Discord
Many thousands of years from now, and many lightyears from Earth, there was a planet known as Equestria. This planet was populated mainly by Earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns, but also by many other creatures beyond count. This world had never been environmentally threatened nor struck by any terrible natural disaster, as the weather of every day was carefully planned out. The planet was justly ruled by the noble Princess Celestia, and her sister Princess Luna. But all was not always well on Equestria. Rewind a few thousands of years in the Equestrian archives, and you will find a dark, dark past.
She pushed the boulder as far as she possibly could, while withstanding the mighty force of the whip.
"How did such a potentially beautiful land end up with a ruler like this one?" wondered Cellia out loud. She was reminded not to speak ill of her illustrious leader lightly, as the whip lash was a little harder than usual this time. After much work and much time, Cellia's boulder finally reached its destination: a semi-complete statue of Brutus, the all-powerful ruler of Equestria.
"Phew," Cellia sighed with relief. She could have sat there beside the boulder all day, just resting. But of course Brutus's men couldn't have that. She was quickly whipped awake, and she promptly set to work lifting the boulder into its spot on the statue. All around her, Earth ponies, unicorns like her, and pegasi alike were being forced to do similar mundane tasks with no resting, no pay... Just about everypony was well aware of the fact that they had become slaves of Brutus, a pegasus who had promised a strong leadership of justice and power. Apparently, he had leaned a bit too close to the "power" side of his promises.
After a long, long while, work on the statue had finally been completed. By this time, it was already eleven o'clock at night, by Earth's clock. Cellia wasted no time returning to her shed. Most of the other ponies followed suit, while others slowly crawled home due to their sheer exhaustion. When Cellia returned, she found that her sister Luna was already back.
"So, what was your assignment today, sis?" asked Luna. While Brutus was cruel and oppressive, he did have a policy entailing less work for the younger ponies than the older ones.
"I had to push a large, dirt-covered boulder 60 square yards." replied Cellia.
"A meaningless task," remarked Luna, "what a shock."
Although amused, Cellia had to admit:
"Well, it wasn't technically meaningless. This particular boulder was for Brutus's statue in Canterlot."
"Well?"
"I don't know if you've seen Canterlot lately, but there aren't exactly a million boulders laying around, ripe for the picking."
Luna had to agree with this.
"Listen, Luna, I'm exhausted. You can stay up a little longer if you want, but I'm off to bed." Cellia certainly was exhausted. If she could, she'd have slept for the next week, but couldn't. Every day it was a criminally early wakeup time, every day it was being constantly overworked with no reward for her labor whatsoever. Nevertheless, she'd do anything to get away from it all, even if only for a few hours.
The next morning, Cellia had one of the most defining days of her life. It was the day, during another of her mundane tasks, that she was inspired by the words of a gladiator in Brutus's royal coliseum. This gladiator stated his discontent directly to Brutus in his balcony at the coliseum. Naturally, he was immediately kicked out of the coliseum, and he became subject to Brutus's slave drivers. In a moment that would define Cellia's future, this gladiator was assigned directly adjacent to her. Cellia turned her head to him to whisper, when she thought the slave drivers weren't paying attention.
"I heard you said, dragon," she whispered to the newcomer, for he was a dragon, for sure. He whispered back,
"Oh, I'm not a dragon. It's a common mistake, though. I'm actually a Draconequus, a combination of many different things."
"But mostly dragon, right?" Cellia hoped desperately she had been at least somewhat correct. Here was the most inspiring person she'd ever met, and here she was about to blow it.
"Yes, mostly dragon." Cellia well hid her relief.
"So, you say you heard what I said at the coliseum?" Celestia nodded.
"I believe they were very inspiring words. And I believe it was very brave of you to stand up directly to Brutus like that."
"I just wish everypony were like you..." at this point, the draconequus realized that neither of them knew the other's name.
"Cellia."
"Cellia. My name is Discord." The two companions shook hooves.
"Cellia... what a nice name." Within seconds, something knew existed between the two workers. The two slaves to Brutus's twisted will. Perhaps, even, something magical.
That night, Cellia burst into her shed with more energy than ever before. Luna was shocked at first by her sister's sudden cheery mood.
"Oh, Luna," sighed Cellia, "hoof-slap me now if I haven't just had the most beautiful day of my life!" Luna promptly hoof-slapped her. The two shared a brief chuckle at this.
"Oh, but seriously, my dear sister, today something wonderful happened!" Luna couldn't care less about what happened at the time, but pretended to be intrigued for her sister's sake.
"I've met somepony!" Luna had been drinking some water, and just barely avoided spitting it right in her sister's face.
"His name is Discord. He's a draconequus."
"A what?" Cellia ignored her sister's query.
"He's such a dream..." Cellia thought about Discord all night. She knew deep in their heart they had something together, something special.
Throughout the following weeks, the lovers Cellia and Discord spread their revolutionary word by any means possible while avoiding Brutus's slave drivers and black guard. Before long, the impending revolution was common knowledge all throughout Equestria. When he was sure it had been spread this far, Discord paid a visit to Cellia's shed. It was Luna who answered the door.
"Who is it?" asked Luna. Cellia, recognizing her lover immediately, pushed Luna aside and gestured for her to go to bed. Luna did so obediently, but with a questioning look in her eye. Cellia ignored this.
"Come in, come in, Discord!" she cried with glee. Discord did so, and wrapped his arms around Cellia. After their brief embrace, he cut to business.
"Cellia, we've spread the word well. My contacts tell me every corner of Equestria knows of the impending revolution. We have enough able-bodies ponies to rival Brutus's men as an army. They may have superior weapons and combat skills, but in our numbers we can take them down with sheer force." Cellia heard every word, but listened to none of them. She was gazing into Discord's eyes. His beautiful, beautiful eyes. Discord snapped his talons, and Cellia snapped out of her trance.
"This means that tomorrow night would be the prime night for attack." This time, Cellia listened, but she couldn't believe her ears. Had the rebellion, that she and her comrades had anxiously awaited so long, finally be so near? Tomorrow night?
"At last it shall happen?" she asked.
"At last." Cellia had never felt happier in her life. But she was about to become even happier. Discord was just about to leave, but then whirled back around.
"Oh, and before I leave, there's something else I'd like to ask you, Cellia," he said, "just in case this revolution doesn't work out." He extracted a small black box from his saddlebag, an accessory compulsory to all of Brutus's workers.
"If the revolution does fail, I'll never get a chance to ask this question." Discord kneeled down, and opened the box. This moment was, and would always be, the happiest moment of Cellia's life. Nearly all of Ponyville where Cellia lived heard that night, a very loud cry of "YES!"
The following day was a very special day for everypony. Now that everypony know about the plan for a revolution, they had never worked with more energy. The statue, which had taken weeks to become half-way done, was completed within that one day. Rivers were damned within minutes. Buildings were demolished before the wrecking balls could arrive. Yes, the work had never been more efficient. Brutus was pleased with today's profit. One of his royal advisors turned to him in his royal enclosure.
"Well, my lord, I can honestly say that this is Equestria's best recorded work day in history. Nopony has ceased work for any reason. We haven't even had to pull the whips out. Our slave drivers are all basically on their days off." Brutus was smiling at each word. Brutus was mistakenly convinced that the reason for this sudden burst of efficiency and obedience was that his subjects had finally come to terms with the inescapable fact that he was in power, and that he would always be in power. That night, without warning, all workers throughout Equestria immediately abandoned their posts. The same royal advisor whirled around to face Brutus.
"My lord! Each and every one of your workers have abandoned their posts!" Brutus was shocked.
"My lord, my lord, they're all headed HERE!" Shock turned to plain fear. A loud banging could be heard on the door.
"Your orders, my lord?" asked the advisor, also scared out of his mind.
Brutus stood up from his throne. With a booming voice, he yelled simply this:
"WEAPONS!" Within seconds, everypony inside the royal enclosure was armed to the teeth with weaponry and armor. The door continued banging. The guards were ready, so they thought. And then, the door fell over forward, crushing several of the guards to death. In stormed the leader of the revolutionary army, a draconequus that Brutus recognized as one of his old gladiators.
"DISCORD," he exclaimed, "YOU WILL STOP WHERE YOU ARE THIS INSTANT." Discord took no notice of these words. By this time, as many ponies as could fit inside the enclosure were streaming through the doors, others were tearing down Brutus's statues, breaking his damns, demolishing his factories.
"This is madness!" exclaimed one of Brutus's guards. He made a run for it, but was caught at the last second by Discord, who killed him.
"RETREAT!" exclaimed one of the guards. All throughout Equestria, similar battles were taking place. Warriors and slave drivers of Brutus everywhere dropped their whips and headed for the hills. Those who could not make it to the hills in time were killed. Finally, Discord came face to face with Brutus. Cellia came up beside her fiancé.
"It would be wise of you, dear Brutus, to surrender now." Brutus took a long look around him. His regime had crumbled in on itself. All his statues brutally disheveled, all his factories permanently out of business, all his guards in hiding. Brutus had no other choice. Under his breath, two immortal words were just barely audible, but Discord and the other revolutionaries in the room heard it loud and clear.
"I yield."
That night, there was cheering and celebration all throughout Equestria. There wasn't a city on the planet without fireworks in the sky. Music was in every inch of the air. The pegasi had completely cleared the sky for the sake of this glorious event. At the party in Canterlot, Discord and Cellia shared a long dance.
"Oh, Discord, I can't believe it! We finally did it! Equestria is free!" The two shared a wonderful night together, and when they embraced, they never wanted to break off. The next morning, the revolutionaries gathered in Canterlot to discuss the replacement of Brutus. Though Brutus's rule had been terrible, the inhabitants of Equestria all agreed that their society couldn't exist in anarchy. They agreed that they needed some sort of government. It was at this meeting that Discord began to show his true colors. Discord was the first to the podium, as he had spearheaded the revolution.
"My friends," he announced, "this debate, as you all know, is for the purpose for deciding how we shall replace Brutus's regime in the field of government. We all agree that we cannot simply live without a governing body, yes?" the ponies all nodded contently. However, Cellia knew her fiancé very well. He was acting a little strange.
"Well, I must admit, to me this meeting seems uncalled for." At this the other ponies were puzzled. They began whispering confusedly amongst themselves, but Cellia silenced them.
"Be silent, brethren. Let our comrade speak." The crowd fell silent.
"Appreciated, my love," whispered Discord to Cellia. Discord turned back to the crowd.
"My dear friends, allow me to explain." Discord began to pace back and forth across the stage.
"I am in complete and wholehearted agreement with you on the ground that Brutus must be replaced." The crowd briefly murmured its approval.
"However, the reason I believe this meaning was uncalled for is because I don't think we need to discuss this!" The crowd became puzzled again, but were much quicker and more silent about it this time.
"Because, I don't know if this goes for any of you, but to ME, the choice seems obvious!" Discord told the story of the revolution, about how it was HE who thought of it, HE who spread the word of it, and HE who had lead the final battle. Discord turned back to the podium.
"It seems obvious to me, as should it to all of you, that I, Discord, should replace Brutus at the throne!" The crowd cheered loudly, and began chanting Discord's illustrious name. Cellia leaned against her fiancé, rubbing his mane. Though worried about his strange behavior, Cellia could not resist being happy for him. Discord returned the gesture, but Cellia could sense a little less sincerity than usual.
Throughout the course of that day, Discord hired a select few ponies to become his guards. He moved his home to the royal enclosure, and Cellia happily did the same. Essentially, the two moved in together. Cellia secretly allowed Luna entrance, but never did so while Discord was around. Cellia's concern for her fiancé was ever-growing. He progressively became less and less fond of non-royal guests, and became more and more egotistical, his concern for the people of Equestria beginning to shrink. One terrible morning, Cellia woke up. She saw her fiancé looking out the window. Celestia approached him and leaned against him. She joined him in looking out the window, and saw a horrible site. The ponies of Equestria were erecting a statue of Discord in Canterlot's courtyard. It was built on the very same base that Brutus's statue had been working on. Cellia could contain herself no longer.
"Oh, my love, what is happening?" she exclaimed in agony.
"My subjects are coming to terms with one inescapable fact." Cellia was still looking out the window in horror, huddling closer with her fiancé for much needed comfort. Discord ignored her lack of a response and went on.
"The inescapable fact that I am in power, and always will be in power." After this, Cellia remained in the royal enclosure for spying purposes only. Her fiancé was dead, brutally murdered by his own overgrown ego. He who she loved so deeply was gone for good. Cellia and all the ponies of Equestria had replaced the tyrant Brutus with the tyrant Brutus.