Chapter 11
The air between Amelia and Discord thickened with tension, their gazes locked—one filled with shock and the other with grave solemnity. Amelia couldn’t refute what he had said; the certainty in Discord’s eyes was unmistakable. How did he come by such knowledge? It was true that her name, Amelia, was indeed human in origin, yet she hadn't considered that humans were recognised in this world. Everyone she had met here initially puzzled over her name but never identified it as distinctly human. If the ponies she had befriended were oblivious to the existence of humans, then how, indeed, did Discord possess such insight?
Amelia's thoughts spiralled into a whirlwind of anxiety as she considered the implications of Discord's revelation. Was her future as a student at this magical school now in jeopardy? The possibility loomed large in her mind, casting a shadow over the vibrant experiences she had just enjoyed. What would become of her time in Ponyville? She had started to feel at home there, among friends who had welcomed her without reservation.
And then there was the broader question of her place in Equestria. Would she be forced to leave, exiled for something she had no control over—her transformation into a pegasus? The thought of banishment for merely existing in a form she hadn't chosen filled her with dread.
Amelia looked to Discord, searching his face for any sign of what might come next. Could he, with his apparent knowledge and authority, decree her fate in this world? She hoped for compassion, for understanding, or perhaps an explanation that could put her fears to rest. The weight of the unknown pressed heavily upon her, each possibility more daunting than the last.
Amelia's anxiety deepened as Discord's smile vanished, replaced by a look of solemnity that seemed to forecast the complexity of their conversation. "So... what does this mean for me, Discord?" she asked, her voice quivering slightly with uncertainty.
“Well, Amelia, you're not in trouble, I can reassure you of that,” Discord reassured her, his smile fleeting but genuine, offering a brief glimpse of warmth. But just as quickly, his expression shifted back to one of concern. “But you do leave me in a very, very complicated situation,” he added, his voice heavy with the weight of undisclosed challenges.
“What do you mean?” Amelia pressed, her brows knitting together in worry. “What's complicated?”
Discord sighed deeply, his gaze drifting to his wine glass, where he seemed to seek answers in its crimson depths. After a moment, he looked up, his eyes meeting hers with a mix of resolve and regret. “To answer that, I’d have to give you your first lesson in history,” he said thoughtfully. Then, with a snap of his fingers that echoed slightly in the sudden stillness, the world around Amelia blurred and shifted dramatically.
In an instant, she found herself back in the classroom, sitting exactly where she had been earlier. Her normal attire was back on, though the straw hat remained perched on her head—a quirky reminder of the surreal journey she had just experienced. The sudden transition left her slightly disoriented, her mind racing to catch up with the rapid change in setting.
Discord’s voice broke through her confusion, steady and clear. “History, Amelia, isn’t just about learning what happened in the past. It’s about understanding the forces that shape our present and future. And your presence here, as unique as it is, ties into a much larger story—one that affects not just you but the fabric of this world.”
Amelia took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. She was back in the familiar confines of the classroom, but everything felt different now, charged with the potential to unravel mysteries she hadn’t even known existed.
Discord's solemn voice filled the room as he recounted his past with a gravitas that Amelia hadn't seen before. “Let me take you back, to where I, Discord, The God of Chaos, started a war centuries ago.” At his command, two chalks floated up from the teacher's desk and began their dance across the blackboard, sketching a scene from a time shrouded in legend.
“I was naïve years ago, my power extraordinary and my thirst for chaos too great,” Discord continued, his tone tinged with a hint of regret. The chalks animatedly drew Discord perched smugly on a throne, looking down at two agitated alicorns, their majestic forms simplified into stick figures with horns and wings.
“The ruler of Equestria, Princess Luna and Princess Celestia, were not amused by my chaotic antics, finding them outlandish and harmful for their peers.” As he spoke, the chalk-drawn figures of Luna and Celestia expressed their disapproval with comic speech bubbles filled with scribbled curses, eliciting a giggle from Amelia at the playful depiction.
“I laughed in their face with amusement, seeing their concerns as nothing more than a ruse to spoil my fun. I had no intention to stop my chaotic spree.” The chalk depiction of Discord laughed evilly, a high-pitched squeaky sound accompanying the animated laughter that seemed absurdly fitting. Meanwhile, the mini versions of Luna and Celestia growled adorably, their faces turning a cartoonish shade of red.
“Then, the inevitable happened.” Discord’s voice grew somber. The stick figures of Luna and Celestia summoned six mystical stones with their magic, which began to swirl around them impressively. Mini Discord found this display amusing, his laughter growing as he mocked what he saw as a feeble attempt to stop him.
Suddenly, the scene on the blackboard shifted dramatically as a swirling rainbow stream burst from the two alicorns, the magical power crashing into the mini Discord, encasing him in stone with a frozen laugh still etched on his face.
“I lost, and was sentenced to eternity in stone.” Discord’s recounting came to a grave conclusion, the finality of his fate echoed in the silence that followed.
Amelia's eyes widened, the gravity of such a punishment settling in. “My god… how have you not gone mad!?” she exclaimed, her gaze shifting back to Discord, who now seemed more enigmatic and profound than ever before.
Discord met her gaze, a wistful smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “Oh, Amelia, madness and sanity are but threads of the same tapestry when you are a being of chaos.” Discord winked, making Amelia nod some confusingly. As she pondered what he said, Discord brushed the chalkboard clean, starting a new scene. “But yes, to your question, I did go mad—mad with rage.”
The blackboard was dominated by the large chalk depiction of Discord, encased in stone, that loomed over the classroom. "My time in stone was anything but fun. I was alone, but conscious. I could still think, see everything around me, and—most importantly—still wield my powers, though confined within the recesses of my own mind," Discord narrated, his voice echoing slightly in the still classroom.
As he spoke, the chalk drawing transformed, zooming into the 'mind' of the stone-bound Discord. Inside, a more relaxed version of Discord appeared, lounging on a couch in a decidedly casual pose, complete with a gaming headset and a controller in his hands. Around him, empty bottles of beer, cans, and crisp packets littered the area, giving the impression of a long gaming marathon. The chalk figure was animatedly playing what looked like a chalky version of Fortnite, his eyes half-closed yet fixed on the game.
Amelia’s jaw dropped in disbelief. “You played Fortnite while in stone!” she blurted out, her voice a mix of shock and amusement as she rose swiftly from her seat.
Discord burst into laughter at her reaction, the sound rich and full of genuine amusement. “No, no, I just added that uncanny bit for your amusement," he clarified with a wink. "The real point of this scene was to show you just how boooooorrrred I was!” His tone stretched the word ‘bored’ dramatically, emphasising his plight.
The playful addition to his story highlighted Discord’s knack for injecting humour even into tales of his isolation and boredom. It served not only to lighten the mood but also to offer Amelia a glimpse into his unique perspective on life—even in the direst circumstances, he found a way to view things through a lens of whimsy and mischief.
"The entertainment I created was the only thing keeping me together, the only way I could distract myself from the burning rage inside me." As Discord narrated, the chalk version of himself on the blackboard transitioned from a nonchalant gamer to a figure consumed by fury. Initially, a slight frown creased his brow, which quickly morphed into a deep snarl, escalating into a visible, vibrating anger. His chalk face turned a deep red, and the animated Discord erupted into a fit of rage.
With a dramatic flourish, chalk Discord ripped off his headset and flung it beyond the frame of the blackboard. He then grabbed the controller, hurling it at the chalk-drawn TV, smashing a hole right through the centre. In a continued frenzy, he snatched up the TV and tossed it as well, sending it sailing out of the chalkboard's bounds. The chair was next, flipped over in a fit of wrath, as cartoonish smoke billowed from his nostrils, a visual echo of his inner turmoil.
"How dare they humiliate me, how dare they imprison me in stone, and how dare they favour order over the chaotic aftermath of my brilliance," chalk Discord ranted, his voice projected through the classroom by Discord's narration. "Fuelled by thoughts of revenge and ways to make them pay, one thought continually haunted me: 'How dare they deprive me of my fun!'"
This vivid depiction on the chalkboard illustrated not just Discord's inventive coping mechanisms during his confinement but also the deep-seated anger and sense of betrayal that simmered beneath his whimsical facade. His tale was a stark reminder of the complex emotions that even beings of chaos could harbour, blending dark introspection with bursts of explosive, visual storytelling.
"As time passed, my rage grew, along with the devious machinations of my wicked mind, plotting its chaotic takeover," Discord narrated, his voice carrying a chilling undertone that mirrored the increasing darkness of his tale. On the blackboard, a chalk-drawn clock began to float ominously around a miniature version of Discord. This tiny chalk figure, clearly agitated, attempted in vain to shoo the clock away. The clock, however, seemed to take perverse pleasure in its torment, circling around the frustrated figure with a mischievous air.
Mini Discord's attempts to dismiss the clock grew more frantic, his chalk-drawn limbs flailing comically as his irritation mounted. The clock, drawn with a slight smirk and exaggerated tick-tock hands, continued its relentless orbit, each loop around him tightening like a noose on his patience.
Eventually, the pent-up fury reached its boiling point. Mini Discord's chalk features twisted into a grimace of pure fury, and with a dramatic intensity that seemed to transcend the boundaries of the blackboard, he inhaled a deep, seething breath. In a sudden explosion of emotion and power, he exhaled a swirling torrent of green fire. The flames, depicted in vibrant, writhing strokes of chalk, engulfed him, spinning wildly across the blackboard.
The green fire spread with wild abandon, consuming every sketch and scribble that had come before. It erased the images of the clock, the miniature Discord, and any other elements previously drawn, leaving behind a stark, clean slate. The fire's cleansing sweep across the blackboard was not just a display of Discord's rage but a symbolic act of rebellion against his constraints.
“So when the day finally arrived for my grand rebellion, I wasn’t exactly... prompt," Discord began, his tone dripping with amusement. "Instead, I lurked in the shadows, rather like a mischievous cat plotting against a particularly slow mouse.” As he narrated, the blackboard animated a tiny version of Discord peeking from the edge, looking left and right with exaggerated, suspicious glances.
He tiptoed across the blackboard, each step comically synchronized with a 'tip-toe' sound effect that Discord mimicked perfectly. Suddenly, on the other side of the board, the stick figures of Princess Luna and Princess Celestia strolled into the scene, deep in an animated conversation about, perhaps, the latest royal edict on proper tea etiquette.
Caught in mid-sneak, mini Discord’s eyes popped out in panic. He scanned desperately for a hiding spot, resembling a cartoon character who just ran off a cliff and hadn’t looked down yet.
Spotting a classroom lamp in the corner, Discord reached out, magically transforming it into a chalk drawing before dragging it over his head. There, in the middle of the scene, mini Discord stood stiffly, disguised as a lamp. The lampshade was slightly askew, making him look less like furniture and more like a child caught in a curtain.
As Celestia and Luna approached, their drawn figures paused, eyeing the suspicious lamp. They poked and prodded—Luna even lifted herself onto Celestia's back to get a better look, making for a comical display of royal acrobatics.
"But, as always, my tricks are as subtle as a sledgehammer at a tea party,” Discord chuckled. “Celestia’s eagle eyes are second to none.”
With exaggerated caution, Celestia leaned forward, her stick figure scrutinising the lamp. She lifted the lampshade, only to find mini Discord sweating bullets—a literal chalk bullet of sweat sliding down his drawn face.
Caught, Discord acted fast. He shoved the lampshade onto Celestia’s head, where it wobbled comically. With a theatrical flair, he sprinted off the blackboard, leaving a cloud of chalk dust. Luna, ever the warrior, whipped out a bin lid and a wooden spoon—clearly, the armoury was closed today—and charged after him with a cry of "For the empire!"
Celestia, still under the lampshade, spun around in confusion, her muffled voice coming from under the shade, "Where did he go? Luna, wait for me!"
Amelia's laughter gradually diminished, silenced as the final chalk figures vanished from the blackboard. Her expression shifted from amusement to contemplation; the lighthearted tableau had dissipated, leaving behind a blank slate that mirrored the unease settling over her. "So... what did you do?" she ventured, her voice low and hesitant, laden with both curiosity and a distinct wariness. A part of her recoiled at the thought of delving into the darker recesses of Discord's past, fearful of what truths might lurk there.
Discord exhaled a profound, laborious sigh, his shoulders drooping under the invisible weight of his recollections. He leaned back against the sturdy teacher's desk, using it as a crutch to support his diminished vigour. The usual brilliance that animated his features was now subdued, veiled by the heavy shadows of regret and reluctance that clouded his expression. His head bowed, eyes tightly shut, as if closing them could shield him from the resurgence of painful memories. “I don’t want to tell you,” he confessed in a whisper, his voice barely a breath, resonating with a deep-seated shame.
The atmosphere between them grew dense, laden with the weight of Discord's withheld secrets, each unspoken word adding pressure to the already charged silence. Amelia observed him, the playful, chaotic entity she knew now transformed into a figure marred by sorrow and remorse. This stark contrast shed new light on Discord's complexity, revealing the profound burdens he carried beneath his capricious surface.
“But, for the sake of understanding where I’m going with this, I’ll tell you the most important parts,” Discord finally spoke up, his voice steadier. He straightened slightly, though the movement lacked his typical theatrical flair. A faint smile touched his lips, a pale imitation of his usual grin, as he prepared to unveil the fragments of his past that haunted him. Amelia returned his smile with a cautious one of her own, a silent encouragement for him to continue.
Amelia's eyes widened as Discord's tale took a darker turn, revealing layers of his past actions that she hadn't anticipated. "Like I said before, revenge was very much my goal. To strip away what the two rulers cherished most: Peace and Order... So, that’s what I did, by making the concept of war seem inevitable," Discord said, his tone tinged with a regretful darkness. He paused, his gaze distant as he recounted the events. "I rallied an army, one composed of the most chaotic creatures I had the pleasure of meeting—the creatures being humans."
"Humans!" Amelia exclaimed, her reaction so swift and sharp that she stood up from her seat in shock. "You're telling me you had humans fight for you!?" The idea of humans, her kind, entangled in such ancient conflicts within this magical world, was both astounding and unsettling.
Discord nodded slowly, his eyes shifting away, unable to meet Amelia's gaze. "I couldn’t be the direct creator of chaos, not while the princesses wielded such a powerful weapon as The Elements of Harmony. I didn’t want to be imprisoned in stone again... not again..." His voice trailed off into a shiver that ran visibly through his form, a shadow of fear from his past confinement evident in his posture and expression.
"So I turned to humans to aid me in my plans. I convinced—well, tricked them into fighting for me," he murmured, the last words almost lost in a mixture of shame and regret. His admission hung heavily between them, casting a new light on his manipulative capabilities and the lengths he had gone to secure his revenge.
Discord's revelations added layers of complexity to Amelia's understanding of her own situation. "Humans that I summoned from Earth didn't keep their forms of a human, instead morphing into a pony of some kind: an earth pony, a unicorn, or a pegasus. Just like you…" he explained, watching Amelia closely to gauge her reaction.
The realisation that she might not be unique in her transformation—that others had undergone similar changes—made her reassess her own experiences. "So I took advantage of their confusion and gave them a chaotic religion to believe in, me being their God of Chaos," Discord continued, a trace of remorse flickering across his face as he admitted to manipulating those bewildered souls.
"You brought humans from my Earth here… then you must know how I got here!" Amelia exclaimed, her voice tinged with desperation and hope. If Discord had been involved in her arrival, perhaps he could also facilitate her return, or at least explain her presence in Equestria.
"Actually, I have no idea why you are here myself," Discord admitted, his tone serious. "Humans that I pulled from your universe were merely souls I gave life here in Equestria, so, it’s rather you, Amelia, had passed, and someone out there is playing with powerful spells to pull your soul over to here, or there is some sort of anomaly out there, rifting souls naturally." His speculation opened a myriad of possibilities, none of which provided the concrete answers Amelia sought.
Amelia's mind raced, her thoughts scattering as she tried to piece together her last memories of Earth. It had been a normal day, training in a field with her friend Jason, the sudden appearance of dark clouds and a flash of light—the last thing she remembered before finding herself in Equestria. The notion that she might have died or been summoned through some mystical anomaly was both terrifying and mystifying.
Realising that Discord couldn't provide the answers she needed, Amelia's resolve hardened. She needed to find someone who knew the truth, someone who understood the forces that had brought her to this world. With a determined nod, she encouraged Discord to continue, her mind already planning her next steps.
"Please, go on," she urged, her determination to uncover the truth about her situation growing. Whatever the cost, she was resolved to understand her presence in Equestria and, if possible, find a way back—or at least discover why she was chosen to traverse such worlds.
Discord's recounting took a dramatic turn as he described his miscalculation regarding the human beings he had conscripted into his chaotic schemes. "I underestimated the humans, seeing them only as agents of chaos, not realising the depth of their characters. Some of them saw through my deception and began to revolt, choosing to escape my cult-like army to warn Celestia and Luna of my plans," he explained, his voice tinged with a hint of respect for their resilience and cunning.
As he spoke, the blackboard animated these events with surprising vivacity. Drawn in simple lines yet full of expression, a stick figure of Princess Luna, armed with a bin lid and a wooden sword, appeared alongside a comically depicted Princess Celestia, who still wore the lampshade on her head, looking around in confusion. The scene was almost humorous in its depiction, yet the underlying story was one of rebellion and courage.
Suddenly, the edges of the blackboard became a flurry of activity as several new figures, labeled 'humans' but depicted as ponies, dashed into the scene. One of them, drawn with a sense of urgency, leaned close to whisper into Luna’s ear, pointing emphatically in the direction they had come from. Luna's figure responded with a drawn battle cry, charging off in the direction indicated, with Celestia clumsily following behind, her lampshade bobbing comically.
The figures labeled as humans disappeared momentarily from the blackboard's bounds only to reappear decked out in gleaming golden armour. Each was equipped with dramatically drawn, fantastical weapons not of their world—one with an M1 Garand, another wielding an M249 light machine gun, and the last brandishing a Lancer Assault Rifle from the video game Gears of War, complete with the chainsaw bayonet. The artistic license used in equipping these characters with such anachronistic weaponry added a layer of absurdity to the dire narrative, blending elements of fantasy and reality into a chaotic tapestry of rebellion.
With a renewed battle cry, the human figures charged alongside Celestia and Luna, creating a dynamic tableau of defiance against Discord's reign of chaos.
Amelia's eyebrows rose sharply as she processed the absurdity of the scene depicted on the blackboard. "Wait... guns?" she asked, her voice a mixture of confusion and disbelief. "Shouldn't they be wielding swords?" It seemed bizarre to imagine such modern, distinctly non-magical weaponry in a realm governed by mystical laws and ancient prophecies.
Discord chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck with a sheepish grin. "Not exactly… I-I kinda brought human weapons into this world… hehe, whoops." His nervous giggle did little to reassure Amelia, whose eye twitched in response to the casual admission of such a chaotic integration.
"You really went all out, didn't you," Amelia deadpanned, her mind racing with the implications of Discord's actions. She pictured a ludicrous scenario, like a robber attempting to hold up a bank with a plasma cutter, the absurdity of the image highlighting the chaos Discord must have unleashed by introducing such elements into Equestria.
Discord's grin faltered under her flat stare, and he shrugged, an attempt to downplay his previous enthusiasm. "Well, I was aiming for maximum impact. Chaos isn’t just about what is expected, after all," he tried to explain, his voice tinged with a hint of defensiveness.
Amelia crossed her arms, her gaze fixed on Discord as she pondered the sheer unpredictability of the chaos he cherished. "And how did that work out for you?" she asked, her tone dry, hinting at the historical repercussions she assumed followed such a drastic action.
Discord sighed, his expression sobering as he contemplated her question. "Let’s just say past Discord loved the chaos it brought, as for present Discord… it was a learning experience," he admitted reluctantly. The reality of his past actions seemed to weigh heavily on him, a stark contrast to his usual light-hearted demeanour.
Amelia's concerns grew as she contemplated the implications of Discord's historical actions on her new environment. "So... can I expect blaster rifles to be in this world? I love *Star Wars*, but red lasers flying around," she mused, her tone laced with apprehension. The thought of high-tech, fictional weapons like those from her favourite movies becoming a reality in this already fantastical world was unnerving. Amelia had hoped she'd left the darker, more violent aspects of Earth behind, only to face the possibility of them being replaced by equally formidable threats from fiction.
Discord quickly waved off her fears with a dismissive flick of his hand. "No, no, I’m powerful, but I’m not *that* powerful... creating fictional weapons out of thin air without understanding what makes that weapon is impossible," he clarified. His words aimed to reassure, emphasising the limits even he faced in manipulating reality. "The weapons I brought are not as advanced as the modern-day weaponry on earth as of now, merely weapons from 1914, when the first great war began." His explanation highlighted a historical context that was both fascinating and a slight relief to Amelia.
Her eyes widened slightly, processing this information. "At least I don’t have to worry about bombs at least… right?" she asked, seeking further assurance that the extent of militaristic chaos would be contained. While the idea of any weapons from Earth making their way into Equestria was disconcerting, knowing they were not only historical but also limited in scope provided some comfort. The world she had found herself in was strange and unpredictable, but perhaps not as dangerous in the ways she had feared. She could only hope that any remnants of Discord's chaotic interventions would be manageable and that her new life here would be free from the type of strife that weaponry could bring.
“Anyways…” Discord began, deftly shifting the conversation away from his earlier bombshell about human weaponry. His voice took on a solemn tone as he delved into the darker aspects of his past. “Once the small contingent of humans allied with the Night Guard and the Royal Guard, the true conflict erupted,” he explained, his expression shadowed by the memories.
“I was in a dominant position at the outset of the war, as the ponies of that era were unaccustomed to conflict. They were peaceable, much like the civilians they protected," Discord recounted. His voice dropped to a murmur, heavy with regret. "It didn't help that I was unrestrained by any moral boundaries, driven by uncontrolled rage and a thirst for chaos. I became a mad deity, intoxicated with power and the havoc I could wreak.”
As he spoke, the blackboard animated the grim narrative. It depicted ponies in gleaming golden armour, their faces twisted in screams of fear. They flailed desperately, scrambling for cover as bullets whizzed around them. Interestingly, the bullets bounced off harmlessly, more akin to BB pellets, a modification clearly made to make the scene less gruesome. This censorship underscored the brutality of the situation while sparing the onlookers from its full horror.
The scene then shifted to include Princess Celestia and Luna. Luna, ever the warrior, used a makeshift shield to deflect the ineffective bullets as she orchestrated a strategic retreat. Celestia, comically yet tragically still sporting the lampshade on her head—now riddled with holes—followed her sister in retreat. The juxtaposition of the humorous elements with the grim reality of war added a surreal quality to the tale.
Above the chaos, Discord was shown perched nonchalantly on a small cloud, observing the pandemonium with a disturbing glee. His figure was sketched laughing maniacally, delighting in the disorder below. This depiction of Discord, revealing in the turmoil he had instigated, contrasted starkly with the more reflective and subdued being he presented today.
“But, my advantage lasted a few mouths. Ponies started to understand human weaponry thanks to the humans, levelling the playing field.”
On the animated blackboard, the scene was both grave and absurd as the figures labeled 'humans'—now magically transformed ponies—equipped their fellow Equestrians in golden armour with rifles. Each character was drawn with a stoically determined expression, ready to face whatever chaos Discord had unleashed upon their land.
When it was Princess Luna's turn to be armed, the scene took a humorous twist. The human-turned-pony handing out the weapons paused, a classic cartoon lightbulb flickering to life above her head, signalling a sudden inspiration. With a dramatic flair, she reached beyond the edge of the blackboard and pulled back into view a comically oversized mini-gun. The weapon was so large it nearly dwarfed the figure holding it. Handing it over to Luna, the depiction of the Princess lit up with a mischievous grin that promised trouble for any adversary.
Then came Princess Celestia's turn. Despite the chaos and gravity of the situation, Celestia's portrayal added a touch of humour that was impossible to miss. With the lampshade still comically perched on her head—now sporting a few extra holes that hinted at its ineffectiveness as armour—she was presented with an RPG. In the midst of the strategic armament session, Celestia managed to give the human a confident thumbs up, her obscured vision doing nothing to dampen her enthusiasm for the hefty weapon she could barely see.
Amelia listened intently as Discord shifted uneasily, his expression darkening with concern. "Discord… where is this going?" she murmured, trying to connect the historical dots to her current predicament. "What does this have to do with me being in a complicated situation for you? Isn't all that in the past? Are you afraid I’d start hating you?" she asked, her eyebrow arching in curiosity and slight apprehension about the depths of Discord's confessions.
“That’s partly one of my concerns,” Discord admitted, his hand moving to the back of his head in a gesture of nervousness. "But my main worry is about those who currently run this country." His voice took on a sharper edge, his usual levity draining away as he snarled slightly at the thought.
“What do you mean?” Amelia pressed, sensing the gravity of what Discord was alluding to.
“This country—it's changed a lot after the end of the war… the structure of royalty has evolved, and the policies and laws have become… unsanitary,” Discord explained with a heavy sigh, suggesting a deep dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs. "But I’ll get to that later. First, I need you to understand what happened during the war, specifically how it ended, in a single decisive battle.”
Amelia nodded, her mind racing as she pieced together the implications of Discord's story. It wasn't just about historical events; it seemed these events had shaped the current political landscape in ways that might directly affect her. The idea that the aftermath of this war influenced the present governance and societal norms added layers of complexity to her situation in Equestria.
As Discord prepared to delve into the details of that pivotal battle, Amelia braced herself for more revelations, realising that understanding these events was crucial not only to grasp the political tensions of Equestria but also to comprehend how these tensions might impact her directly. The intertwining of Discord's past actions with the current state of the realm suggested that her presence might stir old conflicts or unearth unresolved issues within the magical land.
“I remember as if it was yesterday, the day I met something that could disrupt the chaos I created,” Discord began, his voice tinged with a mixture of awe and retrospect. As he spoke, the blackboard transformed, offering a bird's-eye view of a desolate no man's land that stretched ominously between two sets of trenches under the cloak of night.
The scene zoomed into Discord’s trenches, where the atmosphere was tense and expectant. Snipers nestled in carefully chosen spots, their eyes peering intently through scopes, scanning for movement. Along the trench walls, ponies in muddied, battle-worn uniforms pressed themselves against the earth, their expressions etched with fatigue and despair. Each face reflected the grim reality of war, their eyes hollow, mirroring the pervasive sense of dread.
Across the barren expanse, the Equestrian army mirrored this somber tableau. However, amidst this scene of war, an unexpected melody began to weave through the air—a familiar Christmas song from Earth, its notes cutting through the heavy silence of the battlefield. Mini Discord, illustrated on the blackboard overseeing his forces, paused, captivated by the tune. In his surprise, he realized it was Christmas Eve, known to the Equestrians as Hearts Warming Eve, a detail he had overlooked in his calculations.
The focus then narrowed further to reveal a green mare amidst the Equestrian forces. She stood slightly apart from her comrades, her voice rising in a clear, strong melody that resonated across the trenches. As she sang, the initial solo swelled as more voices joined hers—first a few humans nearby, then scores from across the battlefield, their disparate voices uniting in a powerful chorus that transcended the divides of war.
“That mare—no, that woman changed the entire dynamic of the war with nothing but a Christmas melody and her own voice,” Discord recounted, his tone reverent. “It began with just her solitary voice, which soon inspired those around her. Gradually, her song spread, growing as humans and ponies alike lent their voices to the melody, creating a resounding chorus that filled no man’s land with a harmony that spoke of peace and common humanity.”
The blackboard illustrated this transformation vividly: the figures previously braced for battle now stood, listening and gradually joining in the song. Their once grim faces softened, reflecting a momentary reprieve from the harshness of their reality, united by the simple, profound act of singing together.
Discord's recounting took on a wistful tone, tinged with the sort of perplexity only a being of his stature could feel when faced with the unpredictably profound nature of humanity. "But then, the humans that fought for me also began to sing, casting a profound disruption across the chaos I had so carefully orchestrated. At that moment, I thought it was merely a human tradition—singing to maintain morale amid the despair of war. How right I was... and yet, how profoundly I had underestimated the depth and resilience of humans."
The scene on the blackboard transformed as night abruptly gave way to day, the sudden change from moon to sun casting stark shadows across the muddy, war-torn no man’s land. The camera of the blackboard's narrative zoomed in on the green mare who had sparked this unexpected armistice. She climbed out of her trench cautiously, her helmet gripped in one hand, the other mysteriously tucked behind her back. Below her, Discord’s forces tensed, fingers on triggers, eyes narrowed in suspicion. Mini Discord, depicted perched on a fluffy cloud above, watched with smug anticipation, certain of his impending victory.
Yet, the battlefield remained silent; the anticipated gunfire never erupted. Both sides, though armed and ready, were inexplicably transfixed by the mare’s solitary figure advancing across the desolate stretch. The tension was palpable, a thick blanket of uncertainty that covered both armies.
Unexpectedly, a Discordian officer, moved by an inexplicable compulsion, mirrored the mare’s actions, climbing out of the trench and slowly, cautiously moving toward her. This act of unprecedented bravery—or perhaps folly—caused Mini Discord’s smug expression to morph into one of utter disbelief. His strategic dominion was unraveling without a single shot fired. Internally, he wrestled with the impulse to intervene, but he was shackled by the knowledge that any overt chaos would summon Celestia and Luna, bringing down the full force of the Elements of Harmony upon him.
As if orchestrated by an unseen conductor, soldiers from both sides then rose from their trenches, their arms not brandishing weapons, but raised in a sign of truce, their helmets held aloft like white flags. They converged in the middle of no man’s land, their actions painting a picture of unity as they shook hands, exchanged stories, laughed, and shared tokens of their lives before the war.
The culmination of this spontaneous truce was not merely the cessation of hostilities but the organisation of an impromptu game of football. The scene unfolded with a raw, almost surreal quality, as soldiers who minutes before were poised to kill now kicked a makeshift ball around the pockmarked battlefield.
“That human woman turned pony and a simple game of football defeated me entirely. I couldn’t understand it at first. What made that human risk her life just to kick a ball across a war zone? Why?” Discord’s voice carried a mix of frustration and introspection. "That morning, faces etched with misery transformed into visages of sheer delight, cries of despair became laughter, the scars of battle temporarily forgotten amid the joy of the game."
He continued, his eyes narrowing as he recalled the scene, "Even when tackles grew rough, the expected resurgence of conflict didn’t materialise. Instead, such moments brought the opponents closer, as they helped each other up, their faces split by grins. I have never felt so humiliated, so at a loss, so utterly confounded. But what could I do, when not a trace of chaotic energy remained to be manipulated? It was all nullified, all eclipsed by the simple, pure joy of football."
Discord’s tale, rich with the unexpected twists of battlefield camaraderie and the profound impact of human spirit, painted a vivid picture of a moment when peace eclipsed war, and joy overcame chaos.
Amelia's eyes widened in astonishment as she absorbed the profound revelations of Equestria's wartime history, her expression reflecting a mix of shock and recognition. The narrative echoed a chapter from her own world's past—the remarkable and unexpected Christmas Truce of 1914 during World War I, when British and German soldiers briefly set aside their hostilities. The poignant story resonated deeply with her, stirring thoughts of how, even amid the bleak trenches and the grim spectre of battle, moments of shared humanity had blossomed between the most unlikely of comrades. Her mind raced, drawing parallels between the magical world of Equestria and the muddy, war-torn fields of Earth, where soldiers had also found a fleeting peace under the cold, starlit skies of a war-weary Christmas.
Amelia listened, her eyes wide with a mixture of awe and curiosity as she absorbed the profound transformation of a battlefield into a playing field, a sight so out of place yet deeply stirring. "Amazing..." she breathed out, the word barely more than a whisper, yet heavy with emotion. She leaned forward, her fascination clear as she sought to understand more. "But… what happened after that? What did you do?"
Discord, usually so composed and full of mischief, seemed to shrink slightly under the weight of the memory. The shadows in the room seemed to gather around him, reflecting his inner turmoil. "What could I do at that point?" he sighed, his voice a low rumble of defeat and bewilderment. "I just—walked away, and vanished, letting them play their little game of football." His hands gestured helplessly, his usual flamboyance drained by the recollection. "I was too distraught and confused to do anything else. I just—" He paused, his eyes distant, as if searching for answers in the corners of the room.
"That day still mocks me," he continued, his voice growing thicker with frustration, the words tumbling out in a cascade of confusion. "Not because I lost, but because I am clueless as to why—why football itself beat me." His hands clenched into fists, and his figure seemed to loom larger as his frustration built. "What makes football so special to make the world stop just to play the game? Why… why… why!" Discord's roar filled the room, his voice echoing off the walls, almost to the point of desperation.
Amelia watched, her heart going out to Discord as she witnessed his struggle with the simplicity of human joy that had unraveled his complex plots. The room around them felt charged with his raw energy, a stark contrast to the simple joy that had thwarted him years ago. It was a poignant reminder of the powerful, unifying force of communal happiness and how it could indeed bring even the mightiest to pause.
“That’s just… football, I guess,” Amelia responded casually, almost dismissively, as though that simple phrase might unravel the complex tangle of Discord's inquiries. Yet, internally, Amelia didn't truly understand it herself. To her, falling in love with football had been as swift and thoughtless as indulging in a bar of chocolate; once it became a part of her life, she never really questioned its presence again.
Discord exhaled a troubled sigh, his voice rising in frustration, reverberating through the cavernous space around them. "Everypony says that, but it doesn't really answer my questions. Why does no pony understand!?" He paced, his every step marked by an increasing sense of desperation. "Football broke my influence on humans—my chaotic influence that not even the strongest magic could shatter!" His hands animatedly gestured, emphasising his perplexity and dismay. "The only force I thought could rival my power was Alicorn magic, or worse, The Elements of Harmony. Is football truly that potent? A mere game that can override the will of any sentient being, even one under another's manipulation?" His voice cracked slightly, a rare show of vulnerability. "I don’t know! I simply don’t know!"
He continued, his tone tinged with a hint of fear and awe. "What haunts me the most is that football did what I couldn’t—it took over the world. Everywhere I go, it dominates conversations, worshipped like a deity, cherished as if it were a precious, everlasting treasure." Discord paused, taking a shaky breath as he grappled with the reality of his observations. "Even Celestia and Luna have embraced it, participating with as much enthusiasm as any ordinary pony."
His eyes widened, the realisation dawning on him like a slow, creeping dawn. "Did humans always wield such a formidable, chaotic force? Was football already ensnaring minds long before I brought them to this realm?" He looked visibly shaken, the weight of his unintended consequences dawning upon him. "If so, I inadvertently introduced a new type of chaos here, one that I was too blind to recognize—a chaos that quietly infiltrated and conquered from within!"
Amelia watched him, her face a mixture of sympathy and contemplation. She had always viewed football as a simple pleasure, a harmless pastime, but through Discord's eyes, she began to perceive the deeper, almost mystical influence it wielded—an influence capable of shaping societies and bending the will of the powerful.
Amelia clocked onto something, a detail about Discord she should have seen before through his experiences. As the realization dawned on her, a snicker escaped her lips. Discord looked at her, his expression a blend of confusion and curiosity.
“What’s so funny?” Discord murmured, his voice tinged with annoyance at being out of the loop.
“Discord… all this time you've been questioning football for what?—years? Decades? Centuries? And yet, you’ve never actually tried playing football yourself, have you?” Amelia pointed out, her grin broadening as she watched Discord recoil at the suggestion.
“Of course not, don’t be ridiculous!” Discord exclaimed, his voice rising in a mix of disbelief and disdain. "Football is an addictive, brain-rotting virus! Why on earth would I partake in such madness?" He crossed his arms defiantly, his body language screaming indignation.
“And that’s exactly why you have no answers! Because you are oblivious to the sport! Honestly… you are just like an American who calls it ‘soccer!’” Amelia teased, her laughter filling the room as she pointed at him. The comparison seemed to hit a nerve, making Discord’s eyes widen in mock horror.
“Me? Like an American calling it soccer? That's preposterous!” Discord retorted, his tone dramatic. He unfolded his arms, gesturing wildly with his hands as if the very idea was an affront to his chaotic nature. “Next thing you know, you'll have me drinking tea with my pinkie out, or worse, enjoying baseball!”
Amelia continued to laugh, thoroughly enjoying the rare opportunity to see Discord so flustered over something as mundane as football. Her laughter seemed infectious, and despite his initial resistance, a small chuckle escaped Discord, his usual poise slipping in the face of such absurdity.
“Perhaps if you joined a game, you might just find the answers you seek. Or at the very least, have fun trying to bend the rules of football as you do with everything else,” Amelia suggested, winking playfully.
Discord's expression flickered with uncertainty, his usual air of confidence giving way to a rare glimpse of vulnerability. "I don’t know, Amelia. After what happened all that time ago, I-I feel overwhelmed by the idea. It broke my chaotic spirit for a time, making me feel… vulnerable for the second time in my life. I don’t think I want to partake in the game," he confessed, his voice tinged with hesitance. His face contorted with unease, a clear sign of the inner conflict brewing within him. "The thought of it terrifies me…”
Amelia watched him, her empathy quickly shifting to a spark of determination. She suddenly stood up on her desk, her posture bold and her expression set with resolve. "That’s it, I’ve had enough of this," she declared, her voice firm and unwavering. Amelia pointed squarely at Discord, who looked up in surprise at her sudden elevation.
"Discord! I challenge you to a football match! If you win, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about football! If I win, you’ll let me skip school! How’s that!" she announced, crossing her arms in a defiant stance. The challenge hung in the air between them, a bold proposition that mixed audacity with a touch of playfulness.
Discord blinked, taken aback by Amelia's spirited challenge. A mix of amusement and intrigue played across his face as he considered the implications. The corners of his mouth twitched, hinting at a reluctant smile beginning to form. "A football match, you say?" he mused aloud, his voice carrying a mixture of curiosity and amusement. "Against you, Amelia? That’s quite the proposition. You do realise you’re challenging the spirit of chaos himself to a game of mere mortals?"
Amelia nodded emphatically, her eyes gleaming with the thrill of the challenge. "Exactly! What better way to conquer your fear and learn about the game? It’s perfect, Discord. You get to understand football by actually playing it, and I get a day off school if I win. It’s a win-win!"
Discord paused, the gears of thought visibly turning in his head as he weighed his options. Finally, with a theatrical sigh and a dramatic roll of his eyes, he acquiesced. "Very well, Amelia. You have yourself a deal. Prepare yourself for a game unlike any other. But beware, I might just take to this game more naturally than you expect!"
Their laughter echoed through the room, the challenge setting the stage for an unusual but exciting showdown. This was not just a game; it was an opportunity for Discord to face his fears and perhaps rediscover a part of himself lost long ago in the face of an unexpected defeat.
“With your chaotic magic and my knowledge of the game throughout history, I’m going to make the single best football match to ever grace the universe! Get excited, Discord!”
Amelia's imagination soared as she envisioned the ultimate football match, her thoughts dancing with possibilities now that she had the chance to make them real with Discord's chaotic magic. Each idea sparked another, brighter and more fantastic than the last.
In her mind, the perfect stadium was a colossal arena, built at the heart of Equestria. It shimmered with enchantment, its stands rising steeply to accommodate thousands of spectators, each seat offering a perfect view of the lush, green pitch below. This stadium would not be just any venue; it would be a magical place where the boundaries between reality and fantasy blurred, where the grass shimmered under a twilight sky that never darkened completely, lit by stars that twinkled in harmony with the excitement of the crowd.
The players who would take the field in Amelia's dream match were a blend of Equestrian magic and human skill—legends of the sport from her world combined with the athleticism of ponies who played with a grace and agility only magic could enhance. These players would be heroes of their respective realms, coming together in a showcase of the best talents across dimensions.
The managers directing each team would be figures of legendary prowess, perhaps even heroes and villains from Equestrian lore, each bringing their own unique strategies and magical tactics to the game. They would stand on the sidelines, their commands weaving spells of speed and precision among their players.
The fans filling the stands would be a colourful mosaic of creatures from all over Equestria and beyond, each one cheering and roaring with excitement. The atmosphere would be electric, charged with the collective enthusiasm of diverse beings united by their love of the game.
And overseeing this spectacle, the referee would be a figure of impartial authority, perhaps a wise and ancient Alicorn or a celebrated hero known for their fairness and insight, capable of seeing through any deceit and ensuring a fair match with a keen eye and a sharp whistle.
“Well then, if we are going to do this, let's find enough space to swing a cat—or whatever you swing in your spare time,” Discord quipped, sparking a look of confusion on Amelia's face.
“What do you—whoa!” Amelia began to ask, but before she could finish, her surroundings were swallowed by an engulfing white, so intense it could have been a toothpaste commercial. It was as if someone had cranked the brightness dial to 'future blinding'. The flashing light! It’s back! Where on earth—or off it—is it going to take me now? she wondered, half expecting to step into a giant tub of vanilla ice cream.
“So… what do you think, Amelia?” Discord’s voice cut through the stark whiteness, calm and a touch mischievous. Amelia squinted towards the sound, trying to spot him in the vast sea of nothingness. “I know, it's pretty basic right now. You might start feeling like you're in a giant snow globe after a while here, but with a sprinkle of chaos, I can whip this into whatever you fancy.”
“What is this place? Why is it so… overwhelmingly white?” Amelia asked, spinning around in the brightness that seemed to extend forever.
“This, Amelia, is the hyperbolic time chamber!” Discord announced grandly, his arms wide as if presenting a new car on a game show.
“Wha—huh?” Amelia's response was a mix of disbelief and a rapidly rising brow. “The hyperbolic time chamber!? From *Dragon Ball Z*!?” Her voice climbed an octave in confusion.
“Haha, I’m just pulling your leg,” Discord chuckled, clearly enjoying his own joke a bit too much. “Manipulating time and space like that is a tad out of my league. I’m chaotic, not omnipotent!” He waved his hand dismissively, as if clearing away the very idea.
Amelia’s face settled into a deadpan stare, the absurdity of the situation finally sinking in. “So, you're telling me this is your limitless realm of chaos, basically a giant blank canvas?” She glanced around, still trying to adjust to the overwhelming whiteness.
“Exactly!” Discord beamed, proud as if he'd just revealed a masterpiece painting instead of an infinite white room. “A place I created after my defeat to, you know, think and stuff.”
Amelia raised an eyebrow. “You created a boundless void to have a think? Most people just use a diary or, I don’t know, a blog.”
Discord shrugged, his grin unwavering. “Well, I like to think big. And besides, isn’t it more fun to think in a place where the possibilities are literally endless? Here, we could even play zero-gravity football if we wanted!”
Amelia chuckled, her laughter echoing slightly in the vast whiteness. “Zero-gravity football? That sounds like either the best idea ever or an emergency room's nightmare.” She couldn't help but picture herself, suspended mid-air, chasing a floating soccer ball that seemed just as confused about the laws of physics as they were. “Let’s stick to the traditional version for now. I’d like to keep my bones in one piece, and frankly, I’m not equipped to administer space first aid.”
“Very well,” Discord replied, his voice dripping with theatrical disappointment. He dramatically crossed his arms and pouted, looking like a child who had just been told his cotton candy was actually made of broccoli. “So… eh—how do you play football?”
Amelia paused, her eyes widening slightly as the realisation dawned on her. Oh boy… This was going to be more of a coaching session than a casual game. She suppressed a giggle, imagining the chaos that was about to unfold.