Sumponeigh Knot Yew visits Pony Ville

On a grassy hill between the Everfree forest and Pony Ville, tents and pavilions had been set up presenting all sorts of snacks for the guests to consume. Some pavilions acted as private changing rooms, like the one in which Rarity was getting dress in her gown with the help of Fluttershy and Granny Smith. Some tents acted as hiding places for others like Knife Eyes. Some were being guarded.

Ponies from Pony Ville drifted into the area and were welcomed by Pinky or reluctantly by Uncle Knot. With one exception, three dark cloaked figures had come from the train station. They were taller than most, and generated much speculation and gossip. Princess Twilight was annoyed at Uncle Knot’s secret guests and insisted on disclosure. Uncle Knot complied, which later brighten Twilight’s countenance dramatically.

Princess Twilight greeted Princess Celestia, Princess Luna and Discord upon the grassy hill. Celestia seemed uncustomary nervous and asked “Where is Spike?”

“Oh, he’s getting ready” answered Twilight

“So he’s a part of this too?” asked Luna

“Of course” said Twilight “Special Police Investigator Knife Eyes is the groom”

“Wait, what?” exclaimed Celestia “what do you mean?”

“Oh, I’m sorry” said Twilight “I guess I spoiled Uncle Knot’s surprise. He discovered a way to turn a dragon …”

“… into a pony” interrupted Celestia with a look of utter horror on her face.

“What is wrong, sister?” asked Luna

“How could I be so blind” said Celestia “that’s why he picked this place”

“Oh, this promises to be fun” commented Discord

“Wait” asked Twilight “did I do something wrong? Is there anyway to stop it?”

“No, Twilight” said Celestia “I’ve known Uncle Knot long enough to know he has always been planning this, and has a counter plan for anything we might do”

“So what shall we do sister?” asked Luna

Celestia responded “Smile and play …”

“… our parts” interrupted Uncle Knot “for we are all pawns upon the stage, fretting this way and that”

“Who art thou?” demanded Luna interposing herself between and Celestia

“Verily, I have been most remiss” said Uncle Knot doffing his hat and bowing with his eyes closed “I be thy most humble servant and vassal of Equestria, known in the common vulgar as Sumponeigh Knot Yew”

“Very well” said Luna “what mischief have thee wrought?”

“Mischief?” responded Uncle Knot “mischief, nay. As a simple vassal, not mischief but due tell if thee but prick me, will I not bleed? If thee but wrong me, will I not seek revenge?”

“Revenge!” exclaimed Twilight “I knew you were trouble”

“Tell us of the revenge thou hast sought” asked Luna

“Revenge trice rewarded already” answered Uncle Knot “against thee, Twilight Sparkle”

“What?!” exclaimed Twilight “I don’t understand”

“Then in more common usage, I sought revenge for the discomfort and inconvience you have three times caused me” said Uncle Knot “ and I have received my reward three times as well. First you hatched Spike”

“Why would you want revenge for that?” asked Twilight

“Who do you think gathers dragon eggs for the magic academy?” asked Uncle Knot rhetorically “did you not think it odd, that a plebe on her first day of school would be asked to hatch a dragon egg? Did you not noticed that you were the only student to have a pet dragon? Didn’t you realize that the first exam was a way to evaluate not your power but your character to handle stress, pressure, and failure”

“But I passed the test” said Twilight “I hatched the egg”

“Yes, you hatched the egg” said Uncle Knot “an egg I had taken special effort to get for some pony else”

“Who?” asked Twilight

“Think on it” answered Uncle Knot “they are both pink”

“And what revenge did you receive?” asked Celestia

“I stole her beloved pet” said Uncle Knot “he has no memory of her, and interesting coincidence, eh Celestia”

“But when he becomes a dragon again” said Twilight “he will get it back? Right, that’s what you told me?”

“Yes” said Uncle Knot “he will, but the pain you felt to think you had lost him fulfilled the first requirement of my revenge.”

“Oh, I’m beginning to like you” commented Discord

“Shut up, Discord” said Fluttershy, as she had joined the group along with Applejack and Rainbow Dash.

“And your second revenge?” queried Celestia

“I sent the ridiculously self promoting ‘Great & Powerful’ Trixie back in time to teach the unicorn most idolized by Twilight, the magic Star Swirl would need to become powerful enough to help the good king establish Canterlot” said Uncle Knot “it is such a delicious joy to me to see Twilight’s anger at my choice, and I may take future comfort knowing she will always know”

“Trixie is a lot better than you give her credit for” said Twilight

Puff “The Great & Powerful Trixie has appeared” said Trixie “My fireworks are ready for tonight”

“Indeed” said Uncle Knot “but stay, you have been missing the fireworks here. I have never doubted her ability Twilight Sparkle. Did I not bring her to your attention because I noticed long ago she had an element of harmony?”

“And why didst thou seek this second revenge?” asked Luna

“Because she hast cost me the most precious of moments” said Uncle Knot “a moment in time that cannot be repeated. The wedding of Cadence.”

“And why would that be important?” asked Applejack

“Because Uncle Knot should have been there to give me away” said Cadence, removing her cloak as she and Shining Armor and one other (still cloaked pony) joined the every enlarging crowd of ponies gathering on the grassy hill.

“Cadence” greeted Twilight “why would he do that for you?”

“Uncle Knot found me first, adopted me and brought me to Canterlot” answered Cadence “he taught me ‘sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs aw…”

“But you never did master the second verse; ‘moonlight, moonlight, fireflies awake, make a wish and do a little shake” said Uncle Knot

“I remember that!” exclaimed Luna “where did you learn that?”

“You don’t remember?” said Uncle Knot “Do you Luna?”

Celestia then interrupted “you should go back to the palace Luna. It’s getting dangerous here”

“Nay, dearest sister” said Luna “I would face any danger with you, even this pompous Uncle Knot”

“Well said, Princess of the Night” stated Uncle Knot “Well said”

“Ha ha, pompous” laughed Discord “pompous, ha ha, that’s it, we will perish from his pomposity”

“A much better fate than dying from your selfishness and irresponsibility Discord” retorted Uncle Knot

“But I’m Discord” said Discord

“But you didn’t have to be” stated Uncle Knot “you could have been a source of joy and laughter for Celestia. You could have helped her escape the stress of being new to the throne. She and Luna were so unsure of themselves then, but in your jealousy for the priority of time they gave to Equestria, you turned selfish and evil and forced them to turn you to stone.”

“I, I, I don’t remember much from that time” stuttered Discord “And how do you know? You weren’t there. I don’t remember you.”

"There is more to your story than you want to know. Has not both Celestia and Twilight demonstrated knowledge of King Sombra's magic? Of course they have, and did you know that his magic causes fear because it causes one to FORGET why they have courage."

“You don’t remember me from then” said Uncle Knot “because I wasn’t hatched until after you were turned to stone!”

“Hatched?” asked Twilight “did you say hatched?”

“Yes, Twilight” said Celestia “he said hatched”

“Miss Twilight, does it not seem odd that I would devote time to understanding how to turn a dragon into a pony? Did you really think it was the first time it happened?” asked Uncle Knot

“Wait, what?!” said Twilight “did you hatch a dragon, Princess Celestia?”

“So affirmed” stated Luna “but not this vulgar and pompous creature before us”

“Oh, such stinging words” responded Uncle Knot “do the stars still twinkle with thy smile?”

“What?” answered Luna

“And do thy gossamer wings still whisper our dreams with each flight?” asked Uncle Knot

“WHO ART THOU?” demanded Luna “WE WILL NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THY WELFARE!”

“Thank you” said Uncle Knot with a smile “what a boom it is to quit thy residence and thy hospitality, but I still have one little revenge left to claim”

“I’m beginning not to like you anymore Uncle Knot” said Discord “What dragon did Celestia hatch?”

“Still being selfish Discord, can’t wait your turn, answer this; would a rose by any other name still smell as sweet?” asked Uncle Knot “or would a dragon equus…”

“… would a dragonequus by any other name still be a dragon” stated Discord before crumpling into a ball of distress at Celestia’s feet.

“It will be okay” said Fluttershy

“I didn’t know” cried Discord “Celestia I didn’t remember, I’m so sorry, ... mommy”

“ALRIGHT Sumponeigh Knot Yew” yelled Twilight “I’m ready for your last revenge, but I warn you I think I know who you really are”

“Impressive, at last, my compliments Twilight” countered Uncle Knot “your intelligence may have come to understand, but your awareness is certainly lacking. Do you know where you are?”

“I know that I am standing with my friends facing a loveless creature who turns helpfulness into harm, who turns kindness into cruelty” said Twilight “just to fulfill his need for revenge”

“Did you hear that Celestia?” asked Uncle Knot “she called me loveless”

“Another victory to you Uncle Knot” said Celestia “still, it seems hollow to me”

“Hollow is the key, we should have an armistice” suggest Uncle Knot “to regroup and prepare. After all we have a wedding to attend to, who would want to spoil Rarity’s special day? Twilight, you have a marriage to officiate at and poor me, I have a bride to escort down the isle.”

“You!” cried out Rainbow Dash “that’s Rarity’s dad’s job”

“He has consented that honor to me in compensation for that function that both Twilight and Celestia cost me” said Uncle Knot “as a special favor to Celestia”

“So you know about that too” said Celestia

“I know I asked you Celestia to postpone the wedding until I could return. I know it was you who pushed up the wedding for Shining Armor and Cadence, so that no matter what effort I could make, I would not arrive in time.” said Uncle Knot “I know that when I warned you of a danger, you pressed on, drafting Shining Armor to protect Canterlot.”

“And I know it was you that sent Chrysalis into Canterlot” countered Celestia

“THOU ART GUILTY OF TREASON, KNAVE!” spoke Luna

“No, he isn’t” said the 3rd cloaked tall figure standing next to Cadence and Shining Armor. “he is no more guilty than I am” said Chrysalis removing her cloak. “he asked me to disrupt the wedding long enough for him to return. The coup d’etate was my idea, I don’t work FOR Uncle Knot, I work with him, sometimes, but I had my own ponies needs to consider. I am not a subject of Equestria, therefore my actions were that of a foreign aggressor.”

“Is this another attack Chrysalis?” asked Celestia

“No, this is a debt paid” responded Chrysalis “this is an honesty owed”

“Shining Armor, do you sense any others of her kind here?” asked Celestia

“No” said Shining Armor “she is being most candid and contrite”

“But we can’t have her here” said Twilight

“It’s a wedding” said Cadence “lots of estranged guests show up at weddings”

“An interesting truce?” asked Uncle Knot “you owe me a ‘princess wedding’ Celestia. Let us return to our official duties.”

“But Rarity is no princess” said Luna

“It will have to do Luna” responded Twilight “after all, it is the character of the pony that matters, not the title”