The Six of Mages, The Ghosts of Winter, The Fires of Friendshi-

"Wait, they're still calling that The Unity Flame right now," Discord murmured to himself as he lazed about on a tree branch while examining the cards floating in front of him, as opposed to the myriad assortment of other cards floating listlessly around him in a cylinder shape, all with a pink and grey-purple checker pattern decorating their backsides.

"I really should come up with a better design for these back sides," He mused with a hum, grasping the Fires of Friendship card. It depicted the iconic heart made of bright pink flames that was the bane to all Windigos. He tilted the card back and forth, the name switching back and forth between Fires of Friendship and The Unity Flame. With a shrug of indifference, he settled on The Unity Flame.

"I'll change it if they do," he mused, tossing it back among the rest. His ears flickered as he waved his claw dismissively. "Oh nothing, just a little side project for future generations to enjoy," Discord answered, smirking over his shoulder as he took on a playful tone, "Really, you didn't need to get an Ursa riled up to have a chat with little old me, Harms."

Should it have been mentioned that this branch was connected to a certain tree in a specific cave in a forest named Everfree?

"What, I've been busy!" He defended with a grin at the "silent" tree, floating up to poke the center of the star shape on the tree. The tree gave no true sound when it "spoke" yet the more powerful and magically inclined may hear a buzz if they listen carefully. "But I'm sure you're aware of that," He added on playfully.

This time Harmony had a visual response, its glow getting a bit brighter, "Yes, yes, I make for an amaaaazing friend," Discord gloated smugly. His face quickly turned into a scowl as the light returned to normal, Discord swirling around the tree before pointing a Twicane at it dramatically, "And as for you!" Discord declared loudly, only for the head to pop back on the cane and expose a thin treat, "Gum?" He offered to the tree with a grin, whose light dimmed a bit in response, "Suit yourself," He said with a shrug, popping it into his mouth as fudge bubbles seeped from his mouth.

Discord rolled his eyes as the bubbles popped simultaneously, the light shifting as if it was focusing on him a bit more.

"Yes, I have to do it this way, Harms; A because if I play nice, I still play my way and two because...," Discord stopped midway through of his scolding with a literal screeching halt, looking at the Tree in suspicion, "Wait a minute. Do you...even remember ANYTHING from the original timeline?" Discord asked skeptically.

Logically the answer should be no, but the Tree of Harmony wasn't an entity to make assumptions about. After all, the map it created in Twilight's castle had been a central point in Twilight's time-warping battle against Starlight Glimmer. It may be entirely aware of everything Discord had done in the previous timeline, or it might be entirely ignorant...

"Lord Discord?"

"Hm?" Discord answered with a raised eyebrow as he floated on a cloud of marshmallow. It looked like a completely normal cloud, but that was the joke.

In front of him was Chancellor Puddinghead, standing at the other side of the Meeting Table, still right in the middle of the camp and in front of the tent for the Chancellor, Commander, and Princess were using. Had he made that immobile? Maybe, but that was unimportant either way. While the guards kept most ponies away from the big tent the pony leaders used, some still came close enough to watch him a bit. They were curious, so he'd let them stay curious for now.

"I was just asking where The Guardians were. You did you come to...continue the negotiations, correct?" she asked awkwardly.

"Possibly. Honestly, I'm just here for the welcome party," he answered with a shrug as he held up a tarot card, 'The Cautious Chancellor? The Gluttonous Chancellor?' He mentally mused before shrugging as the card multiplied into an entire deck, allowing him to start doing card tricks.

"Welcome party?" Puddinghead asked with a furrowed borrow, "For you...?"

Discord smirked disarmingly, "As flattering as that would be, I meant for the rest of the tribes finally showing up," he explained in amusement as the cards danced from claw to paw, spinning in midair as they did so.

A fun fact that got lost to history was that the tribes arrived in Equestria in three waves: The scouting parties that found the place, the advance group that fought over it until the Windigos were defeated and then the final bulk of the three tribes arrived together as word of peace and co-existence spread back to their still-frozen homelands.

'Technically I could defrost those places a bit, but that'll result in more ponies heading back to resist becoming part of Equestria, and likely leave more ponies for Sombra to get his fangs into when he goes on his enslaving trip,' Discord mused to himself, keeping the scowl off his face.

"The rest of the tribe? But they're not supposed to arrive for another week!" Puddinghead exclaimed in surprise, getting a raised eyebrow from Discord as he stopped playing with the deck and held it in his paws

"He's right!" Commander Hurricane called as he flew down into the area, "Scouts say they found a large group of ponies approaching, some with wings and others without," He explained with his mouth n a neutral line.

"How on Terrum did they get here so fast?" Puddinghead asked in bewilderment.

Hurricane shook his head, "Even without the snow storms and The Strangeness, it still should have been a three day walk here," he summarized.

Discord looked between the two with a scowl, a strange suspicion growing in his skull, 'Something's not right. I can feel that much. I thought it was just the tribe ponies not getting along yet, but there's something else ahoof here. And I don't like the smell of it,' The Draconequus mentally realized, chin in his paw, before speaking aloud, "The question then is what made them run here?"

The two leaders looked at him, the earth pony with surprise before frowning at the thought and the pegasus nodding in agreement, "Would you have known if anything did happen to them?" Puddinghead asked cautiously.

"Any other time, probably, but I was busy yesterday- and I don't mean just with you ponies, for the record," Discord answered idly as he tapped his claw again the wooden table.

Only to blink as he found it wasn't wood. Glancing down, he furrowed his eyebrow at the tarot card that had slipped off the deck, somehow. Slowly, he picked it up and examined it...

"Lord Discord, what's wrong?" Puddinghead asked in alarm as she saw his expression go completely still, his eyes dilating and his lips twitching back in the beginning of a snarl.

He vanished without a sound this time, save for the intense rushing air pushing toward where he had been seating, nearly knocking off Puddinghead's hat and Hurricane's helmet. They looked forward, finding no trace of their host.

Save for a single card on the table, evaporating into blue ashes.

"What just happened?" Puddinghead asked in confusion as Hurricane stepped up to the Meeting Table, looking at the card.

The image was gone, but he saw the title at the bottom just before it too vanished.

"It seems our chimeric overlord came to the same conclusion I did, more or less," Hurricane answered grimly.

Before Puddinghead could inquire into that, a pegasus guard galloped up to them, "Co-commander Hurricane-"

"Arcus has arrived with the tribes in tow and wants to see me," Hurricane guessed, not even looking up until the second time he spoke, "Am I wrong, soldier?"

The pegasus shook off his surprise before nodding, "Yes, Sir! He said there was an incident on the way here."

"I'm sure he did," Hurricane acknowledged under his breath, "Chancellor, get the Brat up and ready. This truce might have just ended."

"...What the sard is going on?" Puddinghead asked to the pegasus guard, who just shrugged in honest confusion.

Meanwhile

"Paaaapa! Paaaapa! Where are you, Papa!?"

The earth colt's desperate cries echoed over the new boarder of the Frozen North, the nigh-windless clear skies leaving nothing to interfere with his call for his father.

The young pony with a soft brown coat stepped through steep snow, engulfing his short legs with every step, "Papa!" He yelled again, looking around the steep bowl-shaped area he was in. With a sniff, he stopped, "Where'd everypony go...?" he asked to no one.

*bzzzz*

"Huh?" His ears perked up at the strange humming noise, "That noise again...," He spoke to himself, remembering it before things got...loud.

"UGH! AHH!"

The colt jumped up in shock as he turn around and saw a pony, a stallion, rolling down into the snowy depression and landing ungracefully with a pained gruff. The child hesitated only a moment before galloping to the stranger. He faltered only once, tripping in the snow and rolling forward. He landed on his stomach, snow caught in his fur and blond mane. He snorted, shaking the white powder off before running the rest of the gap, "Mister! Mister, are you o-?"

The colt stopped with wide eyes as he got closer. The stallion was a dark grey pegasus in armor, with a black tail and mane hairs in his helmet, his spear laying nearby.

His parents had always told him to stay away from pegasi and unicorns...but the three tribes had all been traveling together, and the pegasi had been guarding them. It should be alright, right? And besides, he needed help anyway.

"Mister?" he called again as he stepped closer, seeing the stallion breathing deeply.

"What...?" The soldier replied, turning his head with great effort before looking shocked at the sight of the child, "...Hey, kid," He greeted weakly.

"Mister? Are you okay? Can you help me find my father?" the colt asked hopefully.

"What's your name, son?" The stallion asked with a tired smile. He winced, but refused to raise his left wing. If he did, the colt would see the bloody wounds in his wing.

"Herald, sir. Herald Meshen," The colt answered softly, looking at the elder pony in concern.

"I'm Private Gust. S-sorry Meshen, but I'm really beat up here. I don't think I can help you find your father," he apologized, hoping there wasn't any blood dripping out of his mouth.

"Is...is there anything I can do to help?" Meshen asked quietly.

Gust forced a chuckle to hide a cough, "Sorry, but I don't think so. Probably just need a good nap," He feigned assurance. "Go on and-"

*BZZZZZZ!*

Meshen's head snapped up, looking about in confusion for the strange noise, while Gust just paled as if he lost a quarter more of his blood, "What is that...?!" Meshen questioned, the buzzing getting louder

"Kid, get over here!" Gust ordered quickly, holding up his good wing.

"What?" the colt asked in alarm and surprise.

"Quick, just get under my wing!" the pegasus urged desperately, looking around in terror.

"Why? What's That Sound?!" Meshen asked skeptically, raising his voice as it got louder and louder

"For Terrum's sake, just-!"

*STOMP*STOMP*

Silence.

Meshen saw the absolute dread and terror in Gust's eyes, looking straight past him. Slowly, hearing the snarling breath behind him, he turned his head left to look behind. His eyes dilated as he took in the large legs of black fur with yellow stripes. He looked up and saw two arms with white fur...then two more arms with black fur again. And all six limbs were adorned with sharp claws. He could faintly see bug-like wings on the back and antennas on the head, but the maw of razor teeth was a bit distracting. To a lesser extent, so were the dark purple-red eyes.

It was like...a big Bee-Bear. A Beear? A Bearbee?

*Sniff*Sniff*

Meshen glanced to the side a bit more.

Two Bearbees.

When did he start crying again?

"Kid, listen to me. Just run. Just run and don't stop running, you hear me?" Gust's hissing voice sounded very far away right then, "Kid, come on, nod or something!"

Why were they waiting? Why didn't they do anything? Were they expecting something?

How long had he been standing the-?

*ROAR!*

"MESHEN!"

"PAPA, HELP!"

*THUMP*THUMP*

Silence.

Heavy Silence.

Herald Meshen wasn't sure what just happened.

The large predators had roared and made a swipe at him.

The pegasus soldier jumped over him, clutching his spear in one hoof towards their deaths.

And the Bearbees struck...stone?

Meshen slowly lifted his head up, Gust still frozen in disbelief, even as his blood slowly dripped onto the snow. Even the Bearbees looked bewildered by what they were seeing.

Indeed, two thick pillars of stone had appeared between the pairs of duos, side by side, looking as though they had always been there.

As the Bearbees eyed the rockwork suspiciously, Gust's darted left and right as he realized something very, VERY important.

They were not alone with these monsters.

The snow around them had moved to form an odd semi-circle snow pile around Meshen and himself. Against his better judgment, he turned his head around...

The snow had eyes…large, yellow orbs with two red irises of different sizes.

And thus snow became flesh. It didn't fall to one side or melt; it literally faded into fur and scales, among other things…a serpentine body of mismatched parts, from puffy ended snake tail to bat wing to lion's paw.

Meshen must have seen it too or he found another reason to grip onto Gust's hoof now.

But the eyes weren't looking at them. This...creature was laying there and looking at the Bearbees.

With a look of annoyance at that.

"You know, I usually don't resort to physical violence," The voice came; clear as day and sounding shockingly normal.

"Gust, look," Meshen whispered, pointing at the predators.

The soldier did, remembering the main threat here...and didn't know whether to be relieved or shocked that they had backed up with worried expressions on their maws.

"And over a pair of hunters just looking for a meal?" Discord added in, suddenly in front of the pillars, one elbow on each and his chin in his palms, the two hybrids quickly taking guarded steps back from the chimeric god.

Gust quickly looked back at where the creature had been a second ago, only to find not even a trace of him ever being there, not even an impression, "How did he...?"

Meshen was too busy watching on in wide eyed wonder.

"Well, I'm not going to start over something like that," Discord continued with a smirk. As if they understood him, the Bearbees looked confused, "That's what he's for," he finished with a point of his talon.

The insect-mammal crossbreeds actually blinked before they realized that now they were the ones not alone.

With a roar of fright, they found themselves quickly and violently lifted into the air by...snow.

Looking down, they found both of them were in the grip of tentacles made completely of snow, connected to a...giant octopus made entirely of snow.

The two ponies watched dumbstruck as the creature of sentient snow crawled rapidly over to a catapult, which had never been there, before cranking it back and throwing the two beasts into the catapult.

"Now," Discord said, as he appeared with a flash, right in front of the bears, almost nose to nose with them as they withered and whimpered under his stare, "When you get the-"

*ROAR!*

Discord stared with an even, displaced look at the Bearbee that swiped at his face, the claws going through his head like water.

The innocent one of the two smartly scooted away from his now terrified companion.

Discord, calmly yet quickly, reached out and squeezed the offending beast's nose, making a loud honking noise...and shrinking him down to be about two or three times the size of a normal bee. The other one gently grasped the shrunken Bearbee in concern before looking up at Discord with a gulp, "Be sure to show him to the rest of your friends when they think about trespassing in my territory," Discord warned, his eyes glowing red for a second. With a snap of his fingers, he was standing behind the ponies again, "Let It Rip, Hank!" Discord called to the Arctopus.

"Hank" gave a salute before one of his snowtecles slammed down on the lever, sending the Bearbees flying with overdramatic screams.

Meshen and Gust watched as their would-be predators got farther and farther away before disappearing with a twinkle of light. Slowly, with gaping maws, they looked forward again to their apparent savior.

Discord grinned down at the ponies, stopping a laugh from emerging as Gust dropped his spear in numb amazement, "Awwwwesome," Meshen whispered with wide eyed wonder.

"Discord, actually, kiddo," said Discord, suddenly where the spear had been, making Gust jump in shock and fright.

"Wa-OWOWOWOW! SARDING OW!" Gust exclaimed as he instinctively unfurled his wings, agitating his wounds and rekindling the pain. The soldier nearly fell over between that and the surprise

"Gust!" Meshen yelled in concern, seeing the pegasus's face contort in pain, "You're bleeding...," He realized uneasily, noticing the blood for the first time.

"Looks like he's been doing that a lot," Discord commented, wearing a doctor's jacket, stethoscope, and holding a clipboard as he adjusted his glasses, "Normally I'd suggest a bit of chaos magic to make it right as rain, but they'll have to wait for another time," Discord mused professionally before the getup disappeared with a flash of light.

"Please, sir, can you help him?" Meshen asked, hopeful and meek, convinced at least that this being wasn't going to eat them.

"I can do a bit more than help," Discord countered with just a touch of smugness.

Gust eyed the creature oddly, "What... are you?" he asked in strained suspicion.

"Its always what and who. I'm also a how, sometimes a when and the nightmare of any and all whys. Don't think I've ever been a where though," Discord answered with a chuckle as he pulled his blue horn off with a pop, to both of their disbelief. He turned it upside down and held it down to the stallion's face level, revealing a green liquid with blue spots, "If you don't want to keep decorating the snow, I'd drink that," Discord strongly suggested.

Gust eyed the horn-cup skeptically, but figuring he had little to lose, he grasped it with one hoof and took a cautious sip. The pony stopped, blinked, and gulped down the rest in one go, "...Why does it taste like cherries?" He couldn't help but ask as a numbing relief buzzed through him.

"Lucky, I always taste swamp water." Discord mock pouted with his arms crossed.

"...Thank you," Gust said after a moment as he stood back up, "Is there any chance your...friend over there could help us? There are a lot more ponies under the snow," Gust asked grimly as he glanced over at the Arctopus…which was currently tearing apart and eating the catapult with vigor.

"...The snow monster eats wood?" Meshen asked slowly.

"It's made of chocolate now," Discord informed offhoofedly before grinning, "And I have a better idea!"

Meanwhile

"So...that's your story, Lieutenant Arcus?" Commander Hurricane asked evenly in a private tent they were borrowing from a few pegasi guards.

Lieutenant Arcus was not a pretty sight for most ponies to look at. He was a light blue stallion, as large as Hurricane himself, but the entire left side of his face and neck was littered with scars with the rest of his body having a few as well. The scars had been accumulated from a long life in service to the tribe, much like how his armor was dented and scratched until it needed to be replaced when it started to become useless. He refused to hide them, be it by eye patch or using his steel-grey mane, wearing them like a badge of honor. That, if nothing else, was one thing Hurricane respected about him.

If only there was much else for him to consider respecting.

"It's what happened, Commander," Arcus answered in a cold tone, his face expressionless.

"The tribes were marching, together, down Canner Pass," Hurricane started off, slowly pacing back and forth before the lieutenant.

"Everything was fine for the first day. Between the lack of...strangeness and the snow thinning without the Windigos around, we were covering twice as much distance than we originally expected," Arcus narrated, staring straight ahead.

"Yes, yes, then part of the herds got blocked off by an avalanche," Hurricane filled in, "And you say you were chased off by a swarm of...flying bears?" Hurricane asked with some skepticism.

"Bugbears, sir. Four arms, bee stinger, bug wings," Arcus described, "The others will vouch for it, Sir."

"I'm sure they will," Hurricane agreed vaguely before turning sharply to stare into the stallion's one good eye, "So, just like that, you left behind a good fourth of the "entire" group you set out with?" He demanded with a glare, mentally adding, 'Which was almost entirely unicorns and earth ponies.'

"Commander, as I said, we stayed and fought until noise triggered another snow-slide. I couldn't see any that were spared the cold burial, so I made a judgment call and pulled everypony out. I believed that any survivors would either be dead by the time we could get to them or killed by the bugbears before we could fend them all off," Arcus argued, his voice almost gaining a bit of heat before he finished.

Hurricane stared at him for a long moment before snorting, "For your sake, I hope that story holds up. Platinum and Puddinghead are both ready to cry foul play on our part," Hurricane warned ominously as he backed off.

Now Arcus raised an eyebrow at that, "So...this "uniting the tribes" thing is true?" he asked with a scowl.

Hurricane snorted as he leveled a glare at his next in command, "While not the biggest fan of the other races myself, I'll be bucked if we go down in history as the ones destroyed the first real sign of peace and co-existence for all ponykind," He stated bluntly, "Do I make myself clear, Arcus?"

"Like the Crystal Empire, Commander Hurricane," Arcus saluted, face like stone, betraying not a thing.

"Good. As you were soldier," Hurricane dismissed evenly.

Both eyebrows went up at that, but Arcus nodded all the same, "Thank you, sir," he acknowledged before turning to leave the tent...

And got knocked to the ground from a hoof to his face's blindside.

The lieutenant growled low in his throat as he leapt to his hooves, "What the sard do you thi-" He yelled, the words dying in the throat as he stared incomprehensively at the offending pony.

Private Gust glared right into his superior's face, "Flank! Hole!" He yelled in anger.

"But...you...how...?" Arcus stuttered, his form rigid as he looked at a pegasus he knew should be dead. By the wounds on side, Arcus was ready to believe this was the ghost of a fallen comrade.

"Soldier," Hurricane spoke up from behind Arcus, who refused to move still, "Do you have something to report?"

Gust saluted, now ignoring the pony he just attacked, "Commander Hurricane, Private Gust reporting in. The remainders of the tribes have arrived after a...delay," He explained, sending Arcus a seething glare.

Arcus's eyes dilated as he glanced around the camp. Only now did he see all the ponies having cheerful and teary reunions, of wounds being tended to…and several pegasi soldiers glaring at him. Pegasi that, much like Gust, should be dead.

"Why are you reporting in, Private, instead of an officer?" Hurricane asked calmly.

It almost sounded to Arcus like the commander had expected this, had known this would happen. But that had to be just paranoia, right?

"The officers that were conscious and mostly uninjured agreed that I should be the one to do so since I am the only clear witness to what happened after the avalanche," Gust explained carefully.

"I see. Still, I'm glad to see you're all alive, Private," Hurricane noted with some relief, "Your full report can wait. For now, all I want to know is how many casualties and how you all survived?"

"Sir, there were no casualties from the initial avalanche, but we lost twenty-three when the Bearbees attacked. I don't have the exact ratio of deaths between the tribes at the moment, but a third was our soldiers," Gust explained with a scowl, "As for the second, larger avalanche?...Two."

"What?" Arcus asked in disbelief, seemingly snapping out of his trance to glare at the private.

"Only two, soldier?" Hurricane repeated with a raised eyebrow.

"One elderly unicorn died of a broken neck and a pegasus mare was stabbed by a piece of wood and bled out," Gust elaborated with a small smirk, "All of the rest managed to be saved and tended to before they could freeze or suffocate."

"...Seems rather strange, being able to pull that miracle off, Private," Hurricane stated with a knowing smirk.

"VERY strange, Commander," Gust agreed with a nod.

"I think I understand then. You are dismissed for now, Private. I'll get a full report from you and the officers later. For now, get those bucking wounds treated," Hurricane dismissed with a nod.

"Sir!" Gust saluted against before heading off, Arcus watching him go with a disturbed look.

"...Would you like to explain?" Hurricane asked evenly.

"I...I don't understand how they're alive and here, Commander," Arcus answered, trying to keep his calm.

"Ohh, but he wasn't talking to you."

Arcus felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand straight up as he sucked in a breath of shock.

He spun around and stared into the red eyes of a monster.

"You look like you've seen a ghost, Lieutenant Rolls Arcus," The snaggle-toothed mouth mocked with a coy smirk.

"Who...what are you!?' Arcus yelled, glaring to hide his momentary fear.

"I'm complicated," Discord answered with a smirk.

"Lord Discord, do refrain from intimidating my soldiers," Hurricane ordered before smirking lightly, "That's my job."

Discord chuckled as he floated over to Hurricane with his arms crossed, "Just giving him a...proper greeting for a pony of his character," He assured with an undertone of mocking.

"Commander, you know this...beast?!" Arcus asked in shock.

"Beast? Do you see a magic rose anywhere?" Discord asked with a raised eyebrow.

"What?" Arcus asked in confusion.

"Again, yes, I am a What," Discord said with an overdramatic sigh, "Most ponies only want the what these decades."

"Lieutenant, this is Lord Discord, a resident of these lands," Hurricane introduced calmly, "I suppose we have you to thank for saving those rest of our tribes?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Saved them...him?" Arcus questioned in confusion, still trying to process this creature and Hurricane's apparent acceptance of his presence.

"Oh, not just me. Meshen held the tanning board," Discord explained casually.

"I'm going to assume that makes sense to you," Hurricane decided wisely, "Unless you have anything new to add, Lieutenant, we'll be on our way."

"Sir?" Arcus asked numbly.

"Your boss and I have to go smooth over things with the other two tribes," Discord informed with an eye smile, devoid of all sincerity, "After all, if I didn't know any better, it almost seemed like somepony wanted a tragedy to befall that mostly-earth-ponies-and-unicorns group. Like somepony planned the avalanche and pulled the winged soldiers out a bit too quickly? Somepony with a grudge against unicorns, perhaps?"

Arcus's eyes only barely widened as he forced his body not to shake.

"Of course, we don't want that," Discord added on, his empty smile now just mocking, "Right, Hot?"

Hurricane openly glared at the Draconequus for that one, "If you know my full name, you know I hate being called that," He said in annoyance before walking off, a snickering Discord trailing after him.

"...What has happened in these lands?" Arcus asked with a heavy scowl as he watched his commander leave with the abomination, detesting how that thing shook him so easily.

Hurricane lowered his voice as they got out of Arcus's earshot, "The Ugly Lieutenant?" He questioned pointedly.

"Was the card too on the snout?" Discord asked with a grin.

"How did you know about my lieutenant before meeting him?" Hurricane asked suspiciously.

"Ask Celly and Lulu, they'll have a good idea," the chimeric god answered dismissively, ".....If you don't deal with him, I'll have to."

If Hurricane was at all intimidated by that, it didn't show, "I'm counting on that," He answered coldly.

Discord hummed, glancing back at the distant stallion out of the corner of his eye, 'Lieutanent Rolls Arcus, Second-in-command under Commander Hot Hurricane. Both of whom personally all but hate each other, mutual respect being the only thing that keeps one from lashing out at the other. He's also one of the biggest tribalists that fell out of history's eye. He personally was against the joining of the tribes and had several plans to separate the tribes, or at minimum form his own pegasi city-state. He was, and is, popular enough amongst his own tribe and supports amongst his comrades. Not to mention there were several similarly minded ponies among the earth-ponies and unicorns who wouldn't mind working with him to seperate the tribes again,' Discord recalled with a scowl, remembering how easy it had been to turn ponies on each other in the previous timeline 'Only one thing kept ponies like him in check, only one thing really washed away the old scars:

Me.

The Tyranny of Chaos was, ironically, the single most unifying event in ponykind's history. Ponies of all races, and even non-ponies, had to work together to even try to stay sane in my land of madness. And my defeat legitimized Celestia and Luna to all but the most stubborn of ponies, taking the wind out of the sails of any anti-uniting movements before they could even become public. I was the common enemy that made them have rely on each other. Without that they're just a punch of ponies with decades of bad blood on all sides. I have to protect these ponies from each other as much as anything else.....

Not my usual kind of fun, but I'll make due.

Author's Notes:

Well, there you go: Discord meets with the Tree, and we get an eyeful of a potential villain. I figured there were plenty of ponies against unifying but after Discord? I'm pretty sure a lot of grudges were forgiven and forgotten, a long with the rest of their history.

So, yes, three new ponies this time: Rolls Arcus, Private Gust, and Herald Meshen. Hope you enjoyed all of them as they'll play more roles later on, especially with this rocky patch Arcus has cause for Pony-peace.

PS Yes, I made Commander Hurricane's full name to be Hot Hurricane.