> Best of Friends?
>  by Wonderbolt Writer
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1: The Rock In My Eye
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Discord floated through the air, following Pinkie Pie. "Pinkie, I just had the greatest idea! Why don't I not meet her and we both just say that I did? Nopony will ever know..."

"Discord..." Pinkie said, turning around. "it's obvious the two of you have lots and lots of tension between you ever since 'that day'."

She flipped back around and continued bouncing down the path. "And everypony knows that the best way to melt away all that stressful, sobbing softly into your pillow at night tension is to do it face to face!"

"Oh please," Discord narrowed his eyes at her. "I don't sleep on a pillow much less cry into one at night. And there is no 'tension' between us. Honestly if it wasn't for Fluttershy I wouldn't even have come all the way out here at all."

"Okeedokee, we're here!" Pinkie plopped down onto an outstretched blanket underneath a tree. "Now all we gotta do is wait and then we can get the healing started!"

"Ugh, I'd rather not do the waiting...or any of this. Just give me a minute." Discord floated slowly upward and cupped both hands around his eyeballs like looking through binoculars. "Hmm, now where could you be." His gaze shifted all around in his search. "This shouldn't be too difficult. Aha, there she is! Target is in sight..." In contrast to his words he closed both of his eyes. "...prepping for teleportation. Hold onto to your hooves this could get messy!"

A quick snap and bright flash of light later and the deed had been done. Before the both of them now stood Pinkie Pie's older sister Maud Pie. The sudden change of scenery didn't seem to be bothering her as her expression remained unfazed in the slightest.

Pinkie bounded over to her sibling, wrapping her hooves around her noggin'. "Maud? Maud?! Are you okay?" She turned to the Draconequus, her expression one of discontent. "Discord, look what you've done. Poor Maud is traumatized half out of her mind! There, there Maud. Shh...shh...Pinkie's here, it'll be okay."

Finally the elder Pie sister spoke in her usual monotone manner. "Thank you Pinkie. I'm fine now." She held up her hoof revealing a small stone atop it. "There, there Boulder. Mama Maud is here...it will be okay." She said as she gave the rock several soft strokes with her hoof.

Discord's eyes narrowed. "Riiight, well it has been loads of fun. But sadly I must be going-"

"Bad Discord, stay!" Pinkie scolded.

"Yes, stay." Maud said. "It's the least you should do after putting Boulder through that traumatic experience."

Suddenly Boulder himself piped up in a shrill little voice. "Oh that's alright. I'm okaaay, I think Discord shouldn't waste anymore of his valuable time here."

"See!" Discord said. "He's doing just fine. Now if you'll ex-"

"Boulder doesn't sound like that." Maud deadpanned.

"Pardon?"

"I said, Boulder doesn't sound like that. It was obviously you doing that voice, Discord."

Discord gasped in shock. "Me? W-why that is absolutely the most..." He had planned on denying it but after gazing for two seconds into Maud's no-nonsense blank face of a stare - he caved. "Oh fine, but talking rocks aside, don't you think the reason why Pinkie Pie asked you to come all the way out here is completely ridiculous?"

"No, I don't. But it seems like you're in denial Discord."

"I'm not in denial! There's no tension between the two of us. I said some things and you replied that I was 'the most basic of jokes'. End of story. Certainly nothing to get upset about right?"

"Then why are you so worked up?" With those simple words Maud had brought attention to the chaos lord's uplifted arms, raised high into the air as if poised to strike at his enemy. Not to mention the crazed look crawling around in his peepers.

"Now now..." Pinkie said almost sounding like Fluttershy. "What Maud said was just a joke. She didn't mean to hurt your feelings." As she went on her hooves found their way onto his body and gently massaged away all tension until he collapsed in a blissful state of relaxation.

"I apologize Discord," said Maud. "my actions as Pinkie said were all in good fun. I did not mean to, but am sorry to have, hurt your feelings."

"Awwww, isn't Maud just the cutest at apologizing?" Pinkie melted right into an embrace with her big Sis in a display of cuteness that could almost make Discord swoon - almost.

"Okay, fine, apology accepted. And I'm sorry for suddenly teleporting you. Now are we done with all of this?" Discord grinned, twiddling his thumbs and hoping beyond all hope that this would indeed close the case on the matter.

"See, that wasn't so bad." Pinkie produced two scrolls from within her Pink cotton-poof of a mane. "Buuuuut, to really seal the deal I've made a list of places and activities for you two to do together. You know, to really strengthen your bond with each other!"

She gave the parchments to Discord. "Now this first one is jam-packed with Pinkie certified super fun activities! And the second is all the stuff that wouldn't be so exciting. And definitely not Pinkie approved. So just stick with scroll numero uno and you'll have the best time ever guaranteed!"

He picked the Pink pony up by her tail pulling her up to talk face to face. "So just like that you expect me to spend the rest of my day just galavanting around Ponyville with your Sister?"

Pinkie playfully booped him on the nose. "Not just Ponyville silly! I mean you are Discord - Lord of Chaos. Just look at the lists. Okay have fun, bye!" Almost as through some magic force of her own she slipped right through his iron grasp and had dashed away at what seemed like near sonic rainboom speeds. Leaving just the two of them alone.

How had he gotten himself into this? Maud stared blankly at him, not saying a word. Just lightly inhaling and exhaling through her nostrils. He looked at her then at the lists clutched tightly in both his hands. Then back at her, then slowly back at the pieces of paper. Was he really going to do this?

But if he didn't he'd never hear the end of it. Not to mention Fluttershy would be mad.

"Yes." she spoke up breaking through the silence.

"Yes what?" he asked back.

"You can take my picture. It will certainly last longer than those cutesy little looks you've been shooting at me."

Discord's face turned redder than Big Mac's coat color. "W-w-what? A-are you-"

"Relax, I'm just kidding. Couldn't you, the 'king of jokes' tell?"

"Well uh, actually no." Discord cleared his throat. "So...I guess I'll just take a looksy at the lists and see what we've got." Changing the subject was just fine as anything was more comforting to him than going off that last bit of conversation they'd just had.

"So on the list of things not to do we have - 1: Don't visit Tartarus. 2: Don't go to the Mirror Pool. 3: Don't go to the Everfree forest and the most important one of all 4: Don't repeatedly poke Princess Luna in the flank with a stick. Okaaaaaay, I'd say that last one goes without saying."

He unfurled the second list. "1: Go to Sugar Cube Corner. 2: Ma-"

Maud plugged his pie-hole with her hoof. "You know it'd be more of a surprise if we just did them one at a time before reading the next one."

Discord took a step back to remove her hoof from his mouth. "Quite right and well, it all is doable. I can take on all this without breaking a sweat."

Maud set a hoof to her jaw, almost deep in thought. "But we won't be doing any of those things on Pinkie's do-not-do list Discord. ...Mostly, I've always wanted to see the Mi-"

"Mirror Pool, gotcha!" Before she knew it Discord had finished her sentence and already teleported them to the locale.

"Actually..." Maud takes in her new surroundings, changing absolutely nothing in her facial expression. "It's not so much the Pool as it is what surrounds it."

Rocks! It had to be rocks! No, she couldn't possibly be interested in a magical splishy-splashy puddle of water that can perform the amazing task of duplicating an entire Pony! Nuh-uh she wanted to spend her time staring at those darn cave walls. To Discord that was even one step below watching paint dry on the fun/chaos meter.

"No way, no how." he said. "If we are going to spend this day together you should know how much I loathe the mundane. So I'm dreadfully sorry, truly I am. But that includes rocks of all kinds and all sorts!"

Maud did not respond, only choosing to sit and stare blankly at him. Was she mad? Furious even? Given her static expression for all he knew she was about to unleash an unholy wrath upon him.

"Fine..." she stated calmly. "For Pinkie's sake I won't mention rocks with you. So what happened? Were you struck by a rock as a child?"

"W-what are you talking about!?"

"Well for you to have such disdain for rocks like that you must have been through quite the traumatic experience with one."

Discord gave a forced smile. "Yeah, a rock stole my sweet roll as a child. And it left me oh so...ARE YOU KIDDING ME! Of course nothing happened between me and a pile of rocks! Sheesh."

Maud shot a look to boulder before rolling her eyes. "Alright, calm down. I won't ask anymore if it upsets you that much. So I guess I'll just leave your rocky history alone. ...That was a pun."

Discord feigned fainting, falling to the ground in a rather convincing manner. "Uh her jokes are unbearable. And even they are rock based!" he thought. Recovering from the blow he rose up. "Besides why focus on rocks when there is so much more interesting things around here like oh I don't no. The Mirror Pool itself perhaps!"

He walked over to it looking down at his reflection. "And did you know that this particular pond is connected to..." He paused for dramatic effect leaning in until he was only mere inches away from Maud. "...Nightmare Moon!"

She shook her head slowly. "I had no idea. But did you know..." Maud walked over to the edge of the pond and began calmly tracing her hoof along it's border. Cocking her head to the side and leering at him with only one eye she speaks. "...That this, is my Mirror Pool?"

"Your Mirror Pool?" Discord echoed.

"Yes, mine. I made it."

"Okay now I know you're crazy. Because before I wasn't entirely sure. But I know for a fact that this is not your Mirror Pool."

"Yes it is."

Discord slightly tensed his form in frustration. "No it's not. It isn't even possible!"

Maud placed boulder on her head. "We have a non-believer here." she said, addressing the stone. "He says it isn't possible, how would he know?"

"Because I was there when it all happened!" The Spirit of Chaos through his arms to the air, waving them frantically about.

"Funny. I don't remember you being there." Maud glanced at her pet 'riding' upon her noggin. "Do you Boulder?"

"Don't ask the pebble! I may have been encased in stone at the time but I could still see things!" With himself nearly about to go into conniptions over the matter he struggled to contain his outbursts. "Find a happy place. Find a happy place. Tea with Fluttershy. Her hugs, cuddles, sweet naps in the meadow." The calming thoughts worked well enough. He didn't feel so much like tearing a rift betwixt dimensions and hurdling her butt through it anymore.

Able to talk peaceably again he tried explaining. "Look, this pool was here before even Nightmare Moon. She corrupted it with dark magic and used it to make her own army of followers. That was over a thousand moons ago and you my dear are not that old. But kudos' to you if you are, cause you look greeaat!"

"Interesting." The Pie sister said. "I had no idea. Kinda like you had no idea I was just messing with you. I apologize again."

A deathly silence filled the air. He had no idea what her thoughts were but he himself found his mind wandering back to that whole tossing her rock-loving rear end straight to the other side of some portal idea of his. Only now the destination he had in mind changed to something much, much worse. The anger within was building more and more. But then, he realized something. They shared a common thread.

Despite her monotone voice and many expressionless expressions she shared with the world he now saw something. She obviously found some humor messing with him. And that was certainly a fact that he could appreciate.

"Hey, Maud?"

"Yes, Discord?"

"I...I'm sorry." He looked her way. Her appearance was unchanged but somehow he thought he could tell she was surprised at his remorse. "I overreacted, so I apologize. I g-guess I should be able to take a joke better than that. ...Are you mad?" He still couldn't tell.

"No, I'm not mad. I am tougher than you think. I guess I'm like a rock, that you thought you could easily break. But then, it turns out, you couldn't."

"Hahahahaha!" He couldn't keep himself laughing and doubling over because of it.

Then he paused in pure shock as she actually joined in. "Ha-ha-ha-ha."

Even her laugh was a slow monotone one with her expression giving only the smallest hint of a smile.

That right there only made him laugh all the harder until he was on the ground, limbs flailing about with amusement.

After about ten seconds went by of them both laughing he strained to speak through it all. "O-kay, s-s-stop. I can't take i-it anymore!" He was starting to feel the pains of one who has laughed too hard.

She quieted down giving him leeway to do the same. "I thought you'd find that funny."

Wiping away the tears from his face he stood beside her and placed a paw on her back. "Ha-ha, you know Maud, I haven't laughed like that in years! This day out could actually end up being not so bad."

She nodded. "Sugar Cube Corner was first on her list."

"Right, right, of course." he said. "But you know. I wonder what would happen if we both went into the Mirror Pool."

She need only give a look.

He removed his paw from her. "Haha, don't worry I'm just kidding...sorta."
> Chapter 2: Sugar Cubes and Rock Pie
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Discord barged in through the door to Sugarcube Corner carrying Maud under one arm like a piece of luggage. If luggage had four legs, talked and had an endless amount of enthusiasm for all things rock-based that is.

"Table for two, please!" he said, brandishing a smile. Maud lightly poked and proded at his ribcage. "Oh, m-my mistake. Table for three!" he corrected, realizing he had forgotten all about Boulder.

Pinkie Pie had been standing behind them the entire time, ready to get things rolling. "Why if it isn't Discord and my big sister Maud! What a complete and total surprise it is to see you two here!" she gave a slight wink. "So what brings a couple of budding buddies like yourselves to Sugar Cube Corner?"

"Oh I think you'd know." said Discord, poofing up a small rectangular table with just the right amount of seating he had requested.  "Since we are after all following your instructions." He took his seat, conjuring up a menu. "Feel free though to play innocent if you must, Pink One." Maud took her place right beside Discord, he had placed all three chairs on the same side of the table leaving the other side completely bare.

That meant it was also totally free for Pinkie Pie to zip about back and forth from the kitchen bringing in an assortment of delectable delights table-side in mere seconds. 

With each dish she would move and rattle off the next confection with ever-increasing speed until her movement became a scrambled-eggy blur and her words incoherent. "Here's some coco-cupcakes, chimi-cherries, cherry-chungas, coffee-cookies, Cajun-chili-cake..."  Given enough effort he could have deciphered her babble, that is if he were even interested enough to do so. 

When Pinkie had finished, the front counter of the bakery was no longer in sight. All of that now lay behind a formidable looking wall of sweet treats stacked up high almost rubbing the ceiling. And atop all of it was one massive bowling ball sized ooey-gooey cherry of delectableness. Pinkie gently nudged Discord. "Do I know you guys or what?" She beamed happily, pointing to her crown jewel giant cherry.

Discord folded his arms, obviously upset. "You know Pinkie, one of these days you and I are going to have an interesting little chat."

"Bout' what?" she asked.

He took a small bite out of the Cajun-chili-cake. "Oh nothing really, but maybe we could talk about it at one of those nifty little sleep-overs!! One where we eat nothing but candy all night, play board games, do each other's hair.... Oh and we would stay up all night long chit-chatting and blathering on and on about all our favorite desserts!"

"Really?!" Beautiful tears of joy filled Pinkie's eyes as she latched onto him tighter than Spike held on to his moustache phase. "Oh, I'm so happy Discord! We'll have the bestest time ever, I can't wa-"

"No..." He began, phasing his body out of her clutches. "We won't be having the 'bestest time ever'. Cause' that isn't what I really meant."

Maud stared him down as Pinkie's tears of joy began turning sour.

"Oh no missy!" He tried his best to act tough. "You can shoot me daggers all you want but I won't ever, never ever, be having a pretty princess sleep-over with Pinkie Pie!"

Boulder too joined in. His fiery stare reached in to the very depths of Discord's chaotic soul. ...And touched it.

Discorded shuddered, feeling the full force of both their stares. "Okay fine, so maybe someday it'll happen. Happy?"

Pinkie shouted with glee and Maud set her gaze back to the dessert table.

"So what did you mean about us having a talk?" Pinkie asked.

"Well about your apparent magical abilities of course! I mean how else does one explain how you zip about and do the things you do? But that all can wait. First things first, do you really expect Maud to eat any of this, Pinkie?" His arms stretched out all around the table to further illustrate his point.

"Yep!" was her quick response.

"You do eh?" said Discord. "Funny, because I've practically only just met this Sister of your's but even I know that she doesn't like can-".

Then it happened. And it was glorious. It all became a blur to him in his later years but this moment was forever etched into his memory.

Maud leapt up onto the table and began devouring each and every single moursel of food with a ferocity Discord had not seen in all his years. If a speck of frosting even thought of flying out and toward the ground it was quickly seen and sucked up into the bottomless void that was her stomach. Even her sibling's earlier display of amazing speed and agility couldn't compare to this. Undeterred she powered through it all.

Then it was done. And Maud was full.

"Burp." Maud expelled gas through her mouth by literally saying the word behind her action. "Thank you Pinkie, that was delicious."

"No problem Maud, thought you could have left some for Discord.

"No, No, I'm good..." he said, mouth still agape and eyes still transfixed on the table before him. Shaking it all out he looked at the pair of them, his eyes squinted. "There is something going on here and with more than just one Pie family member! Believe me, I shall get to the bottom of it all! ...Eventually." He unfurled Pinkie's list and checked off the first item. "Alright so that takes care of 'Go to Sugar Cube Corner'. Now the next item on our agenda is to... 'M-Make drawings of each other'?"

Pinkie piped up. "Yessiree, nothing cements a relationship quite like a good ol' drawing!"

Not even arguing, Discord brought out a plethora of artsy equipment and slapped it all on the table while simultaneously transporting everypony and everything out to a nice open field just outside of Fluttershy's cottage. "All right let's get this over with." Paintbrush in hand he began to work the canvas, sneaking peeks every so often at his bluish-grey subject. Maud, stoic as ever, followed suit by grasping a bit of charcoal with her hoof. Unlike the Draconequus she never once looked his way whilst making her masterpiece.

"Finished." she said, with barely a minute having passed by.

"Oh come on!" Discord protested. "You can't be done yet, I'm not even finished. And here I was handicapping myself and doing it without my magic-".

"Discord?" Pinkie interjected. "Are you maybe just a teensy bit worried that your painting won't look as good as Maud's?"

He scoffed at the idea. "N-Not in the least! Because my dear Pinkamena, in the world of art there is no such thing as 'good' or 'bad'." He held up the canvas toward them. "But judge it if you must. Just remember it's unfinished qualities..."

The canvas was nearly completely bare, white all over save for a small section in the middle which showed Maud. He had drawn her completely in a multitude of colors with her body made up of an amalgamation of several different types of rock. The most brilliant colors were to be found in the irises in each of her eyes. They were filled with magnificent colors from both the known and unknown universe.

"This represents," he began. "both your love of rocks as well as your...um, unique personality. But the secret is in the eyes, they tell all of the inner 'beauty'." He waited patiently for her critique with a smug look on his face, proud as can be of his creation.

Maud took a couple of steps forward, clearing her throat. "And here I thought you only liked me as a friend. Thank you Discord."

"Now what a second! The feelings seen here in this paint-". he paused, realizing something. "You're just messing with me again aren't you?"

She grasped her own paper up into her mouth and held it out. "Here, dis izz mine."

Discord snatched up the parchment with haste. "Are. You. Kidding me?!" No wonder she had finished so quickly. What he saw was merely a slightly curved line not unlike an upside down walking cane adorned with just two squiggly ovals at the top for eyes. He looked up upon hearing the crinkle of yet another piece of paper.

"And here's my drawing of Boulder..." Maud held it out for him to take but he did no such thing. Instead he just stood there stuck in a stupor, gazing at the artwork. This one depicted a pony entirely made of basalt with a lean and muscular Bruce Lee body type. Black armor semi-covered his form and the parts it did cover were molded the body just right to show off every facet of his muscular physique.

"Well," Discord said, taking a slow gulp. "I guess this experience has been if nothing else, a bit of an eye opener if you will."

"Finiiiiished!" Pinkie yelled, catching their attention. "Introducing King Grover! Sculpted in all his glory out of one-hundred percent pure sugar cubes and chocolate frosting!"

"W-Who? Eh, it doesn't matter, not important." said Discord.

"I'm getting diabetes just looking at it..." added Maud.

Pinkie collapsed on the ground, covered in a gooey mess. "Yep, he's such a sweetie! Hahahaha!"

The Lord of Chaos approached the enormous statue. "Not bad I guess, pretty detailed for one made of frosting."

"...And sugar cuuuubes." Pinkie corrected.

"Yes, yes, and the sugar cubes. How could I forget? But you know what would make him even more lifelike?" He gingerly touched a glowing talon to the figure's leg, instantly causing it to spring to life and take flight. Pinkie watched in awe as her creation rose higher and higher to the skies until it began making it's way toward Ponyville. 

Without so much as a good-bye Pinkie dashed off after him, leaving them both behind."Wait! King Grover! Where are you going?!" 

"Discord..." Maud said.

"I know, I know. I shouldn't have done that."

"No, I'm not gonna scold you. So um, could you do that to Boulder? It would make him happy, to finally have his dream body and all." Maud held her little friend in one hoof and her masterpiece in the other as a point of reference.

"Hmm..." He thought for just a split-second. "Sure why not?!" He waved a paw over her image. "Just a simple copy and..." A ghostly mirror image lifted off the paper. "...paste." Positioning it over Boulder he let go and watched as the image and stone became one. To the average pony Maud would appear to be simply staring, expressionless at what just happened. But to Discord or anypony who really knew her they would be the ones to see the shimmer and sense of endless wonder in her eyes. It was a dream of her's come true. But then the unthinkable happened. The candied statue of King Grover swooped in from nowhere and clasped onto Boulder lifting him high into the air.

"P-Pleeeaase!" Pinkie came into sight taking several deep breaths. Unusually winded from such a short chase. "...stop...flying...a-away."

Maud slowly lifted her gaze up at the pair. "No, bad Boulder...stay." Amazingly her monotone scolding did nothing to deter the defiant rock.

Then Grover unleashed a chocolate curdling screech to the heavens as he flew off carrying his cargo, all toward the lovely place known as Canterlot.

"Um..." Discord was wide-eyed by this point. "D-does anypony else think this might be a problem? I'm already not in the Princesses good graces as it is..." He gave a light laugh. He was, despite it all, rather amused when he thought of the ensuing chaos that could develop from this mess.

Pinkie took her list out and checked off the second friendship task. "Well then I guess it's a good thing that the next stop on the list is a trip to Canterlot's famous donut shop huh?!"

"If I didn't know any better..." said Discord, leaning in over the pair. "I'd say you two planned this....But c'est la vie, I suppose."
> Chapter 3: Canterlot Conundrum 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Celestia lazily plopped her royal bottom down onto her throne.  Her eyelids drooped downward almost as if somepony were forcibly trying to close them. But that wasn't surprising given the long and tiresome day she had just endured. She had sat through no less than half a dozen meetings and amusingly tried to muscle her way through Bulk Bicep's mass in paperwork. Not to mention listening to the various grievances of the populace and four different social appearances she had somehow managed to cram into her schedule and attend.

At least now she had only one obstacle left to face. After lowering the sun and raising the moon all on her own now all she could do was hope and pray that the kingdom could hold together peaceably for just one more hour. Then everything would be Luna's problem. That thought made her inwardly squee with joy. Herself having went through a doozy of a night the day before, Luna had asked if her 'ever so loving and benevolent sister' could find it in her sunny little heart to grant her some extra sleepy time.

Of course she obliged. How hard could it be to hold down the fort for just one extra hour?

"Sister!!" Luna's cries could be heard coming from down the hall. "Cele are you there?!"

Celestia's head jolted up, her mind bounding back from the edge of blissful rest. Despite the urgent tone in Luna's voice she casually rose up and took a wobbly flight down to meet with her sister. "Luna, w-what..." She paused, letting out a small yawn. "What's going on?"

Luna took on a defensive stance walking a protective circle around Celestia with her back turned to her. Her horn was aglow with magic and wings fully unfurled as if preparing to repel an attack from any direction. "I can't say for sure what is happening. Invasion? Rebellion? A surprise party perhaps?"

"Luna, have you lost your marbles again?" Celestia asked, not sure if her own lack of rest was beginning to make her hallucinate all this or not.

"I assure you I am in my right mind." Luna replied, finally taking note of her elder sister's dilapidated state. "Though I am not sure I can say the same for you. It is most surprising that you haven't noticed yourself."

"Noticed what?"

"That our castle home has become deserted. No guards, staff or anypony to be found for that matter."

"Are you s-sure?" Celestia rubbed her eyes, trying to shake away and remnant sleepiness. "Maybe you just ate some bad cookies or-"

"Aah! This isn't about cookies! Come and take a look for yourself."

Straightening her crown and turning on her magical hair flow, Celestia, the Princess of Equeastria was once again moderately-ready for action. "Alrght come on, we can look together and finally get to the bottom of all this."

Just as they began to investigate, Luna came to a sudden stop. "Wait. Do you hear something?"

Behind the closed-door entrance to the throne room they heard a mighty battle cry.

"WHAATAAAWW! HIYA-OOOOOWAAAAH! ACHA!" All at once the massive door bashed open with a single mighty kick. In leapt a solid stone pony, after doing several flips around the room he settled down into a Crane stance. "HUUUC-AWHAAA!" 

Celestia's eyes widened. "Luna, I'm scared.... I think I'm losing my mind."

"Not to worry dear sister, for that makes two of us."

... 


Discord adjusted the dial on his night vision goggles. "Contacting Rock Mama and Cotton Candy. Target is not in sight. I repeat, target is not in sight."

"Wait, why am I Rock Mama?" Pinkie asked. "Shouldn't I be Cotton Candy?" 

Discord ripped off his goggles and tossed them to her. "Honestly the things I put up with. Here, just take these and see if you can find anything."

Pinkie slapped them onto her face and took a gander. "Hmm, no sign of any chocolate griffons named Grover or Boulder."

"This is ridiculous!" he said. "We've been in Canterlot for like, thirty seconds already and haven't found squat yet." Just then Discord spotted something and reached into a nearby thorn bush, pulling out a large scroll with the word 'squat' written across it. He quickly tossed it aside like a bad joke. "I mean c'mon how hard can it be to find those lil' monsters!"

"Boulder is not a monster, Discord. He's just misunderstood." Maud's fiery passion was deceivingly camouflaged behind her bland words.

Pinkie strapped on a helmet she had pulled out from nowhere before dipping her hooves into some mud and smearing it all over her face in a chaotic pattern as 'war paint'. "Attention Kooky Grandpa. The target is now in sight, I repeat, the target is now in sight!"

"Just who are you calling 'Kooky Grandpa?'' asked Discord, a slight scowl on his face.

"You, silly."  Pinkie said, suddenly rushing out towards her creation. "Charge!" 

Seconds ago the chocolate griffon had landed not more than thirty feet away, toppling over some garbage cans that it then proceeded to rummage through and eat as it's dinner. Though it didn't take long for the creature to notice the screeching cotton-candy colored pony barreling toward it. Grover sucked down the remainder of the refuse he had been guzzling, before attempting a quick flight escape. Fortunately his feeble chocolaty wings were unable to react fast enough.

Pinkie pounced atop him ensnaring herself in a swirl of angry chocolate griffon as it tried desperately to get away from her iron grip. "Hurry Discord!"

Discord quickly did as he was instructed and zapped the beast with a douse of magic turning it back into the sweet statue it had been before.

Maud trotted over and tapped at it's beak unintentionally breaking nearly a third of it off. "That's one down and Boulder to go."

Pinkie popped one of the shattered beak pieces into her mouth. "Mmmm...tasty. Can't let all this go to waste." Mouth open wide she began swallowing up her art project, ingesting whole heaps of sugar and chocolate just as easily as she would breathe air. Then to the disgust of her present company she had broken through to the liquid mound of pure garbage eaten moments ago by the Griffon. "Ooooo, the gooey center."

Discord pursed his lips, holding up a paw to his mouth to prevent himself from blowing chunks. He felt Maud place her hoof on him. "My sister, she is a 'special' kind of Pony."

As soon as Pinkie was finished with her final slurp she stood back up, taking off her helmet in favor of a lengthy red headband which she tied around her noggin. "Now, let's go get our Boulder back!!"

"Okay, He's this way." Maud said, walking off toward the castle.

Nobody objected to her actions, choosing only to follow. After all there was nopony who knew Boulder better than she did.


...

"By the stars, what kind of creature is this?!" Luna asked as she raised a barrier to defend both herself and Celestia against a new onslaught of attacks from the rock armored pony.

Celestia chipped in some magic of her own, fortifying the shield. "I'm not sure. I've never seen something like this before!"

For the past several minutes the two sisters had been busy surviving against a flurry of flying kicks and punches. Boulder's rock-hard body and incredible strength made for a durable and worthy opponent. Worse still was his incredulous speed.

A bead of sweat trickled down Luna's face. "Whatever this thing is we must subdue it now!"

Sun-Butt nodded her agreement. "Okay drop the barrier on three. One, Two, Thr-"

"No, stop." Maud and party burst onto the scene. It wasn't hard seeing as there was no longer any kind of door there. "Boulder, you know better than to terrorize our Alicorn overlords."

The stone destroyer glanced her direction, his original basalt body still visible jutting slightly out of his left eye.

Discord began to feel it, a strange magic emanating from the usually sunshine and rainbows pink pony. It felt like all joy was leaving the room...

Pinkie stepped up to bat. "That thing isn't boulder. But he's still in there somewhere, I can feel it! I'm gonna munch and crunch him down to size!"

Discord burst into an uproarious laughter. "Hahaha, what are you going to do? Eat Boulder? Hahahaha!"

She tightened her headband. "Yessiree! Back home on the rock farm, I'd eat three square meals of rocks a day, sometimes even four."

"Wait, are you serious?" It was about that time her usual fluffy pink mane and tail began to deflate and straighten out. Pinkamena was in full swing.

Maud took some steps back pulling Discord back along with her. "She sometimes gets like this when Equestria is in danger, especially if the threat is rock-based. And she will be counting on you to clean up any of the damages with your magic."

"D-damages?" he echoed. He raised an eyebrow as well as a paw in preparation to 'snap' away the nuisance formally known as Boulder but Maud stopped him, shaking her head.

"Hey!" Pinkamena addressed her adversary. "Prepare to be reduced to rubble you fake!"

Boulder cracked his neck, signaling acceptance of her challenge. 

At this point Celestia and Luna had enough of being mere spectators. Each took a stance, preparing to unleash magical hell on the abomination that Maud's once peaceful pet had become.

"It's okay, I got this. Rocks don't feel pain." said Pinkamena.

"Are you mad?" Celestia countered. "We've had a hard enough time with him ourselves!"

"Oh it'll be fine, rocks are kinda her thing." said Discord. "Don't worry if anything happens I'll take care of it all personally. I really want to see where this goes!"

Against the turmoil in her mind Celestia took steps back and nodded her approval. Luna as it were, followed her big sister's example.

Pinkie addressed the rock-hemoth. "Thanks for waiting Boulder. Now let's begin!"

In a lightning blitz he flashed over to Pinkie taking a swing.

She dodged the blow, nimbly following through with a limb-severing headbutt to creatures front left leg. As it reeled back in shock she slid in toward it's rear, twisting her body and delivering a shattering buck to both the rear limbs. A leg sweep was all that was needed to finish the dismemberment. With only one leg remaining Boulder failed to keep from collapsing. Despite the destruction that had befallen him he lay silent. She moved in, ready to finish it all with a mighty hoof-stomp.

But in a move that shocked all, he clasped onto her hooves with hands of his own. The freshly grown limbs each sported three fingers in addition to a thumb.

Each of his legs had grown back as well, bigger and stronger. A new muscular torso erupted out from his horse body. With his transformation now complete there was one word on everypony's mind. Tirek. At nearly eight feet tall he resembled the monster that had terrorized Equestria quite a bit, every piece of him had changed save for his face.

Discord paced about frantically. "This is crazy, and believe me I know crazy! Am I the only one seeing this?"

Wasting no time Boulder changed his grip from her hooves to clasping her entire body in one hand. He spun her around smashing her against a pillar and nearly breaking it all the way through.

Thinking quick she chomped down on his hand and devoured enough to squeeze free, flowing right into a glorious uppercut. It took only a second to grind the rubble between her teeth into dust and spit it all right into his eyes, blinding him. Once he was able to see again, she was gone.

"Yoohoo over here!" She tapped on his shoulder. Craning his head he found her standing on his back poised to fire her party cannon. Which everyone guessed was probably not filled with soft, cupcake-scented confetti.

*KAA-POW!*

The blast up and blew his noggin clean off. "Party's over..." she quickly flipped down and over to his head. A few hoofsy-chisels here and bite marks there finally freed up Boulder from his dream body's eye socket. 

Pinkamena trotted over to Maud. As she placed the stone safely back into her sister's hooves the party-pony poofed back into her usual mane, tail and most importantly, happy go lucky personality. "Here ya go Maud!" she said cheerfully.

Celestia approached the Draconequus, her semi-wrathful eyes not breaking eye-contact. "Care to explain all of this, Discord?"

"M-Me?!" he popped into full on defensive mode. "What makes you think I had anything to do with this?"

The staring continued with Luna and even Maud joining in.

"All right fine, it kinda was! But those things were only supposed to come to life and wreck a little bit of havoc. So where did all of that come from?!" He motioned toward Boulder's slowly dissolving previous form. Celestia seemed to only get angrier at that remark so he quickly snapped his paw, fixing all of the damage and adding in a few pony-cherub statues to spruce up the place.

"Honestly Discord, this was far too much." Celestia let out a sigh. "Should I start considering you an en-"

"Princess Celestia." interrupted Maud. "It wasn't all his fault. I share in the blame as well."

Celestia's mood softened up all at once. "Really? That is surprising."

Pinkie slid in, bowing to both royal siters. All the while dramatic tears shot forth from her eyes. "Pleeeese, oh please, Princesses, don't punish Maud, punish me instead!"

Luna stepped forward, looking down at her. "And what did you do Pinkie?"

"I duunnooo!" Pinkie continued her sobbing. "But Maud's a good pony and I d-don't wanna see anything bad happen to her!"

"There, there, Pinkie." Luna comforted her with a few soft pats to the head. "I think Celestia and I can find it in our hearts to forgive all this, right?" She turned to her own older sibling flashing her a big ol' pair of puppy dog eyes.

Celestia finished wiping away Pinkie's tears using a bit of tissue. "But of course we can! Oh Luna, I love you so much!!" She ran in for a hug with her and Pinkie. By now all three were in complete tears hugging it out. Pinkie being Pinkie stretched out her hoof several feet and wrangled Maud into the cuddle circle.

"Oh well that's just dandy." Discord mumbled to himself, feeling a bit left out. "Honestly does anypony, other than Fluttershy, care about me at all?"

"I do." came the answer from Maud.

He stood silent for a second, a bit speechless. "Well I-I guess I stand corrected."

"Come on Discord." Maud motioned for him to join in.

"Well, I guess I could.  I mean if you insist." Discord wrapped his entire body around all of them. "You know, this...is kinda nice."

After hug time finished and the crying mostly stopped, Celestia was first to speak. "I don't suppose you three would want to spend the night here in the castle?"

"Sure!" Pinkie was all to quick to answer.

"Alright fine just no more of the crying or the hugging." Discord leaned his whole body over Maud's back, making sure to be as light as a feather. "I suppose I'll be retiring now. Will you be coming up soon, my little Rocky-bear?" That last part to everypony's great shock was addressed to Maud of all ponies.

Her reply was of similar taste. "In a minute, Ruby-roo. You go on ahead."

And just like that he poofed away up to the castle suite smiling and acting like there wasn't anything usual at all about what had just happened.

The collective jaws of the Royals and Pinkie were dropped to the ground. Several thoughts ran through each of their minds. When? What? How? I really am going crazy aren't I? That last thought was Celestia's, she was now certain that staying awake past her bed time had somehow done irreparable damage to her mind.

"What?" Maud deadpanned. "We were just messing with you."

...

~Half an hour later

"Pinkie, w-what happened to us getting some shut eye?" Discord yawned, opening his jaw wide enough to devour a full dozen donuts plus an entire mug of hot cocoa, cup and all.

"Sleep? We can't sleep!"  Pinkie choked down her fiftieth maple bar. "Not when Donut Joe's is twenty-five percent off at night! But you know what? After today I guess you could say that he really became a bolder Boulder! Hahaha, right Maud?"

Maud sat on a stool next to Discord, dead asleep and holding a cup of hot chocolate in her hoof that Boulder sat inside 'drinking'. A glazed twist sat unfinished on the counter near her resting head.

"See, Maud's into it!" Pinkie picked up the twist. "You gonna finish this one?" She didn't even wait for an answer, down the hatch it went.

Discord wobbled on his little stool, feeling quite uneasy from the intoxicating mix of sugar and lack of sleep. Vision blurring he poked Maud's mane softly with a spoon. "Are you d-dead?" After completing that sentence he fell off the stool, collapsing to the ground as a sound asleep little spaghetti noodle of choas.

"WHO'S UP FOR DONUT NUMBER FIFTY-TWO?!" Pinkie shouted with glee.
> Chapter 4: Limestone and Marble
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"W-What..." Discord was amazed he could get that much out. 

He was laying down in an oh so wonderfully comfy bed, swaddled up in several warm blankets. That much he knew. The details of how it all happened were, like his vision, a bit hazy. All he could remember of the journey was Pinkie and Maud both standing over him, pointing back and forth between two sheets of paper, one of which was Pinkie's list and the other was a map of Equestria. 

'Here Discord, get us here.' That was what they said, he was kinda sure of that. Maybe. After all, he couldn't have been more out of it at that particular moment in time. With a little effort he managed to teleport them all somewhere. But upon arriving he had drifted back to sleepy land and now had just now been welcomed back to the land of the living.

Pinkie bounced up on top of him, barely able to contain her budding joy. "Weeelcome to the Rock Farm, sleepyhead!" She gently tip-hooved her way off his body. "And here you go, eat this!" 

She placed semi rock hard cupcake into his paw. Given that fact there was no telling just how old it was. But without thinking he downed the sucker like he was told. Immediately he found his face being sucked inward as if a vortex had just appeared on his tongue. Inch by excruciating inch the entirety of his form was being swallowed up into the void. His lips, chin, eyes, arms and feet were all sucked into his mouth hole until there was nothing left and he was gone.

But a milli-second later he popped back into his regular form coughing and hacking up what was left of that horrendous cupcake. "Were you t-trying to kill me!"

"I'm sorry." Pinkie eyeballed her fallen sweet treat, saddened a bit by it's demise. "I was just trying to wake you up! And nothing does that better than one of my super special sweet but mostly sour cupcakes!"

"Is he going to be okay?" Maud asked, walking up behind her younger sister.

Pinkie smiled. "Aww, that's so sweet. Maud, all worried about you and stuff."

"Yeah," came a gruff and not to mention sarcastic sounding voice right behind Discord's head. "that's reeaaal sweet. So...what? Is he like Maud's special somepony or something?!

Discord's eyes twitched slightly. Whoever this new pony was, she didn't sound too friendly.

"Now, Limestone." Pinkie began. "Take it easy, he is not her special somepony." 

She then kicked it up a notch, slightly speeding up her words in that lovingly energetic way of her's. 

"Yes, they have recently been spending a lot of time together. Plus they do both like and care for each other while occasionally exchanging romantically suggestive witty banter between themselves. Not to mention the seven and a half times they have lovingly locked eyes since they first meet. So to the lay-pony I suppose they may seem to be more than just friends. But I can assure you dear older sister that it is all just in good clean fun."

"So..." Limestone Pie paused to process her thoughts. "from what I'm hearing it sounds like...they're a sinking ship?"

"Sorta." Pinkie said. "They're more like a nearly finished ship that sits unused and is gazed upon in awe by ponies passing by who really  just wanna see it finally blossom and set sail."

"Enough with the babble!" Discord hopped out of bed, flinging his covers off and into the corner of the room. "Do you ponies even speak a coherent language?"

"Yeah." Limestone responded, crabby as ever. "Do you?"

Pinkie promptly stepped in between the two, trying to avoid a fight. "Alright that's enough. Don't you think you two should be properly introduced before beginning an argument?"

"No!" Came the simultaneous answer from them both.

"Okee-dokee..." Pinkie locked together Discord's talon hand with Lime's right hoof. "Discord this is Limestone Pie, my older sister. And Limey, this is Discord!"

Limestone immediately retracted her hoof, giving Pinkie a light poke across her chest. "I told you never to call me that!" Suddenly she shot a dreaded stink eye toward Discord. "Wait a sec...did you say Discord? As in the self-proclaimed 'Lord of Chaos' Discord?"

"Why?" Discord smirked. "Heard of me have you? 'Limey'..."

Limestone flung a blind-fold over to Pinkie. "That's it! Cover your eyes cause' he's about to go down!"

Maud clamped her teeth down onto Limestone's tail, holding back her flailing older sister. "Lemme go, Maud! He's no good! Nothing but pure chaos incarnate! He betrayed Equestria to Tirek and also once tried to turn it all into his own personal happy-land!"

"Happy-land?!" Discord protested. "Maybe Mayhem-land or Cuckoo-ville but I would never choose such a name as 'happy-land'." He shuddered at the very thought.

"See," Limestone continued. "he even admits it! If there's one thing MY rock farm doesn't need, it's disorder! He'll ruin us!"

"Everypony stop!" Pinkie cried out. "No more fighting, can't you see how upset you're all making Marble?"

Limestone stopped her outrage, still breathing heavily. Discord walked forward, gently pulling the end of Limestone's tail from Maud's mouth. "And just who in the blazes is Marble?"

Pinkie pointed over to the corner of the room where Discord had earlier dispatched his bed sheets to. "Why she's my baby Sister of course, who else?"

Discord narrowed his eyes. "So, which blanket exactly...is Marble?" This did not surprise him one bit. What with them having 'pet' rocks, growing up in near isolation and her family's rather eccentric behavior it wasn't that far of a stretch for them to have an imaginary sibling. One that was warm, cuddly and made of a one-thousand thread count cotton/wool blend.

Pinkie laughed. "Not the blankets, silly. The Pony under them! She was standing over there and got buried when you threw em'." 

"And she hasn't come out from under there in all this time?" asked Discord.

"Nope, she's kinda shy sometimes." Pinkie zipped over fast as lightning to join Maud who had slowly walked over during the conversation to coax Marble out of hiding. 

Maud extended her hoof while Pinkie took care of all the talking. "It's alright, he isn't going to hurt you. He's friendly now...mostly."

"I know he won't." Marble spoke in a low voice so only her family could hear her. "But Pinkie, he has something else."

"Oh that..." Maud said. "He only had a little of Tirek's energy still clinging onto him from back then. He didn't even know. But Pinkie took care of it and what little is left is fading away, you're in  no danger now."

Pinkie nodded heartily in agreement. "Yep, but you should've seen what it did to boulder. It's all good now though."

With that, Marble tentatively latched onto Maud's hoof and was pulled out of her cozy safe zone.

With both sisters at her side Marble walked over to meet Discord. "Umm, hi...I'm the blanket." She smiled at her own little joke.  "But you can just call me Marble." She stretched out her hoof in greeting.

Discord's smile widened, his eyes sparkled as he let out an inner squeak of joy. For one reason or another she reminded him very much of somepony else he knew in his life. Though he couldn't quite put his claw on exactly who. Maybe it was Rainbow Dash?

He quickly picked her up, squeezing her in his arms. "Marble was it? It's very nice to meet you and-" he stopped mid-sentence upon realizing something. "Wait, I thought you only said adorable things like 'Mm-hmm' and such? What gives?I feel cheated."

Marble was blushing far too hard now to give an answer. Many thoughts raced around in her head. 

So Pinkie stepped in. "Yeah well, sometimes she only says things like that and with some ponies she just plain talks to them. Eh, go figure..."

"Good enough for me." Discord put Marble back down. "But remind me again. Why are we here at the rock farm?"

"Well..." Pinkie unfurled her to-do list. "Ever since you brought it up I just kept thinking about it and so I put it on the list as the next thing for you and Maud to do!"

"And that is?" he asked.

"Attend a superrific sleepover with me, Pinkie Pie! ...Also with Limestone and Marble."

Marble still sat there, a light blush still painted on her cheeks. Limestone on the other hoof took to a more active response. "Ma and Pa go out on important business and you thought it'd be okay to just bring this chaos-doofus here for a sleep-over?"

Discord didn't say one word. But by his crossed arms and scowl it wasn't hard to see he was definitely upset at her comment.

"But the best part is..." Pinkie brought her party cannon out from within her mane. "is that our folks said yes!" 

Several blasts shot out of her cannon, decorating the room with multi-colored confetti, streamers and animal balloons.

With the room properly glitterized she popped the cannon back in her hair for later use. "Now everypony get to partying while I go and whip up some sweet party treats!" Pinkie bounded off toward the kitchen, bouncing the whole way.

And instantly all the glittering specks of happiness left the room. At least that is what the now awkward silence filling the area felt like.

Discord loudly cleared his throat, almost appearing to choke and gag in the process. "S-So, if this is supposed to be a sleepover I guess I'll just have to take it upon myself to provide us with some proper supplies." With a snap of his paw he changed everyone into bright red and yellow plaid pj's, each brandished with a right shoulder patch bearing his ugly mug, smiling and giving a wink. 

"What the?!" Limestone commented about her new attire. "Hey, who said you could change me? Only I  get to change me, got it?" Limestone ripped off the sleep-wear and started rapidly stomping it into a nearby pot like a hot headed grape juice making pony would.

Pinkie followed up with a loud gasp from the kitchen. "Hey, Discord! Thanks for the Pj's! I'm loooving it!"

"Well..." He said. "At least somepony has some actually taste. What do you think Marble, do you like them?"

The blush on her face from earlier, now almost gone, returned in full force. She grew even more quiet, if that was even possible for somepony to do who had already been sitting there in pure silence. 

"You like them, yes?" He asked again. 

She gulped audibly. "Mm-hmm..."

"Well I was going for a more verbal answer...but I'll take it."

Maud poked him on the back. "Boulder likes them too." She opened up the winking eye on the patch which doubled as a pocket, revealing her pet 'napping' inside. "Oh...and I don't mind them either."

Hopping over to Limestone the Lord of Chaos became the Lord of the Dance, shaking his tail and flaunting his sick break-dancing skills before her whilst praising himself. "Uh-huh, go Discord! It's your birthday, It's your birthday!"

Needless to say, Limestone was less than impressed by his boogie fever showcase.

But on he went. "Everypony loves my pajamas but yooouuu! Discord - one, Limey - zero!!"

In a move that was a surprise to absolutely nopony, Limestone ripped off Discord's own pair of pjs and started shoving them down his throat with even more gusto than she had shown with dumping her own pair into the pot earlier. 

He teleported himself behind Maud, leaving behind the frayed remnants of his bed wear where he once stood. "What's going on?! Keep her away from me, she's a mad pony!"

Pinkie Pie popped up behind him. "Happy Birthday Discord! I heard you earlier when you were dancing!" she gave him a huge smile and placed a three-layer chocolate, strawberry and orange flavored cake into his arms. Then, like magic, she was gone again.

A devilish grin was plastered across Limestone's face as she inched closer to him. "I hope you like cake as much as you do pajamas, Discord!"

"Enough..." Maud said. "I think you've punished him enough. He's sorry."

Lime stopped in her tracks, her eye slightly twitching. "Funny, I didn't hear him say sorry."

Eyes closed and still frozen in place by fear, Discord found himself being pushed out toward Limestone by the Maud-shaped pony he was cowering behind. His cake hit the floor.

"Alright!" he broke his silence. "I'm...I'm s-sorry!" He opened one eye to scope out the unfolding situation only to find Limestone rolling around on the ground before him in a fit of laughter.

"Hahahhaaha!" From all her laughter she found it hard to speak, let alone breathe. "You should see the look on your face!" she got up and came over. He flinched slightly as she patted him heartily on the back. Limestone sighed as she wiped a tear out from her eye. "You're alright by me, Discord. You are alright..."

He took several steps back, arching a brow. "What just happened?"

"It isn't obvious?" Maud answered. "You were acting like a jerk and Limestone reacted. Not in the way she should have, but still in the way we knew she would. What did you expect to happen?"

"Am I dreaming?" Discord pinched himself. "No, I'm not. Luna's grasp doesn't have me today." He stretched and contorted his limbs in every odd way and fashion he could conceive of. "So I haven't lost my powers or my mind. What I don't understand is...how it happened?"

All three of the ponies before him exchanged looks as he continued. "I was supposed to just gobble her and my pjs up in one fell swoop. But instead I found myself choking on them. Care to explain? 

Maud eyed her rowdy sister for several seconds. "Should I tell him? Or do you want to?"

"I can, if you want!" Pinkie said, coming into the room holding a tray of fresh rock-cakes. "That is...if we all want to."

Pinkie's sisters all nodded their seals of approval. 

"So, Discord." Pinkie began, in an unusually serious tone. "This is what you wanted, to talk about my 'magic'? All of our's?"

He had verified it wasn't a dream but it all seemed so surreal. He nearly had to grip his head and force himself to nod.

Pinkie placed down her tray and looked to Limestone. "So that's part of why I brought you here. See, the reason you weren't able to do your magic is because...Limestone can nullify magic."

"I'll take it from here." said Maud. "And as for Pinkie, here, she has her 'Pinkie sense'. Which means sometimes stray bits of magic, if you can call it that, find their way to her." 

Limestone took a step closer to him, picking up where Maud had left off. "Yeah, it's weird and all. Like if you're looking for a specific page, from a particular book out of messed up pile of them, Pinkie would be the one for that job. And sometimes she just know things. She thinks it could all come from an alternate Pinkie Pie from another dimension or even just her future self." She shrugged. "But like Maud said, it's pretty random stuff. Kinda explains her personality a bit more if ya ask me."

"Mm-hmm." Marble nodded and slowly raised up her sleeve covered hoof, calling attention to herself. Discord would have probably died from the cuteness overload he just received had he not been so intrigued. 

The youngest Pie began to tell her view on things. "Maud can do pretty much the same things as Pinkie. And I...I-I can see things that other ponies can not." She then waved her hoof in a broad sweep through the air at her siblings.  "They all can too of course, but not always right away or as tuned in as me."

For all the talking that had just taken place, a quiet had fallen over the room. As if waiting to be judged they all sat in silence, staring at him. But he just couldn't find the words. It was understandable given all the information he had just received. 

Though he knew he would have to say something. "Is...is all of this true? You're not just messing with me are you?"

Still they said nothing.

"Well, uh..." he said. "Okaaay, I have some questions."

"Then ask." was all that Maud said. 

"Alright," he began. "so first off, how did you all get these gifts of your's? Were you born with them?"

"No." Maud answered plainly. It appeared as if she would be the one doing all of the talking for the group now. "We were young fillies. Far too young to know that what this rock farm held within it's mines were more that just mere rainbow-colored crystals. We touched them and they gave us superpowers...the end."

Discord's jaw dropped. "Gimme a break! That can't possibly be the end!"

Maud casually trotted over and picked out one of Pinkie's rock-cakes. "Well, long story short is that there were some magic crystals that are now all destroyed. Happy?"

No way, no how would ever be satisfied with that answer. But it looked like he would have to be as it didn't look like anypony else was jumping at the opportunity to tell the tale.

"Okay, well skip over that part...for now." he watched as she popped the unappetizing cupcake into her mouth like it was nothing.  "I get the feeling that you sisters haven't told many ponies about this. Why? I mean, is this really all that big of a deal?"

For once, Maud didn't answer. In fact it seemed as if everypony just clammed up. He had hoped that the tense atmosphere would have calmed by now. He wasn't attacking them or yelling at them after all.

Limestone, perhaps because she was the oldest, cleared her throat. "After that some rotten, no good ponies found out about us." she stopped there, anger coming to her eyes. He found it hard to believe how difficult this seemed for her to explain given the rash, go get em' attitude from her he had seen earlier. 

Limestone pressed on. "So they decided to take us.... Away from the farm, away from Ma and Pa. They thought they could use us for there own gain, but they were wrong!" Tears lightly watered the edges of her eyes.

"Limestone..." Pinkie said. "You know it's not good for you to get all upset like this."

"What how am I supposed to feel?" Limestone yelled at Pinkie, immediately regretting the act. "I'm sorry. Pinkie, I shouldn't have yelled. You didn't deserve any of that." She knew from the many conversations  she had had with her sister on the subject, that Pinkie was just reminding her to let it go and learn to forgive the past. 

"Oh, don't feel bad Limey!" Pinkie said, sounding a bit more like her cheerful self. "If you feel sad, I'll start to feel sad too."

"I told you not to call me that." Limestone let out a giggle as Pinkie practically tried to glomp her sis back into happiness.

Marble smiled, trying to look brave. "I-It isn't a very good memory for us....We're okay now though, as you can see. After it happened we all swore, to each other and to our parents to keep our powers a secret. Just so nothing like that could ever happen again." Suddenly she looked concerned, for him. "Discord, are you alright?"

Discord wiped his eyes and blew into a hankie monogrammed with Celestia's name. "Oh me? I-I'm fine! Just thinking about how hard it must've been on little Marble her to experience that hardship. That poor little, super-powered pony."

Limestone tossed him a piece of cake and laughed. "Here, eat it ya sad sap, it'll make you feel better. Honestly we didn't even cover the good stuff and you're already sobbing like a weenie." Her voice was friendly though and after all that she still had watery eyes herself.

He was kind of relieved, that they didn't recount the kidnapping in vivid detail. Just bringing it up stirred up enough emotions in them. While he was a chaos lover, he didn't relish in the suffering of others. Not at all anymore, at least. He figured it'd be best to just leave that subject alone for now.

He took a bite out of the hard confectionery and guessed from all the loud crunching and cracking he heard that he was probably breaking several of his teeth just trying to chew it up. He didn't really care, being able to grow them back granted him that luxury.

He would take a small bite, chew and swallow it, then repeat. When he was finished he had one more query. "So for my last question. Why did you decide to tell me of all creatures, about this?"

Pinkie sprang up off of Limestone and glomped all over him. "Kinda cause' your the only one we all agreed on, to tell. I've really wanted to get it off my chest for a while now, it feels sooo good. So thanks to you, kooky Grandpa!"

"Pony-pile on Discord!" Marble shouted.

Everypony piled on, drowning his chaotic soul with love. It was all too much for him to handle. The fluffiness, the cuddling and the laughter.

Discord shrieked like a little filly, holding up his talon hand toward the sky as he was sucked down into the Pie family pony-pile. And all the while, those sinister lovey lil' ponies just laughed and laughed.

All except Maud. But she was laughing on the inside.