"Watch your step," warned Discord just an instant before Roland stumbled over some large roots. "See?"

Roland was doing his best, but wild survival was not really his specialty. He pressed on despite it, despite the sweat that was building and the ache in his muscles that insisted that going back to civilization would have been the best course of action. There were answers he needed.

"Sir." One of the tailing agents had closed the distance. "We can't keep a distance in here. We trust you don't object?"

"No, no... it's fine." He waved it off, hurrying to catch up with Discord.

"You have guards? I thought you weren't El Presidente anymore." He wore the stereotypical hat and moustache of a third world dictator, grinning foolishly. "I had thought they were fans of yours."

"Well, they are in a sense, but no, they are guards." He climbed up and over a log. "Presidents get guarded for life. It's an American thing."

"Huh..." He glanced to the right, where another Discord hid behind a tree in spy-like attire. "Everything clear?" The spy nodded silently before fading into the foliage. "Well, alright then."

The group became larger, with the three servicemen that had been sent to watch Roland no longer even trying to be out of sight. In the forest the options were be in sight, or be woefully out of contact.

The thick vegetation gave way to a a path that led up to a castle, and down to the bottom of a gorge. Discord pointed to the downwards stairs. "Down there is the tree you're hunting for. You know, not often you see someone hunting a tree. They make for awful sport."

"This tree is possibly guilty of a great crime." He pulled at his coat, trying to assemble himself as he descended the steps. "She has many answers, and I have just as many questions."

Mobile Coral gently embraced her daughter. "Ready to be a big girl?"

"I can do it!" vigorously agreed the unique child. "Thank you for trusting me."

Mobile had wanted to homeschool her child. Her husband, Tim, had agreed at first that it was likely for the best, considering the satyr nature of their daughter, but Swift Swim had insisted... She wanted normal school with other kids.

Tim ruffled the top of his daughter's head. "You go and make some friends, learn some things. Now, you'll probably know some stuff the teacher goes over, but don't be a show off, help the other students that are still learning it."

"I'll be good," Swift Swim promised as she danced away from him. "See you later!" She waved wildly before clip-clopping away, the only student in the school that made clip-clop noises but also had reaching hands.

Tim and Mobile leaned against each other, both filled with hopeful fears for their child. "Uh, Tim... I have some news."

"Is it about Swift?" He turned away from the door as it closed, sealing Swift inside the building for the day.

"Eh, sorta?" Mobile grinned a bit lopsidedly. "She will soon be an older sister."

"Oh. Wait." He stepped back, just realizing the implication. "Again?!"

Mobile raised a brow. "You keep doing the baby making thing, then you're surprised when a baby happens? Do I need to explain the process to you, dear but silly husband?" She rolled her eyes softly. "It won't be my first time. I know what to expect this time, and we know I can do it without exploding."

"Yeah, yeah... we'll be fine." He clapped his hands together. "Congratulations!"

"Why are you congratulating me? This is our child, Tim. Ours." She reared up and planted a beaked-smooch on his cheek. "Our family is growing."

"Don't forget to tell what's-her-face, Novo, that's it. Call Novo." He was pointing towards the beach. "I imagine she'd like to know."

"Good call." Mobile clapped eagerly before grabbing for her cell phone. "This isn't news to keep to ourselves, and I can tell her Swift Swim's off to kindergarten while I'm at it. Kid garden; that's such a cute name! What crazy language did it come from? It's not Ponish."

"German, I think?" Tim shrugged softly, far from an expert. "They better treat our little sprout right."

With their attempt to be covert blown, they didn't bother to withdraw even as the need to be in sight faded. The party of five descended towards the great cave that held the potential god-like being that had stolen their language.

There was the tree, rising humbly in its cave, crystals embedded in several branches, the Elements of Harmony. It was more of a modern art installation than anything else. Discord shivered softly. "Ugh, being this close... 'She' better come out and talk after all this."

"I am glad to see you." A fake Twilight stepped out from behind the tree, her eyes not focused properly on anyone there, just looking out into the distance. "You have brought friends."

"Bet that makes her happy," stage-whispered Discord.

"It does," she agreed with not a hint of worried emotion. "I am glad you came. I had not expected it."

Roland dared to approach the being of uncertain nature or power. "You were the one that said to come, were you not?"

"I was, but that was my first knowing that you had arrived. I thought I had counseled you visit the other leaders that needed you."

"We have things to discuss before we get to that." Roland looked over the fake Twilight, but he wasn't sure how much he could get from it. The fake twilight sparkled and was faintly transparent. It was a construct, made to talk. "First, why? Why did you take our languages away?"

Harmony tilted her head faintly. "I did not."

"Oh, uh..." Discord rubbed behind his head. "That was kinda me. Didn't like it? You speak Ponish like a pro."

"(You did this?!)" He wheeled on the chaos spirit he had thought was becoming a friend.

Discord shrugged softly. "It would have happened anyway. I just hurried it along."

He took a slow breath, gathering himself. "Why? And you know English?"

"<I speak many languages,>" he spoke in smooth French, twirling a thin moustache he hadn't had a moment before. "[Or would you prefer this one?]" he asked with a rough German tongue. "I admit I'm fairly used to Ponish."

Harmony stepped forward, placing a wing towards Roland and Discord, separating them. "What is done cannot be undone. When you said this was harmful to your people, I used the strength I had gained to cease it, but I fear it will not do as you hope."

Roland's attention slipped to the order spirit. "Wait, I still have questions. If you can see everything--"

"--I cannot," she gently denied. "Discord, you are a creature of similar power, can you see everything?"

"At once? I tried that once, what a headache." He rubbed his head as if soothing the migraine caused. "Wait, similar power? Are you saying--"

"I am saying we are ideal rivals." She offered a hoof towards him. "Let us vie in good natured ways."

Discord shook his balled hands in giddy anticipation. "Ooo, how lovely!" He touched balled fist to hoof. "You're on, prepare to go down."

"Yes, well, what were you aware of?" he pressed, hoping for more information.

"I was aware of the arrival of a new people. I had hoped harmony would swell and with it, my power would grow, but weakness came instead. War and distrust grew dangerously, but the pony who's body I am emulating worked as my agent, putting to bed that hurtful chaos and ushering in peace and harmony."

Roland raised a finger. "Wait. Princess Sparkle is your agent?"

"Not knowingly... And her time passes. Already I groom what will follow. They will know me better." Her eyes focused, slightly, as if recognizing Roland as a specific entity for just a moment. "You have worked as my agent, but you did not know me. You spread harmony, and could spread more. There are those that need you."

The finger turned into a hand, and the other joined it. "Stop there. I still need to know what you knew. When the war was going on, the big one, the real one, where were you?" He wheeled in Discord. "And you, now that I think about it. You're both basically little godlings."

"I was minding my own business, thank you." He buffed at his chest lightly. "They taught me to not go imposing my flavor of fun on the world, so I didn't. I only acted when it fell in my back yard."

That clicked. "You're why Ponyville had no lethalities?"

"Didn't I say that?" Discord shrugged softly. "That attack was like a sugar rush. I bet Harmony was never feeling smaller as the world burned, but I had all the power I wanted, so I just decided, nope. So it wasn't."

"Why didn't you do that for everyone!" barked Rolan. "Millions of good people died that day, and you just spared one little town?"

He reached out, tapping the former president right on the nose. "There you go, assuming things. Can't see everything. I dealt with what I did see, and did a fine job of it, thank you."

"Thank you," suddenly spoke Harmony. "You spared an agent of mine."

Roland let out a slow breath, looking between the two beings that could likely destroy him and his servicemen if they wanted to. "You, Harmony, were able to reach my dreams, once. If you can go that far--"

"--I cannot normally." She lifted her shoulders in a shrug, though her eyes were focused on the same distant point. "The relief and harmony of peace's declaration gave me the power, but that has faded. I could but speak once, and hope it was enough. You taught me things."

Discord echoed the shrug. "I know that feeling. It was like I was king of the world, but it faded. Pity that..."

"I could get much done, but that is not my purpose. I do not wish it. I would have people act, not to act in their place. I encouraged your action, instead of comforting Ruddertail myself, for it is your ability, not mine. She would resent my presence, and she would be right to do so."

Discord clapped his hands suddenly. "Just like I keep trying to teach those girls how to do things instead of fixing all their problems for them. Huh, rivals really do mirror you when they're done properly." He squinted at the spirit of order, considering her.

Harmony pointed to Twilight's castle, though it was not visible, she knew the direction innately. "I speak with calls to action. The map you have seen is my most direct method. 'Go here'. I say little, but that is enough."

"And that is what you did with me. You pointed me at a problem."

"I did it wrong," confessed Harmony. "I should have given you direction of where to go, instead of burdening you with more. It distracted you, and now you are here, instead of assisting the queen. This is my failing, and my responsibility. I accept this failure."

"Ha! Even Order can get things wrong." He looked oh so smug about the idea of it.

"I was wrong by deviating from what has worked before. It was a touch of chaos that led me astray." Though she was speaking to Discord, she never turned her head towards him. "You now know all I can tell you. Will you go?"

Ultimately, the thing he had come to hold accountable was not the one. Which left... "What do you mean, it would have happened anyway?"

Discord shrugged softly. "Always does, just a way the world works. It's like this planet hates new languages or something. (Don't ask me, I didn't make it up.) I don't see anything wrong with a few extra tongues." He extended three tongues at once, each flickering in a different direction.

Author's Notes:

How infuriated should Roland be at Discord? Is there much left to be pissed at Harmony about?

Will Swift Swim be the cutest little k-grader in her class?!

(The answer to the last one is yes.)

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