3
Lilly put her hooves around her head; she let out a growl as she sat at the kitchen table. Fluttershy sat across from her she was worried about both her son and daughter. Discord appeared in the kitchen. “What! What happened?” He looked at Lilly who was clutching her head as if she was going explode. He went over to her and looked into her eyes. “LillyRose? Double flower. What is wrong?”
Lilly looked at him and flinched at the pain inside her head. “Dad, it’s not me… It’s Paradox, he’s…” She gasped out as she put her hooves over her ears. “He’s going to hurt himself.”
Discord stood up quickly and disappeared. He reappeared in the hallway upstairs and he opened the door to Paradox’s bedroom. He saw his son on the floor feathers all over the place along with paintings and artwork torn up from Paradox’s own claws. Paradox was clawing at his arms leaving long scratches through his fur and bleeding. “No!” Discord grabbed Paradox, holding his paws back. “Stop that! STOP! Don’t hurt yourself… Don’t… I won’t… let you.” He used his magic and wrapped Paradox’s arms in the bedding that was torn up. He looked into Paradox’s eyes making him look at him. “Why are you doing this?”
Paradox looked at his father as if he didn’t recognize him; his blue eyes lost their shine. Discord swallowed hard seeing that his son had changed so suddenly in just a few hours. Paradox blinked slowly. “Why… did you stop me? Why? I… Am not supposed to be here… I am not supposed to be… I am a monster.” He grabbed the wrappings on his arms. “I’ve got to destroy the monster.”
“No!” Discord pulled his son to him. “Don’t hurt yourself. Don’t…”
“Dad…” Paradox said softly.
“I’m here Dox. You’re not bad, don’t hurt yourself. Promise not to hurt yourself.” Discord said to him. “You hurt yourself you hurt your mother, you hurt your sisters, and you hurt me.”
“I won’t hurt myself Dad. I… don’t feel good. I feel… horrible.” He looked down at the torn sheets around his arms and there was some blood showing through. “I think I am bleeding.”
“I know.” Discord swallowed as he pulled Paradox close. “We’ll go to the doctors, get you healed.”
“Nothing will heal me.” Paradox muttered as he felt emptiness inside. “There is no cure for a monster.”
“Who called you a monster?” Discord asked.
Paradox shook his head. “Does it matter? No… I have seen the monster and it is me. I am nothing but a monster. I will always be one… Not deserving of… anyone or anything.” He looked at his paws and they shook as he retracted his claws. “My fingers are red.”
Discord put his paw on Paradox’s paws. “Don’t look at them and don’t say that about yourself. We love you, your family loves you. Remember that. I’m taking you to see the doctor.” He snapped his fingers and they both disappeared and the feathers and papers on the floor flew about in the aftermath. Scarlet Grace had watched the exchange quietly.