Raising Chaos

by Ink Magic

Sleepover

Discord laughed happily as Applejack trotted around Fluttershy's cottage with him on her back. He found himself enjoying childish games and activities more and more the longer he was in this younger form. After the attack on her library , Twilight had decided it would be safer if the Mane 6 stayed together for a while. Sweet Apple Acres had been their first choice to stay, but Fluttershy pointed out that Discord seemed most comfortable in her cottage.

And so, the girls found themselves hanging out in Fluttershy's cottage. Rainbow, Applejack,Pinkie, and Rarity had been surprised when they walked into the cottage to be greeted by a very young Discord, but had all reacted positively. Rarity found Discord simply adorable-though the Draconeqqus didn't take so kindly to her. Most likely because the unicorn had insisted in dressing him up in a few outfits she claimed made him look even more adorable. Rainbow tried to act cool and aloof, but the cyan pegasus had nuzzled Discord a few times when she thought no one was looking. Applejack and Pinkie seemed to handle the young Draconeqqus the best besides Fluttershy. Most likely because both mares had experience with children, AJ having raised Apple Bloom-with the help of Big Mac and Granny Smith-and Pinkie having babysat the Cakes' twins, Pound and Pumpkin Cake. Twilight had some experience, having raised Spike, but she wasn't quite as experienced as the two earth pony mares.

Applejack kept one eye on her young rider, ensuring the young Chaos Lord didn't fall off her back. Discord had fallen once, but Rainbow had had quick enough reflexes to catch him before he could hurt himself. After that, the orange mare had instructed Discord-who insisted on riding again with pleas of "Up, up!"-to hold on tightly to her neck. Now, however, Discord was yawning tiredly, his red and yellow eyes blinking rapidly in an attempt to stay awake.

"Ah think that's enough for today, sugar cube." Applejack said, folding her forelegs beneath her body to allow Discord to dismount.

"But 'm not tired!" Discord protested with a yawn.

Applejack chuckled and nuzzled to young spirit gently. "Ah think it's your bedtime though."

Discord pouted as Fluttershy trotted over and gently picked him up by the scruff of his neck. The girls had learned that Discord seemed to like being picked up like this, instinctively curling his mismatched hind legs and tail closer to his body like a kitten or a puppy. Twilight-after managing to find a book about the creatures of Equestria and the surrounding lands-had figured out that Draconeqqui often carried their young in this fashion.

The gentle, yellow pegasus carried Discord into her room and over to the crib AJ had lent her after being told of Discord current state. The crib, a simple wooden one marked only by an apple shaped hole carved into the end, had been Apple Bloom's when she was born, but the filly had long since outgrown it. It was tall enough that Discord couldn't climb out unless he flew and the young Chaos Spirit's wings were still to small to get him more than an inch off the ground.

Discord, despite his previous protests of not being tired, promptly curled up beneath the warm blanket Fluttershy spread over him and whined softly for his bottle. Twilight, having followed Fluttershy into the room with a bottle of warm milk floating beside her in a field of lavender magic, handed it down to the exhausted child. Discord held the bottle with his talon and paw and sucked at it hungrily as his eyes began to drift shut. Fluttershy nudged a small parasprite plushie closer to Discord and quietly slipped out of the room after Twilight to join the rest of her friends as they played a few games and then, one by one, dropped off to sleep.

---

The young unicorn crept quietly along the outskirts of the Everfree Forest. She could see the warm glow of lights coming from the humble cottage up on a nearby hill from her hiding place. Her dappled grey coat blended well with the lights and shadows of the Everfree as she staked out the yellow pegasus' cottage. As soon as she saw an opportunity, she was to signal the shadow pony waiting nearby and the shadow pony would slip into the cottage and eliminate the Chaos Lord once and for all. She threw a glance in the direction of the shadow pony; she couldn't see him of course. The creature could fade into the shadows with ease, having been created by Noctis from a combination of shadows, the corpse of some nameless stallion, and a complicated spell of Dark Magic. The creature knew nothing but fear and pure hatred. It was primitive, really; it didn't seem to be able to think for itself, the thing only followed the orders given to it with no questions whatsoever. She almost found it pitiful, but she remembered the thing was only alive because of her master's magic.

The light streaming from the windows of the cottage went out and the unicorn mare waited patiently for a few more moments before shooting a faint bolt of magic from her horn that fizzed away quickly. The sound of rustling leaves could be heard and she soon spotted the dark figure move quietly to the house. The creature could move with alarming speed and agility as it moved from shadow to shadow.

For a moment, she could see the silhouette of a stallion ghosting along the cottage wall before it slid effortlessly through a slightly opened window.

---

Applejack rolled over in her sleep and opened her green eyes slightly. The other Element Bearers were fast asleep still, and the orange mare wondered what had pulled her from dreamland. She was about to settle down again when a sound from Fluttershy's bedroom alerted her. A quick glance at Fluttershy confirmed the pegasus was sound asleep on the couch still. Applejack stood and trotted quietly over to the bedroom door, peeking in thinking that perhaps Discord had woken up. But the kid was still softly snoring in his crib.

Now Applejack was really alert. Ears shoved forward, she stepped lightly into the room, careful not to let her hooves make too much sound. She caught a slight movement out of the corner of her eye and turned toward it, but there didn't seem to be anything there. Yet every bone in her body screamed that something was amiss. Another movement caught her eye and this time, moving with lightning reflexes, she managed to catch a glimpse of a shadowy figure seemingly gliding across the floor-right toward Discord's crib.

"Oh no, ya don't." Applejack whispered, following the figures movement before she leapt at it, surprised to feel a sold body beneath her powerful hooves.

Or almost solid. The thing had bones and muscles, but it's flesh was smooth and almost seemed to flow. And seemed transparent as Applejack could see the creature's skull through the shadowy covering.

"Twilight!" She called, no longer caring if she woke Discord. "Princess, get in here quick!"

A moment later, Twilight and the others hurried into the room, manes mussed from sleep.

"Applejack what is-" Twilight trailed off when she saw the creature pinned beneath the earth pony's hooves.

"A shadow pony? But I thought..." Twilight walked over to the creature and examined it closely, only to be driven back by a hind hoof kicked in her direction with enough force to cave in her skull.

Twilight reacted instantly, lowering her head as a lavender glow surrounded her horn. Applejack leapt lithely out of the way as a powerful bolt of magic was fired at the thing. The shadow pony let out a shrill sound like the sound of a howling wind mixed with a whinny before it disintegrated, leaving only the skeleton of a full grown stallion behind.

A cry from the crib told them Discord had woken and Fluttershy hurried over to comfort the young Draconeqqus while the other four mares moved to examine the skeleton. Rarity looked as if she were about to faint and decided to join Fluttershy in soothing Discord back to sleep.

Author's Note:

What?! Did I just update this story with a chapter of more than 1,000 words?! Eeyup! Merry Christmas, everypony! Enjoy this Christmas gift of gratitude for reading this story. Oh, look, I'm not making excuses for once! Yay! Now I'm off to bed now...night.

Comments

[Spiritofchaos227]

YES! Best Christmas gift of the... well, ever!

[RadiumRave]

*Squees* Discord is so CUTE!!

[LiterarySerenity]

Aw~ What a sweet scene, with the mane six and baby discord. Cute! ^_^

[Shine]

Interesting... what happens next, I wonder,

[Ugly-Duckling123]

more please

[yumimizuno]

You are cruel... How could you stop writing such a good story?! Shame on you.

[Ink Magic]

5887237 Oh, I haven't stopped. It's just that high school is wrapping up and I've been busy. I'm (slowly) working on the next chapter, hoping to make it more than 1,000 words (it's at 326 currently). Patience, young grasshopper, good things come to those who wait.

[yumimizuno]

5887417 You haven't? Really? And will be next char? Pinkie Promise?

[Kunama Windrider]

Oh, so the mare is dapple grey! How about Rain Storm? (Sorry, but grey makes think of clouds and rainy days)

[emeraldhuskydragon0]

I know I’m late but the unicorn name could be onyx cloud