Dismay Turned Discord

by Reedling

Chapter 1-Juvenile Heiresses

It has been five hundred years since the pony kingdoms united under one banner. With the Draconequi of Dissonance either defeated or imprisoned, the Solus Heirs, a small family of alicorns has taken the crown as Equestria's new rulers. For a time all seems well for the family, nothing too challenging for the king or queen to quell, no real reason for the princesses to understand their true potential. That is, until Queen Astrum feels the growing distrust from the denizens of her nation. The king and queen, unlike their children had not been born alicorns, but had harnessed the Elements of Harmony, unlike countless ponies before them. Time was soon approaching the anniversary of their union to these elements, though that meant little to those who didn't know.

One dawn Astrum and Morpheus brought their daughters outside to watch their mother raise the sun. Before Astrum did, a small grin came across her lips as she looked to Celestia, who at the moment was in wonder of how large the sun actually was. She had always gazed at the sun from her bedroom's balcony,and from there everything seemed so small when you lived in Canterlot Castle.

“Celestia, would you like to give it a try?” Astrum smiled as she nudged her filly to get up.

“...Oh...Okay.” Celestia hesitated. She trusted her mother’s wisdom and closed her eyes. She pointed her horn to the sun and mustered all her energy into raising the sun. As Celestia opened her eyes to see the sun hadn’t moved. Astrum gave a lighthearted chuckle.

“Moving the sun is more than what it looks like.” Leaning close to embrace her, she rested her filly’s neck on her own. “Pretend that the sun is a mirror. Then you raise the mirror to look at yourself. This time I will help.”

“Yes momma.” Celestia smiled.

“Make sure to keep your eyes open, or else you can’t see yourself in the mirror..”

”Okay..”

Together they lifted the sun from the horizon and Luna gawked as Celestia got to raise the sun with her mother. She turned her eyes to Morpheus.

“Dad-” He smiled to her and held a hoof softly to her muzzle.

“Don’t worry Luna. You’ll get your chance at dusk. I promise.” Then Astrum and Morpheus placed a filly on each of their backs and flew back to Canterlot Castle. When they returned the princesses ran off to play, and Astrum turned to her somepony. His eyes watching his precious girls make their way up stairs until they were out of view.

“You know what this means, right, Morpheus?”Astrum spoke with her head hung low.

“Celestia will be a fine protégé for you?” Morpheus joked. He turned back to see her gloomy poise.

“Let’s be serious, please dear.” She spoke frankly as she glanced over to her playful somepony with scolding eyes.

“Astrum, what’s the matter?...I just watched you teach one of your daughters to raise the sun!” He raised his forehooves into in the air with jubilation.

“I think alicorns grow up by using their powers.” Morpheus dropped his hooves heavily, leaving his hind pointed up. Scrambling to look presentable, he walked into the castle and headed to their bedroom. Astrum followed.

“How are you sure?” He asked as he moved his head to watch her reaction.

“I noticed it...for a split second...her horn grew,her whole body shimmered yellow. This only makes me more nervous to somepony who has been using their power for much longer.” She admitted. Her eyes glanced over to The Evergreen Forest. They walked to their bedroom’s private balcony.

“You’re worried about him aren’t you?”

“He is our responsibility...”

“He’s more an Earth pony than anything. He’s fine-”

“He might have the heart of an Earth pony, but he’s an alicorn. I just want to check up on him Morpheus, that’s all.” Astrum rested her muzzle on Morpheus' in a soft hug. He sighed softly and he gave in with ease.

“Be back before the sun fully sets or else you’ll miss Luna lift the moon.” Morpheus teased as he moved back into the bedroom. “I wouldn’t dream of missing it.” Astrum spread her wing wings and took off towards The Evergreen Forest.

The Evergreen Forest was filled with all sorts of creatures, from the smallest of bees to the cutest of bunnies. Somehow all the creatures understood their part of nature. This was all thanks to an alicorn who called himself Pan. The last time Astrum had seen Pan he was the size of a colt. “Pan....?” She called out to a large hollow tree. This was what she remembered Pan called home. She yelled again, then a rustle came from the bushes. “Pan, come on out, it’s me Astrum. I came to check up on you.” What appeared out of the bushes was a pack of wild dogs made from twigs. “...What in Equestria?!” Astrum gasped. She had never seen a creature so crazed and dark spirited. Soon more of the yellow-eyed twig fashioned dogs started climbing out of the bushes to greet their snack. Their backs hung low to the ground as they began to nip at her hooves.

“Timber wolves!” A loud yell boomed in the distance, it was a male voice that some of the timber pups feared and hid back into the bushes. “Tim-ber-Wolves!” Soon the speaker came into view.

He had a coat brown as dry soil and his hair matched the colors of the newly budding pine needles around them. There was a short beard growing from his chin. He had spots of a darker brown on his hooves, ears and horn.

“This is Pan? He’s grown to a stallion's height in only a few years!” Astrum thought. The timber wolves whined in submission into the deep forest as he charged towards them.

“Sorry ‘bout that.” Pan blushed. “They’re supposed to help keep the fallen branches from cluttering the ground. They’ve gotten a bit of a mean streak set in them somehow.” Astrum walked to Pan curling her wings around him, she gave him a tight hug.

"How has it been living here, in the forest?" Her voice full of sorrow for how long it had been.

“It has been a rather long time...I’ve been busy keeping the forest safe.” Pan assured her.

“I can see dear.” She smiled. But she wasn’t comfortable with this new found creature Pan had created. “...About these ‘Timber wolves’-is there a reason they are mean?” She asked with a pause to think of the correct words to say.

“I-I like to let them figure out what they are. You didn’t see me fiddling around with the buffalo or ursa's ideas or emotions did you?”

“That’s true, I wasn’t implying you had done a bad job Pan. I was merely asking-”

“They stay in the forest...They keep the ponies away!”

“Why do you want to keep the other ponies away?!” Astrum looked into Pan’s eyes. He was hurting, but she didn’t understand way. He was the one that didn’t like the rules of Canterlot, so he ran away to the Evergreen Forest. This was where he belonged, in nature.

“To keep the Solus heir's family secret safe...plus you have no clue where I came from. But you do know where Luna and Celestia are from.” Pan slumped his body to the grass dramatically with a hoof covering his eyes. “I’m just the estranged ruler of nature...and creatures.” Astrum looked to Pan she played along with him with a subtle smirk.

“That’s true. I do know where my daughters came from...but I have no idea who my mother or father is. I don’t think having a mother or father is the reason you’re unhappy Pan. Is it?”

“It gets so boring in the forest! In the beginning it was full of wonder and adventure, but then I started getting bored I wanted creatures to be....more than cute.”

“I see. Do you want to come back to Canterlot?” Astrum asked teasingly.

“No! I mean. I-I just don’t feel comfortable in Canterlot. I’d have to wear my royal armor, plus I have to re-remember all that unicorn etiquette.” Astrum giggled as Pan rambled on about normal Canterlot things.

Astrum looked up to the sky,time seemed to rushed by when she visited him. “Pan I have to go...I’ll meet up with you tomorrow morning.”

“But you only just got here...Morpheus can take care of the moon and stars.” Pan stepped in front of her and arced playfully down like a timber-wolf’s to follow her if she flew.

“Pan. You can’t follow me! You have to stay here....at least until the girls learn how to raise the sun and moon.” Her tone becoming motherly.

“That’s just a kinder way of saying forever!” Pan gave an innocent pout.

“Fine! You can come and see them....So long as you stay hidden!” She caved only to get out of the forest on time.

“You have my word Mother Astrum.” Pan gave an odd giggle. Then Astrum flew to the royal gardens while Pan darted with ease through the gaps in the trees.

Author's Note:

New chapters will be published every 3rd and 21st of each month and,
if you see any grammatical errors don't be afraid to post them!

Comments

[Tessa]

Hmm... let's see here. No, he can't be Sombra. Not if my calculations are correct. Though Discord is another story. So from what I know Discord is most likely to be around Tia and Luna's age. So Discord makes sense. I'm thinking this through too hard right now aren't I?

[JakeAndDollars]

So, had this in my read later for months, gonna try and actually read it now along with a few others I've neglected. Sorry it took so long, I'll leave you my opinions and comments when i catch up to where you've left off. Sounds interesting so far, you have piked my curiosity.

~Dollars.