Desolate, no?

by Koregazz

Chapter 5: Chatting With Chaos

CHAPTER 5

Discord raised his comically large eyebrow, and maliciously laughed. “Aren’t you happy to see me?”

His mock tone filled Luna with rage. In disbelief she rubbed her eyes, hoping for the abomination to simply vanish. Poof, he would be there, and the next be gone for good. Sadly after trying a second time he still didn’t go away. Maybe knocking her head against a rock would help; sending her out of this nightmare into the real world. “Well fine then. I didn’t come all this way to say hi anyways.” He crossed his arms, craning his neck back, and around, and around again until his head was stacked onto three layers of neck.

“What are you doing here?” She finally managed.

The draconequus peered at her from an eye on the back of his head. Unfurling the rolls, he blinked in mocked surprise. “You know what? I don’t know! One minute I was happily wasting away in the castle’s maze; the next I was flesh.”

“Liar,” she spat. “Tell me how you became free!”

“But I did,” he said. Tears made of milk dripped from his nose, pouring into a glass that spawned. He proceeded to sip from the drink. “In all honesty it’s a mystery to me, as much as you.”

Hearing him lie was bad enough, but to hear sincere truth was worse. If Discord found some good in his corrupted heart, then all really was lost. No she thought. For him to suddenly change his ways was wrong. He must be hiding something, anything. She needed to know what. “Okay Discord, I believe you. So why did you come to me? Surely you didn’t visit for just a ‘hello’.” Time to set the trap.

“Of course my little, itty bitty princess.” His words were venom. “I thought we could have a little chat. You know, to catch up on old times, talk about the weather.”

“Sure.”

“Excellent!” He said. With a snap of his fingers a boulder moved under him, and a smaller one to her. They seemingly conformed to the most miniscule readjustments. Finding a comfortable position, she crossed her legs, staring at the now fancily dressed creature across from her.

Luna and Discord simply stared at each other. Conversation was the last thing she wanted. What she really wished for was the ability to beat him into submission; and put him back into his prison. Here he was, sipping hot tea, looking around at the mist covered nothing. It was like he was free or something. Yet she realized that was the truth. He was free; free to do whatever he pleased. Turn off the sun, make all objects caramel, relocate your taste buds to less than suitable places, all of it.

“So, how has life been treating you Discord?”

“Fairly well. I’ve been stuck in that blasted stone for about a half year, so not too bad. And of you, princess?”

“Same,” she said bluntly. Discord sipped the last ounce of his drink, throwing the glass into a rock, and turning into a flock of smaller cups with feathered flight.

“You don’t seem too interested in taking,” he lamented.

Luna thought through her choices before she spoke. She needed him to spill the truth. “Not exactly. I’m just really concerned.”

“Concerned?”

“Yes,” she said. Tapping her leg, “I’m worried about what to do next. There was a terrible accident if you didn’t hear.”

“Earthquakes, fire, something about Celestia. Yes I heard.”

“Well anyways,” she continued. “I’m scouting out here to repair all that. Up there, on that hill, are some ruins where I hope to find my answer.”

“After that spell I did hear about…” Discord stopped. He realized what he had said, and whisked the classy attire away. “Drat.”

“So you do know how you were freed. Was it the spell?” Discord didn’t answer, but his silence was enough. “What did it do?” She inquired.

“Well since the cats out of the bag, yes I did. Whatever spell you used with poor Twilight Sparkle freed me. One moment, I was happily being a statue, thinking about what somepony would taste like if I made them cotton candy. The next, I could see and move about. When I was free, I saw all around, and felt late to a party I wasn’t invited to. That feeling really is dreadful.” He placed a heartfelt paw on his chest.

With a hand on her temple, Luna thought on his information. She couldn’t believe what she hear, even if it was a thought. I released him. When that spell worked, she unknowingly freed the most evil creature to ever exist. Next to her she heard the sniffles of Discord, blowing into a tissue. “It’s just so sad!” He whined. “To think that you of all people helped me!” He blew hard into the thin sheet, turning it into a bouquet of flowers.

Luna sat up, and walked away. Discord shortly thereafter floated by, still crying crocodile tears. “Leave,” she said. Her despise for him returning, she sped up, but the lone demon kept pace. “I said leave!” Flocks of frightened birds scattered from their nesting grounds.

“And why would I do that? I’m having fun hanging out with you”. He snapped his talons and a checker board appeared. “Want to play a game for chuckles?” Another snap and cards flew out of his palms. “Or cards?” He approached her with more propositions, each one she brushed off without so much a word. “You seem to have an affinity for disliking games”.

Luna stopped, her shoulders set squarely on her sides. “Why do you continue to bother me?” She asked.

Grudgingly, Discord threw the cards away. “Why do you continue to ignore me?” Luna was at a loss for words. “I’m me! Discord! You know, chaos incarnate. Ruler of a darker time. So why is it that you walk away, as if I’m some petty thief?”

She bit on her lower lip, gnashing as much bone on skin as she could. Her stiff shoulders shook; her clenched fists trembling. “B-Because. I can’t stop you. Not now, not alone”. Her messed hair covered her tearful eyes. Crying. Crying in front of their most hated nemesis. To lose calm on anyone was rare; but to lose it specifically at those that would do them harm. Injustice.

“Huh,” Discord mindlessly mouthed. “How…pathetic”.

She snapped as loud as a pin dropping in a silent room. “Pathetic! How can you say pathetic!? What kind of audacity do you have to say that to me?” She couldn’t control he emotions at this point. Every word seethed with a thousand years of harbored rage. “If anything, you’re pathetic! Chaos? You spend all your time trying to chat with us. Play games. What’s become of the once feared ruler?”

While she said anything that came to mind, Discord humbly stood by; letting her speak to him in such a manner. It was comical and pathetic how with little effort, he made her give in to her prime feelings. Lose to his taunting, poking, and mild chivalry. How young she acted for her age. He raised a thundering paw for her to cease for the moment. “Please princess, I think I’ve had enough,” he yawned. Gliding over her, retained power. “You know Luna, you resemble a calf still needing to suckle of its mother’s teat for sustenance”.

Stunned, she could only express pure confusion. “Oh yes, you believe yourself to have the power to go off on your own, but in reality you lie. Sure, you can trick those who trust you explicitly, but I know different. I see past that thick shell you have wrapped yourself in. Your thoughts, emotions, judgements. All of it hidden away so you don’t get hurt. But you know what? You’re weak. Weaning off the loyalty you hold, and the acceptance you wish to gain. As weak as the day you were born; as weak as that pitiful newspaper editor”.

“Inkling isn’t weak!”

“Oh really?” Reaching behind his antler, he revealed a handful of small papers. “Then what do you call these, princess?” Dropping them onto the wet ground, Luna snatched them up. On the slips were scribblings of a madman. They spoke of his daily life, but also of a recent tragedy. Something happened to his wife…

It hit her like a bucket of bricks. These were the journal pages she took with her that she found on the ground. “Where did you get these?”

“I found them in your ear and thought I’d take them”. His jester attitude returned.

Luna smoothed out the crumpled sheets. Her oily fingers smearing the ink. “Something interesting happened today. The Sugarcanes had their baby…”

We’ve been expecting little Pix for a while now. Each day Mrs. Cane’s birth grew just a bit bigger, leading us to believe any day she would blossom forth a little addition to our wondrous town. The celebration was met with much wine and good times; a joyous occasion for the whole town. IT isn’t often good tidings happen by, leaving me to believe we are cursed with momentary bouts of happiness, which proceed long droughts of distress or boredom. After spending your life – or almost all of it – in one place, you soon grow used to the day-by-day activities. Find a rock with mold covering both sides and that made the week. Starlight says not to worry, that “Things’ll get better”. Spending these last few years, living like that, I sure hope so. Writing these entries is a way to get better I suppose.

I’ve realized there are only two things keeping me here: Starlight and my journalism career. More like ‘career’. When I was younger I thought I would make something of myself, much like I do every starry night I crawl into our cold bed, pulling up the covers to hid my failed aspirations. Then there’s Starlight; and her love for me. She believes different, and frankly more optimistic than myself. Somedays I’ll be in a slump and she’ll plop down next to me, rub my swollen shoulders, and grace me with a heavenly smile; not out of apathy, but because she truly cares. I’ve told her I can do better, so why does she allow me to stay? I find it hard to believe, but it’s because she knows. My rants on our well-being have been heard galaxies far. Yet she continues to calm my wounded heart. A mender, a healer, that is what she is. There’s not a day she doesn’t fix what I’ve broken.

Starlight’s gotten sick. It happens to everyone, but still…I’m worried. She’s no more than a delicate flower. I for one haven’t seen her so much as cough since we met. The doctor returned my call for aid. He inspected her for a while; making sure everything was in order. Sadly, it looks as if she caught something worse than a simple cold. Problem is, no one knows what. Getting a mild cold is common, and common treatment is applied, curing said common sickness. Her condition is special somehow. We would know by the end of the next day how serious it was; so I was told to be patient. Before I slept that night, I prayed to the princesses that good news would come, and she would get better. Hope.

A week has passed and still no word on her condition. Her symptoms tell that she may have been poisoned by contact with a wild plant. Not the news we were for hoping for. Still I’ll stay by her side for the most part, and only take leave to eat or rest; both of which I haven’t taken much of. I have to replace her dried cloth with a soaked every few hours, keeping her raging fever down. These prayers I lent meant nothing and so too do the princesses’ words. Might as well stop trying, and help her by myself. Doctor says a plant might help her immensely. The fluid inside it calms the nerves and fever. I set out just off into the wilderness tomorrow. First good news in a while.

How long was I out? I fell on the ground, tripped over a small mound of clumped dirt. Cut myself up by the looks of it. There’s a splatter of blood on the rock I hit. However long I’ve been out, I hope it isn’t too late.

I said I’d keep you safe…

I now know why I’m here. I’m here to suffer, to never find true happiness. I’ll never be made whole. Whereas the Canes can have kids, I will be alone…so very alone. Then you come by today, Starlight. You come to me, to let me know it’s alright. Or did you? Your blue hair, delicate face of snow white, and charming smile; they’re all there. It isn’t you, I know this, but I wish to believe until she recovers. Why she was out in a storm, it doesn’t matter. I’m not alone anymore. At least for a while.

“See now, princess?” Asked Discord. He noticed she finished reading, but that she continued to stare, re-read, remain unmoving. “I’m afraid that strong

Luna held in the tears, afraid. He was right. Inkling prayed to her, to let his wife live; and she didn’t hear him. It was all false hope he gave to himself. Was I gone or here? She asked herself. If the former, then there was nothing she could do. If the latter…then there was something I could have done. Crunching the useless papers, Luna sauntered through field of rocks. Weaving through the thick mist she came to the cliff where above the ruins stood. Discord tried to gain her attention, showing off all his wacky antics. Nothing got through her tunnel vision. The climb up was fairly easy, the ruins in sight.

“Come on, can’t you at least look at me?” Drawled Discord.

“I’m not done with you,” she said. Luna dragged herself over, smoothly standing. Still not glancing towards his way, she walked towards the stone. “Discord,” she said stopping. “Why do you do this?”

“Do what?” He innocently asked.

“Hurt. All you’ve ever done is hurt. Doesn’t matter if it’s me, or sister, or Twilight and her friends. You hurt. Why?” Luna quivered in place. A single trail of liquid dribbled down her swollen cheek.

Discord floated to her, and placed a thorny talon on her. “It’s in my nature. Hard to figure, huh?” He relinquished his talon, floating away. “I hope you know, as well as I do, that those stones won’t fix anything. If you want to see real chaos, then continue on with this hopeless endeavor. Otherwise turn back now”. He snapped his multi ligaments and left. A fluff of pink cloud remained.

“I hope you’re wrong, Discord. I sincerely do”.