4.

Lilly felt her soul was ripped up and she laid her head on the table as she looked at her mother. Fluttershy was crying as she looked at her daughter and felt at a loss at what she could do to make her feel better.

Scarlet Grace walked into the room. “Dad and Doxy are gone.” She went over to Lilly, “Are you feeling any better?”

Lilly looked at her sister as she moved her hooves on the table. “No… I don’t feel well. I just don’t know… what it is.”

“So, what do we do?” Fluttershy said as she touched Lilly’s hoof with her own. “Where did they go?”

Grace looked at her mother. “Dad took him to the doctor.” She blinked. “They will be back soon. Don’t blame yourself Mom.”

“What?” Fluttershy said as she stood up to look at her daughter. “Grace, what are you saying?”

Grace shook her head. “I just told you that Dad took Dox to the doctor.”

“You said that I shouldn’t blame myself.”

“I did?” Grace looked confused.

Lilly sat up. “Mom, should we go to the doctors? I can take us there.”

Fluttershy was about to nod when Discord appeared in the room holding Paradox in his arms, Paradox had his arms wrapped in clean bandages and he looked small and miserable. “We’re back.” Discord commented softly as he placed Paradox on a chair.

Paradox slumped on the chair and looked across at Lilly. “I… didn’t mean to…”

Discord frowned when he heard his son mutter those words. “Paradox, you need to get rest.”

Fluttershy ran to Paradox. “Your arms, oh Doxy… what happened?” She looked at his eyes and they looked sad and his luster was gone. “Can I do anything for you?”

“Mom, I tried to get rid of it… but Dad told me to not do it, he told me not to hurt myself, but it’s there.”

“What? What’s there?” Fluttershy asked as she looked at him.

Paradox leaned to her. “You don’t see it?”

“No…” Fluttershy looked scared.

Lilly sat up. “Mom, don’t… it won’t help.” She said in a panic as she felt her stomach lurch.

“I tried to claw it out of me, the monster… I’m the monster and I tried to get rid of it… I didn’t mean to… I didn’t want to… Dad made me promise not to harm myself again.” He put his head down; his mane seemed to turn gray with his mood.

“I feel sick.” Lilly commented as she put her head down as well.

Discord put his paw on Fluttershy. “Paradox needs rest.” He then kneeled next to her and said in a whisper. “I don’t know what happened before, but he tried to do himself a lot of harm. We just have to keep watch over him.”

“Dox, Lilly… You both need rest.” Discord said out loud.

“I’ll be okay.” Lilly said as she sat up again and took in a deep breath. “I’m going to…” She turned pale, stood up and ran out of the kitchen.

Scarlet Grace put her paw and claw on her ears when she heard Lilly retching in the other room. “Ewww. Lilly puked.”