Anon's Wild Journey: The Colt from the Void (Chapter 1: Sugar Shell Shenanigans)

The Colt from the Void
Chapter 1: Sugar Shell Shenanigans

“YAAAHOOOOOOOO!”
>”Yes! Ahahahahahah! Victory shall be mine, Anonymous!”
“Not if I beat you first- HEY! That’s cheating!”
>”Eat my powdery dust! Bahahahah!”
“Cheaters never win!”
>”Losers always follow the rules! I can see the peak within my grasp!”
>Two seashell sleds raced uphill a glistening sugar water mountain. It reflected the shining binary stars out in the distance, illuminating the ocean peaks with rays of warmth.
>In the distance there were black licorice spires spiraling into the sky. Although jagged and filled with holes, they were spongy yet firm, possibly allowing it to be sweet but deadly if eaten the wrong way.
>Wisps of blue, purple, and green shimmered above the ocean surface. Little, glowing rock candy bugs swarmed above little whirlpools scattered across the sea. Geysers of honey erupted from the whirlpools, a mist of gold showering the heavenly scent of sweets.
>The sky coated itself in a purplish hue; a bog of violet swirls, twists, and streaks flowing as tiny cyclone clouds distorted the colors, mixing them in various forms and shapes.
>Circling around the cyclone clouds were seasalt taffy seagulls. They’d spin in the vortex and propel themselves forward using the wind. Flocks would come by and join, simply having fun in the skies above the sweet blue pool that stretched from one horizon to the other.
>On one shell sled, a tall, prestigious and whimsical draconequus sped towards the peak of the water mountain. Each wave that poked from the surface bumped into him, allowing him to gain more air. He stood upside down on one talon, nonchalantly arching his entire body forward with a snarky grin across his face. His fang protruded as confidently as his ego, but little did he know...
>“Honestly, Anon! You should really step up your… Game?!”
>The other sled carried a small colt, with green fur and a mane that exploded in all directions with chaotic fury. Streaks of white slipped between his black mane, resembling that to the draconequus’ beard.
>This colt, named Anonymous, zipped past the draconequus, maneuvering the seashell sled on all fours. Also adorning a toothy grin, Anonymous flashed his own ferocious fang as he looked over his shoulder towards none other than Discord himself.
“I just did! See if you can catch up to me, Dad!”
>The racers swerved through the sugary sea, bobbing and weaving between rock candy debris and amber candy turtles. Both laughed and bumped into each other playfully, enjoying the sweet mist swimming above the water.

>Discord occasionally dipped his paw into the water, scattering the surface into a hazy mist to blind his opponent. But Anonymous countered by using a wave as a ramp, jumping over the draconequus. Ripples exploded onto the surface upon landing, the colt regaining his balance and taking the lead.
>”Not bad, lad! Not bad at all...”
>Soon enough, the colt made it up to the peak, drifting to a stop. He looked on with a happy grin, eyes closed and a laugh escaping through his lips.
“Tahahahah! I win! In your face Dad-”
>But to his dismay, his father had already been waiting at the peak. He sat on a big red leather chair and a coffee table, sipping a cup of tea upside down. As he slurped, the cup disappeared, leaving only the round shape of the tea left floating. Smacking his lips and giving his fang a shine, he responds.
>”That you did, my son! You indeed won. I arrived just in time to see it, too.”
>Closing his eyes, the draconequus gave a warming grin, humming as he bit into the tea liquid. It crunched like ice between his teeth. Anon puffed up his cheeks, shooting a narrowing glare that could pierce through dragon hide.
“Hey! Rules said no using our powers! You cheated!”
>Anon stomped up to his father, grumbling and glaring intimidatingly. Discord chuckled, finishing the rest of his tea. A simple snap of his talons made the chair and table disappear while also relocating his position behind his son. He wrapped his paw arm around Anon’s neck, wearing a smug smile that slid across his muzzle.

>”Ah! But you see, my dear Anonymous, you DID win. You went the whole mile and won the race! I simply got to the finish line first to see my son achieve his victory. So in a sense…”
>The green colt suspiciously hummed, brows furrowing. Discord snapped his talons again, teleporting a few feet away in the air, resting on his side as he nonchalantly examined his son’s expression.
>”...we both win!”
“Hrrrmmmm….”
>Anon’s eyes became ever so narrower.
>”Oh c’mon, you can’t expect me to hold back entirely, do you?”
“Grrrr...”
>The little colt turned around and faced away from the summit, taking in the view of the sugary ocean sparkling in the distance. Candy cane coral twists poked their heads from the surface, bobbing to and fro like kelp.
“But we made rules! No magic!”
>Anon slumped down onto his rump, head hanging low and eyes droopy as he looked longingly into the distance. With a deep sigh, he gradually laid his head between his forelegs, face hidden in the jelly ground.
>”Anon, you know more than I the consequences of using your powers right now.”

>He dug his face in further and muffled his voice. A groan escaped between his hooves as Discord continued.
>”The number one rule in chaos magic! You know what that is?”
“Nnnng…”
>Discord snapped his talons once more, appearing and floating in front of Anon.
>”That there arrrrreeee…”
>The draconequus inched his head closer and closer in anticipation of his son’s response. Reluctantly, the colt sighed, lifted his head up and rolled his eyes.
“...That there are no rules… Yeah yeah, I know…”
>Discord stroked his beard and tilted his head as he watched Anon place his chin on the ground again. Discord sighed, rubbing his forehead with his paw, only to drag it down across his face. In a swift slither, he coiled down besides Anon, sitting by him and holding his talon behind Anon’s head.
>Discord nervously chuckled and looked off into the distance as well, basking in the shimmering purple skies.
>”It’s tough for both of us. Chaos is second nature to me, I can’t help it. And for you, it’s… Oh, how do I put it...”
“Dumb! It’s...”
>Another sigh escaped Anon’s lips.
“Just dumb… I’m dumb…”
>”No no! Not at all! You have such great potential! It’s just, well… You have TOO much potential. Literally.”

“But it’s not fair! No matter how hard I try, I always end up fudging it all up!”
>A flock of cinnamon pool noodles flew by, dipping into the sugary sea with delicate splashes. Discord booped a bit of fudge onto Anon’s muzzle. The colt hesitantly licked it off, but it wasn’t enough to lighten his mood.
>”Chaos doesn’t play fair, Anonymous. You know that just as well as I do. Besides-”
>In a poof, Discord appeared in front of the melancholic colt, this time smaller in size, holding a lollipop and balloon, with a propeller hat on his head. It leaned sideways, his horn ripping right through the fabric.
>”When I was but a wittle draconequus, I, too, had magic problems.”
>Anon’s eyes lit up just as his head darted upwards to look at Discord.
“Really?!”
>”Why, of course!”
>Just like that, Discord poofed back to his normal self, except this time with his arms crossed and a smirk across his long face. Adorning the confident gesture were some shades and a backwards cap, along with chains on his neck that spelled out ‘Discord’.
>”I was simply TOO good at chaos, dude! Admirers, envious bystanders, malicious stalkers, you name it. And oh, how many would come to me for advice. I mean, I didn’t become THE Spirit of Chaos for nothing…”

>But Anon had already put his head back down, his father’s words trailing off and becoming muffled as the colt held back the water building up in his eyes. Each word went on and on, and so did the pressure inside Anonymous.
>”...And I told her, “Look, if you so wish to be my apprentice oh so badly, your first impression isn’t-”
>Only small sniffles snuck into Discord’s gloating, halting his words on track. This time, the chaos king turned himself very small in front of Anon, looking up at him with a serious yet gentle frown. He gulped and sighed, rubbing his forehead with the tips of one of his front talons and back talon.
>”Ah, look Anon… I um… How do I put this? Ahm…”
>Approaching one of the now large forelegs, Discord placed his paw on it and rubbed Anon tenderly. A snap was all it took to get rid of his goofy attire as well.
>”I can’t imagine how difficult it is to… Resist using your powers.” He looked to the side momentarily. “But despite that-” Then he looked back up and into Anon’s eyes, somehow Discord’s yellow and red pupil eyes gave off a gentle gaze. “-I know for certain that you, Anonymous, shall be amazing at using chaos magic.”

>Anon lifted up his head, a tear trickling down his cheek and almost hitting Discord. As if anticipating the event, Discord instantly conjured up an umbrella, swiftly opening it up to protect himself from the giant droplet.
>”Not just amazing; one day, you’ll be even as good as me. No one, and I mean no one has what it takes. Besides you, of course.” With another snap, the umbrella disappeared, and so did Discord. Now Anonymous was held in Discord’s arms, sitting together in front of the vast view of the dimension.
“You really think so?”
>”Without a doubt. Chaos has a strange way of working. It may not be obvious, but for sure, you’ll grow up to be a master chaos conjurer.” Anon nuzzled into his father’s arms, wiping the tears on his fur.
“I hope so, I want to be just as good as you- WHOA!”
>Discord promptly, yet gently pushed Anon off his arms.
>”Alright alright, enough of the sappy stuff. We’re in public, for Void’s sake…”
“S-Sorry…”
>Anon dusted himself off and got back up on all fours, receiving a head pat from his father.

>”But yes, you will master it with my prestigious teaching techniques! Remember, the Void wasn’t made in a day! Or was it? Then again, time isn’t relevant in the Void. But that’s besides the point. Speaking of besides…”
>Discord lifted Anon’s chin up and gave him a wink.
>“When have I ever been wrong? Have confidence, Anonymous!”
>The colt piped up, lifting his head to look directly up and show off a sly smirk.
“You’ve been wrong plenty of times, pffff!”
>Discord flinched back and narrowed his eyes.
>”Pfft?! Me?! Wrong? Please. As if! Sometimes I may…” Discord rolled his paw wrist to emphasize.
>”Miscalculate some things from time to time, but I’m certainly, always in the ballpark.” Quickly, Discord vanished, only to pitch a baseball into the air, teleport in front of it, and bat it into the distance towards the suns.
>Once the spectacle finished, he teleported back to the peak of the water mountain, plopping Anon onto his back. The colt clinged onto the draconequus’ long neck as he gigged at the sight.
“Hokay, Daaaad! What about the time you let a Higglewim into the house and said that it was impossible for it to get in?”
>”As I said before, and still say now, I forgot to refill the Warding Duck. Negligence is not incorrectness, my boy. It would not have gotten in if I, erm… I wasn’t so busy that day with.. Ahem, ‘business’.”

>Anon rolled his eyes, shaking his head with a snicker.
“Okay okay, fine. We should get back to finding that relic you wanted! The uhm… Sugar Shell!”
>Discord sprang up, lifting a talon into the air in remembrance.
>”Ah yes! The Sugar Shell of Sweetness! With it, we’ll be able to produce as many sugary treats as necessary.”
“Can’t we just use your powers to turn something into a sugary treat?”
>”Of course!” Discord started to walk down the other side of the water mountain, steps of liquid appearing in front of his legs as he made his descent. “But what fun is in that? Chaos magic is most potent when it’s unique and spontaneous. And what’s better than fueling the magic with a spontaneous adventure?”
>Anon shrugged and smiled, all traces of tears and mopiness vanquished thanks to his father’s pep talk.
“Sounds good to me!”
>Both of them laughed, trekking down the slope while humming a tune together. But as the two made their way to the surface down below, the ocean began to ripple, tremble, and shiver. Anon gradually began to notice, his humming slowly turning into a nervous chatter.

“D-Dad? Something’s going on!”
>The bugs drifting on the ocean surface all scattered away, along with the whirlpools disappearing and a singular, giant one beginning to form far in the distance ahead.
>”Mhm, mhm! Hmm hmm hmm! Not now, Anon! Got a music worm in my noggin. And this tune is funky! Mmm mmm…”
>The colt shook his dad’s neck, eyes fixed on the ripple ever growing larger across the sea. He gasped and watched as a looming shadow engulfed the mountain side.
>Licorice tentacles dangled from  beneath the bulb of its head. The head itself sculpted with ice cream, the frame of the head being a cone. The was shaped off of an amalgamation of sweet desserts and treats, forming a muscular yet powdery bipedal figure.
>Eyes as piercing as the spearmint candies they were. They struck down upon the father and son, cracking as would peppermint candy would under wrathful gaze. It lifted its ginormous, marshmallow arms into the air with a hissing yet deep roar.
>”Graaaowowoooaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrr!”
>Jelly exploded and dripped down from the flailing licorice tentacles. Anon winced at the liquid, only to sniff it and take a lick.
“Mmmm! Cherry filling- WAIT!”
>More and more did the colt shake his father’s neck, at some points nibbling to get his attention. Yet Discord kept his cool, continuing his humming. His eyes shut along the entire way, until he finally reached the bottom of the mountain.

>His eyes opened, and he saw the creature, scanning him from base to forehead suspiciously. The draconequus rolled his eyes and scoffed, muttering under his breath.
>”Dear me… This thing… Ahem! Well!”
>Discord looked up at the monster with a snarky smile, legs grounded and proudly standing.
>”If it isn’t my old friend, Candy Cthulhu! Now, how long has it been… Two, three thousand years, no? Could have swore it was earlier than that.”
>The draconequus tapped his chin, conjuring up a book with the title ‘Things I Could Care Less About’ and skimming through it.
>Candy Cthulhu lifted its hand up to its forehead and popped out a small object that in comparison to its finger was the size of a grain of sand. It presented the object to Discord. Discord shut his book closed and stored it into his beard.
>”A baseball! I see you’ve gotten into the sport. Good for you, we could use a third player for Butter Ball. I’m sure you would-”
>Before Discord could finish, the creature popped the ball between its giant finger tips, letting out a more subtle, low growl. This time, it spoke. Strange yet ironically sweet whispers echoed alongside its voice.

>”Discord… I thought you up and scrammed a millenia ago. Finally have the jawbreakers to show yourself upon the Voidscapes you govern? Or are you still too bitter to show your sour face?”
>The Spirit of Chaos groaned and looked away defiantly. “Please. I could easily turn this place upside down and inside out if I so wanted to. I simply have more important matters to attend to than sort your snickerdoodles.”
>Candy Cthulhu leaned closer, and as he spoke, a giant gust of wind and jelly blew against Discord and Anon. Discord stoic as ever, was unphased. Anon, however, had to cling onto his dear life as a torrent of jelly slapped onto his face.
>”Ever since you intruded into our domain in order to borrow some of my…”
>Another low growl shot from its mouth. Its speech became more precise and articulate, yet deeper and intimidating.
>”...mother’s prized cookies, your reputation has been less than… Favorable. Now… What brings you to… Grwoooar… My domain again? Come to pilfer… Something else? I can tell by the sweetness in your heart if you lie or not…”
>Discord cleared his throat and slapped his paw on his forehead with a fake, nervous chuckle.

>”Ooooh! Right! The cooooookies! How could I forgeeeet? Listen, I was planning on returning the favor. No hard feelings and all, despite messing up the place a bit…”
>The beast leered, narrowing its candy crushed eyes.
>”You, Spirit of Chaos, brought sourness to our domain. Forbidden buds in this dimension, and had the ineptitude to snag my mother’s cookies without us noticing. Mother knows if someone has taken her cookies. And guess… Who took the blame…”
>Eyes wandering without concern, Discord cleaned out one of his ears, getting the music worm out and flicking it away. It squealed as it flew into the sugary waters.
>”Mhm… Uh huh, oh yes I suppose it was, let me guess. You?”
>He opened his paw towards the beast, half lidded eyes with no care in the Void to give. Candy Cthulhu spoke once again, pointing its large finger very close to Discord’s face. The size could be compared to that of the mountain peak itself.
>”A gift for Mother is required. Something with… Power…”
>Discord rolled his eyes and his paw wrist.
>”Alright get on with it, I don’t have all of my eternity to waste with you.”

>Even though the finger was large, it shifted a bit, directed towards Anon.
>”Your son… Mother would be pleased with the power this little one emits… His heart is… Oh so sweet. It surprises me a slithering cookie snatcher like you would possess such a being. Stolen as well?”
>Candy Cthulhu laughed gruffly before speaking again. ”He isn’t even a draconequus. How intriguing.”
>Anonymous, who was shivering behind Discord’s mane, whimpered at the sudden proposal. He hid more, tears once again returning to his eyes.
>Discord narrowed his eyes, grinded his teeth, and with surprising strength, pushed away Candy Cthulhu’s finger with a mere swat of his paw.
>”What are you implying, oh my sweet… Sweet… Acquaintance~” His voice, even laced with silk could not suppress the spite rooted into his tongue as he spoke those words. The beast bent down closer, tentacles dripping and a potent sweetness too strong to be pleasant anymore.
>”Enough of your sugar lacing. Give me the colt, and all debts will be paid.”

>Steam leaked from Discord’s ears, his face red and small flames coming from his nostrils. Before he lost his composure, he cleared his throat. With a cool, calm smirk, he cleared his throat once more.
>”Anonymous.”
>Sniffles and whimpering aside, Anon mustered enough courage to reply back to his dad.
“M-Mhm?”
>”It’s time to play...”
>Another snap, and both Discord and Anon had baseball outfits. Discord looked back at Anon and gave him a nod. A nod with a wink like no other, and Anon knew what to do. A wide grin spread across the colt’s face as his eyes sparkled. Both father and son looked up confidently at the dimensional creature, their signature sly smirks gazing up at the behemoth.
>”Butter Ball!”
>Suddenly, particles of different shapes and colors formed around the air. The dust particles from the popped ball began to reform, and once again the ball was intact. It shot towards Discord, who with a flashy snap and spin, produced a bat.

“Here’s the pitch, Dad!”
>The bat cracked against the ball as it magically swerved towards the batter. It instantly stuck to the bat, making it bend like rubber. Anon grabbed onto the bat with his hooves, and pulled, stretching it farther back.
>The struggle to pull and amplify the ball with power continued. It glowed brighter and brighter, a shining purple current of shock building up. Candy Cthulhu furrowed its brows and raised its marshmallow muscled arm, ready to strike.
>At the same time, the two sudden athletes yelled.
“OH!”
>An explosive force snapped the bat back into original shape that sent the ball flying at speeds faster than sound. The wind snapped as well, sending a shock wave along behind the ball and creating a vortex of violet lightning. And just before the ball struck its target....
“THAT’S A BUTTER BALL!”
>It morphed into a barrage of butter, sending Candy Cthulhu toppling over and covered in butter. It roared and flailed, tentacles squirming as it shrieked in pain.

>”GROAAHAHAOOOARRRR!”
>Without a moment’s hesitation, Discord began to rip open a portal back to his home. Just the instant they could escape, Anon tugged his mane, pointing up towards Candy Cthulhu towering in the cyclone condensed sky.
“Wait, look! It’s the Sugar Shell!”
>Lodged in the shoulder of the candy colossus was indeed the Sugar Shell. A vibrant, powdery seashell with streaks of rainbow color on it.
“That’s what you said it looked like! Candy Cthulhu has it!”
>Discord’s grin grew wider. This was after noticing the butter boil off Candy Cthulhu’s face, along with a sudden vortex opening in the sky. From it, spears of black licorice began to rain from above.
>”Then let’s get that shell. A pleasure to take a souvenir from our dear friend who oh so kindly played ball with us.”
>The batter spat into his paw and gripped his bat.
>”Nothing we’ve handled before, right my boy? Let’s play ball…”

>There was something off, though, about the whole situation. Despite the creature summoning an onslaught of bitter treat needles, everything had frozen. Candy Cthulhu, the vortex, and even the ocean was still. Discord stroked his beard with his talon, an eyebrow raised at the spectacle.
>”Odd… I don’t remember putting time stop properties onto the ball. Unless..”
>Anon shook his head.
“I didn’t try to. Unless…”
>Both their eyes went wide. Anon trembled, the waterworks beginning to flow again.
“I-I messed up again, d-didn’t I?!”
>Discord pat Anon reassuringly.
>”Don’t be so hasty. Let the magic do its work, you never know-”
>Instantly, a bright flash engulfed the behemoth, and soon enough… It was wearing a whole baseball outfit, helmet and all. A giant bat slung over its shoulder, and a bubble of gum growing from its tentacle mouth, only for it to pop. It raised its giant bat and pointed.
>”SO!”
>The two gulped simultaneously. Anon, shattered with regret, froze in place along with guilt weighing him down. Discord sweated bullets, the droplets freezing as they dropped towards the ocean surface. Candy Cthulhu gripped its hand into a fist, and spoke once more.
>”YOU WANNA PLAY BUTTER BALL, AY?”

>Without a moment wasted, Discord immediately wrapped an arm around his son and cannonballed through the stairs he made into the base of the sugar water mountain. He wiggled like a grand dragon through the watery rock, smooth enough to give off the illusion that he was flying.
>The sugary baseball beast scoffed, pointing towards the two burrowing into the mountain. A faint electrical arc of peppermint shot out of its finger and struck the mountain. Then with a shoulder roll stretch, Candy Cthulhu readied its bat.
>The mountain shook and trembled, the surface transforming from a shimmering, sweet blue and purple into a solid yet transparent cyan blue gelatin. Anon glanced side to side as the medium they swam in changed.
>The colt leaned into one of his father’s ears and frantically spoke.
“Something’s going on with the mountain! He’s using some magic on it!”
>Anon opened his mouth and a rush of jello filled his cheeks.
“Mmmm! Fuddleberry flavored!”
>Due to the sudden change in fluid, Discord dragged down sluggishly, struggling against the sticky sweet goop. He halted and froze suspended in the middle of the mountain, both him and Anon struggling in the goop. Candy Cthulhu gripped the bat with both of its marshmallow gnarled claws, chewing its gum again audibly.
>”GAME’S ON, COOKIE THIEF! Let’s see how you handle the sugar rush!”

>Discord looked up and back through the transparent dessert at Candy Cthulhu, eyes literally bulging out from his sockets. Pushing his eyes back in, he pointed his paw and talon out above his head into a divers position.
>Anon swallowed the sweets stuffed in his mouth and gripped onto his dad tight, forelegs and hind legs wrapping around Discord’s torso. The draconequus revved up as the sound of an engine sputtered and gasped. He revolved in place for a moment, arms pointed and spinning into a drill.
>Candy Cthulhu raised its bat and smacked it across the side of the mountain, the peak braking into shards of wiggly gelatin. The towering giant whacked at the mountain, the towering landscape being its personal punching bag.
>The gelatin mound bounced and vibrated more as Candy Cthulhu continued to swing from the top of the mountain, chunking off more pieces with each strike. The bat stretched and smeared the stretchy food, dispersing the force and disorienting the two chaos adventurers.
>Discord spoke out to his son as he revolved faster and faster. Anon surprisingly handled the intense spinning without faltering.
>”Anonymous!”
“Y-Y-Yeah D-D-Dad?!?”
>“Initiate maneuver ‘Silly Penguin’!”
>A confident nod and antler/horn grip later, Anon was looked forward and on, ready to steer Discord through their sticky demise. More hits and blows came, half of the mountain pummeled into chunks drifting into the sea. Candy Cthulhu’s precision and speed increased the more he swung.

>Squinted eyes and a tongue sticking out, Discord readied for launch.
>”Give me the go when you’ve aimed, quickly, my dear son!”
>Squinting as well and moving his head around, Anon looked about quickly yet cautiously.
“G-G-Go!”
>Without a moment of doubt or hesitation, Anon pushed forward against Discord’s head. This throttled the draconequus forward into a quick dive down into the jello. The chaotic colt pulled, pushed, jerked, and twisted his father’s head.
>They swerved inside the gelatin, dodging the incoming bat bursting through the sticky sweet slime. Just as the last batting came in from Candy Cthulhu, they propelled out the bottom side surface of the remaining mountain.
>The force of the last hit, along with the chunks of gelatin, rocketed them into the sky at ludicrous speed. The debris of jello sank into the ocean along with some squawking, seasalt taffy seagulls that circled the skies that unfortunately got caught in the crossfire.
>Discord eventually eased down on his spinning, then spread out his limbs in the air as he faced downward. With a snap, he wore a glider suit and goggles, giving his son a pair of goggles as well. The flaps between his arms and legs puffed up. Soon enough the two were soaring through the skies.
>As they descended towards the ocean surface, Discord took back control and flew into the black licorice spires in the distance. He bobbed and weaved in the air, frantically eyeballing the vicinity for a clear coast to land.

>”Alright, my boy! Listen up! We’re heading back home! We’re abandoning our quest!”
>The colt leaned down towards his dad’s ear, occasionally ducking his head at the incoming spiny branches the spires protruded.
“But Dad! We have a chance to get it-”
>“No buts! I’ve seen enough of yours while you were beating my butt during the race.”
“Cmon, we can get it! We do risky stuff all the time!”
>Discord’s brows furrowed and paused for a moment, flattening himself and his son into a paper thin width to squeeze through a gap between two adjacent spires blocking the way.
>”If you manage to find a way to get the shell WITHOUT using your powers, then we can go all in on that risk.”
“I have to use my powers it’s the only way-”
>”Ah bup bup! You heard me clearly. I know you want to use them but now is not the time!”
>Passing through the end of the gap, Anon glanced behind at the tower candy giant and watched as it fished out from the ocean piles and piles of butter.
>”And this has nothing to do with the dangers of this dimension. This has to do with your powers going loco. All you needed to do was pull the bat back, not change the ball. Now please, Anon! Cooperate and steer me towards safety so I can get the portal up.”
>Anon sighed, a frown melting down onto his face like the ice cream froth that crashed into the waves of the sugar ocean. Gripping the antler and horn once more, Anon steered Discord towards a nearby hard candy canyon to hide behind.
“Fine… But I couldn’t control it, I swear!”
>”The draconequus rolled his eyes and grumbled. To their dismay, the licorice spires began to launch into the skies into a purple vortex. Candy Cthulhu had raised its hand into the air, pointing towards the very same vortex. It spoke out at their target.
>”What a lousy shot at trying to strike me out! Let’s see if ya can get past this pitch!”
>Discord muttered under his breath and scowled, glancing quickly between Anon, the spires suddenly shifting upwards, and the giant candy monster.
>”Puh! Tch! That’s the problem, Anonymous! But we don’t have time to argue! We have to get out of here, pronto!”

>The colt also looked to the side and grumbled, only for his eyes to spark up with a devious grin. Anon thought to himself, “I’ll show him! I’ll pull something off real cool with my powers. Then he’ll trust me! I know I can do it!”
>Discord continued to scale the floating black licorice spires zipping and zooming past in the air. Whenever a spike came close, he’d snap his talons and condense Anon down to a size that would keep him safe.
>Eventually, all the spires got sucked into the vortex, leaving a crystal clear ocean surface in the wake. Discord didn’t take any extra moments to snap once again and produce a portal far yet in a clear path back to their home.
>In the distance behind, Candy Cthulhu sprinted through the waving water. It used its bat against the air to deliver a gust of wind, throwing the draconequus’ flight path out of whack.
>The sudden wind strike blew up some of the sea foam, a few giant seashells jumping up into the air with the geyser of water. Discord quickly grabbed one and snapped his talon. A pirate’s outfit replaced his glider one. In one swift motion, he reoriented himself in the air along with Anon.

>Candy Cthulhu took out a pitching glove with a wad of butter. Readying a throw, it shouted.
>”HEY BUTTAH BUTTAH BUTTAH! HEEEEEY BUTTAH BUTTAH BUTTAH!”
>The candy monster pitcher hurled the butter ball, wads of butter spraying out the surface as smaller butter beads. The air was filled with a volley of butter balls raining down havoc upon them.

>Their descent brought them closer and closer to the sea waves below, Discord snapping and conjuring up a parachute onto Anon’s back. Anon clamped his legs around his father, slowing down their free fall.
>Discord cleared his throat and darted his head around, looking for the portal frantically.
>”Change of plans! This tooth-decaying slugger isn’t going to give us a break, especially in the 3rd inning!”
>He threw Anon down onto the shell as they approached a few meters to the ocean surface. Anon did a somersault as he landed on the shell just as it hit the surface. Another snap and Discord had a harpoon loaded with butter sticks in his paw and a bat in his talon.
>Mimicking a sailor's accent, Discord exclaimed to his son while loading up the harpoon.
>”You’re in control of the helm, lad! I’ll keep this peppermint whale at bay.”
>Affirmatively nodding, Anon surfed against the tide as his father took the offense.
“Got it!”

>The draconequus aimed and fired the shot, all while swinging his bat and hitting back the butter balls falling towards them. Anon did his best to steer, dodge, and swerve at the butter balls landing in the front.
>A direct hit against one of Candy Cthulhu’s eyes with the harpoon. It staggered back and stumbled, growling while wiping the butter off. Discord yelled victoriously.
>”Arrrr! A direct hit!”
>Returning volleys from Discord caked the creature with butter, infuriating the faux baseball player even more.
>”AAAY! I’M BUTTERIN HERE!”
>All Anon could hear behind him was the cracking of a bat against butter splats and the compressed air noises of a launching harpoon. He didn’t look back, putting his skills to the test in pure focus.
>As Discord continued his offense and defense, Anonymous did a few flips in the air. He dodged, bobbed, and weaved as he did during the race against his father. Anon laughed and grinned, a confident smirk and piercing, narrowed eyes steering their escape.
>Amidst the chaos, the portal creeped closer and closer to the two sea dogs drifting in the sea. Waves came crashing down, the foam dripped onto their manes and fur. Anon rode into the waves like a fast marble spinning down a funnel. He would shoot out the other side of the crest and ride out another.
>A huff and a puff, Discord grunted and gritted his teeth. A hardy grin and laugh escaped his lips, the tense offense and defensive keeping the draconequus physically busy.

>”The portal should be up ahead! Keep her steady and we’ll be out of here! But I’m not going to lie, this is a ton of fun!”
>Even with the tensions rising, both Anon and Discord cheered.
“Yeah! I told you we’d be fine!”
>”You’re lucky this is just everyday business when hanging out with Discord, the coolest dad in the Void!”
>Another flip and bounce of a wave was enough to clarify Anon’s next statement.
“This isn’t luck! We’re just that good.”
>”But of course! Arrr!”
>Discord pointed his bat towards Candy Cthulhu with one eye closed and a snarled grin.
>”My boy and I do this every other day! You have nothing on us, the pilfer pitching duo!”
> Discord continued his taunting, spitting out a raspberry for irritating effect.
>”Pbbbbbtttt! You call that a pitch? HAH! Your throwing power is as weak as your jawline!”
“Hah! That’s right, gummy dummy!”
>For a brief moment, they bumped hoof and paw before going back dishing some creamy justice. But just before they could reach the portal…
>The small green colt drifted the shell around instantly and swerved into a giant wave. It happened too quickly for Discord to react as Anon bumped into the crest of the wave, diving through. The force caused Discord to jump up briefly and slam back down onto the shell. This acted as a springboard for Anon as the shell catapulted him into the sky.

>A certain aura enveloped the colt, making him appear like a purple comet soaring through the air. Discord pushed himself back up, his eyes shaking and rolling around. He popped off his head and shook it, the eyes settling back into place. Popping it back on, he growled and admonishingly yelled at the top of his lungs.
>“ANONYMOUS! What are you doing?! Oh dear... My dear Void…”
>Discord brought his paw up to his forehead and rubbed, biting down onto his talon claws. He began pacing around the shell, occasionally stroking his beard while his brows twitched and furrowed.
>The same confident smirk on Anon could be seen basking in determination as it grew closer and closer to Candy Cthulhu. Yet the creature could see him from leagues away. It readied its bat behind its head, waiting to hit.
>”Imma grill ya into the depths of this ocean, kid!”
>Discord unscrewed his head and took out his brain. His mind raced with thoughts, and he opened up his mind like a book, sifting through it.
>”What should I do?! He’s too far, I won’t be able to teleport in time! ...Summoning a Nibblethart would be too dangerous, but they love sugar! No no… Dumpster dunking would be suicide at this point! What was that boy thinking?! Think, Discord! Think!”

>It was too late. At that moment, a thunderous crack echoed through the breeze. With a mighty whack, the purple comet was struck. Its aura faded into a sparkling mist and dust, sprinkling through the air. Discord rubbed his talon against his forehead pressing between his brows
>”Anonymous… What are you up to this time? Ugh...”
>Candy Cthulhu chuckled and slugged its bat onto its shoulder. The draconequus, however, wasn’t appalled by the idea that his son was destroyed by a bat magnitudes greater than his size.
>Discord stared at the bat that did the deed, a deadpan glare reasted on it. A surprising grin returned to Discord’s face. As to why? Candy Cthulhu didn’t know why, and took it as Discord finally breaking down.
>”This is what happens when you play foul in Mother’s domain! We don’t care if you rule these lands! There are no rules!”
>Discord narrowed his eyes and began to slowly chuckle.
>”Oh ho ho. Ahahah… BAHAHAHAAH! THAT MY FRIEND… Is correct! You are positively, undoubtedly, and accurately 100% correct!”
>Candy Cthulhu flinched, peppermint eyes furrowed in confusion.
>”I knew you were mad, but this is a bitter reaction! Have you no remorse for your son?!”
>”Oh no, my dear friend. It is not I who shall be feeling remorse, oh ho ho no…”
>An explosion of purple fire erupted from the bat on the beasts shoulder. Taffy spewed and gushed out like streams of confetti.
>”GRAOAOAOAOAOAR! HOW CAN THIS BE?!”

>Discord closed his eyes, crossed his arms, and with a soft smile, nodded confidently.
>”You clearly have never dealt with Anon, have you?”
>Riding one of the taffy strings far in the distance was a green dot. Shimmering alongside it was the Sugar Shell. It was Anonymous. His grin never faltered; it never left.
“Victory sure does taste sweet, Dad!”
>The taffy string crashed into the ocean near Discord, with Anon jumping off just as it settled. He landed right on the seashell board. Looking up at his father with a wide grin, he presented the shell. Black soot caked his face along with his mane puffed up and fuzzier than usual.
“I got it!”
>Discord glanced at the shell and back at Anon repeatedly for a few seconds.
>”Excuse me for one itty bitty moment, Anonymous.”
>Discord snapped his talon, a fishing pole appearing in it. He casted the line into the ocean, fished up his heart, which flopped like a fish, and shoved it back into his chest. Then he got on his knees and hugged his son.
>”Nearly made my heart sink… BUT MY DEAR BOY! YOU ARE A MAD GENIUS!”
>After the quick hug, he got back up and wiped a tear.
>”You really do take after your father. A splitting image! Look how deranged you look!”
>Anon nodded rapidly and hopped in place.
“I did it, Dad! See see see!? I got the shell and used my powers!”

>They drifted towards the portal as the waves guided them. The chaos and disruption had been pushing them closer to their home escape.
>”That I did see! Now that’s the creative thinking a chaos master needs! Did you turn yourself into mist and stick onto the bat right before impact?”
“Mhm mhm!”
>”Pure genius! And you knew he was going to put the bat on his shoulder, right on the Sugar Shell! By dear Void! I am proud-”
“Yeah yeah! I dunno, it just happened like, I wanted it that bad and let my powers do it!”
>”Anonymous.”
>Discord once again looked seriously at his son. A giant shadow casted over them and the portal. Anonymous tilted his head and looked visibly confused.
“What, Dad?”
>”Remember how I told you REFRAIN from using your powers...”
“U-Um…”
>The colt looked over his shoulder and then turned around. Surrounding the two were towering clones of Candy Cthulhu made of taffy. Each glared equally sour expressions, bats gripped intensely. Anon gulped and sheepishly grinned.
>”Get… In the portal…”

>The real Candy Cthulhu stood as well next to them. They all raised their bats and prepared to crack down. Without looking away, Discord grabbed his son by the nape, tossed him into the portal, and dove in himself.
>The portal closed just as the bats landed, a giant storm of sweet glistening water shooting into the sky. Anon and Discord tumbled into their living room, a gush of sugar water spraying along with them.
>Anon landed on his rump and shook the water out of his mane.
“That. Was. So… COOL!”
>He scurried over and grabbed the Sugar Shell laying on the ground.
“See, Dad! We did it!”

>Discord rang out his neck like a towel, twisting it along with his beard to get the water out. After the water dripped out, he stared down at his son with arms on his hips and a surprisingly enthusiastic smile.
>”Yes you did! You know what else you did?!”
“Um, no? What?”
>Discord spoke once more, leaning his long neck in and the same smile on his face.
>”You just got yourself grounded, son!”
>He winked and snapped his talon. Anon’s pupils shrank, his happy grin looking more like a shocked one in denial as it twisted and wobbled a bit.
“...”
>Then the realization kicked in.
“...EH?!”