“This is simply a marvelous day,” Discord said, turning into a dog and running circles around the filly. He sniffed a few times, and covered his nose with a whine. “Ugh! Smell of harmony…too powerful…” He fell to the ground, legs in the air. “Burning out my nose.” He turned back into his regular self. “Well, enough jokes. Hand it over, Sweetie Belle. Once you do I’ll go help your poor sister and the two of you can have a lovely and TOUCHING reunion.”

He could tell by her faded colors that she had made up her mind already. “Well… what are you waiting for?” he asked when she didn’t move. “Don’t tell me you’re going to change your mind now, not after you went through the trouble of summoning me? Do you really have the time to think it over anymore?”

Sweetie Belle reluctantly lifted her head, looking into his eyes. “If… if I give you this, what are you going to do after you help Rarity?”

Discord looked up thoughtfully, scratching his chin. Poofing a fancy outfit onto his body along with a cane, a monocle, and a slicked back hairstyle he held up a piece of paper and said in an important voice, “Hmm…so much planned. I guess first I’ll conquer Ponyville again.”

“WHAT?” Sweetie Belle cried out.

Discord cracked up. “Oh, you ponies are just delightful. Everything I say gets you so riled up. It’s just a joke.”

“Oh… right.” She let out a weak laugh.

“I mean, really. Taking over Ponyville? Of course I’d have to start with Canterlot to get those pesky alicorns out of my way before I begin my new rule.” He gave her a sideways look, grinning down at her.

Sweetie Belle looked at him uncertainly. Discord was scaring her now. Was he actually being honest, or was it just more of his twisted humor to get a reaction out of her? “That’s not funny.”

“Is what I’m saying really so threatening, Sweetie Belle? Is it so wrong that I want to show ponies a new way to live? I mean, in Celestia’s PERFECT WORLD have things ever gone smoothly? I didn’t remember before, but I went back to some of my letters to Fluttershy, and now I know who you are.”

A letter appeared in his paw, and Sweetie Belle felt her heart skip a beat as Discord’s top half turned into Fluttershy, with the voice to match. “Oh, Discord. I feel so bad for those three little fillies. They get bullied for not having their cutie mark by these two fillies in their class. I can’t tell you how many different things they’ve tried to get their cutie marks, but they always seem to come up short. I hope they get them soon.”

With another poof he turned into an alicorn pony. “Interesting… isn’t it? I play pranks and try to let everyone have a good time, and I get turned to stone for a millennium, but two ponies mercilessly pick on you on a daily basis, and they constantly get off scot-free. So that’s what justice is in this 'world of harmony?' ”

Sweetie Belle let out a small moan, shrinking away from him a little as he got in her face. “But… I… well…”

“I just abhor boredom. When things become the same day after day it starts eating away at me. I just want to spice up the world, that’s all. Can you imagine? My power made it so a bunch of sick ponies showed no evidence of ever being sick. Before I met Fluttershy I wanted a world all about chaos. Now all I want is a world where chaos and harmony can coexist. What are a few soap roads and cotton candy clouds showering the town in chocolate rain, if in return they can come to me whenever they’re sick or injured, and I can make it all better?

“I know what I’ve done in the past was wrong. Fluttershy taught me that when I was on the brink of losing her friendship due to my selfishness. She’s been trying to teach me to do things a different way, but I think it would be for the best if all of you tried to do something different as well. After all, isn’t it just a bit selfish to demand conformity to just one standard? Your precious Ponyville has all three races living together. You have an earth pony and a pegasus friend. Do you hate them for being of a different race or thinking differently than you?”

“No… of course not!”

“Ponyville was founded BY earth ponies, and earth ponies alone. But as time went on other races began coexisting with them, and now you have a town with variety, with ponies of all kinds living together. And do you know why? It’s because the founders were willing to open their hearts and give the other races a chance, and it worked out splendidly. Why can’t I, as a draconequues, be extended the same courtesy, hmm?

“In the new world I desire things don’t have to make sense. Ponies can do whatever they want. I’ll just shave off a few useless rules. I won’t go as far as I did before. I’ll respect other ponies boundaries… to an extent. Dear Fluttershy loves animals. If you so wanted you could become her new pet for a day.”

“What are you-whoa!” Discord suddenly become huge as his horn glowed in a plaid green and purple mix. It took her a few moments to see that he hadn’t grown. She had shrunk. Discord summoned a mirror, and Sweetie Belle saw she was a bunny.

“Aw, you’re so adorable!” he said, before turning her back to normal. “And you know, my abilities to defy the normal order of things means that I can break the rules of reality as I see fit. In a chaotic world ponies would be too busy dealing with their different lives for bullies to focus on your blank flank. But… that would be going too far. Fluttershy wouldn’t approve. What about this? Would you like a cutie mark now?”

Sweetie Belle let out an angry huff. “Twilight already tried that for Apple Bloom. Magic can’t force a cutie mark to appear. That’s impossible!”

“Impossible for a unicorn or even an alicorn, but you’re forgetting who you’re talking to. Come on. What would you like?”

Letting out another heavy breath she said, “I don’t know! How about an overly tall owl stuck to a barn with pancake syrup? Oh, and the barn is eating spaghetti with 3 unicorn's horns as a fork. OH! And the moon is eating the barn. That’s the kind of wacky thing you’d like, right?”

Discord let out a big laugh as he turned back to normal. “Oh, Sweetie Belle. There’s hope for you yet.” He snapped his claw.

Sweetie Belle looked behind her at her flank, rolling her eyes as she saw an owl with its head stuck to a barn wall, sticking straight out horizontally. A barn with a mouth was eating a big plate of spaghetti while the moon nibbled on the barn. She waited for a few seconds for it to disappear, but nothing happened. It stayed in place.

After staring for thirty seconds it was still there. Her anger was fading away, and a smile slowly came to her face. She could have any cutie mark she wanted? That was awesome! No longer would they have to pull all sorts of wild schemes. The three of them could spend some time deciding on what mark they wanted to show the world, and then Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon would stop bullying them.

“Huh?” Discord felt a minor stab of panic as he saw the pink and purple returning to her mane. He quickly snapped his claw, making the cutie mark disappear. He let out a sigh of relief at her look of despair as her color faded again. “So there you have it. Do you really want to tell me this system of things is the best? The world says you can’t create a cutie mark? I can. The world says there is an incurable disease? I can cure it. Just give me a chance, and I’ll show you we can create the best of both worlds.”

He saw her hesitating again, and he bit his cheek as he restlessly moved up and down. His patience was running thin. He wanted to just go over and rip the element from her hooves, but that might prove dangerous. She had to be the one to hand it over to him. He wanted the Element being in his possession to be a secret for as long as possible. So long as she freely gave it to him her guilt and fear would prevent her from spilling the beans on the matter.

Sweetie Belle looked up towards the sun, feelings its warmth. “A world without rules,” she said in an emotionless voice. “Where I could have any cutie mark I wanted…”

Discord suppressed a snicker. She was so close to cracking he could taste it.

“Rarity…” She loved her sister so much. She couldn’t think of a world without her. She wanted to be just like her sister when she grew up. She had no doubt in her mind that Discord would help Rarity out if she gave him the Element, so why was her mind rebelling against the idea? Why did her body feel so heavy?

Cheerilee’s words came back to her again. “Was your act of generosity ACTUALLY generous at all?” “Think about the recipient of your gift. If the situation was reversed would you want them to have done the same?”

In her mind she thought, ‘Would I want Rarity to do this for me?’ Tears began pouring down her eyes. ‘I want Rarity to live. I want her to, but… how is she going to feel?’

Her breathing sped up as her crying increased in intensity. “Sometimes there is no going back,” she muttered out. “But so long as you haven’t actually done it there’s still time to consider your options.”

She tilted her head down, settling on Discord. “I… I can’t. Not like this. Because I love Rarity so much I was willing to risk whatever was going to happen. And… it’s because my love for her is so strong that I can’t disgrace everything she’s worked for by becoming a traitor. I can’t put the weight of my guilt on her. She’d never forgive herself for that. It would destroy her.”

“So don’t tell her, obviously. How would she know it was you?”

“Rarity’s not stupid!” she said loudly, irritation settling in. “She’d know something was up because I suddenly started acting differently. Me and her and Twilight are the only ones who are supposed to know where it is.”

“A lot of places have been quarantined, right? A daring thief could very well have broken in and swiped it.”

“You just don’t get it! Do you? I’m not doing it and that’s FINAL! SO THERE!” She began panting as she said it. She felt like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Her colors returned to normal. She just wouldn’t have been able to live with the knowledge of what she had done. She thought she could throw everything away for Rarity, but when it came down to it… when the time came… she just couldn’t. Everything about her fought that notion.

Discord had genuine disappointment on his face. He slowly shook his head. “So is that your final answer?”

“Yes!” she said, blinking tears out of her eyes. That decision was sealing Rarity’s fate, but she knew her sister wouldn’t want to live with what it would cost.

He shrugged. “So be it. I guess I should say I’m proud of you for having the courage to make that decision. I really was going to help her, you know.”

Sweetie Belle shook her head, trying not to start sobbing. “I have to go. I have to see Rarity before she dies.” She turned around and started running. “Oof!” she cried out as she suddenly slammed into something, falling to the ground. She looked up and saw Discord in front of her.

“And just where do you think you’re going, Sweetie Belle?”

“I already told you. I have to see Rarity.”

“Not yet. I believe you owe me something. It’s your decision if you want to back out of our deal, but I’m afraid you still have a debt to me for healing all those other ponies.”

“Fine! I’ll bring you some cookies or something later. I have to go!” She tried running around him, but he only reappeared in front of her as a brick wall blocking her path. “Stop it, Discord!”

“I waited long enough for you. I’m not waiting anymore. I’ll be taking that Element now, then I’ll consider your tab null and void.”

“Forget it!” She turned and began racing in the opposite direction. She only got a short distance before she felt something pulling at her hooves and she tripped. There was a rope tied around her, locking her back legs together. Holding a fishing rod Discord began reeling her in.

“Look at that!” he said with a chuckle as he held her up by her front hoof. “I’ve caught me a Sweetie Belle. Now hand over that little trinket, if you don’t mind.”

Sweetie Belle squirmed in his grasp but wasn’t able to get loose. Getting an idea as he lifted his claw to take the Element she put her back hooves on his arm,kicking off, then using the forward momentum to kick him in the eye.

Discord let out a cry of pain. He dropped the filly, putting his paws over his face.

Sweetie Belle quickly took off. She knew that wouldn’t stop him for long.

Discord brought his claw down a few seconds later, all the humor gone from his face. His face slowly started turning red before the top of his head blew upward with a cloud of steam erupting out. “You shouldn’t have done that,” he said angrily. “I’m done playing around.” Pulling his eye out of his socket he began rubbing it clean with a napkin before putting it back in.

“OH, SWEETIE BELLE! Where do you think you’re going?”

Sweetie Belle heard his furious cry, and picked up the pace. She began hearing music. The melody was very catchy, and she found herself slowing down, her hooves moving in time to the music. While she still had some control over herself she grabbed the Element from around her neck and threw it into a hollow in a tree.

She suddenly tripped, her hooves moving uncontrollably. Her eyes bugged out of her head and she let out a loud shriek as she saw her hooves had turned into snakes. Each of her legs sniffed the air, and began pulling her in the opposite direction. She continued screaming the whole way there.

As she returned to the clearing she saw Discord sitting down playing a flute. “Stop it!” she screamed, tears coming down her eyes. “Please stop!”

The music ceased as the flute disappeared and her legs turned back to normal. Discord picked her up, his arm extending a little so she couldn’t do the same thing as before. “See, Sweetie Belle, what you got for your pointless insolence? I was willing to be patient and play around with you, to heal your ailing sister and do some good deeds. But you shouldn’t have attacked me. That was a foolish decision on your part.

"Now just give me the Element and we’ll let bygones be bygones, hmm?” He lifted his other claw, but then he noticed her neck was bare, and his eyes narrowed. “What have you done with it?”

She gave him a defiant grin, even as a bead of sweat came down her face. “Who knows? I sent it away with my magic. Even if I don’t know where it is at least you won’t have it either.”

Discord let out an aggravated sigh. “So be it. I guess I have no choice. I really didn’t want to resort to this."

“Ha! You wouldn’t dare mind-control me. Fluttershy would never accept that.”

“What Fluttershy doesn’t know won’t hurt her.” His eyes began spinning around rapidly.

***

Rarity’s ears perked up as she heard it. The loud screaming coming from the direction of the forest. “Sweetie Belle! Oh, no! Speed up! Who knows what’s he doing to her.”

“Right!” Twilight said, the rest of them increasing their pace. After another minute they found themselves in a clearing, seeing Discord standing there.

“Discord!” cried out Applejack.

Discord groaned. “I should have known you would show up. What a pain. I was so close.”

“Where’s my sister?” Rarity asked. “If you’ve hurt her…!”

“Why, she’s right here,” he replied, moving out of the way.

Sweetie Belle’s coat had turned colorless again. She stood there with a blank look on her face. “The Element,” she said emptily. “Have to find the Element.”

Next Chapter: Chapter 6: Self-fulfilling prophecy Estimated time remaining: 2 Hours, 52 Minutes