands up to frame the lock with the L’s of her thumb and forefinger.

Discord leaned against the wall. She could do it, she just needed to focus. He watched her patiently as the silence ticked by. A small click came from the lock and he frowned. Same method as last time.

She needed to be more creative than that.

“Motorcycle?” Sarah asked, turning to him with a smile as she held out his helmet to him. Her smile faltered when Discord’s gaze grew more disappointed.

“There are many other ways to open a lock you know.”

“I... Dad, I’m tired! I’ll think of something else next time.”

“Alright, Let’s go then,” he said, taking the helmet. After fully suiting up, they walked out into the garage towards a lone motorcycle.

“So I still can’t drive by myself?”

“Not yet, Sarah. Maybe when you’re sixteen,” Discord said, climbing onto the bike with his daughter soon behind him.

“Sounds good,” she said, hugging him tightly as he took off straight for the brick wall, which melted like chocolate before they hit it.

Without the moon, night fell a little darker in Canterlot. Of course, Discord couldn’t see that since he had been frozen with his eyes closed. That was only one of his annoyances. However, of all the things that bothered him, there were few things as irritating as an itch. This particular one sat on Discord’s back where he could have easily reached it... but, being turned into stone tends to prevent said movement. During the day it wasn’t so bad. He could easily go into the mind of a useless bird or insect to get help.

“Celestia did not seem happy today. Have you any idea why?”

Oh great, not them again.

“I do not know,” Luna’s voice said with a contented sigh. Discord could picture Luna resting her head against the stallion she walked with.

And I don’t supposed either of them would randomly want to give me a scratch.

“Hmm, you’re quite affectionate tonight.”

Oh gag me...

Luna’s musical laughter drove itself into Discord’s ears. He could sense the couple almost at his feet.

“I’m sorry. I can’t help it,” she said with a giggle.

“True. Especially with such a gorgeous night as this.”

“Do you like it? Really?”

No, he’s a king of shadows and he hates everything dark and gloomy...

“Of course I do. The stars are particularly bright tonight.”

The stars? Really? Please don’t start talking about the moon again. I’ve heard this talk at least a dozen times already.

“Well, of course they are. I didn’t raise the moon tonight so they would stand out more.”

“Ah, I see.”

Seriously? You’re going to pretend you didn’t notice she neglected to raise the moon? Oh, it’s a massive glowing orb in the sky and you just happened to forget it was normally there?

“And so...” said the stallion in his resonant voice as his hooves made a final clop at Discord’s base, “here we are in front of the famous Discord: your most powerful adversary.”

Well... maybe you can talk for a little longer.

“It wasn’t just me who overthrew him...”

Both of them were silent.

“Luna? Have I bothered you?”

“No... I’m fine. It’s just a lot to think back on.”

Oh, you don’t even know the half of it! I mean, here I was, ruling Equestria happily and these two sisters bust in on me and turn me into a lawn ornament!

“Of course, dear one. Let us continue walking.”

I wasn’t finished!

“Really, I must return to the palace. Will you join me?”

My my my! Luna, you saucy thing! Celestia would not approve.

“No, dearest one. Perhaps one last kiss beneath your sky?”

On second thought, could you just go with her? Please? Just don’t—

A soft moan interrupted his thoughts and he knew that a kiss had just been exchanged. In his mind, being turned to stone with his eyes closed had its advantages.

“Good night, my Luna.”

“Good night, Sombra,” Luna said with her silly giggling again.

Gwood night, my Woona, Discord thought mockingly as he heard Luna take off. After a few moments he expected to hear Sombra continue away.

“You know, Discord,” he said with a chuckle, “I expected Luna to be smarter than this.”

Can you hear me?

“Years of jealousy have paid off, wouldn’t you say?”

I guess not...

“Your story is quite curious. I wonder how much of legend and rumor is true. More specifically, I wonder... what would you do to have your throne back?”

Pain welled up in Discord’s chest. He would give up anything just to be free. Just to have a chance to turn his beautiful world back to what it should be.

“Dear little Luna... Yes, she’ll be my Queen... but she’ll have to be worthy first.”

Look, I really don’t care. Could you just go away?

“And of course Celestia will need to be taken care of. Hmm... a shame. With the older sister by my side, bringing everything under my control would be so much easier. But, I’ll make do with what I have though.”

Are you really going to continue monologuing in front of me? I don’t care.

“She is beautiful, isn’t she?”

I don’t know! I only looked at her for all of ten seconds before she and her sister started shooting rainbows at me!

“Perhaps... you would be willing to help me in exchange for a queen?”

Discord found the whole idea hysterical. Even if he did need a queen to stave off boredom, the last pony or anything that he would choose would be the pony responsible for putting him here. He was chaos, not stupidity.

The whole idea made him laugh. He hadn’t laughed in almost a century. It had been impossible. Discord was frozen in marble and there was no way he should be laughing then. He couldn’t think of any explanation for why laughter resonated from his chest. There was no more talk that night. The last noise Discord heard from Sombra was the galloping of his hooves fading into the distance. So, Sombra hadn’t planned for that. But what had caused it then?

Perhaps Discord wasn’t the only one who could disrupt Harmony.

A small squeak hit his ear. Finally! Without another thought the bat flew into Discord’s back , not knowing why it had spontaneously altered its course.

Ahhhh... much better.

Discord pulled at his tie to give his throat space to breathe. He would have to be quick; the doctor he was imitating was busy helping to finish up a surgery, but there was no telling for how long he would be preoccupied. Hopefully he wouldn’t miss his badge, either.

Celeste would need him tonight. How could so much have gone so wrong? First Aiden, now... this? He straightened his jacket and knocked on the door. No response. He knew she was in there, visiting her mother. She must be hoping they won’t check for stray visitors. With a heavy sigh, he turned the knob and entered the dark room.

Mrs. Pheobe Marlowe lay on the bed, wires plugged into her arms and a tube shoved down her nose. Her skin was yellow and her hair gone. It had been too late to stop the cancer but she had insisted they give it a try.

Celeste looked up at Discord, her eyes and cheeks red. “I’m sorry. Is it time for me to go?”

“I’m... I’m afraid so,” he said, ignoring the tightening in his chest.

Celeste nodded and stood up, pulling her coat on. Adrenaline constricted his windpipe. He would get the other guy in so much trouble if she said anything. Still, he had to be here, even if he wasn’t himself.

“Good night, Mom,” she whispered, placing a kiss on her mother’s sunken cheek. Celeste stood up and gave her mother’s hand a visible squeeze before letting her fingers slide away.

He really shouldn’t be doing this. This could easily make things worse.

“So, um... You’ll call if...” she sighed, rubbing her eyes.

“Yes,” he replied, swallowing.

Celeste looked back towards the bed. “Will you call when it happens, or...”

“We’ll wait until morning. Try to get some sleep,” he said, pushing his hands into the pockets of the borrowed coat. “I’m sorry, by the way.”

She nodded, not knowing what he was really apologizing for. His heart beat almost too loudly for him to hear. Swallowing the lump in his throat clouded his eyes with tears. How could his act of kindness have gone so wrong? Her face contorted as she tried to hold her own tears back. Discord shoved his hands deeper into his pockets. If he tried to comfort her now she would probably report the other guy and he didn’t want to ruin that life too. With a sob she suddenly latched onto him and began crying, solving his predicament for him.

Oh no... he thought. Uh... pretend you’re old and have grandchildren and hug her like that! his mind shouted as he hugged her stiffly, trying not to seem eager.

“It’s ok. It will be ok...” he lied, patting her back in what he hoped was a comforting fashion.

“I’m sorry...” she sniffed, pushing back from him.

“It’s fine. You just needed a hug.”

“Yeah,” she said with a laugh. “Thank you, Doctor. I’ll come by tomorrow.”

If I could save her life for you, I would...

“Of course—get some sleep—she’ll most likely be here when you get back,” he said with a pat on her shoulder.

As soon as she left the room, Discord leaned against the wall while his fingers traced the spot her tears had made on the coat. His eyes stared at the blank wall before him as Mrs. Marlowe’s heart faintly beeped on the monitor in the background.

This wasn’t what I wanted, he thought with a sigh, leaving the room to return the doctor’s badge before anyone noticed it was missing.

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