Fluttershy shook her husband desperately.
"Discord, wake up!"
The draconequus only snuggled deeper into his pillow and groaned. "Oh, Fluttershy..."
"Wake up!"
He cried out as she rolled him onto the floor. He stood up and glared at her.
"What the heck was that for?!"
"Screwball's gone!" Fluttershy shrieked.
His eyes widened. "What do you mean gone?"
"I went to wake her for breakfast, but she wasn't in bed!"
He waved his paw and huffed. "I'm sure she just went to the bathroom or the garden or something."
"I've looked everywhere!"
"The bowling alley?"
"Yes."
"The swimming pool?
"Yes."
"The ice cream room?"
"Yes."
"The bouncy room?"
"Yes! She's nowhere in the house! What if something horrible happened to her?"
He chuckled and patted her on the head. "Don't get so paranoid, honey. Screwball's a big girl. Wherever she is, she can take care of herself."
"Discord!"
He sighed. "Alright, if it will ease your worry, I will look for her."
He summoned a metal detector and scanned the ground. Fluttershy raised an eyebrow at this action until the machine beeped.
"I got her scent! Follow me!"
"Ha!" Mothball exclaimed, taking Screwball's knight with his rook.
The filly simply rolled her eyes and moved her queen with her magic. The chess piece suddenly came to life and sliced the rook with a marble sword.
"Checkmate," she said.
"Aw, man!" the prince groaned.
"Don't feel bad. You put up a pretty good fight."
"How'd you get so good at this?"
"My dad and I would play using both our magic."
"Your dad has powers like yours? I thought you were the only one."
She bit her lip, not wanting to scare her new friend off. "I'm unique for...different reasons."
"I never knew hanging out could be so much fun!"
"Five thousand brothers and sisters and you don't hang out with them?"
"Well, they're not exactly my siblings. You see..."
He was cut short when Discord appeared between them, crushing the remaining chess pieces. Mothball jumped back in fright. The draconequus was crouched down on all fours, his fur standing on end, his teeth growling at the changeling.
"Step away from my daughter!" he barked.
"Daddy, wait!" Screwball protested.
"That's your dad?!" Mothball squealed.
Fluttershy then emerged from the bushes, rushing to her daughter. "Screwball! Thank goodness you're alright!"
"Mom?" Screwball uttered as her mother took her protectively in her arms.
"Fluttershy, I told you to stay put!" Discord hissed. "Let me take care of this pest!"
He was about to lash out when Chrysalis materialized in front of him. The draconequus paused and returned to his defensive position.
"Chrysalis," he snarled.
"Discord," the queen chuckled. "It's been a while, Dissy dear."
"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be living out your exile in the Changeling Forest?"
"I bear no ill will. I was only fetching my son. I don't believe you've met Prince Mothball."
"Prince?" Screwball repeated.
"Son?" Discord snorted. "Aren't all changelings your children?"
Queen Chrysalis laughed as she proudly showed off her son. "Mothball is a special case. He is the heir to my throne."
Her head shot up as she felt a great wave of love. She looked between the draconequus and the pegasus. Their love was radiating out of them in a way the queen had never experienced. Such love emitted from the filly as well.
"And what's this?" she said with a dark chuckle. "I never fancied you a family man, Discord. And to think all it took to turn you from the evil Lord of Chaos to a fluffy do-gooder was a gooey romance with an itty, bitty, wimpy pegasus."
Fluttershy shivered but stayed strong and pulled her daughter closer to her. Discord held out his arm defensively.
"I think you should leave now, your majesty. And if you or any of your little hatchlings ever come near my family again..."
Chrysalis shrugged her shoulders. "I wouldn't dream of it. Come, son."
She did not give him a choice as she picked him up in her mouth.
"Bye," he mouthed to Screwball as his mother carried him away.
"Bye," the filly whispered sadly in return.
When they had returned to the castle, Screwball gave her parents a nervous smile that wavered as they glared down at her.
"What do you think you were doing?!" her father bellowed.
The filly drew a circle with her hoof. "I was...I was..."
"You know you're not supposed to go into the Everfree Forest alone!" her mother snapped. "You could have gotten killed!"
"I'm not a baby, Mom! I go out there all the time!"
She covered her mouth as her secret spilled.
"What?!" Fluttershy screeched.
"I don't think the fact that she was out in the forest is the issue here," Discord grunted. "What were you doing with a changeling?!"
"I don't understand," Screwball said. "What is a changeling?"
"A changeling is a heartless, soulless monster that takes the form of the one you love and feeds off your love for them, which is exactly what that Prince Hairball was doing to you!"
"That would explain why he looked like Dinky at first. But he didn't seem so bad..."
"He's a changeling!" he spat venomously. "He was feeding off your power!"
"But after I found out who he was, he stayed."
"So he could satisfy his appetite!"
"Don't you and Mom always say that every creature has a heart?"
He roared and slammed his fist against the wall. "Every creature but changelings! They have no hearts! Literally!"
He opened his chest, frightening Screwball and showing nothing inside.
"They are born without a heart! They are hollow! No heart, no compassion, no morals, no soul!"
"Discord, close that up!" Fluttershy commanded. "You're scaring our child!"
He groaned as she shut the lid. "Sorry for the dramatics, but you get the picture. Changelings are cruel, vicious and cunning! And of all the changelings you could have encountered, it had to be the queen's favorite son!"
"He was just a kid," Screwball muttered.
"Doesn't matter! All changelings are the same!"
Fluttershy crossed her hooves. "You sound so sure. How do you know Chrysalis?"
He sighed. "Some time during my three years of exile, Chrysalis told me about her plot against Canterlot and asked me to join her. She said if the plan succeeded, I would be free to spread my chaos. I rejected her, of course, because not only did I think the plan was lousy, but I was a solo act."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Is that all?"
"Well, we met a couple times over the centuries. You know she's about as old as I am? She stayed clear of me though, because I had no love for her to feed. Why? What did you...?" He paused when he caught the jealous rage in her eye. "Wait, did you...?" He burst out laughing. "You...you thought...me and...and Chrysalis?!" He ruffled his wife's hair. "Oh, you really are paranoid, my dear. You're the only mare who's ever caught my eye."
He then kissed her in desperation. "Okay?"
Fluttershy sighed. "Okay. As for you, young lady..."
Screwball hung her head. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disobey you and I didn't know Mothball was a changeling. We were just having so much fun and..." She closed her eyes. "I deserve whatever punishment you have for me."
Her parents looked at each other, made a silent agreement and nodded.
"You're grounded for a week," Discord stated.
"You are not to leave the house, with the exception of school," Fluttershy clarified. "No friends over, no sweets..."
"Now honey, let's not go overboard!"
"NEED I REMIND YOU OF THE FIRST RULE OF THE HUNT?!" Chrysalis hollered, shaking the green palace that the changelings considered their hive.
"It wasn't my fault, mother!" Prince Mothball insisted. "She used her magic to get rid of my disguise! I don't know how she did it since she's not a unicorn...and she's just a filly!"
"Still, you disobeyed me!"
The prince cowered, fearing she was going to strike him, but the queen took a deep breath, calming herself down.
"Your hunt was not completely unsuccessful, however. Because of your carelessness, we now know that Discord is married, and has a daughter at that."
"Mother," Mothball stammered. "If I may, who is Discord?"
"Discord is the Lord of Chaos, or was, until he was weakened by the love of a female. Be grateful you do not have a heart, son. We cannot survive without the existence of love. It is what gives us our power. Feeling love, on the other hand, will only lead to your downfall...as it will for my old friend."
"What are you talking about?"
"What did you learn about this girl?"
He pondered. "Her name is Screwball, she's very powerful..."
"How powerful?"
"Like really powerful! It was incredible! She turned water into this thing called 'chocolate milk'...you should try it, Mother, it's awesome! She changed me back to myself just by yelling at me! She made these little things called 'chess pieces' move..."
"Hmm," the queen mused, rubbing her chin. "A spitting image of her father, no doubt." She smiled as a plan formed into her mind. "This little chaotic brat could be of use to us."
"Mother?" Mothball gasped. "You're not going to...hurt her, are you?"
"Indeed not. Not yet, anyway." She turned to her son. "I want you to find out everything you can about this Screwball. You seem to have gained her trust."
"But I don't understand. What are you...?"
"As long as Discord is thriving with power, and is on Equestria's good side, I cannot make my attack! For centuries, we have competed for Equestria's throne! I've been searching for his weakness, until I assumed that creature to be as heartless as we were! But now…he has something he cares about. Two things, to be exact. We can use his precious little family against him and take our rightful place as the dominant race of Equestria!"
Prince Mothball stared at his mother as she cackled evilly. He did not want to hurt Screwball. She had been nice to him. All the other changelings resented him, even the ones his own age, because he was next in line and they were not.
He had expected ponies to run at the sight of him if he had ever been discovered, but this filly, she had been unafraid. While she had been curious, she had treated him like he was nothing unusual. He now understood the reason for that after seeing her father. She must hate him now that she knew what he was. Still, he could not stop thinking about her: her voice, her laughter, her magic, her hair, her eyes...those swirly, enchanting, hypnotic eyes...
He felt that pounding in his chest again. What was with that? He must be getting sick or something.
Ooh, love is in the air!
Ok, I'm starting to get a little distracted since this is written just like Lion King 2
I friggin love The Lion King 2, Romeo & Juliet as well- I'm a bit of a romantic but this is just great!
Shakespeare didn't make Romeo and Juliet as encouragement. It was more of a deconstruction of young love getting out of hand. Remember they DIE at the end. I suppose some people forget that and think of the love conquering all part.
I see the whole thing as a lesson of poor communication and jumping to conclusions, which is most likely why the two families were in a blood feud to begin with. Then their children do the same thing and end up dead. It is more like The Lion King 2 since they don't die in the end. Unless you are asking for this young couple to have a tragic demise in the worst way possible.
Hmm.. changelings have no heart literally... Screwball and Discord have the power to alter reality... my guess is either Discord is misinformed and changelings do have hearts or Screwball unknowingly gave the prince a heart.
Was I the only one expecting chrisalys to start singing Zira's lullaby?
Prince Escalus:
"A glooming peace this morning with it brings; the sun, for sorrow, will not show his head: go hence, to have more talk of thse sad things; some shall be pardon'd, and some punished: for never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo." [Exunt.
The above words are the last lines of Romeo and Juliet. And it all comes from a 1,194 page book conaining all 37 of Shakespeare's plays (for only $7 at Barnes and Noble!).
3352774
Just saying, not to offend or anything, but the end of your comment sounds like a ad!
Great another pony and changing love story. Go read Affliction of the Heart and you'll know what I mean.
3143447
Nope, I'm hoping she will, and in the youtube series My Little Disney, she does!
Love is in Bloom! A beautiful bride, a handsome groom!
Found a mistake ...
should be 'him' right?
OK I know I said this on bod but love is in bloom, a beautiful bride a handsome groom. Bride = screwball groom = mothball
When Discord was describing the changlings, I was expecting him to sing a sort of parody of the "Bats" song.
did i see a lion king refrence in this chapter
4560350 These little changelings will give you a fright,
eating love both day and night.
They rest for a minute, maybe three,
Then they're eating all your love in your lil' body.
They don't care for 'nadda, not zilch, no nothin',
'cept draining a pony's love from them.
Now wait just a minute. There's another side to this,
and if I did not defend them, then I would be remiss.
These bugs are mama's and papa's too.
They care for they're young, just like we ponies do.
Oh give me a break, you're being too kind.
These creatures have a one-hive mind.
Equestria's not they're restaurant,
but do they ever think what others may want?
No! No they don't! And that is just a fact.
Changelings simply don't know how to act.
They're big, an ugly, and mean as sin.
Would you look at the state, these husks are in.
Something like this.
Oh my... I can already tell this is going to be emotionally draining isn't it?
when I read the your majesty part I immediately thought of scar and the way chrysalis picked up moth ball reminded ne of kofu an his mother.
And so it begins. I look forward to the rest of it.
5254068
Ya got that right cousin
The draconequus only snuggled deeper into his pillow and groaned. "Oh, Fluttershy..."
I hope I'm not the only one who thought something else was happening. Only me then? gawd I'm so disturbing! I scare myself!
5738416 lol.
Twitterpated...
4793097 The WHOLE chapter. Case in point: Lion King 2 references littered the chapter
5231362 Where did you find that? If it's when Discord talks, it was intended.
5231362 Discord said that on purpose, Harmony
5720993 larry the cable guy?
lol
5738416 SEXUAL INNUENDO FOR DAYZ!!!!!!!!!!
Chrysalis his way too overconfident, Discord is a god and the last thing you want to do is piss off a god.
TWO stories come to mind:
-"rescue from the changeling hive", where a less-powerful version of Screwball is foal-napped by Chrysalis...
-"the Advent of Applejack", where Changelings who became queens would become heartless...UNLESS they prepared ahead of time by giving a piece of their heart to someone they loved, who had to give it back at just the right time...
i don't want to spoil things, or i'd give a few more details.
5738416
XD!! I just barely got that.
[/color]I am LOVING THIS SO FAR!
"I'm not a baby, Mom! I go out there all the time!"
She covered her mouth as her secret spilled.
Kid you seriously suck at keeping secrets
Okay I know this is way before season 6 came around but thorax proved that you don't have to still love from ponies and creatures you can share them and it can help you guys
Well then things really escalated so quickly so Fluttershy and Discord found out that screwball is not here and they're worried about her so they search around the forest somewhere in the forest screwball and mothball are actually playing together even hanging out which it was pretty nice well until Fluttershy's parents showed up and Discord was about to attack the young changeling until Chrysalis showed up as well and apparently they know each other and probably not in a good way and despite everything they went to the separate ways grabbing their children away from each other screwball is getting scald for running away which yeah that was pretty bad of her to do that but still she didn't understand why they did that because the one she hung out was not bad but Discord thinks that changelings do not love or anything and they're just only trying to steal emotion and everything with screwball doesn't believe that meanwhile mothball is also getting scold at from Queen Chrysalis about her Encounter of ponies and creatures especially screwball and apparently she has an idea since screwball likes mothball a lot and something tells me both of these kids are going to have a hard time understanding what's going on