A new perspective

by rabbitfaster

Rating: teen
Tags: Alternate Universe, Romance, Slice of Life
Length: 38212

Sometimes all it takes is a look at things differently to see the answers that were always there.

Atop a lone hill overlooking Ponyville stands Discord.
Released rather than having escaped from his prison, the Princesses have seen fit to give him a chance at redemption. Could this chance be really that, an opportunity for him to turn things around? Or will Discord unwittingly become another pawn on the board? With Celestia's deadline rapidly approaching its up to six mares to help change the very nature of chaos.

Rewritten and edited.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2012-06-03 18:13:14 UTC

A realization

At first, it had been the greatest feeling he had ever had, being free again. Why would it not be?

after all, a thousand odd years of being a statue was so very...dull. His happiness and new found sense of freedom quickly left him as he allowed the circumstances of his new position to sink in. Before him now where the Princesses. Two sisters of immense power who ruled over the land with no question of authority. Save for him in his prime of course.

As a smile broke the questioning look on his face, he opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by the taller and elder sister. Wreathed in alabaster and gold she was the very image of beauty and harmony. It made him feel a bit dizzy in a sickening fashion just to look upon her. Turned to stone or not he would never forget her name, Celestia.  "I am sure you are wondering why we have allowed you your freedom. Both my sister and I have noticed a change in your heart, your very spirit. Being as eternal as we are, we have seen it fit to allow you the chance to prove yourself worthy of a new life."

At the end of her statement the eldest gave a small hum as she looked him over, the smaller and younger sibling matched the noise after stepping forward. His brow shot up in a questioning way. "And how do you suppose I go about doing that?" A genuine question. once asked the elder of the two raised a brow of her own and smirked.

"I could have sworn the first words out of his mouth would have been an insult..." she looked almost crestfallen at his choice of words.

The younger sister to her side, wreathed in a darker scheme of midnight blue and silver was harboring a large smile as she finally spoke up. "I told you he had changed. If you had not felt it as well, we would not be here." She paused for a moment and it gave him a chance to remember her name. Luna, the mistress of the night. Just before she was to continue he interrupted with a raised arm.

"Since I do not yet know my circumstances, I do not know whether this should come across as rude, or simply curious so I'll ask it anyway." a grin again split his features "I do believe you went on....vacation shortly after myself, am I mistaken?" He let the question hang for a moment before lowering his arm and retracting it to rest under his bearded chin.

Standing there as he had been he first looked to the eldest, then to the youngest. Luna made to respond finally, "I do believe we should introduce him to our companions. It might make a bit more sense after that." turning and giving him a sidelong glance, Luna finished with "And yes, my...vacation," She spat the word like venom " was over a millenia, over a thousand years with the very moon serving as my prison."

He flinched at the fire in her eyes for a moment before raising a hand again "Wait."  Off to the side, Celestia simply sat on her haunches, interested as to how the situation had already panned out. Luna turned back and cast a wary glance at her sister before walking towards him. "I do need to go fetch our companions, what do you need to say?" She looked about as interested in his words as he was in looking at another statue.

For a moment it seemed like he was going to remain silent, thinking while scratching at his scruff. "I'm sorry" was his final statement. Both sisters' jaws fell a fraction of an inch, the reaction of their eyes widening much more obvious. Luna, without a word, turned and moved at a more brisk pace towards the palace interior.

Celestia stood and walked over to him, all her otherworldly grace still intact even after centuries of time. He couldn't help but chuckle at the familiarity he felt. "You know. A few hundred years ago I would have fought Titan for a chance to be this close to the two of you. Then again I suppose I'm not at full power now am I?" Celestia clicked her tongue and laughed, "Of course you are. I just simply stored large amounts of it away. We had to be sure you really had changed." A frown took her features and her bright eyes grew serious "We do not trust you. But, we are entrusting you to the care of six individuals, very powerful individuals that are going to watch over you for one week."

The air suddenly became stale in his lungs. His eyes narrowed, "So what you're saying is I have a time limit. I have seven days to show you that I'm not still some crazed monster o-or.....you....you..." He closed his mouth and shut his eyes tightly. For a moment Celestia actually thought she saw a tear form at the corner of his left eye. "When do I meet the little lovelies?" the aversion was obvious but Celestia had no idea whether he would act violently if she pressed it or not, in her mind she made the decision to let it be for now. She would have to warn Luna not to bring up his imprisonment lightly.

Celestia eye him carefully for a moment longer and smiled "They have a picnic set up for you on a hillside overlooking a small town they call home. We should hurry on or we might be late." "Late?" he snicker raising a hand "Dear, dear Celestia, did you forget about magick?" He snapped his fingers and a golden flame engulfed his hand, extinguishing the rising ball he had been creating. With a glare in her direction and dripping with sarcasm he spoke "I suppose that was what you were talking about?" With all the innocence of a five year old caught with the cookie jar Celestia replied "Why I have no idea whatever you might mean. I simply wished for a nice walk...I do suppose the hill is quite a distance away."

With a large golden flash he found himself sitting down on the grass now underneath him. It finally hit, he really was free.

In a moment of sheer elation he kept his rising voice that threatened to become a shout of joy in check while breathing in deeply through his nose. The feeling of fresh air travelling his body's system was something he would never take advantage of again, even if he had done just that moments before in the palace garden.

Opening his eyes, which he didn't even realize he had closed, he noticed a grouping of seven individuals off to his right on a nestled hill. Pointing and looking towards Celestia he stood at a nod. They walked together towards the group. As he came closer to them his pace slowed and he quickly fell behind of Celestia.  He knew his reputation had to be atrocious. But hell, if he didnt have to make the first impression he should at least enjoy the second. With a snap of his fingers a top hat with a silver band landed on his head. The smile that followed could have split his face, especially once he saw Celestia rolling her eyes.

As soon as he got close enough Luna motioned for him to come closer as he was introduced to the six other females sitting around the cliche checkered blanket. Each of the six was giving off an eerily familiar feeling with their presence that he could not put a finger on. In the first turn he heard each of their names, Twilight Sparkle, Applejack Apple, Pinkimena Diane Pie, Miss Rarity, Miss Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.

As the introduction came to an end Celestia and Luna stood to present the very reason they had come "My loyal companions and friends, this fetching creature before you is named Discord. He will be spending a day with each of you, and ending his week at Twilight's to present himself for a report. As you all know he has been gone from Equestria for a long time, longer than even my sister." Celestia took a moment to turn so she could see his reaction at her next words, "As the Elements of Harmony," Discord choked on the bit of sandwich Pinkie had offered him. "As the new Bearers of the Elements of Harmony, this is a task of the utmost importance to each of you. Treat it though, not as a task, but as a friendly favor. I wish for him to truly experience what it is to live in each of your lives, if even for a day. We believe him to be reformed of his old ways and wish genuinely for him to have some fresh ground to start on. You six will provide this for him in the ways you see fit. With that being said there is one final thing for you Discord." Celestia focused for a fraction of a second and two glowing orbs appeared around him. He recognized their feel instantly as his own. They where solid orbs of his magickal essence. They dispersed across his body like water and sank in. with an audible moan of delight, Discord's eyes lit up and he snapped his fingers, appearing on the other side of the gathered individuals.

The look of mirth on his features was unparalleled. It was infectious as everyone else smiled. "I have given you power again, but not enough to cause much harm, perhaps enough for experimentation on my part. Do with it what you will. But know this. If any of these six come to harm because of you, your judgement will be swift."

He clenched his jaw but saw fit not to push his luck. "You'll forgive me if I'm not use to accepting orders and ultimatums. It was never my style in the past."

"Well, with that being said Luna and I will leave you to your scheduling with your new friend ladies." and in a burst of golden light she was gone. Luna stayed for a moment, walked over to discord, reached up an arm and softly patted the side of his face. A moment later and she had vanished in a quickly dissipating cloud of blue smoke.

"Friend?" He questioned with a blank stare to the east. Pinkie was the first to speak up "Well, yeah. You are our friend now. We still have to get to know you but that doesnt change the fact that we are going to have some super duper funnerific times together!" the others echoed their agreement in their own ways.

"Duh," stated Dash, "Besides, just wait till you see some of my tricks, you'll never want to leave."

"Or, the festival darling, its simply divine! And you must come by for me sometime, I own a boutique and it would be my pleasure to stitch you a few new threads as they say." Rarity finished with a sweet smile and a soft wave.

"Doncha dare forget 'bout ah nice meal at Sweet Apple Acres neither." Chimed in Applejack

Fluttershy even stepped up "And of course, I can show you around all of my animals, i-if you would like."

Last was Twilight "And since I'll have you twice we can do whatever you would like, I've already whipped up a schedule for us all to follow, gather up girls, lets go over it real quick."

While they gathered he allowed his mind to wander, questions burned within his mind, but were calmed when he remembered the mental image of the two sisters, two opposites standing together...together in harmony

With a snap of his fingers his vision was split between his eyes.

In his left eye he saw what he thought he had wanted most. The small village torn asunder by all acts of.... chaos. Such a delicious word it was. Everything having lost its natural function and taken on another. Tree’s crawled, water flowed backwards, the streets turned to a slippery substance, the ground was in checkered patterns, in every direction his eye looked he felt a warming sense of mirth overtake him at the sights. An itch in his chest pulsating slightly but quickly dying.

In his right eye however, was a much different picture to be painted. It was…harmony. Beautiful in every aspect. things were as they should be except he was a part of them, that in itself was strange. He could see himself out with the ones he had met so very recently. Everything was graceful in motion, the flowing of the stream against its own bedrock, The rustling of the leaves in the trees, even the warmth of the sun on his chest. He had once been, even now likely still was, considered a fugitive, an escaped convict if you will, though in his eyes he had never been given a proper trial. Unjust imprisonment by all means, any could have seen that. But....

Standing where he was atop a hill that overlooked the town, he felt every inch the conflicted being his mind was making him out too be. Even his outward appearance was evident of some mighty clash. Not in the sense that he had many scars but….well to put it kindly he was a monster. His physical appearance was distorted into nothing like a normal being. That never bothered him much, his appearance may have been frightening to some but most would look past that and speak with him at least once before giving in to their fears.

Allowing his mind to wander on the many good and extensively many more bad experiences he had had based on his looks alone, he watched a few blue dots soaring through the sky, leaving a trail of grayish black smoke wherever they maneuvered.  He thought back on one of the sixes idea's to take him to the Carnival. hah, Carnival. Such a misleading name for what they celebrated during one in these towns.

“Back in my time….” he stopped before finishing the thought, he was still alive now….why could these not be his times as well? Slowly he shook himself back to the present, back to his ….friends as they had wished him to call them. As they brought the conversation his way and he responded he realized something. The world was a balance of chaos and harmony, a perfect balance. He could never have seen that before having them side by side as he had always. Never thinking the two could do anything other than oppose one another…never intertwine.

A smile came across his features and all six of his friends gave him large smiles in return. Pinkie Pie asked him outright “Whats got you in such a great mood all of a sudden?”

“Nothing my…friend. I simply figured something out. I think I just," pausing for a moment he nodded and continued, "Just want to belong.” he finished with a large smile, lowering his head slightly to look at the six standing in front of him.

Everyone can change…

Besides,

Was it so bad to want to belong?

The First Day/ Apples and Honesty

The sun had made its descent almost completely behind the mountains to the west by the time the small group was done with their picnic. Though everything had gone quite well, it had to come to an inevitable end.

Despite being wholly accepted by his six...friends, Discord was still having a bit of trouble accepting that he was not only free, but that he had made friends. Friends who represented the very magick that had sealed him away so long ago, not that he held a grudge. He knew the Elements had been wielded by Celestia and Luna, not these six before him.

Looking up at the stars again he realized he had faded out of the conversation. Coming back into the tirade of verbal slinging going on in front of him, it wasn't hard to tell he had become the topic of interest.

"I already told you I called him for tonight!" It was Twilight, standing and wielding her voice like the weapon it truly was. A bit of a surprise for Discord seeing as she was supposedly Celestia's pupil. Following the argument, he would have to say, for what reason he did not know, that she seemed almost possessive of him, but the others would hear none of it. They argued back and forth until the shyest, Fluttershy if he remembered correctly, brought up a simple fact.

"Wouldn't your report...uhm benefit further if you wrote it with him at the end of the week...I mean...He would have all of those...experiences to tell you about...and-and you would have that whole day...if you wanted to I guess..."

The others looked at her and he just smiled knowing she was right.  Shortly after the small silence, Applejack spoke up.

"Alrighty then, Ah'll be takin' him with me to the farm. The farthest trek for the first night and day. While Ahm here lets plan out the week, oh course if'n thats alright with our friend here." Her hat nodded in his direction and he smiled.

"I'll leave my week..." And how short a week can be "..In your hands ladies. For once I don't want to play a part in any kind of scheme." with his last remark his smile had faded a little, responding quickly so they would not notice he finished "But I am more than glad to make the trip to...your farm..wherever it is." He was by no means a people pleasure, his past showed that without leaving room for argument, but his logic argued that this time around, maybe he should actually try. It was quite strange for him...many things were...for one, he had not even bothered using any of his magick since earlier, something he used to not be able to go five minutes without. He nodded in conclusion to the cowpony.

With another nod Applejack began again.

Before long the plans came together. It was easy for him to make a quick mental map of their home town based on the locations of each of the six that lived within and outside of its borders. Fluttershy acting as the border, Applejack as the outskirts, and the rest as landmarks throughout the town.

Sunday into Monday, the first day, which included tonight would belong to Applejack,

Monday night into Tuesday would belong to Fluttershy,

Tuesday night into Wednesday would belong to Rarity,

Wednesday night into Thursday would belong to Pinkie Pie,

Thursday night into Friday would belong to Rainbow Dash,

The rest of Friday would be spent at the Carnival with all of them, and then came Saturday.

Saturday, the whole day, and into Sunday, belonged to Twilight Sparkle. He smiled.

No one tossed out any plans passed that single week. Only he found it funny or ironic as he smiled and laughed inwardly at his own situation.

One week

With a final dab of Twilight's quill the schedule was complete. Business aside it was time for each of them to part ways. Giving cautious waves to each of his new friends, Discord looked around, spotted the golden hair of his guide, and walked after her. Within minutes they reached a road leading away from town.

The air seemed to almost filter the further the two companions paced. After a moment of looking to the stars again, Discord flicked an ear in Applejack's direction and spoke. "Not that I mind a nice walk after....after eating, but how far is this place of yours?"

She looked up at him and her eyes seemed to pierce right through the blanket of night around them, shining with the luster of the stars above. "Don't yew even try to lie to me. Ah know full-well that yew had somethin' else on yer mind." For a moment he almost decided to let the statement ring and remain silent. With another glance into his companions eyes he realized she would need to be appeased to drop the subject entirely.

Well, at least until the week was up.

Forcing the thoughts of his limited time to the back of his head, he found himself determined to simply carry on, though he would indeed answer.

Applejack gave him another simmering look from the side and finally spoke after the silence had hung for a full minute. "It's only ah few miles outside ah town. Mind telling me what yew were gonna say pardner?" Though the look she gave displayed a slight aggression, the tone of her voice was sweet, almost inviting. He simply forgot what 'friendly' sounded like.

For the hundredth time that evening he looked up, but this time directly towards the moon that was now cresting a mountain in the distance. His eyes grew somewhat distant and his companion leaned closer, reaching out to comfort him, thinking she had said something wrong. Before she could make contact he spoke.

"I..have been gone for a long time. To put it simply I wound up being far too full of myself and thinking with my heart over my head. The princesses put me in my place after I took things too far. But by far the worst part of it all, was being trapped with myself. Dealing with the warring sides inside me that told me what I had done was right or wrong. The one place I had always taken refuge became my prison." He didnt notice he had stopped walking until he shifted his vision to the dirt road and saw his feet where not moving.

Looking over he saw the look in Applejack's eyes had changed. Far from use to the many feelings of the evening, Discord was again shocked to see they now held something he had not seen in centuries....compassion. Reaching out to him, Applejack gripped his shoulder and pulled him into a hug.

The move was by no means sudden but it startled him nonetheless. With a jolt he was stiff as a board until he heard her soft whisper into his fur. "Ah don't know what yew've been through Sugar, won't ever pretend to, But yew 'ave us now. Yer friends." She held her grip until he had relaxed and absently placed an arm around her in a return of the embrace.

The action nearly tore his resolve for moment. The first show of affection he had felt in centuries and it had come from one thing he thought he would never have again....a friend. Parting from the small embrace he looked forward and they began their pace again. In an almost offhand way Discord stated "Thank you." The sentiment was not lost on Applejack as she simply nodded. Nothing more need be said.

Their journey down the long road gave way to dirt paths and winding country side, sparking a conversation between the two of agriculture and soon leaking into the pool of their favorite things. Though he was by no means of the earth tribe entirely, he was always astounded by the works they could do with the hard packed earth all around them, Applejack and her entire ancestry as an example. Soon they had glossed over the topic of innate magick and moved on to personnel topics. Discord skipped quite easily over his early adolescence and to his great pleasure Applejack did not question him, knowing that must have been the time when things took a turn for the worse.

In the middle of talking about the different kind of apples and why they become the color they do, applejack interrupted herself with a serious question to her companion. "Have yew ever talked to anyone about the bad memories yew have? It could do yer heart a mighty good deal."

For a moment, he was taken aback but regained his composure with a smile, "The princesses know of my struggles. In my time I spoke with them."

His meager excuse wasnt enough to dissuade her, "Well shucks, even ah speak to the princesses 'round here every now and agin', that dont mean yew talked about what yew really wanted to." Taking a step closer to him, they matched pace as they continued on through the night.

Glancing up and then over to her he sighed, "You know Honesty....I think you might be right. I'm...just not ready to talk about it though."

The answer was enough for the cowpony "No pressure from me sugar."

The walk through the first fields of the Apple families orchards had been a treat for Discord. He had teleported about once every five seconds, not only took keep up with Applejack's steady pace, but to check each and every new shade of leaf or fruit he came across. It wasn't long before they found themselves at their destination. Applejack lead the way up the wooden steps to the farmhouse and held the door open as he walked in and took in the surroundings. The entry way was welcoming with a few mats and brushes for the dirt and mud, a dog brush or two lying to the side, several simple pictures of favored livestock and awards. A few steps and they found themselves in a dark but cheerful living room. On every wall were many pictures of what one would imagine to be family members based on the abundance and resemblances.

To answer the question in his mind and make a compliment he spoke up "There's no way you live on this farm alone and tend all these orchards by yourself Honesty..."

She smiled and allowed her eyes to fall on each of the many photos one at at time as she spoke "Ah course ah dont. I have mah younger sister, mah older brother, and mah granny ta help, as well as family that stops in every now and agin."

"So then, Where is everyone now?"

She chuckled for a second "They went on a trip to the royal city, I volunteered ta watch over the farm since harvesting season is over..besides, ah wanted to spend yesterday with the girls."

A frown crossed his face "I'm sorry I interrupted your time with them."

She closed the gap between them with another hug, ruffling his cinnamon hair with a grin. "Sugar, you made the day better. What could any of us ask for more than making a new friend."

In truth the smile warmed him. He had been having second thoughts of this whole thing, these feelings, since they had reached the orchard. With so many objects, living or otherwise, around him the urge to change them had come upon him, if even for a brief moment. All of those urges, even as slight as they where, had given him pause. Now they faded away and he remembered the moon. A stable in his old days that always gave him comfort. Looking down to Applejack he rested his head on top of hers for a moment and returned the hug. Grabbing his arm she pulled him towards the stairs. "Its late, both of us need ta get some rest. After all, ah still need to show you 'round my neck of the woods in the morning afore ah hand yew off." With those words the weariness did set upon him and he felt the need for sleep, a bed sounded wonderful.

Allowing himself to be led into a large room and pushed lightly towards a bed he thought to himself  'so, this is what its like to feel accepted.'

"﻿Well, yew sure do look happy." stated Applejack as she threw a blanket over the top of him and moved for the door. "Ah'll be across the hall if'n yew need anythin."

With a wistful grin he replied "Thank you Applejack....Goodnight."

With that she closed the door and was lost to his vision.

Looking out the window to his right he rolled over to better face the view of the moon. It brought a beautiful glow across the land and shot tendrils of delicate light through the branches of the hundreds of apples tree's he could see. Watching the tree's he had the urge to turn a few into marshmellows. As he was about to snap and make it happen he looked harder at the blotch of trees he had examined earlier. Taking interest in the shoots of light coming through the branches and shining down to the ground. It reminded him of his split view earlier that day and he again saw the balance of chaos and harmony in front of him. The want to change things in favor of one of the sides vanished as it had before and instead he felt the need to walk to the window. Getting up he saw a bright flash outside the house and decided since he was up, he might as well investigate, for all he knew it could be the rest of Applejack's aforementioned family back early from their trip. He wondered for a second what would have made the flash, he didn't remember seeing any unicorns in the pictures downstairs.

Making sure as to not wake the hopefully sleeping Applejack across the hall, he made his way down the stairs and quietly out the front door only to find himself strides from the eldest princess.

A moment passed between the two as their eyes locked and neither showed any iota of emotion.

It was the princess who broke the calm first, "You know I've given you more power?"

After a moment Discord answered without changing expression "Yes, ﻿your highness."

Quirking a brow she continued "Well. I noticed you've done nothing but...." She made a rolling motion in front of her and did the same with her eyes, "..teleport a bit."

Now breaking his stony expression, Discord clenched his jaw for but a moment "And what business is it of yours what my travel methods are?" he raised a brow and showed a few teeth.

﻿"I see at least a shred of your...demeanor has come back." Celestia spat.

Discord was growing weary of being in Celestia's company already "Why are you here. I have done nothing wrong unless you consider hugging one of your precious subjects to be a crime."

She clenched her jaw lightly and allowed a pause before replying "I understand why you treat me with such hostility and for that I am more sorry than I can say."

He had turned away after his last remark and this new one, catching him by surprise, caused him to turn his head back and stare at the princess. With venom is his voice he asked "What?" It was spoken like the falling of a guillotine, filling Celestia with a flash of dread she had not felt in centuries.

Slightly taken aback at his tone, the Princess spoke "I-I said that I am sorry."

The aghast look upon his face turned to a sickening grin "If you came here to apologize then leave. I give you my thanks for this chance at a new life as you put it, but that does not mean this is a get-out-of-your-past-mistakes-free card." He snapped his fingers and the sounds of a very familiar argument swirled around the two.

Celestia winced before a fire lit in her eyes, "Will you just listen to us for once in your life!"

Her voice was a shout now, and holding the tone of the royal we. He new without a doubt it would have awoken the dreaming Applejack. That fact alone added to his now rising temper

He leapt forward off of the patio steps and landed a few bounds from Celestia, the creaking of his leap masking a noise from deeper in the farmhouse.

There was a fire in his eyes to match her own when he spoke "First off CelestiaYou may be the princess but there are others in this world, you would do well to remember that and respect their times of rest, Secondly, Thanks to you I am on a time limit, why should I spend a fraction of what could be the last days of my life speaking with the one who will take it away?...and third" He paused, letting the sting of his last remark sink in before his anger truly rose, "Third, The last time I trusted you!...you..."The anger left his voice and was replaced with sorrow, "The last time I trusted you....you turned me to stone."

"What?"

Both the princess and Discord turned to the new voice, It was Applejack who had indeed been awaken by the princesses shout and walked in on the latest tidbit of conversation.

She looked at Celestia in shock "Princess? What does he mean?"

"I....will check on you again." backing away the princess vanished in a waiting orb of shimmering white light.

Discord looked at where she had been....had that been a test to see if he would retaliate when offended? Or had she been serious?

"What in the hay is going on?" Applejack sounded non to pleased.

Scratching at the back of his head Discord mumbled "I uhm.....I think the princess just came to check on me. I'm sorry she woke you up, we have a habit of arguing."

With a frown she answered back "Mayhaps this isn't the best time ta be talkin' 'bout this. Its too early, lets both go back ta bed an' talk about it all another time."

He was more than happy to go back inside the house. Though his slow trudging would have said otherwise. He could tell just by the way she had said "Another time." their conversation would come much quicker than he would like.

The rising sun signaled the end of a slow night for Discord. Slow in the manner that sleep would not find him. If he had been asked why, he didn't know if he could rightly answer. His mind felt so new, this whole new view on the world as a balance was indeed beautiful yes, but it put a large amount of strain on his nature. It was like reteaching yourself how to function. Having always been the opposite of any harmonious thing, it made it even more difficult for him.

Stepping down the wooden stairs he could hear the sounds of Applejack humming over dishes. From the look of the table being set up she had been awake for some time and had already made up breakfast for the two of them. Sitting down to enjoy a few pancakes with an apple fritter, he again found himself with an old feeling from deep within. For once it wasn't the urge to change the colors and functions of everything in the room, instead, it was a warm feeling that spread across his chest and brought a smile to his face.

He was happy.

After a short meal and a few rounds of Questions and Answers, Applejack lead Discord across the farm and showed him each of the different fields, telling in great detail all the different techniques, procedures, and histories that were a part of cultivating the crops and fields. Of course, he listened in rapt attention and soaked in the information as quickly as she dished it out, he never knew when he might need this info again. Luckily for him she never once did bring up the events of the night before. He chalked it up to her maybe thinking it had been a dream.

The weather was warm and a tad humid, something he loved. Every now and then he would pick an apple from a tree and slice it through with the one protruding fang that stuck out of his maw before eating the halves. All the while Applejack seemed to find his apple eating antics hilarious as she giggled whenever she noticed him nonchalantly eating one.

Walking back towards the farm house to enjoy an early lunch he stopped to pick up an apple and peg Applejack with it lightly, turning she stared in mock surprise before smirking and picking up another apple that had already fallen to throw back at him. Before he could rightly retaliate he found himself being pelted by apples of all sizes and shades.

The events of that battle would go down in history as one of the most ferocious apple fights to have ever taken place...if there had been anyone else there to witness it.

Both panting for air and hanging about each others shoulders they arrived back at the farmhouse to find that they had a guest waiting in the living room.

Discord smiled and addressed their guest "Ah, Fluttershy, you've come for me?"

She nodded in her usual soft way before looking to Applejack and smiling. Applejack returned the smile and  Fluttershy strode forward to greet him. "Its...Its good to see you are..uhm..doing well." she finished with a meek smile before batting her lashes and staring down at the floorboards.

He took a moment to look her over before speaking "Well, I suppose I should get out of your place Applejack, dont want to keep time from Fluttershy. Thank you for everything so far...I still kicked your hide in that apple fight."

Applejack nearly lost it to her competitive boasting before remembering that Fluttershy was there. "Jus' go with her now, yew and me'll 'ave our rematch, yew can bet a bit on that....take it easy Sugar." She tipped her hat and gave a wink.

As the two walked out of the farm house they could both hear Applejack yelling a final goodbye "Yew're welcome back anytime y'all!"

His first day in a new town with his new...friends. Was he ever going to get use to that word?

shaking it off he looked over at Fluttershy who was examining his different features with a quizzical expression.

He could tell already that this was going to be an interesting day, after all, the countdown had begun.

Six days left.

The Second Day/ Flowers and Kindness

As the great expanses of the apple orchards slowly gave way to the native trees of the forest bordering town, Discord thought back to the previous day as a whole....and smiled. He had survived his first day with hardly any trouble at all! A large achievement in his mind considering he had not even turned a single apple into a grapefruit with wings or a pig into a licorice stick. Thinking back on his small success a large grin split his features yet again, a more and more common occurrence.

Fluttershy looked up to him and gave a meek squeal when she saw the displayed fangs.

Quickly closing his mouth he started off the first conversation they would have had since waving goodbye to Applejack almost two miles back.

"Where is your place at? I hope its not as big as that farm," he let out an exasperated sigh "It was a bit of a pain having to walk around all of the orchards, even if I did love listening to Honesty."

She smiled briefly "Its...not so much big...as it is spacious. I take care of uhm..a lot of animals."

As if on cue a small white rabbit hopped up and nuzzled into her.

"Oh Angel. I'm so very glad to see you, how is the morning going at home? Oh dear, nothing is wrong is it?"

The white rabbit shook its head back and forth giving a sign that things were all clear ahead and pranced off again at mach speeds.

"Friend of yours?" he asked with a risen brow.

Fluttershy smiled again and looked up at him "Yes...just like you."

"I dont know If Ill ever understand how you all can trust so easily....or if Ill ever get used to being called a friend."

"Well...Everyone deserves a chance at redemption...dont you think? I mean...I thought you did..."

"You are well placed as the Element of Kindness, I dare say you are one of the most genuinely caring persona's I have ever met."

After a moment she hid behind the swoop of hair hanging in front of her face and replied "Thank you...I-I like to think I am."

And the nervousness was back in her as quickly as it had left.

Faster than he would have thought they came upon a quaint cottage and Fluttershy motioned for him to enter, the warmth from a fire inside could be felt even as he passed through the threshold.

Looking around the cottage and taking in the details he spoke up "I suppose I'll have to get use to a lot of scenery changes in the next few days." ﻿but what kind of change will I get after that?﻿

﻿ Again pushing the thoughts of his impending due date to the back of his mind he took in a deep breath. Just from what he had seen so far Discord knew he would need to attempt and stay calm around Fluttershy. Inwardly he laughed at himself, the avatar of chaos staying calm? He supposed stranger things had happened in the past twenty-four hours.

Walking past Discord who was still standing beside the door, Fluttershy made her way over to the couch "Our other friends have nice places as well...uhm...how did you like the farm?...I mean if you dont mind me asking...if you're tired we dont have to." She hopped up onto the couch to delicately emphasize the point.

Looking at Kindness who was stretching out comfortably on a couch Discord couldnt help but smile and laugh a little. She could be so cute. Though he had been tired from not getting much rest combined with the relaxing atmosphere of Fluttershy's cottage, he decided to try and strike up a conversation at some point.

The gears in his head nearly came undone when the thought registered in his head. cute? really? cute?

But again the thoughts of doing something to the cottage quickly drifted away as he told himself it was a perfectly normal thought to have. After all, he thought bunnies were cute...he use to think them more cute as q-tips with legs but that was the past, now there was indeed something almost humorous about the way their ears naturally flopped.

"I'll take that...as a no..." Kindness said in almost a whisper, he hadnt realized how long he had been standing there.

"Oh...OH Im sorry Kindness...I-I was daydreaming. I would love to sit and talk about yesterday...uhm...where should I sit?"

She stifled a giggle as she pointed to the other side of the couch and patted it softly with a wing.

Moving forward he sat down on the edge of the couch and was surprised at how soft it was. Apparently soft enough to coax a well flowing conversation out of the two now occupying it. The conversation was mostly about all he had done with Applejack, even mentioning the late night intrusion by the princess, though he left out the conversation they had had purposefully. No need to have another worried about him.

He quickly swung the conversation to something he had guessed Fluttershy would be able to fluently speak of: the many animals that scampered around the house.  After almost an hour he felt a new question burn and willed himself to ask.

"Are you not afraid of the Everfree and the dangers it holds? or the harm that may befall your treasured animals? I may have been gone for quite some time, but I guarantee you there are evils in that forest that do not age."

Without missing a beat she answered "Oh of course I am silly, I know some of the dangers. but....I have to be brave for the ones I love. I have to be able to stand up for them....I mean...I stood up to a Cockatrice once..."

His eyebrow raised high up his forehead "You...stood up to a Cockatrice? How exactly is it that one stands up against such a foul little miscreant?" for a moment a sour taste entered his mouth.

"Well, I uhm...It was about to hurt three little ones. Two of them are sisters of our friends and I couldnt let any harm come to them...my stare just kinda took over and I guess...I uhm...haha...had a staring match with the Cockatrice...It was strange being turned into stone but I uhm...I fought it."

The cringe was involuntary but couldnt be helped, even hearing of being turned to stone brought back every moment in vivid clarity. His reaction was similar to being slapped in the face, a few beads of sweat appeared on his forehead and quickly ran, the warm interior he had been in moments before turning cold and clammy.

Fluttershy's eyes went wide at the sudden change "Are, Are you alright? I....whats the matter? Did I say something wrong?"

He sat up from where he had been relaxing and rested his face in his mismatched limbs. A shudder ran through his body as he relived those horrifying moments.

"I...Fluttershy...When a Cockatrice turns you to stone it does not hurt.....but when something more powerful turns you to stone using more than just an animal instinct, do you know what that does?"

She shook her head slowly, listening to every word, not daring to interrupt.

"As the stone creeps over you it doesnt just immobilize like an animals powers were meant to. Since its power isnt coming from an animal, the intent of the caster is what gives it strength....and...and when the intent is to harm someone it does just that....It tears you apart as the stone creeps over every inch of your body. You are left feeling that pain for as long as you are encased in the spell...."

Without looking he knew that Kindness had joined him in his tears. The explanation having been in enough detail for her to connect the dots. He hadnt even realized he had let tears fall.

He scraped his digits across his face, scrubbing at the fur with his palms to try and stem the flow of tears that burned. He lifted a few tears that had gathered onto his palm to be scrutinized by a watery eye before his whole body began to shake.

The fragile grip on his harmony loosened. The feelings of terror subsided quickly and gave way to a flood of rage. The adrenaline pumping in his veins as he raised his limb to snap and summon his powers, eager to let his emotions take control, when he was slammed to the back of the couch in the strongest hug he had ever felt.

Regardless of it being maybe the fourth he had felt in so many eons it was like a vice.

Kindness had crashed headfirst into him and buried her face into the Cinnamon of his chest. Weeping with deep sobs accentuating the pain that was evident on her feature. pain she was feeling...for him. A concept he was not use to understanding without feeling sick.

The tears began flowing uncontrollably from his eyes. He shuddered hard before a piercing wail of anguish erupted from his throat and he collapsed onto his side. Kindness now clinging to his side and half on top of him. Both of them weeping openly, the wail had not lost an iota of pitch since it had found its escape, but just as quickly shut off completely as he found the arm rest under his cheek.

Soaking the armrest was not his intention but it was inevitable. both of them were still shaking and crying but for the most part, many moments after having begun, they had both calmed down considerably from the sudden dramatic outburst.

Kindness lifted her head to ask him if he was going to be ok through tear stained eyes when she noticed he was falling asleep. Understandably exhausted from lack of sleep and a draining emotional experience.

"N-no... no...lets get you up to bed mister." she tried to sound motherly but it only came out even more cute to him. There's that word again, I must be tired.

﻿ They were about to go up the stairs when he held her grip and stopped her progress. she looked back to him with a question in her eyes.

With one last quiver Discord got his voice under control "Can...Will you go on a walk with me? It helps me clear my head to look at the moon...."

It took all of a second for her to consider, "Of course."

Walking along the path behind the cottage for a while he found he was calmed by the sight of the stars and the moon. That younger princess could really put out a doozy of a night when she wanted to. Weaving the seemingly tiny orbs of light across a canvas of deep empty black, all the while allowing for the light of the moon to not be outshone by the flecks across the sky. Constellations seemed brighter, almost shimmering on the clear, cloudless night.

The thought of Luna brought up a lot of emotions he didnt quite know how to handle yet. Discord simply quelled them for the moment before shivering. Whether it was from the residual feelings or the cold night air he did not know.

Fluttershy looked over at the motion caused by Discord's shiver, "Feeling any better?"

"Monumentally Kindness. Thank you for all of that...I think I really needed it. Applejack told me I would need to do something like that...I just never imagined it being so emotional."

She smiled and grabbed his shoulder to pull him into a hug, just as Applejack had done, a rather brave move considering what he had observed from the mare. This time though, he immediately returned the embrace, not hesitating for a second.

Looking around the surroundings did not look familiar in the ways of the cottage, they had likely wandered a great deal farther than they had intended into the depths of the Everfree Forest. looking at the moon had distracted both of them as well as the more than companionable silence of the night.

That silence and comfort was shattered as there came a loud series of thundering crashes followed by the crunching and thuds of tree's being broken. Something big was careening through the forest and from the sound of things, straight towards them.

Realizing the possibly fatal mistake he had made by not keeping track of himself and Kindness he turned to her and spoke in a deadly tone. "No matter what happens, I want you to stay behind me." he grabbed her roughly and held her tight. "Just stay behind me, I can handle this....please"

The pain in his pleading drove Kindness to comply with a wordless nod and a shuffle behind him, her wings held tightly to her body in fear. He hoped that should the opportunity arise she would be able to flee on wing.

Just as she was put out of view behind him a rather large shadow came out of the foliage to be illuminated in the glow of the moon. Of all the things he had prayed it wouldn't be, he had forgotten to ask it not to be this behemoth before them..

The white fangs, glistening Ruby tail, roughed fur, razor sharp claws and immense mane gave it away in an instant. It was a fully grown manticore, and by the looks of the disturbed beast they had tread into its territory. By the sound of the noises it was making and the deep grooves it was raking into the ground with its claws, there was a fight to be had.

Fluttershy let loose a scream and the manticore's eyes became pinpricks zeroing in on her figure cowering behind Discord's larger one.

Without a moments notice the manticore charged and blasted a mighty breath of fire ahead of its rush.

Though he had never seen a manticore breath fire it had been a thousand years since his last encounter with the breed, anything was possible. In a blinding flash of heat and light his forelimbs and claws were covered in a blazing veil of orange energy that flickered like fire. Fluttershy looked on in awe at the display of immense power. She had never felt a surge so strong from anyone other than the Princesses.

The blast he sent flying forward dissipated the fire breath almost instantly in a fog of grey, but the beast was still charging headlong. Mentally he thought they must have grown stronger without the presence of the princess near the Everfree.

After a moments thought he had made a decision, She was more important. "Fluttershy. Turn away."

The icy cold tone to his voice sent a very unpleasant chill down her spine. looking up into his once gentle eyes she saw fury in them. He was going to fight it to protect her. With a shriek at the charging beast as her only affirmation she turned and covered her head, sinking low to the ground in an attempt to vanish into her protectors shadow.

He quickly readied another attack and was about to unleash a powerful blast when something ticked in his heart, and at the last minute he grabbed the manticore by its upper and lower jaw. In an unbelievable show of strength that Fluttershy couldnt even comprehend, her protector was lifting the manticore into the air by its jaws, strain clearly evident in his every muscle.

He had not thought that holding the manticore in a debilitating stance would put him in harms way, until he felt a ghastly pain rip through his back to the left of his spine, the world went black for a second as he slammed the manticore into the ground on its neck. Had he been able to focus it would have broke its neck, instead the beast more or less fell onto its shoulder in a pained roar.

Of course he had forgotten about the tail of a manticore having a stinger. That was , until it pierced him.

The scream that should have come out of him was nothing more than a few gasps from his lungs attempting to suck in air to counter the shock slowly taking over his reality. The wound had a familiar burning to it, likely the natural poison the stinger held in droves.

He gained enough consciousness again to refocus and grabbed the felled beast by its midsection. Lifting it over his head he heard a new sound from his left. A sound that terrified him more than the slowly spreading ice in his veins.

Fluttershy was screaming in a way he had never heard.

Quickly throwing the beast into a large tree nearby and knocking it out he looked to her to see what was wrong. She was staring straight at him with her face devoid of color. He stumbled and attempted to follow her gaze, he felt what she must have seen.

He was bleeding from his now open wound, and it was not a slight trickle.

In a sudden flash of blinding white light the eldest princess came forward in a mighty show of lightning and power screaming something that he couldnt understand. The flashes made his already slipping consciousness churn further down the proverbial drain, the edges of his vision were splotched with the darkest ink.

Without warning Celestia made as if she was about to attack him when Fluttershy screamed at the princess and began quickly pointing and speaking, flapping her wings to land between Discord and the princess.

The ink at the edges of his vision began to run towards the center as he guessed that Fluttershy was explaining the situation.  His world swirled and came to a crashing halt as he fell straight forward, revealing his grievous wound to the now awestruck royal. Slipping from consciousness he couldnt help but feel both anger, and joy. Though mostly a sense of utter relief. It looked like a due date had been the least of his worries.

I cant believe I've been free for less than two days, not even enough time to enjoy my new life, and I get myself killed saving someone else.

Well..at least she is safe. I wish I could see the look on the princesses face again when she found out I died ﻿ saving ﻿﻿someone. He Snickered That will give her something to think about for the rest of her life.

Damn....at least I'm not in stone. At least this time I'll...I dont know...find some peace maybe?

Too bad though....I was kinda starting to enjoy the idea of having friends.

Owh, dammit that hurt!

Owh! What the hell is that?

What? A light?

﻿ The Princess in a barely comprehensible state of mind had listened to the element of Kindness relay how she had been saved by the manticore only thanks to her friend. He had summoned magick and could have easily defeated the beast but for some reason stopped and resorted to attempting to physically keep it away from her when it had impaled him.

It was at that moment that he fell straight onto his face and she panicked at seeing the wound. The proof that the story was true and the Element of Kindness was not under some kind of spell.

Of course...he is not at full power or his wounds would have healed. But why didnt he just use his Magick?

Quickly the princess teleported to his side and sent forth another white light. It was a pulsating kind of magick that seemed to envelope the whole of his limp body. The sight of it floating into the air sent Kindness into a whole new set of hysterics.

With another blinding flash and the three of them where back in the cottage. Fluttershy looked around for her wounded friend and saw him laying on the couch, breathing and on his back. No sign of a wound anywhere aside from the blood slowly drying in his patchwork coat.

The princess was looming over the back of the couch, reaching out and touching his forehead. Just as they connected yet another flash of light filled the room and he came too, immediately sitting straight up, and nearly headbutting the Princess.

Not even a moment passed before ,looking straight into her eyes, his pupils dilated and he released the most pain filled scream Kindness or the Princess had ever heard. It was the sound of a terrified and dying animal.

With a sudden blast he separated himself from the princess without harming her, the percussive force had been to throw himself across the room. In the space of a second he slammed into the brick fireplace and rolled onto his side as he scrambled to get up, still screaming like he was being hunted.

Just as he was about to make for the door he was dragged to the floor and held in a vice like grip that felt comfortingly familiar.

It was Fluttershy, who was now staring deep into his wild ruby eyes.

His scream began to lose pitch and waver as she stroked his head and quietly shushed him.

The princess, standing off to the side, mouth open and startled by his reaction, had come to the other side of the couch to look at where he was now laying. Comfortable in the grasp of the Element of Kindness.

The look of sheer terror in his eyes flashed before hers and she grimaced. There was silence throughout the cottage, all of the animals had heard the death thralls of what they believed a fellow creature. The cottage felt like a graveyard for more than the silence.

It was broken by an eerily firm statement from Fluttershy."You were the one who did it."

"What?" the princess asked incredulous, thinking the Element was blaming the manticore incident on her "Whatever do you mean, I came to help you my frie-"

In a flash Fluttershy had spun after setting Discord down, her wings flared open in the feral stance of a cornered pegasi "YOU WERE THE ONE WHO TURNED HIM TO STONE!!!"

Every animal in the house that had moved to check on the sound froze, the princess might as well have become a statue herself as the accusation hit home.

Fluttershy had begun to cry again as she dropped the stance, turning and stroking Discords head every few seconds.

"He told you..."

"No, but you just did."

The princesses frown snapped to a smirk with the realization..she had walked right into the set up. It was very rare indeed when anyone could best her with emotions.

"Wake him up." she finally commanded.

Fluttershy looked over to her, something akin to anger in her eyes

"I would never mean to insult you Princess...but I dont think he can handle anymore from you right now."

"Wake him or I will."

Staring at the princess for what seemed an endless moment she began to slowly wake the sleeping figure in her grip.

--

As his world came back into focus everything played back like watching a movie, everything except the last scene...it played in slow motion as his eyes went wide once again and his mouth opened to let out another scream. Before he could, Fluttershy squeezed him tightly to her and whispered into his ears, "Its alright...she wont hurt you. I wont let her."

Finally his breathing began to slow as he sat up of his own accord, Fluttershy still clinging around his neck, her head buried just below his collar. He looked almost as terrified as before but there was a glint of understanding in them as he peered towards the princess

"You used your magick." she finally spoke.

The voice seemed to bring him back "﻿To save a life!"  ﻿He barked out in anger

"DO NOT BE SHORT WITH ME!"

The scream shook both him and the quickly slumping figure clinging to his neck.

He retorted in an instant at feeling Fluttershy cringe "AND WHY THE HELL SHOULDN'T I BE YOU DAMNED WITCH!!"

The sudden outburst had not been expected, and even he recoiled from his words.

The room was immediately as silent as tomb....funny, he felt he had just dug his own grave.

"I....I did not mean what I said..."

The silence remained. None of the three knowing how to truly break it.

"You told her I punished you."

"No. she guessed. Is that why you came...."

"No."

"Thank you for saving my life. For getting her out....there...I said it..is that all you wanted?"

".......no...."

"Well then...MAYBE YOU SHOULD SPEAK UP YOUR HIGHNESS!" he had perfectly imitated the volume of her royal voice.

"ENOUGH!!!!"

Again silent as a tomb.

"This isnt getting anyone anywhere...stop being so grumpy and just...talk with her...please."

It was Fluttershy. she had whispered her plea into his neck, barely audible to anyone but him.

"Only because you asked me too....." he took a moment. Sucked in a large breathe a couple times and released slowly, calming his nerves.

"Again...I am...I shouldnt have been so hostile...but really...what do you want?"

The princess could tell he was sincerely trying on his friends behalf and that hurt her even more.

"I came because I sensed you using your power and I thought...I thought you were losing control."

His eyes narrowed "So you showed up ready to incinerate me without a moments hesitation. If Fluttershy hadnt been there...you...would have..." his eyes went wide as he realized that in her haste, she would have killed him.

His magick not being at full potential he would not have survived the combined wounds. Hell, he would have bled dry shortly after passing out. Its hard to use magick when unconscious.

"I had no intentions of ending your life...I didnt know your magick was not at its potential. I only sensed your chaotic strength, and a large pulse of it at that, and..."

"You did what you had to do...."

A strange look came into his eyes as he said those last words.

Hers became wide as she recognized the words as being the last thing she said to him as he was turned to stone right in front of her...by her magick.

"I did what I had to do...."

About to speak again she looked up to see that he was slouched over. The look on his face brought the princess to tears. In that short moment of reliving the fear of her and the pain she caused him, his facade had broken. The look of anguish and terror on his face was genuine as the tears flowed from his eyes and cascaded onto the head of the now passed out Element hanging from his neck.

"P-please....dont..."

With an insignificant burst of her magick she evaporated the tears on her face so that if he made eye contact he would not see them. the plea continued in a stutter.

"Please..d-dont turn me to s-stone again..." he began to shake and tremble as his voice became a chant.

She could tell that he was completely lost in his fear. Like a child in a never ending darkness that finally broke down and began rocking back and forth breathing out the mantra of "Mommy."

He began to rake his palms across his face in an attempt to get the images that must have been flashing across his mind out of his eyes. She watched in awestruck horror as he began to claw at his own skin, leaving a deep set grouping of five from his left temple to the bottom of his left jaw. No wonder seeing as his claws were indeed sharp when need be.

Seeing the damage he was doing to himself in his almost comatose state the princess rushed forward to break him from the stupor. Slowly looking up into her eyes she saw the child in them that she had known eons ago. Terrified and lost. She had done this to him.....but she didnt know how to fix it.

Fluttershy woke from the body tremors she could feel shaking her. Coming to she felt that they werent coming from her body and drank in the surroundings

Seeing the blood running down one side of her friends face she jumped into action and shook him hard,  partially waking him from his stupor and almost hitting the princess in the process.

In honesty, at that moment she wanted to.

"Help me get him upstairs, we have to get him to sleep this off or he could be like this for who knows how long. What did you do to him?" it was spoke professionally, Fluttershy was in her veterinary mode, the sting was no less profound to Celestia.

The princess wouldnt answer as she enveloped his body in a golden glow and levitated him up the stairs, setting him on the bed and turning to Fluttershy before she could go through the door.

"I think that tomorrow, until you have to give him to our next friend, the two of you should relax, maybe just let him sleep...I'm sorry I have robbed you of your time with him." After a moment she attempted to step forward, only to be stopped by Fluttershy's raised wings.

"I mean this to sound rude princess." she paused as the princess raised an eyebrow and listened,

"Maybe I'm not the one you should be apologizing too, you didnt hurt me."

Again, It stung. Especially coming from the the Element of Kindness, but it was true.As Fluttershy turned to go through the doorway and lay next to the still trembling form in the bed, the princess walked into her blinding orb and vanished, a thoroughly defeated look on her normally blissful features.

Upon clambering into the bed and bringing him close to her, Fluttershy was relieved he had fallen into sleep, a fitful one, but sleep none the less.  "At least we can both sleep in tonight." She thought out-loud.

As soon as she spoke he pulled out his arms and began to grasp the air in front of him like a child asking for something.

Leaning closer she let him find her with his searching palms. The second he did he wrapped his limbs around her in an urgent manner, as if she was the only piece of driftwood in the middle of a churning ocean.

Pulling her close he fell almost completely still, only his chest rising and falling and the glint of the moonlight off the drying blood on his face disturbed the now, thankfully, peaceful scene.

"At least let him sleep peacefully...please."

She left off with that silent prayer, allowing her mind to ease into the comforts of sleep.

It was by no accident that moments later Princess Luna received the urgent prayer and not Celestia. Even though she was accustomed to receiving prayers for sleep, this one was recognizable, an undertone of malice in it that was meant to say something.

Luna, being familiar with the feeling of spite, knew exactly what the subtle emotion was saying.

Celestia had wronged.

The next day the princess arrived at the little cottage not knowing what she was truly doing there.

Luckily for her when no one answered the door and she teleported inside, the two she had encountered the night before where both still dead asleep.

Taking it upon her self to feed the many animals around the cottage and rearrange the bricks in the fireplace that had been knocked out of place last night, she paced about thinking of what she would have said had either of them answered the door...especially if he did.

The image of him broken...would never leave her immortal mind.

A smile played across her lips for the span of a second as she thought about his fate.

Finally resolving to simply make them a large breakfast and visit her star pupil, she left the cottage. Before she visited the town she made sure to find the manticore and wipe its memories. No need to have a vindictive beast out looking for two important subjects.

--

Waking up they where both met with mixed smells. Fluttershy could definitely make out the smell of the animals various foods and he could clearly make out the smell of some kind of delicious breakfast wafting through the air.

Niether had opened their eyes yet, and as both of them slowly did, One wore a confused face while the other simply giggled.

He was confused, she was loving the expression.

He was confused having not been able to remember much after thinking over the painful thoughts of dealing with the princess, and now waking to find his friend lying in his arms.

She was still giggling at the expression for several minutes to follow.

Looking towards the clock Fluttershy gasped. It was almost time for her to bring him into town to the next of their friends houses.

They both became animated and went about getting ready, running downstairs to eat the lavish breakfast that was laid out over the counters of the Cottage. Who had cooked, neither of them  knew, nor did they care as they dug in with ravenous appetites.

Before long they were ready to leave and Fluttershy was leading him back into town.

"I hope we get to spend some more time together Fluttershy....last night was rough and I wish it hadn't happened."

She smiled and he knew she was genuine in her happiness "Everything happens for a reason. Everything will make more sense when you stop trying to make sense of it so much."

They both stopped and chewed over the nugget Fluttershy had just spoken.

It was a very profound thought and he was happy their time together came to an end on that note.

The next friend was waiting for them at the main arch into town with the princesses pupil next to her.

By the looks on their faces, Fluttershy and him were more than a little late.

And so, his second day came to a close.

Much like the matter of space between now and a thousand years prior, time moves quickly, even more so when one only has five days left.

An interrupted show of Generosity Part 1

Part one and two as a whole represent the third day just in case you don't catch that.

The sky above showed conflict as externally as Discord did internally. Scattered here and there where heavy bulges of dark clouds, other places held bright stitches of light. It was as if the approaching storm could not decide whether to drench the town in torrential rains or illuminate the approaching hours of noon with lighting.

Discord walked at a steady pace, making sure he was not rushing Fluttershy for fear of seeming anxious to leave her company. though initially waking up in her arms, he felt things would undoubtedly become awkward quickly, Fluttershy would have none of it and had dispelled his worries.

The sky above spoke volumes to his position. He knew he was here, just like the storm, but neither of them knew whether this would end with the calming rain needed for growth and cleansing, or the cracking of thunder and destructive crashing of lighting.

The first thing they had talked about upon leaving her cottage was his apparent 'nightmare' where he had been reaching out for comfort. To him it came as a relief that he had not forgotten some shared moment of intimacy with Fluttershy and simply found comfort in a friend while fast asleep.

Once that topic was out of the way everything was back to normal and both were speaking fluidly again.

In the midst of one such smooth conversation they finally came upon the main road leading to the arch and town entrance. Looking ahead both he and Fluttershy could see two figures speaking animatedly between each other.

The two waiting for them wore completely different expressions, though both were seemingly annoyed.

The Fashion lover that he was going to spend the day with was(Rarity if he remember correctly, the Element of Generosity)  the less energetically speaking of the two from this distance.

The other (who was pointing about and gesturing frequently) with her was none other than the princess's star pupil, Twilight Sparkle he recalled.

Upon getting closer, both he and Fluttershy noticed that the princess's pupil was consistently pointing to the other and then the quickly darkening clouds. Rarity frowned and then nodded her head in the direction of the two arriving.

As if on cue a small drizzle began and before any of them could exchange greetings it had picked up to a small downpour. Discord smiled at what he took to be a sign of good luck.

Twilight quickly spoke up "Lets get to the cafe, we can discuss whats going on there."

Nobody argued as the four of them made their way into a cafe nearby.

It was arguably the most comfortable place he had been yet.

Every inch of the wood that made up the building seemed warm and welcoming, made to feel even more so by the bleak contrasting weather just outside the windows.  The paths that customers had taken over the years were worn into the wooden floors in patterns resembling the branches of a tree, not too surprisingly the 'trunk' of the worn area was in front of the main counter. One that was indeed bustling with life, the sounds of clanking pans and sizzling morsels could be heard originating from the kitchen doors behind the counters. Left open and inviting to the cooks and bussers, allowing a very pleasant range of aroma's to make their way throughout the establishment.

The main counter was to the right of the door and did take much attention from the scene, but what would catch most newcomers, and even many regulars eyes was the massive fireplace at the very back of the cafe.

Carved into a boulder than had rolled into the back of the cafe decades ago, the fireplace was a natural work of art. the bricks and materials plastered to it, making it look more like the walls that housed the monolith.

The masterpiece drew his attention from the others as he walked straight to the back and examined every crevice.

The other three had followed his dazed stride over to the fireplace after which Fluttershy had left for a moment to grab a drink "I'd like something to keep me warm while I walk back home after all." she commented with a smile.

The other two took up seats on a couch to the left of him still casually speaking of whatever topic had held their attention before. Looking over he regarded them with a curious eye and spoke once a lull had come to their conversation.

"Twilight, the princess's star pupil,  and Rarity. I didnt think I was getting any double play dates, so whats the deal?"

Twilight obviously didnt appreciate his joking demeanor but Rarity grinned before speaking.

Her voice was like velvet on his ears, a welcomed sound after all the shouting the evening before. "I have a few back orders that I simply cannot let go by unnoticed, there are loyal customers waiting on my designs in the royal city and they must be given my utmost attention."

He stiffed an eyebrow and then gave Twilight a curious glance "what about you Twilight? What brings you round here so early in the week?"

She was about to answer in what seemed a matter of fact manner from the smug look on her face when she was interrupted by Applejack.

"Oh! Hay Gals! Never thought I'd run in ta y'all here in this weather."

Applejack arrived looking chipper as ever and gave her two friends a quick nod and smile before moving over to their guest in front of the fire place and giving him a strong hug. Before letting go completely she grazed the scratched side of his face softly, a question in her eyes, opting to ask another she spoke.

"How was yer night with Kindness, Sugar?" The tone of her voice was a little more than friendly, full of concern, but easily mistakable.

both Twilight and Rarity repeated out-loud "Sugar?" though the two used two different voices.

Fluttershy, who was standing behind the couch caught the difference and looked at the back of Twilights head strangely.

Rarity had repeated it teasingly, like it was a new design she could toy with in her mind,  Twilight had repeated it in disbelief, like it bothered her.

Letting it go Fluttershy came to the other couch opposite Rarity "Oh, hello Applejack." she greeted the other with a warm smile

"Why are we all coincidentally at the same cafe?"

"Twilight!" began Applejack sounding annoyed. "Be polite."

They pulled off to the side and had a conversation none could hear but Discord.

Applejack sat back down next to Fluttershy and both of them had similar things on their mind. They didnt really use their guest's name, opting to call him by other tags like "Sugar".

Thinking about last night made Fluttershy grimace a small amount before she decided to bring it up, hoping it wouldnt sour Discords mood.

"so...Twilight...I guess...the princess told you about...last night?"

She perked up immediately at the mention of the time she had spent with her mentor and gave a quick glance at the one moving away from the group.

"She told me he fought off a manticore to protect you. That it hurt him and she showed up in time to diffuse the situation, leaving early to give him time to rest after they had had an argument...."

The rest of the girls all looked at him as he walked away from the group with a barely audible scoff, he looked anything but proud or happy at being a momentary hero. The feelings of the previous night hanging heavy over him and his limb reaching up to softly rub his face.

Turning before he broke the semi circle they had all created he questioned Twilight "Forgive me if I find your teachers taste for lies unappealing to my pallet, but, you never answered my earlier question, why are you here, your time with me isnt until the end of the week, and you get more than the others as well."

Rarity answered for her "As much as it brightens my day to see you are worried about our time together darling, I have to get to those orders and Twilight was more than happy to entertain you until I am free again."

Looking back at Rarity to confirm it was the truth he turned back to a visibly angered Twilight, a glint of something else in her eyes.

Before she could speak he offered up "I dont mean to sound so rude...my nights have not been easy thanks to your princess and its beginning to affect my daytime hours. We will do whatever you would like until Rarity's return."

Twilight, who had not expected such a quick and sincere apology, regarded him with suspicion, but no longer anger.

"Its... alright. I thought we could just go back to the library, my assistant is gone for a while in the royal city getting me supplies. I could use the extra help if you really want to."

He looked over to Applejack "Is her assistant with your family?"

Looking up from the pastry she had purchased when no one was looking she nodded "Ah'd like ta think so, they left on tha same train, both knowin' t'other was going."

Reaching over he ruffled her blonde locks in the same way she had ruffled his cinnamon, they both smiled and only Fluttershy noticed Twilight frown the tiniest fraction.

"Well, if we are going to do any of the things I have planned for the library we should get going."

Looking around the group he nodded to each of them, again ruffling Applejack before hugging her and Fluttershy goodbye.

Not feeling well enough acquainted with the fashion lover he simply offered up a goodbye "I...look forward to our time later Rarity."

In return she flashed a smile "It will be fabulous Darling."

The walk from the cafe over to the library was miserable.

He wished it was miserable because of the rain but Twilight had produced a barrier over their heads as they walked, it was small and made the space between them no more than an inch or two but that wasn't what bothered him either.

The problem was them.

Both had tried to strike up some sort of conversation and failed miserably. Any question about recent events put him back into a horrible mood, he would ask some question of his own, sooner or later it would come back to the princess, he would get angry, she would get offended or vis-versa, there would be a silence, and the process would start again. On top of the conversational issues, both of them were exhausted. Whether it was the weather or their recent habits that had sapped all of their energy, neither could tell.

Again he felt the urge to apologize to the beautiful being to his side. Beautiful? The thought stopped him in his tracks and within a moment he was out from under Twilight's barrier and quickly being soaked.

They both exchanged confused looks, Twilight's wondering why he had stopped, his look portraying something she couldn't quite pin.

"Why did you stop?"

Do I actually care for her?

she looked around herself before staring back at him "What? is something stuck to me? is my hair messed up? what are you staring at?"

Now completely soaked he attempted to form words but his most recent thought was beating down the rest of his mind.

"I....You...."

She walked up to him and shook him a little once he was under the barrier.

"Hey....whats wrong, are you alright? Your pupils are dilated, are you feeling well?"

They were inches apart and he could feel her breathe on him, his mind screamed to close the distance allowing reason to be scattered to the winds.

What am I doing? They both thought.

Leaning in, his mind had gone on autopilot,and hers was shutting down just as quickly

Only centimeters from the connection their minds were fighting for, he broke and swiftly pulled to the left, bringing her into a powerful hug. His mind screamed in gratitude while his heart beat so furiously against his ribcage it felt more like a punishment then a sign of life. But, he had followed his heart before....

Still lost in thought her barrier vanished and they stood in the middle of the road, rain pouring down upon them, neither moving an inch until Twilight slowly reached around and returned the unplanned embrace, finding the focus to return the barrier over them at the same time.

Opening his eyes from what he felt had been a dream he relaxed his grip and held her comfortably.

The thoughts in his head were moving the speed of light.

In Twilights mind, quite the opposite could be said. Instead of a barrage of thoughts and comments as she was very used to, she had one emotion holding sway over her entire being. Not even a thought, just one, pure, emotion.

Love.

It was new, it was strange, and one of the only thoughts she had, ridiculous as she would call it later, was that it needed to be studied. Diligently.

Slowly but surely they both let go only to stare at each others soaking figures, the scarlet of their shared moment of intimacy still plain on their faces.

"We..should get out of the rain Twilight."

She nodded and they continued their walk.  Luckily for them both the library was only around the corner

Upon arriving they each took a moment to regain their composure and clear the air.

Completely overlooking their moment he offered up "So what was it you needed help with?"

She gestured towards a large stacked mountain in the center of the main foyer, looking around he noticed there were many shelves that looked recently disturbed, the mountain could only be built of all the missing books.

"I need these all re-shelved and.....and...."

Looking away from the mountain and over to Twilight she didnt look well all of a sudden. Pale almost. Despite his inner urge to make all of the books fly towards the ceiling like butterflies he found himself quickly focusing on her.

It came out before he could even think of a filter "Hey, you don't look well...are you feeling alright?"

She turned his way but ended up turning to far and staring intently three feet to his right, "Yes...I'm just...I need to..."

As she choked out the words she took a few steps and fell towards the ground.

Instantly teleporting to catch her, Discord held her tightly in his arms and shook her to keep her awake

"Twilight!?"

"I...Im sorry, I just need to... lay down. Will you help me get to my bed?"

He nodded before lifting her up into his arms(his previous thoughts the farthest thing from his mind) and making his best guess as to where the room was. Looking down at her for guidance he knew she would be of no help.

The second he had picked her up and held her close to his cinnamon warmth she had nestled into it just as when they had hugged. The action made his chest constrict in a pleasant way as his heart beat a litter faster.

Taking the stairs to the second floor slowly, he could already hear her breathing slowing down as she peered up at him and asked for some water, He felt out with his energy and a glass of water appeared next to his body, floating on an invisible plateau of his making.

He had thought about turning it into vodka for a second since they look similar, but with the circumstances he decided he would save the pranks for another day.

--

Finally laying her onto her bed and pulling the covers over her, she was able to take the water and regain some of her color. No more than a few seconds after Twilight had put the glass to the side of her bed she had laid her head to the pillow and fallen asleep. At least he had been given a chance to examine the interior of the library as he had slowly carried her up the stairs. In hindsight Discord had no idea why he hadn't just held her in his magick or just teleported. After a few moments he remember the way she nuzzled into his chest and he found his answer.

Standing there and feeling the slightest bit awkward at  admiring the way her body rose and fell with each breath, he saw an all too familiar flash of light from out the window.

"Oh great....the princess again."

He didnt know if he was flustered because of the attitude Celestia always had, or the fact that red still colored his face and would not go away.

Walking out of the main foyer he had imagined the princess would be standing there in all her alabaster glory, ready to strike him down for  whatever stupid reasoning or another she had come up with this time. In his head he pulled up a mock puppet version of herself blasting him away with a confetti cannon for crimes of breathing the same air as her.

He had not expected to walk out and find himself in the presence of the princess of night.

"You have learned many things in the two days you have been down here." she remarked with a gentle smile. Then she tilted her head and the smile turned lazy, "Why is thy face colored as that of a rose?"

He put a paw over his snout and snorted "Is there something I can help you with? I'm a bit busy right now."

The younger sister laughed loudly and smiled at him. "I only came to see how you are doing, I....heard about my sister's brash behavior and had wanted to make sure you were being well accommodated.....Though I did not expect to find you in the embrace of another to be honest." Ever the joker, he pondered if that was why they had gotten along in the first place all those centuries ago.

The leer he was giving could have started a fire with its intensity, "You were watching us?"

"Oh come now, of course I wasn't....for very long" a sly grin replacing the innocent smile "I honestly only came across you two when you had stepped out into the rain from her barrier. I must say, you truly are one conflicted being even after all these years."

He smiled for a moment at the thoughts before turning grim again, he was supposed to be being serious. "And what the hell is that supposed to mean? Look, just because I like you more than your sister and am usually civil with you doesnt mean it doesnt have limits. You are pushing it, what do you want?"

She smirked "I want you to open your eyes even more than you already have. You have seen the balance and that was the start of something truly beautiful, something that you have only just felt a fraction of. But like anything else, if it is not nurtured it will not bloom. Perhaps you should stop worrying about all the thorns and love the flower for once."

"You do love your cryptic bullshit dont you princess?" The flat glance said it all.

"That was fairly straightforward, thank you." she pined.

He had been too frustrated to notice that the rain had stopped falling before he had even come outside the library. Feeling the suns rays breaking through the clouds and warming his features reminded him of the warmth and constriction he had felt  so many moments before.

"Regardless of what games you want to play, I need to check on Twilight, besides.....the pranks are my specialty Princess, leave the master to his work."

Silence fell for a moment, neither speaking after his remark.

"Fine then. Go tend to your rose. But dont play so dumb. Its no fun when you wont play along even a little." Giving a small pouting face she de-materialized without another word.

Had that whole show been a mockery of him? It felt like they had reversed roles...her the trickster and he the level-headed one.

Growling low in slight frustration he walked back inside the library and upstairs to Twilight's room.

While on the stairs he grumbled about the encounter mentioning 'his rose' and other titles nonchalantly, testing how they felt on his tongue.

Entering back into Twilight's room he found her sitting up and looking lively as ever. A thought passed his mind and he cursed the princesses name under his breath. It was all too likely the sudden 'Illness' had been one of her tricks.

"I see you are feeling better, and quickly too." he let no malice or suspicion into his voice, merely concern.

"I guess I just needed a quick nap. Who was outside, I could hear voices? Where you talking to a street vendor? I heard something about a rose or flowers."

He blushed but thankfully played it off by scratching the side of his face, "It was nothing of any importance. I just stepped out to check on the weather and ran into a flower salesman on the way to his stall in town. The sun is out and everyone is making an appearance."

Staring him down she got up out of the bed and walked straight towards him

"You are a worse liar than Applejack."

Again she was inches from his face and his heart felt moments away from breaking through his chest.

"Maybe you should get some more rest, I'll get started on the books downstairs and you can help me when you wake up ok?"

"Fine." she snapped "If you dont want me around you I'll just stay in bed."

Before he could defend himself she had teleported the short distance back under her bed sheets, facing away from him nonetheless.

Giving out an audible huff of defeat he walked over to her bed, upon reaching the edge she scooted further away like he had offended her.

Before resigning to leave the room he leaned over and spoke "Thank you for volunteering to keep me occupied while Rarity is busy. I know I'm a burden and I wish I wasn't. Especially not to you. Try and get some rest....I'll try to be quiet and not ruin anything." with that he turned and left.

For reasons she herself could not explain a single hot tear rolled down her cheek and onto the pillow. Wiping it away in confusion she began to question herself before giving in to her stronger feelings of exhaustion. Those late nights had finally caught up to her and her body was going to force her to make up for them.

As she slid into the depths of sleep she could still feel the cinnamon on her face as she relived the hug they had shared a short time ago.

The Fourth Day/Confectioneries and Laughter

Again they had picked up walking along the main road of the town, (Though he truly didn't mind, it was a nice change of scenery from the bustling thoroughfare), Rarity still by his side, and the both of them remarkably quiet in light of the recent revelation.

It didnt take long for Rarity to speak up, she had finally come out of her daze, "....Is that really how you feel?"

He chose his reply after a moment of consideration "Yes....and believe it or not I think she feels the same for me..."

"Darling....dont take me for a fool, ﻿of course she does." the last words emphasized by Rarity whipping her head back confidently, "Its as bright as day if you think about it. I mean, really now?"

"What do you mean? Enlighten me." He smirked at the unintended pun.

Rarity smiled broadly at the prospect of indulging in one of her favorite pass-times...

Gossip.

"Lets start from the beginning shall we? Right from the moment Lu-The Princess excuse me- told us who you were, Twilight could not take her eyes off of you, from curiosity be that as it may, she still could not stop staring." making sure he was paying close attention she continued on, practically rattling off a mental list for him.

"She was the only one to ﻿demand ﻿your presence, a point she was quite adament on if you recall, and was only swayed by one of the few things she will recognize, logic, in the form of Fluttershy's straightforward truth. Oh how I do love it when she does speak up, she always has such lovely in-depth things to say. Next we have her insistence that she come along with me to meet you the day I would be busy, I had intended on just having you relax in my boutique or perhaps meander around this quaint little town for a while until I was finished, but she would have none of that."

He pondered the things she said and found them to be true.

"As well,  not only did she allow you into her library when it was a mess, but she allowed you to clean it and handle some of her most prized possessions while trusting you in her sleep."

she paused for a moment and made nodding motions with her head as if checking off the topics she had just gone over before starting up again,

"She was the one to suggest having the days switched or pushed back and even made the plans for us to go out later...as well as ﻿volunteer ﻿, I might add, to be the one who held you in care so to speak. It was also her Idea to wait for you at the main gates instead of having to meet you somewhere in town, and her late night conversation with the princess that stopped her majesty from coming in last night to check up on you as she had the few nights prior. On top of all of that, at the cafe the other morning, could you really say you didnt see the jealousy nearly kill her whenever you and Applejack even breathed the same air? Darling, really? it was written all over her face, even Fluttershy noticed it."

She paused for a moment before adding, "oh, and by the by, were you going to kiss her?"

He broke the reverie her points had thrown him into with a sudden and bland "What."

"When you two were standing in the rain? Were you really going to kiss her?"

"And how the hell did you know about that?" He was not in the least bit amused that now two people had somehow known about a situation taking place where no one else was present.

She gave a knowing grin, it looked far too much like a certain alicorn he knew "Oh darling,  I live for gossip, and as an element of harmony, and friend to the princesses, they often share their juicy tidbits with none other than moi!"

"The younger one told you didnt she?" he almost had a sarcastic tone to his question, mostly because he knew the answer

"Naturally!"

--

"Rarity? Is that you? what are you two doing out here this late at night? and without umbrellas?!"

Both who had been engrossed in their exchange had failed to notice their escalated conversation was taking place mere feet from the main door of SugarCube Corner.

On top of that the partial owner, the Element of Laughter herself, was now standing outside while scanning the sky, a chefs hat cocked on her head with flour and sprinkles strewn across her apron.

There was not a cloud in the sky, but, the sun had begun to rise over the edge of the valley.

Luna was having far too much fun with her sisters Most Faithful Student.

After tantalizing Twilight with the simple advice, she had teleported using the normal light orb, but instead of back to the castle she had reappeared back on a cloud above the library.

Being an eternal being had many perks. Including unerring patience.

The princess had sat upon her cloud for several hours before conjuring a looking glass to watch the many ponies that were out and about at the late hours of the night. She watched many different happenings. romantic exchanges, an attempted mugging (Thwarted by a shadow clone she magicked into existence), a few business transactions, and more than one persons of interest coming and going. Looking towards the biggest light display and the largest building, she came across the very restaurant that Rarity and her company were walking in to.

Now finally interested after only having watched several drunk townsfolk stumble home and a domestic dispute here and there, she was not going to let the confines of a building keep her from her entertainment.

Focusing further on the Looking Glass she watched in on the events of the dinner. Using a bit of extra magick to see into the memories that were being shown to Rarity as they had been revealed on the walk to Carousel Boutique.

A smile played across her face at the revelation taking place miles away, barely hiding an almost imperceptible twitch in her lower lip.

The Looking Glass vanishing she spoke to herself "Its fun watching the pieces move on their own."

But why sit and watch when I can move the rook below me? Or are you a pawn Twilight?

Jumping off the cloud and silently landing onto the libraries balcony, she used her royal magick to lower the moon, night coming to a close and the sun fringing the mountains of the valley opposite.  With her duty done, it was time to have some more fun.

"WAKE UP MY SISTERS MOST FAITHFUL STUDENT!!!! THE MORNING HATH ARRIVED AND THE TIME COMETH FOR THEE TO AWAKEN!!!" She did love a good startle.

Twilight almost flew through the roof at the boom of the royal voice, screaming so loud it challenged the princesses unnecessary volume. A moment later she had teleported a half dozen times from the ceiling to the floor boards.

The princess couldnt help but fall down in a fit of laughter, pointing and laughing at the embarrassed and none to happy face peaking up from her landing point on the floor. It wasn't often that she was allowed to truly show signs of good-natured mirth.

"The hell was that Luna!!" Immediately clamping over her mouth to close it, Twilight blushed fiercely and spurted out a string of apologies

She gathered herself and stood "Enough Twilight, my friend, We were merely playing a practical joke upon you in thy slumber. I mean your sleep. But the matter I am here to discuss is of the most pressing nature."

Twilight's demeanor went from frustrated and embarrassed to concerned in an instant. She did not like the sudden look on the princesses face.

"Is someone hurt? Is someone in trouble?"

"Listen carefully Faithful Student. This will likely be my final lot in this string of events, I have done what I can to attempt to save our new friend from his impending judgement but it may not be enough." she was dead serious.

Her eyes grew wide "What? Whats going on? Who is judging him? The princess?"

Luna nodded "Yes, listen now. We made an agreement, her and I, before we freed him, that upon the completion of one week she alone would assess the progress he had made if any at all, and based upon the circumstances she will either banish him forever from Equestria, or return him to stone,..I think both of us know that she would never allow him to roam the land freely even under the yoke of banishment."

Twilight didnt know what she looked like at that moment, but she knew her jaw was nearly touching the floor.

"Wh-what? No....no you cant be serious..the princess would never...she would never turn anything to stone, its a form of torture not used since...."

Trailing off into silence the princess finished for her

"That is correct. He was the last one it was ever used on, and for good reason, once the scholars found out what condition the magick had left him in, a constant state of eternal suffering, they outlawed the use of the Stone Tomb Spell."

For once she didnt have a response, her mind whirling a million miles faster than it normally did. For several minutes there was just pained silence as the princess listened to Twilight's sudden sniffling.

"Why does it have to happen like this? We both know the princess will never allow him to stay here....especially not once she realizes how I feel about him, if she doesnt already know." There was a glint of something in Twilight's eyes. Luna loved it.

"She doesnt, I made sure of it...the rest for now is up to you....If you confess your feelings for him it may be the final push he needs. I can still sense how conflicted he is, a moment away from being consumed by the chaos that once ruled him yet again, or a simple caress from wiping his slate clean and being able to start anew. You, Twilight, can do that for him."

After a far too short pause she added "I must leave, my sister has already raised the sun and she will notice my absence before long."

Leaving Twilight to deal with her thoughts the princess teleported to the castle to watch events unfold from her observatory. She had planted a seed that, with time, would hopefully bear the fruit she would need.

looking deep into the first looking glass she came upon she gave a smile, more determined than happy, "My turn is not over just yet. My stratagems will not waiver."

Stepping out from a shadow behind her younger sister, the eldest spoke with clear authority "You should not have cast your lot in this. It was not my students place to know my choices. Only to accept them when they come. Nor was it your place to tell her."

Turning without a hint of surprise at her older sisters appearance the younger spoke

"Do you really think she would not have figured out that you intended on killing him this time instead of turning him into stone. Your student, of all people, likely already knows that the use of the Stone Tomb Spell  was outlawed for everyone, including royalty." Her voice was venom "How well do you think that conversation will go over sister dearest?"

"DO. NOT. MOCK ME!"

Silence.

"I have only ever done what was right for this kingdom and I will continue to do so. Despite my most faithful students misplaced affections or your misplaced faith."

Damnit...she knew....of course she knew about the trump card

"They love each other...I have seen it." She cringed as the words left her mouth unintentionally

In an instant the temperature of the room rose and flames ran up Celestia's legs in her sudden rage "AND I LOVED HIM TOO."

Stinging memories came to the forefront of both of their minds, the room seeming more electrically alive than should be possible.

"This time you will tell them the truth big sister. or I will." Ice formed over the glass in the room and the temperature equalized. Both Goddesses looked into each others eyes. Celestia spoke as she allowed the flames to recede with her anger. "If you can give me reason to believe he should be allowed to live, even outside the borders of our country, I will."

Luna looked unconvinced but there was no way she could insure her sisters decision. The Unbreakable Vow had the possibility of leaving the country without one of its gods.

If Celestia had figured out her trump card then she would no doubt be able to see that as an easy victory for Luna.  This battle had begun long ago, for now she needed to make it seem like she was a pawn and not a player.

Celestia left Luna to her thoughts and Luna formed yet another plan. She was playing a game of chess on multiple levels, her opponent so well versed in strategy and play that she may as well have been the creator of the game.

Celestia had always been the one known for playing The Long Game, She was known for haste and passion, that was one of many trumps that Luna held she prayed would not come apart.

Twilight had burst out of the house moments later in the direction of the market district. She knew at this time in the morning it would be congested with early risers setting up their stalls and the last of the nightgoers finding their way home.

Making a stab at what she hopped would have been Rarities plan to stay out all night and have the greatest time possible, she went looking in the congested areas first. A mistake she realized as soon as she found herself in a very large crowd. She had forgotten, the Carnival was in less than a week, Ponyville almost tripled its population for the week before, the week of, and the week after the huge event.

The sun had barely begun to crest in the sky when she left the library and now, after two hours of running around to different breakfast cafe's and markets it was floating high into the sky.

Twilight began quickly checking off places on her mental list, Rarities boutique didnt open for another two hours and she knew they wouldnt be there anyway. Rarity was not one to harbor any male for a single night for any reason, in her words it "is simply uncouth for a male to impose on my homestead for the evening. I should be invited to his instead."

That would be even more unfortunate if her companion had invited Rarity back to the Castle for a tour. She could spend days looking through the royal city and castle, never seeing them once. Not that the Castle was his true home. The sad thought hung in her head that he had no home. That maybe he needed one. That thought alone drove her ever onward, Luna's advice ringing in her ears, she knew she wanted to help him find a home, even if it didnt lead to them sharing one.

Instinct kicked in and she headed for the boutique, "If I'm lucky maybe they are setting up shop early."

Looking down from scanning the skies, Pinkie Pie took in Rarity and her companion at a glance. "Why dont you two help me with my baking? I'm making most of the food for the Carnival on Friday and I could use the help."

Rarity turned to her companion "Technically speaking its now Pinkie's day with you, so your out of luck my friend, me however, I simply must finish drawing up those designs you inspired me to create. Don't have to much of her ice cream, you might not ever sleep again Darling. See you on Friday with everyone else."

Before letting her go he gave her a small piece of paper he had grabbed at the cafe earlier, he had written a description of the vest he so loved for him to make himself later, but having Rarity design it was a much better idea. They hugged and he turned to face Pinkie, who unceremoniously nailed him right in the face with an eclair.

"The hell was tha-mmmm thats damn good!"

Pinkie had a serious face on despite the comical nature of the situation, "You are way too frazzley wazzley to come in the kitchens yet, we need to calm you down some silly-billy."

He couldnt help but smile at her remarks and names "Why, Whatever do you mean Pinkie?"

She smiled at him trying to slough of the comment, "You know exactly what I mean, being in love can drain even the toughest of us. lighten up and come cook with me."

He choked on the chunk of eclair he had been trying to ingest and stared at Pinkie dumbfounded,

Thinking back he remembered having heard stories of this particular element of harmony. Mostly from the guards that had passed by his statue during her time as matriarch of the element of Laughter. Apparently the laws of the world did not apply to her and to question her actions or knowledge was a sure fire way to lose your sanity. Good thing that technically wasn't a problem for him.

Shaking his head from the thoughts he stepped into the sweets shop right behind Pinkie pie's lead.

The store was one of the brightest and friendliest looking places he had seen, it was like walking into the realm of Candy Land. More types of candies than he had seen in his eons of life were displayed in different sizes and shapes of containers. all in different colors or hues. Balloons covered the entire ceiling but were all the same color of redish pink, almost giving the illusion that they werent balloons and the ceiling was instead made of a tasty looking cloud of redish cotton candy. He could easily see the tracks of flour from where Pinkie had trailed form the kitchen to the front door before and followed them back only to find a spatula smack dab between his eyes.

With a loud yelp he jumped back and rubbed the sore spot above his nose.

Pinkie was smiling only for an instant before giving her serious face again, a cross between a stern glare and a grin "I told you, you cant work back here until you are more calm. These are for the Carnival, if you dont make them when you are happy they wont make others happy when they eat them! and you cant tell me you really want that to happen now do you? psh! the amount of food coloring it would take to dye everyone back the right colors would be ridiculous! I'd have to work without breaks for at least a day!"

Simply smiling he didnt bother taking another step forward. Deciding it would be in his best interest to just sit down at the table near by and wait for Pinkie to ask for his assistance.

Soon she popped up around the corner and motioned for him to get into an outfit and come help.

Walking into the kitchen in the same gear she had on, apron and hat, he could already see a plethora of different dishes all made up.

"You are on pie and cotton candy duty! They are the easy-peazy-est!"

Looking down at the directions she had written in a thin dusting of flour in front of the cotton candy machine, he began doing what he could. often getting his hand completely covered in a cloud of the deliciously spun sugar, not that he minded. It was when he accidentally dropped an egg and stepped in the goop that Pinkie made an off hand comment about him needing to lick it out of his fur. Discord thought this preposterous as he had a large hoof and a dragons claw as le-

His right leg had become that of a lion as well. Three of his limbs now matched what his right arm had started as.

"Its pretty super that you wanted to help me and everything, I'm sorry that we couldnt have gone out and pranked some people or had some fun."

Looking over to Laughter he could tell she was very happy to have had the company. It was early in the morning and they had been at it for a couple of hours. Talking back and forth the whole time to pass the many moments between listening for the ding of timers or watching for the browning of crusts.

All things said and done, Laughter ushered him out of the kitchen as he replied

"No no, I'm glad we are doing this, Im glad I can help.. it really helped me clear some fuzz from my head and I learned a lot about cooking! like that trick with the pot pies and the muffins! THAT.. now that, was just genius!"

She giggled at the praise and swayed on her feet "Well alls fine and dandadoodily but I cant have you in the kitchen while I'm baking the cakes, its a big big secret how I make them!" her smile was enough to almost give him diabetes but he returned it all the same, finding a stool and table nearby to sit at while Pinkie shuffled back into the kitchen like she had forgotten something.

Walking out of the kitchen again with a rather large mixing bowl, constantly spinning the contents around with a wooden spatula, Pinkie Pie sat across from him and stared intently as if the bowl in her hands didn't even exist.

After a moment she spoke up "I approve. I don't know you real well yet but you are our new friend, and if I wasn't so busy I would throw you a party ....but technically we are going to one of the superduperest parties all year, the Carn-E-Val! so I guess that counts haha, but Ill throw you a good one later. Ohhh and I bet she'll just love it when that scar comes in!"

He just blinked before asking "You...approve? What do you approve of Pinkie?"

"You and Twilight of course. That is if you are smart enough to tell her how you feel before the week is up."

His mouth that was hanging slightly open in wonder snapped shut and his mouth became a thin line

"How did you know?"

"I know a lot of things! like how your left foot is three centimeters longer than your right! Its just fun facts!" she smiled and he could tell this was not meant to be a threat, simply Pinkie giving her advice and blessing.

At this point he honestly couldnt tell if she was just messing with his head or not anymore. Resigning he sighed and was about to continue the conversation when he was cut off by a sharp yawn from his own maw.

Pinkie gave her trademark smile and stated "You must be really tired. Why dont you go rest for a little while, you cant help me anymore anyways so you might as well."

He looked around, no rooms in sight but the kitchen "But...where?"

Pinkie laughed "My bed silly!"

"But...Pinkie I.."

"Oh shush! Just follow me mister sleepy pants."

Getting up from their spot and walking towards a stair case, he let her take the lead until she ushered him through a doorway and into a surprisingly clean, but still festive looking bedroom. Like the rest of the trend downstairs, everything was brightly colored and there were a few candy motifs throughout the bedroom, Like delicately carved pieces of toffee in the wood frame of her canopied bed.

"haha close your mouth silly...and don't worry, I get that reaction every time someone new see's my room. For some reason they expect it to be a clutter or something, don't know why, maybe its the parasprite I keep in my closest..." Allowing Pinkie to trail off in her own thoughts he took the opportunity to let his eyes fall over every inch of the room. Even in the pale moonlight the shades and hues made him feel warm and welcomed, especially the bed, he was really tired.

Thinking back, by all rights he should be, he had spent all of that day moving things about without using magick, then out on the town all night with Rarity, only to wind up baking into the early hours of the morning with Pinkie.

She giggled to his right before speaking "I figured you might want to look at the stars tonight, so I left the balcony open, just dont lean over the rails, they might break."

He had turned around to ask how she had known he was going to be there tonight but she had vanished, not even making a sound on the stairs that had creaked previously on their way up.

Letting a sigh escape his exhausted body, he stepped towards the bed and found that the moonlight was shining over it, illuminating the patterns of balloons, party hats, and...a rock? yep, a rock, right in the middle of the hand made quilt.

He really didnt have much to say about it "Damn, she really is a conundrum. Wonder how the stars look from here?"

He had of course seen the stars from Applejack's farm and from the forest the night with Fluttershy, but he had not seen them truly from town, the lights from the downtown area having been to bright when he was with Rarity to truly enjoy their beauty.

Walking out onto the balcony he felt a smooth tingle of wind and then nothing but the simple warmth of a summers night. He shuddered deeply while staring into the glaring light of the moon. It had been on a night similar to this that everything had gone wrong for him.

"Do you really think it will change their opinion of you if you play to their interests?!"

The younger sister reeled like she had been hit

"And what are you implying I am doing? Acting out of self-preservation?"

Celestia had come back, having figured something out, likely Luna's old plan. In the time she had been gone Luna had formed another and set it into action with a few subtle orders to very specific night guards.

"Helping them with this will not make the citizens of this or any other country forget that you attempted to overstep your station and rose up to challenge me and this nation."

The younger sisters eyes were slits

"Perhaps if they knew the real reason I rose up against you, they wouldn't be so opposed to a changing of the guard, so to speak." the air already had motes of ash and snow lazily drifting through it. It was a beautiful thing when the sisters fought, deadly, but beautiful.

Both of their gazes were locked on each other with equally venomous glares.

The younger was the first to break it "I had thought that this was behind us, I had hoped anyway." she was heading for the door when the eldest spoke up

"That was your plan all along.....you wanted to get a rise out of me to see if anyone else knew what really happened...you wanted to see if I still had any trump cards of my own." outsmarted by her younger sister...

Luna smiled devilishly, her plans had worked perfectly so far, even the false ones, "Precisely. Or did you forget that I loved him too...after all...that was what got us into this mess in the first place."

Celestia couldnt find rage, she had just been outsmarted, "Love had nothing to do with it. He was showing you magick you should never have toyed with, it is in his nature to know of those dark arts, not in yours. He would have easily corrupted you had I not stepped in and-"

"Turned him to stone for loving me? Is that what you were going to say? You know as well as I do that everyone would overlook the chaos he had created if they knew that one little fact. The fact that the princess had passed an unforgivable judgement upon a creature.....out of jealousy. Oh the way the tides would turn to crash against what you had thought mighty, unshakable walls of faith and trust in your citizens." the words were steel, unyielding to the falsity that was Celestia's mask.

The room was filled with nothing but the sounds of the many clocks ticking from the walls. The two princesses locked in a standstill.

"I dont have any other choice."

"Yes, you do."

Celestia squared again and her head shot up "He will never change! it is in his nature! he was created from chaos! it is his essence, his element!"

Luna almost reared back in anger "And a necessary part of the balance of life!"

"The balance can easily be tipped in the favor of harmony." it was said like reading an epitaph.

"But at what cost? His death? This reality of ours being torn asunder? Wasnt that why you turned him to stone the first time instead of killing him?"

The elder sister was silent for a moment before walking to her sister and giving her a caring embrace.

When she looked Luna in the eyes again it was the face of her true sister, "I love you sister. I have heard what you have to say, and I will.....consider what has been done...and what must be done. Not another word of this will be spoken."

The younger princess was left alone in her observatory, confused, but thankful."I guess this is it. I have played one of many parts."

She sighed heavily before returning to her looking glass and finding that a surprisingly ironic conversation was taking place under her gaze.

Lost deep in his thoughts he had not noticed Pinkie Pie walk up next to him or hear her speak to him. It was not until she poked him a couple of times that he finally, groggily, reacted. "Oh, Pinkie...what are you doing here?"

She smirked and he quirked a brow as she responded, "Well, this is my balcony, outside my bedroom." She was all smiles.

He didnt respond. Only nodding his head and looking back to the moon before closing his eyes in a pained expression, he felt her reaching out and grabbing his shoulder, Is that how everyone pulls into a hug or is it just the six of them that does that? Sure enough she pulled him into a hug

Pinkie Pie let a moment go by before speaking in a voice more calm than he had heard all night, "I dont know whats wrong but I feel like I understand, or you understand me, or we understand each other, or maybe I'm just tired from all that flour, or maybe the ground moved, or maybe I had too much sugar or mayb-"

"Hey....uhm...what do you mean you understand?"

She looked up at him and pulled away from the hug "I know how you feel I mean."

"About what?" his eyebrow raised, she couldnt have been eavesdropping, he hadnt been speaking, and even if her apparent 'abilities' denied explanation he seriously doubted she could read minds.

"About looking back on things that hurt." He could swear that some of the shine left her hair and a fraction of composure drained from her features, it was probably just the moonlight.

"How did you......Pinkie?"

She looked up and hugged him again, he couldnt tell she was crying softly until she spoke "I wasnt always this happy. I know you werent always this nice. We all know....everyone. But I dont think its true....if it was true they wouldnt have done those things to you......I wouldnt have been out there all alone to find my own way, I wouldnt have b-been l-left in the d-dust by my o-own f-f-fahhmmily.." her voice cracked and she began to quietly sob. It took a moment but she continued on "Even before then, the princesses....they know m-me. T-they k-k-know who I am and they d-dont remember. They dont remember me or h-him."

He didnt know what she was talking about but the connection was made, they had both suffered for being misunderstood, she may not have know about his past just as he didnt know about hers, but they both understood that the feeling had been the same. leading her back into the room they sat on the edge of her bed.

He thought of something immediately "Pinkie....Would you like to know a big secret that will cheer you right up?"

She looked up into his eyes and smiled through her tears "Thats how I know you have changed...even if I didnt know you before now....You are so kind now....you have changed...I wish I could prove it to everyone else. I wish you could see him again."

A tear slid down his face before he even realized he had begun crying. "I..Pinkie...How...." he had overlooked several small details in his emotion.

She hugged him again and they both sat there silently crying for a few minutes before calming down.

Here I am again, crying with another of the elements in mutual comfort....this really is becoming a bad habit

Just as his thought finished, Pinkie bounced up, looking as normal as she usually did and seemed to froth at the mouth with sudden excitement "owhhhh you were going to tell me something! is it a secret! I love secrets, but you cant ever tell other peoples secrets, especially not friends! Its the easiest way to lose a friend.....forrrreeeeeeeeeeeveerrr!"

Blinking a few times before wiping away the stray tear or two left over he stood and walked into the moonlight again, turning away from the open balcony doorway to face Pinkie.

"I....I love Twilight."

"No, Really?!" It was a voice that did not belong to Pinkie pie

Both Pinkie and him turned to see Rainbow Dash standing in the doorway, the moonlight illuminating her as well as it had the bed before. He jumped in his skin, a little startled before Pinkie let out a squeal and jumped up to hug the new arrival.

"I take it you are here to pick me up or something?...Rainbow Dash right?"

She posed while still hugging Pinkie with one arm "That's me, and that I am, I've got some crazy cool plans for us, its why I'm here so damn early, so buck up and lets get going. Besides, Im sure Pinkie has to get things organized for tomorrow, After all I get you for the rest of today and into the grand festivities, I hope you are ready to be chauffeured by none other than the living, breathing, the one and only, Element of Loyalty!.......RAAAAAIIIIINNNNNBOOOOOWWWWW....DAASH!!!!!"

Loyalty splayed out her limbs in a magnificent pose as if thousands of adoring fans were cheering just at the sight of her.

"I think we lost her Pinkie."

Pinkie who had inexplicably appeared beside Discord again nodded, "Well thats no good, cus if you're lost you definitely aren't found. But I need to tend to my cakes so I'll see you all later alright!" With that she spun and dashed away downstairs and into the depths of the kitchen, where a new cacophony of sounds could be heard issuing forth from its culinary depths.

After a few moment Rainbow Dash spoke up "I think its time we blew this stand and got going, the train leaves soon."

Discord again, raised a brow, and questioned, "What are we...where are we going?"

"Oh, I didnt tell ya? Your day with me has to be awesome, so what better place to take ya and show ya around than the royal city!" she looked as cocksure as one can get.

"Damnit, Ill just sleep on the train." he said to himself low enough that Dash would not hear him.

Another day comes and goes, this one without any sleep,

Running after his friend through the open doorway he wonders to himself if he will ever get to sleep again in the next few days, afterall, he only has three left counting that very morning,

and every moment, is not a moment worth wasting.

The Fifth Day/ The Colors of Loyalty Part 1

From the spot where Discord had made himself comfortable on the train the scenery flew by at a blurring pace. Rainbow had opted to take one of the 'slower' tracks despite the apparent speed of the locomotive, she said it would give them more time to 'hang out'.  Not being opposed to the idea, he had followed her to one of the more busy section cars, plopping down in a tired heap, he was happy the previous ordeal was over.

Aside from being in an almost delirious state this morning, it had not helped that Dash seemed to have more energy and endurance than anyone he had met. As soon as they arrived at the station, however, the trouble had begun.

First, Rainbow Dash had forgotten the tickets, a simple teleportation fixed that.

Then the ticket taker had gone missing only to be found with a few too many empty bottles in the storage room.

When that was finally cleared up they made there way to the railway when a luggage cart toppled and almost crushed both of them.

One of the cases had broken and spilt forth a mountainous pile of marbles that skittered in every direction.

The station was in the throws of pandemonium moments later, as a dog got loose from its leash and began knocking over several bystanders, including Dash, all the while spreading the marbles further by the second. Looking around Discord had acted quickly, floating into the air and seizing everything in sight within golden tendrils of magick.

Moments later and everything was back to normal as they finally boarded the train.

Sighing again at the memory, he watched the scenery and allowed his mind to wander

I bet Twilight would have thought that was fascinating

"--...So that was pretty crazy right? Totally chaotic if you ask me."

Chaotic?

His head snapped towards the conversation nearby, Rainbow Dash was relaying the events of their arrival to another passenger who sat in rapt attention.

It really was a rather large amount of chaos... The thought had not even crossed his mind, the veins over his heart had not responded, even in the presence of natural chaos. What was happening?  Was this a good thing? His body was physically changing and psychologically he wasnt even the same creature anymore....

The sinking feeling in his stomach was dispelled when something softly nudged his arm. A young female, likely early twenties, was attempting to get his attention. Without a moments hesitation he forgot his almost-panic attack and greeted her "Well, how may I help you lasse?"

She smiled, a beautiful gesture, "I just wanted to thank you for helping us with our dog, who knows where he would have run off to! We might have missed our council session with the princess if not for your help."

His eyes widened at the mention of the princess,

of course! she will know whats happening to...... His thought was cut off as the truth sunk in. What in equestria made him think Celestia would be willing to help him. Her reaction would be to calmly sip at her tea and fake some modicum of sincerity towards his plight.

He let his enthusiasm slip for only a moment knowing now was not the time, instead opting for a small smile, "What is your matter with the princesses if you don't mind me asking?"

She gave another calm smile, something he enjoyed, "Oh, not at all, I happen to be a delegate for Chrysanthemum and the recent tensions between our borders and the mountain ridges of the city of Orubokai have lead me to believe we need a...stronger sense of persuasion. I hope to gain a regiment or two of the off season Royal Guards if not the presence of the younger princess herself."

Discord's brow raised slightly and he turned to face her head on, "How are you so comfortable explaining your countries politics with a complete stranger, even if I did help?"

He had been suspicious of her since she had touched him, something felt very familiar about her appearance but he couldnt place it, the admission of such private, and possibly delicate information had done nothing to quell his suspicions.

Again that smile came back "Because I know who you are." Time froze and for half a second Discord felt threatened, it passed as nothing more than instinct. For a second or even half, he always followed his instinct. His eyes widened and he split reality without a hesitation. His former curious smile turning into a frown of apprehension. There were not many explanations as to why someone he had never met would know who he was. Even fewer of them were for benevolent reason.

The splitting of reality was him shifting himself and his guest to a cargo car at the back of the train, at least then if anything were to get out of hand, no one else would get hurt. She looked around bewildered with a slight tinge of fear in her eyes.

She spoke quickly, though there was a visible quake across her body, "I think you misunderstood what I meant."

He raised a golden covered arm and spoke "I will make this clear. I am not who I use to be, call this trip a semi-pilgrimage, one that has helped to purge me of the chaos within, I as well seek council from either princess, but for my salvation.  Regardless of that fact..." Orbs of golden light formed around his body, all seeming to spin faster and faster in their stations, "If you have come to hunt me, or harm those I care for, You will know what it is to anger a god." Though he had not mentioned it to anyone, most of his powered had been slowly returning to him for the past few days. Apparently the princess was letting her focus slip.

Her eyes now wide with unbound fear she quickly stuttered out "I am the direct line of Queen Bellatrinca De Quareza"

Her words were breathless and dead on her lips, all of her thoughts mechanical and heavy out of fear.

The glow died, his eyes fell as his jaw became tight. "Princess Cadenza. I had thought you would be much older after hearing her line had survived the centuries... I am sorry for our misunderstanding...I'll return us to the car."

Raising his paw to snap he stopped as she shook her head, "No...I think we should...talk first...I would like to ask a few things. If that's alright."

He laughed to break some tension, "I have a few question in return. Fire away."

She gave a small smile, "You said that this was your pilgramige...what did you mean by that, how are you free?"

At first a sigh was the only sound that came from him, after a few moments she began to think that would be his only answer when he replied. "The Princesses made a bet, my life being the gambling piece. Both of them sensed that after centuries my soul had begun to change from a roiling mass of inner turmoil into...something new, in part chaos as usual, and in part something new. The hope of the younger sister outshone the hatred the elder has of me and I was given a chance to prove myself....or at least provide Celestia with a week of entertainment." he spat the last with a bitter tone, his eyes forming slits at he thought of his life being a perverse kind of game. His old self would have relished in the idea of someone thinking he, the god of chaos, was prey.

"As for my..."Pilgrimage" I was sent to that town..." he flicked in the direction the train was moving away from, "And left in the care of each of the Elements of Harmony. As my...ahem...Journey began I found myself completely torn between the Chaos I knew and loved, and this new idea of peace...I suppose....I quickly found that they can coincide...in harmony."

Pausing for a moment he contemplated going on by scratching his beard, "That was when my rehabiliation truly began as you can see by my limbs, it has thus far been succesful..I think. I was placed in the charge, by turn, of each of the Elements, currently I am with Loyalty if you could not tell before, I have spent my time with Honesty, Laughter, Loyalty, Kindness, Generosity, and a small stint with Magick...But my turn with Rainbow Dash has only just begun this morning, and I have not yet had a full day with Twilight. Even so I learned things, shared things, became something, that I never could have imagined through all of these experiences."

He Paused again and smiled, thinking of a few memories he already felt fond of, "Not even a week has gone by since I found my freedom, the leaps and bounds I have made have not gone unnoticed by the princesses...but it matters not."

Cadence clenched her own jaw, "She never intended to judge you...only pass a prior judgement."

Discord allowed a shallow breath to shudder out, "Yes. My fate was sealed as soon as my prison was shattered."

With barely a seconds passing she spoke in anger, "Is their nothing you care to live for that you would give up so easily?"

That took him by surprise, his face flashing up, half in surprise, half in anger "You think I would willing go to my death? You think I would willing walk away from the first feelings of love I have had in almost a millenium? Walk away from true friendship? ....Never. But I must. I will not bring the wrath of a scorned princess upon those I care for...even at the cost of my own life, better to have lived for others than to simply die for myself."

Her anger quickly subsided as she continued, "Bravo. I mean not to patronize you, but you have won me. I will give my two cents in the matter to both princesses, though I know not what good it will do. I believe it is indeed your turn to ask of me a question."

It was almost comical to see him holding the classic 'thinker' position before stating his question. "How did you know who I was?"

She smiled playfully "It is tradition in my family that we carry our history through stories and speech, though every nuance of our legacies is indeed written down in the libraries of most towns, we prefer word of mouth. As such, the events of your freedom before imprisonment have become something of a bedtime story for foals, told by each grandmother in turn to her grandchildren as our families continued through the past few ages. Not to sound like I'm kissing up to you, but it was one of my favorites. Romance, adventure, tragedy..."

Realizing she was making him uncomfortable she cut off the train of thought and continued elsewhere, "Though it was not hard to recognize you. Even if I had never seen you in anything more than the form of a statue. Even that was so long ago that I can hardly remember."

He closed his eyes for a moment and recited quickly, "August 12th, twenty-two years, eight months, six days, twelve hours and forty-eight minutes ago you passed by with your parents who were about to be set the charge ruling over Chrysanthemum, you stopped for twenty-seven minutes and fifteen seconds to explain to me that you were not afraid of my look, and wished I could have spoken back and given you guidance on your problem with the prince and your worries for your parents."

He Smiled, pleased at her reaction, "When you are encased in stone...and the pain has become a background noise, you tend to memorize every moment by running it through your mind for eternity. I remember every moment of my imprisonment with crystal clarity. It just takes me a moment to recall them."

This time she simply nodded, "I was so young...its astounding that you can remember all of those things...but it makes sense."

"You're up Cadence."

She smirked "Oh hoe hoe, So no formalities now?...I like that.  well....."

She pondered for a moment. "Would you be apposed to me accompanying you to see the princesses, and as well accompanying me to the council? My own council partner could not come and I was already feeling worried about finding a replacement. Dont worry about the princess either, I believe Luna Is holding the throne for this particular meeting. I insist that you bring your friend along, would you accept my offer?"

"I have to talk to my companion, this is my time with her and I will not take that lightly. Especially from the Element of Loyalty."

As Cadence nodded she found they had returned to the previous car, nothing disturbed, everything in its place. Looking back over her shoulder as she turned away, she called back "I trust you can reach me telepathically with your answer?"

"Of course, what do you take me for? A mortal?" they both smiled, parting ways at the center of the car.

Walking over to a loudly snoring Rainbow Dash he cuffed her on the shoulder lightly to wake her, judging by the consistent whistle from the engine horn, and the movement of the passengers, they had arrived at their destination.

Holy Canterlot

The streets, as they always were, were alive with the bustling of thousands.  Apparently the carnival coming up had attracted more tourists than usual, not only in the town, but in the surrounding cities as well. Stall Vendors lined any wall space that did not give way to a front door or window, forming an almost wall like appearance of barters and loud hecklers.

Though solid cobble stone underneath his body felt good after the train ride. Never really being one to take any kind of long transportation, he didnt quite know if he liked the experience. Though good had come of it. The feeling and look of cobblestone made a flash of memory come to him. He saw blue fur and a shock of straw colored hair. In a half second he had a flashback of the night on the balcony with Pinkie Pie.

Her voice cracked and she began to quietly sob. It took a moment but she continued on "Even before then, the princesses....they know m-me. T-they k-k-know who I am and they d-dont remember. They dont remember me or h-him."

In the background of his reverie, Rainbow was talking.

"So, another princess wants us BOTH to come hang out with her? Sounds chill with me as long as we get down to business before we go, gotta show you 'round the underbelly of the town. Plus I want you too meet a real chill buddy of mine, She'll be at the club no doubt working her magic on the crowds."

"I...didnt know they had clubs in Canterlot." he numbly spoke

She "tched" and replied "Of course they do man! heh, you really are new to this whole thing, tell me you've had alcohol before, right?"

He turned his head pondering the hundreds of times he had guzzled candy flavored mead, the results being catastrophic every single time.  "Perhaps I should hold off on the drinking until after we have met with the council, I think a little night time club-hopping would be fun....there is more than one club right?"

Dash busted out in laughter "Alright, we can hold off, for now. Geesh, lets get you reacquainted with this old city before our royal duties kick in."

Walking up to a vendor on the left, Rainbow Dash pulled a pouch seemingly out of thin air and paid for a couple sticks of something in the shape of a tube. "The hell is that?" he sniffed it and then licked tentatively. His taste buds did much what his eyes did, shooting wide with pleasure. "Sea-Salt Ice cream? I haven't had this since I was a kid!"

"You were a kid once?" a solid question from Rainbow as she lazily lapped at the Ice cream,

Scrunching up his face at the memories he nodded. "Of course. I didn't just appear one day contrary to popular belief...though that would have been much more chaotic I suppose..."

So many people, you could turn this city inside out in a matter of minutes

"..But that was very long ago. Before this land was founded."

Rainbow froze mid lick "Geez, how old are you anyway? On second thought, dont tell me. I dont even want to know." she playfully jabbed him in the side and he returned it with his tongue stuck out comically.

"You know, you are pretty chill.....hey? Who's your-"

"Yooooo!!!! 'bout time you showed up!!" a blur of white and blue slammed Rainbow to the ground in a bear hug.

Giving a quick burst of air from her wings, Rainbow righted herself and bumped the new figure "Damn! How'd you find me? shit...arent you suppose to burn up in the sunlight?" a joking tone to her voice, Rainbow's apparent friend played along

"Oh, I wont, as long as I suck some blood first!" she flashed Dash a smile before jumping up and looking towards her companion. A flick in his direction and a question followed "Who's the player?"

Discord spoke around a bite of ice cream "Player?"

"No no, He's not like that, least I think not, yo? you a player?" A serious question from Dash

Eyebrows to the sky, "The seven hell's is a player?"

Their new companion stared quizzically at him, though he could not tell through the shades she wore. "I think you need to break him in man."

Rainbow ignored the comment "Speaking of clubs....You are DJ'ing tonight arent you?"

The new figure smirked and flashed a large grin "Sure as shit am. Its part of the Vinyl Day Celebration, or did you not hear about that? I better see you both there, starts at 11pm, goes till 5 in the Am. Be there, just drop my middle name, I'll let the bouncer know you are VIP."

Dash bumped the Dj's hoof and smirked, "Hey, that works perfect, we have some things we need to take care of before hand anyway."

"Well, in that case..." the DJ pulled Dash aside and lowered her voice so her companion would not hear.

"So...Your buddy there, he up for a good time? He looks like just my type, a real freak right?" she had let her shades slide to show her discolored eyes, one a deep ruby red, the other a translucent blue. In truth both were red, and Dash knew that, but she liked to keep one as blue as her mane when there was a rave to be had and a crowd to be wow'd. Afterall, the famous Dj P0N-3 had an appearance to keep up, though Rainbow knew the real Vinyl Scratch was a blast even without her stage persona.

As Discord watched the two have some offhand discussion he decided it was time to see a bit more while he had the chance. Off to the side he had finished enjoying the ice cream treat and walked away from the two towards the main square, they had gone a lot further after getting off the train than he had thought.

He never would have expected to hear a lilting voice so recognizable "Well, Well, Well, speaking of the devil."

Dead in front of him was a very young figure that looked oddly familiar, he recognized the outfits color scheme from a distant memory and smiled, he remained silent for a moment just to drink in the look he hadn't seen in centuries. "Its not kind for one god to call the other a devil princess."

She smiled softly "I think between you and I it could be your new nickname, what do you think?"

A genuine laugh escaped his lungs and as he was about to reply when it was cut off by a startling shout from behind,

"No! NO NO NO! He is totally taken! Completely totally! You are not touching him!"

"Woah woah geez! Protective much! You'd think he was your dog for all you shout 'bout it!."

Apparently the conversation between Rainbow and the DJ had gotten out of hand,

He barely registered the conversation over his shoulder "I dont remember what you call yourself in that form Princess of the moon. But I dare say Princess will do? Or would you like a ...nicknameof your own?"

"Of course old friend." the figure smiled and laughed lightly, not falling victim to his obvious trap, Discord would be one of the only creatures able to recognize her pegasus form.

His grin twisted "Then would you like to accompany us to your meeting? I bet it would give Rainbow Dash a shock when you shape-shift."

She smiled brightly with a sparkle in her eye, she did love a good prank, "Always a trickster no matter whats changed."

They smiled warmly at each other and turned to walk towards the arguing duo. Time slowed for a moment to the two of them. Long ago, so long that if it had ever been recorded it was lost to the ages, He remembered Luna walking with him. Long walks when he would get stir crazy at night. He never was one for a full nights sleep anyway, more like twenty minutes here and there all day. Despite that he always knew she would be awake at night, he savored the knowledge that he had always known she would be there.

Discord brushed a paw on Luna's wing to grab her attention, still staring straight ahead he spoke "Thank you."

With a quizzical turn of her head Luna asked, "For what?"

"For calling me your friend, and meaning it." She smiled warmly and lightly batted him with her wing, much to her surprise he reached down and scratched between her shoulders for all of three seconds.

Burning the blush on her face with practiced ease, Luna and Discord made their way towards the argument, and soon after settling the affairs and the timing for their schedules, The princess, Rainbow Dash, and Discord, were bound for the Royal Castle. The train ride took longer than had been intended, and the meeting pushed forward according to the disguised princess.

"I still dont know about this whole Council thing. I dont have to say anything do I?" questioned a hovering Rainbow Dash

"No Rainbow. Cadence will be talking of course, I might have to interject here and there if I see fit, but it will mostly be Luna and the other Council Members. Though they might address your presence in the beginning. Nothing major, a simple introduction, perhaps a chance to show off?" he waggled a brow at the cyan pegasus.

She brightened visibly at the thought of showing off for representatives of vast importance in the country "Oh hell yes, this could be just what I need to really get my name out."

They wandered further past the center and edges of the town, the castle now looming over almost everything in sight.

He looked around at the guards, there seemed to be more stationed than usual. A lot more, likely due to the importance of the guests but not something he was going to dismiss as easily. He would give it its due thought after he saw the affairs of the counsel meeting.

He still felt uneasy walking through the main gates. With a thought he reached out to Princess Cadence and let her know they had arrived. The evenings events were sure to be spectacular.

The Council of Royalty

The palace was enough to put many ponies in a state of awe and rapture, Discord was no different, though to him it had a bittersweet kind of beauty.  After all, it held the gardens that had once been his thousand year prison.

The main gates loomed just ahead of them, eerily unpatrolled by the normal Royal Guardsmen, thinking of them sparked a question in his mind.

"Hey, Is it true the princesses began hiring female guards as well?"

Rainbow  looked over shaking her head in a way of showing she didnt know,

Their companion spoke up "It is indeed. The rumor was that the younger princess needed to be exposed to other females, or so said the eldest. Thus, female assassins were given the choice of continuing their career path, or being stripped of their titles for a new position. Rumor has it as well that their new title came with more than a few perks."

Rainbow interrupted, familiar with the rumors "Long lasting life. Lined pockets, privileges that not even eavesdropping gossip lovers could dream of finding out about."

Their companion nodded her head as they stepped through the gate, it closed behind them before four columns of midnight smoke spewed forth from a balcony above and settled into blobs before them. As quickly as the smoke had settled it began to clear, revealing  identical guards, garbed in deep black armor and capes that seemed to devour any light that dared to shine onto them. The pupils of their eyes, slitted like dragons.

"The Lunar Guardsmen." Discord said with a little wonder in his voice

"The Lunar whatnow?" Rainbow said from a defensive position

After a moment of tense silence their guest spoke "At ease my ever loyal protectors."

The voice was fairly different from the body it had come from, Rainbow's jaw dropped as she watched the cloak fall from their companion and a deep aura of blue engulf her. If it could have her jaw would have fallen off when the aura cleared and Princess Luna was standing before them.

The guardsmen bowed, without an iota of shock on their features. Though he found all of these things rather amusing he addressed the princess after a few moments of regarding Rainbow.

"I do believe they showed up because we are late princess." he said with more than a hint of a snobby tone

"Late?" she scoffed "Please, the council can not convene without my presence."

Though she sounded serious he knew she was joking and smiled to prove it.

Without another moment he gestured to the door, "Well, Shall we then, I think Rainbow has about all she can take of shock for the moment....besides....dont we need to get dressed or something?"

Rainbow snapped her maw shut and replied with indignation "Dressed? you're friggin kidding me? I didnt sign up for a tea party!"

The princess and him both laughed before all made their way inside.

The three now decked in regalia, the road was clear towards the Council Chambers.

Rainbow was wearing something akin to her Gala dress. Slightly modified from her friends original design, by whom she could only imagine. She had offhandedly commented to Discord that tonight she would most definitely not be wearing a dress to the club. The colors that had once been only the strict shades of the rainbow, ranged now from one end of the spectrum to the other of visible light, seeming to draw from all the colors around it in complimentary manners.

The princess was wearing a silvery linen that fit tightly to her body, like a vest but very becoming for what a princess could risk wearing in the ways of leisurely customs. Otherwise she had on an identical crown to the platinum one she normally wore, this one made of polished silver, and her boots were shining crystal. Something both Rainbow and Discord joked would make Rarity faint.

He himself wore a simple outfit. Green undershirt, a velvet couplet over a similar colored vest. The rest of his outfit complimenting the red on green scheme Including a very lovely half cape that he was quite fond of using to cover his snout dramatically and wave his fingers like Dracula whenever a servant or guard was within walking distance.

He almost looked like he belonged in royal garb....frowning for a moment he remembered that once upon a time he had been royalty.

The princess caught the look and nodded knowingly "Those times are long since past my old friend. Though, you still look rather dashing in regalia."

"Speak for yourself princess" he offered with a large wink

Their eyes met and a channel opened.

I remember days when we applauded the idea of wearing our regalia. When dressing to the nines was our way of showing each other our time was important. Or just to cause scandal amongst the gossiping aristocracy.

Yes, Well Luna, It has been quite some time. I don't believe I told you how much I-

Their silent conversation was throttled in the second after it had begun, "Are you hitting on the princess? Damn, you've got game!"

The three shared a laugh at Rainbows blatant antics before settling into a more serious mood. The doors to the Council Chamber were looming above them, and inside waited something more terrifying than any monster in Equestria.

Politicians.

Politics had never been one of his favorite things, especially given his old dispositions towards order and balance.

A sigh of relief came from his lips when a familiar voice rang out from behind them "Auntie!"

Turning, the three companions watched as a fourth caught up and smoothed out her own features, readying herself for the oncoming storm of lies they were about to enter.

Princess Luna gave a small smile, though the love in her eyes was plain to see. Discord Greeted her first "Well well, Princess Cadenza. I didn't think I was going to see you again after our run in on the train. I trust your meeting went well?"

Her face dropped the beautiful smile it had been holding to be replaced with a pout.

"No, Indeed it did not. The princess was too busy to see me." The disappointment plain in her words.

He lifted an eyebrow and looked to the younger princess "You're joking right?"

The younger princess raised an eyebrow of her own "What do you mean?"

Discord lost all mirth for a moment as he considered the possibilities "Did you tell her I was coming?"

Luna gave him a simmering glance, "Well of course I did, could you imagine what kind of mess she would have caused thinking you were running amok on grounds?"

"Do you have any idea what kind of mess she is going to cause now that she has had time to prepare?"

Rainbow Dash and Cadence watched the exchange with growing understanding

He looked around the room almost frantically, eyes moving this way and that. "I think we need to hurry this session. I am no longer comfortable being here."

Twilight was frantic to say the least.

A night of fruitless searching and self imposed panic will do that to a body. Especially when fueled by the machinations of someone like herself, always methodical, always organized, always by the book. And this feeling she had was apparently anywhere but a book...wasn't that why she was out here now?

Rechecking the time and her schedule again, Twilight confirmed that the object of her attention would indeed be with Pinkie Pie, maybe with Rarity as well, and only a short amount of time away from being taken up by Rainbow Dash to who knows where. More than half of the town had been scoured in her attempts to intercept Rarity before she could hand him off to Pinkie Pie, seemingly to no avail.

In half trot she stopped and stood, "What am I even doing? What am I going to say?"

She tried to reason with herself but everything went back to that feeling in her chest. The feeling when they spoke, their eyes met. Every thought and feeling she had vanished when Sugercube Corner came into sight.

It was now or never

But for what? What am I really after? Do I? Do I love him? no...its only been a few days...it...no..

"Wow, Someones deep in thought." Twilight practically screamed out her lungs when Pinkie Pie's voice came from beside her

Smiling broadly and giving a small wink Pinkie continued, "Geesh, Twilight, you're in the middle of the street, did you not expect someone to talk to you? That's just silly!" Looking up and down the street with a cursory glance, Twilight saw no one.

"she stuttered trying to regain her barrings, "Well I....I just..."

"Are you looking for our new friend? Cus it seems like you are? You should come inside!" Pinkie waved a hoof towards the doors.

Twilight's eyes widened "How did you....that sixth sense right?....ugh...I just. I need to talk to him, do you know where he is?"

Bouncing in place Pinkie gave a simple "Yep."

A few minutes of Pinkie Pie bouncing up and down and Twilight began loosing patience "Could you tell me where he is?"

"Nope, I have no idea, he left with Rainbow early this morning to go out of town, they wont be back until the Carnival remember? It was YOUR idea."

Twilight nodded "Yes I..I suppose it was...do you mind if I come in? I feel like being with any of my friends will help right now."

Walking into SugerCube Corner Pinkie Pie giggled "Well I'm glad you say that cus...."

Walking through the door Twilight was greeted by the sight of all but one of her closest friends sitting around a table, enjoying the new dishes Pinkie Pie had whipped up.

"Girls! I'm so happy to see you all!"

The court, of course, had been a disaster. From the second the four of them had walked in there had been objection after objection until Princess Luna had taken her throne above the court and ordered silence in a voice above the Royal Canterlot volume. Needless to say it moved even the chairs they sat in back a few inches and left the room eerily quiet, except for the hardly contained giggling of Discord and the stunned "whoa" that escaped Rainbow's lips.

From there, the court had descended again into political chaos, which was like poison to Discord. It was subtle and sleezy and he hated it but for Luna he would sit through it. Plus he had said he would stay for Cadence as well. Her ancestor had been a dear friend to him, even in his less than sane days.

After a while he was glad he came as Cadence brought up many good points and was eventually granted the small military force she had come to gain. It was also a blast finding different unique ways to wake Rainbow Dash up just enough to make her think she was still dreaming.  It was so easy to just snap and use a waterballoon after that.  Throughout all of his constant pranking and the uproar it caused in the nobles, Luna never paid it any heed and when it was brought up she dismissed it with a wave and a simple statement of "You very obviously have never met the avatar of chaos."

Those small victories aside, it was still a disaster. Disastrously boring for all of the four.  That was, until the second half of the meeting. The shift of the meeting was almost physical as things began to turn on Discord. As the pranks became more magickal mischief and almost to the point of malicious the meeting spun out of control as accusations were thrown back and forth and what had once simply been the easy turmoil of a political meeting had devolved into a free for all for each country. Luckily Luna had been able to calm the situation and bring down the talks of imminent war with more than a little help from Cadence's magick.

Upon leaving Cadence and Luna where speaking of which guards she should take in her units while Rainbow and Discord were discussing the details of the club they were going to go to later that night. Passing by an archway he would have rather not looked out onto, he saw an unmistakable figure standing in front of one place he never wanted to be again.

The statue garden and his old pedestal. He just couldn't catch a break. Besides, with everything that had happened in the council chamber he could hardly be blamed for what he did next.

His three companions made the connection as he turned and began a stiff pace towards Celestia. Luna held back the other two for a moment and decided it would be best if Cadence took Rainbow to the Dining Hall. She did so without hesitation and Luna teleported to a balcony above. She could feel that he was waiting for her there and was comforted that he was already watching the situation.

Below Discord had just reached where Celestia was and now stood two steps behind and to her side. Luna leaned over slightly and spoke "We will both be watching. If anything goes wrong, you may act once Discord has left."

The figure beside her would have looked like an earth pony to anyone who didnt know who he was. To those that did, they knew very well that there was a rocky, almost jagged, cropping on his forehead where a horn had once been snapped off. With the soft glow of orange telekinesis the unicorn with no horn lowered his hood and gave a curt bow of his head.

He spoke and it was as soft as the peach color of his eyes "If I did not love you my Queen, or trust your judgement, I would think it wickedly cruel that thy commands always lead me away from him. He thinks me to be dead as all the others of his time. Tis a cruel thought that I live and he know of it not."

Luna almost laughed "I gave you my word that this is necessary. I told you that eventually you will hate me for my commands but in the end, just as before, you will be rewarded with your freedom and life of your own."

Unblinking he responded "I would never commit such heresy as to act against my sovereign."

"Regardless my friend. From what I can hear of their conversation you will be needed in a moment." She focused and dozens of guards oozed from out of the shadows and formed rank behind them "Do not act until he has left."

As she turned and walked away she heard her most trusted General "As you wish my Queen."

She turned around from the back of the ranks and spoke through her mind.

Applejack will arrive shortly after he leaves. You may act once you have sensed that Discord has taken Rainbow into the city and you witness me taking Twilight Sparkle. Once you have acted as you see fit you may go to her.

He nodded and smiled quite broadly. Luna did love the little breaches in etiquette he showed.

--

Down below things had gone horribly wrong in the past thirty seconds.

Celestia and Discord where shouting one second, then one was crying, then the other, Celestia blew up half of the gardens.

All very droll for him. But by Titan how he hated that wench. He definitely got a kick out of how Discord slapped her.... though he almost acted when he thought he felt the mental bond in Discord slip.

It was moments later when he witnessed Discord teleport away and reached out with his magickal senses to find Rainbow Dash. His other target appeared next to Cadence. A moment later Discord appeared, spoke with the two and vanished with Rainbow Dash in tow. They appeared somewhere in downtown.

He looked down at the Princess who had only been left there a matter of moments before theyshowed up in a flash of lavender.

The general smiled.

Twilight walked forward and hugged each of her friends before sitting down to one of the remaining seats. All eyes were on her as she looked up from the food in front of her.  "What?"

Applejack  spoke up first "Yew really should just get on with it."

Rarity was next "Yes darling, we all know, and we all think its just fabulous. Besides, with the Carnival tomorrow you could easily tell him then."

Fluttershy followed "Its uhm...its really cute...we like him."

Pinkie Pie finished "Besides, I already told him I approve of the two of you, it wouldn't be very nice if you got his hopes up for nothing!"

Twilight took all of three seconds to let it all sink in before asking dumbly, "Girls...I...how did you all know?"

They gave her a look like she was crazy, Applejack opting to speak again "We're yer bestfriends, we cin plainly see when yer mind is hogtied round something, especially that there companion of ours."

"Besides," spoke Pinkie "My leg was a twitch'a twitchin' and my arm started tingling, then, yep, heartburn." Just as Pinkie burped for emphasis the foundation shook.

Every one of them was under the table in an instant "An earthquake?" questioned Twilight

Rarity answered "No, it couldnt be, that sounded like an explosion..." They jumped out from under the table and rushed outside. All five of them paled, there was a billowing pillar of smoke rising from the castle grounds, someone had attacked the castle in Holy Canterlot.

"Everyone, to me now, we are going to teleport!" Each of them grabbed a hold of Twilight and were gone in a flash of purple.

Cadence was having something akin to a panic attack.

The Royal Council meeting had been a disaster, and worse yet, their companion was missing, the younger princess had rushed off to go find him, and Rainbow Dash was complaining about being hungry after the princess had mentioned the dining hall.

Thinking back, this had not been her day.

And especially not his.

........

As soon as they had entered the Royal Council Chambers. streamers had gone off to match their attire.

The second they sat down, bowls of color changing punch and balloons had appeared on the table.

Every delegates hair color had been changed shortly after the conversations had commenced.

The chandeliers grew bat wings and began menacing the delegates from other countries.

The rugs turned into snakes and began terrorizing all of the servants as they came in and out of the chambers.

Every single thing that happened however, had been blamed on her subservient.

Cadence had attempted to stand up for Discord and had done fairly well until one of the delegates was turned into a donkey, the meeting burst forth in a wave, demanding retribution of her companion.

His reaction had been unexpected.

In a mighty show of strength he slammed the end of the table he was at and the entire thing crumbled with a swiftly moving wave of golden energy.

Every delegate went dead silent as all of the insanity around them instantly ceased and was turned back to normal.

Her companion simply stood up, and had walked out in a fury to be met by his three companions after the meeting had been ended in haste.

And that wasnt even bringing up her and her Aunt teaming up to soothe what very well could have been a declaration of war on several fronts.

.........

"Are you sure that's all that happened Cadence?" Asked Twilight, standing with the others.

"I'm positive, you four should go check in the gardens, I'm going to the Royal Chambers to look for the Princesses! I need to grab Rainbow from the Dining hall as well."

And with that, Twilight had teleported them outside to the palace gardens, only to find the eldest princess lying on the ground. Tears streaming down the side of her face that wasn't a deep shade of red.

Twilight had stepped forward to comfort her mentor when Princess Luna appeared in-between them.

staring straight down into Twilight's eyes, Luna spoke "Leave her be."

it took nary a moment for Twilight to balk a response "But Princess! She might be hurt!"

"AND IF SHE IS SHE DESERVES IT FOR WHAT SHE HAS DONE!"

All four of the friends shrunk from the anger in her voice. Applejack moved forward and put her arm on Twilights shoulder.

Luna seethed and began her tirade "You have no idea what your Mentorhas been doing behind the scenes. All day long since before he even left Ponyville, Celestia has been sabotaging Discord wherever he goes. Ask the delegates at the conference I just came from. She nearly killed a few of them with chaos magick disguised as the gold of Discords. Even Cadenza saw it first hand." She stopped for a moment to let it sink in, her elder sister sniffling in front of her, before sweeping a hoof to point out the massive amount of damage done to the gardens, "This, is what happens when my sister throws a tantrum because she did not get what she wanted out of him. He snapped yes, but not in the way she had wanted. Luckily for all of us, he and Rainbow Dash have left."

"None of you will go looking for him. I gave special instructions to Rainbow Dash should this happen, I had my suspicions after all. He will be taken care of and be back at the Carnival tomorrow with our friend in tow. Are we understood ladies?"

The four nodded their heads. Luna spoke again. "Twilight, I would like to have some time to speak with you."

Twilight nodded and walked over to the younger Princess, looking to her mentor she asked "What about her?"

Luna smiled and Twilight felt the blood chill in her veins "She gets to stay here and deal with four disappointed Elements of Harmony, a riot of angered and mistreated delegates from around the world, a very upset cousin, and us when we get back."

With that the younger princess opened an orb in front of them and they walked through.

The remaining four elements looked to the princess on the floor as did a peach set of eyes from a balcony up above.

It was a look akin to that of hyena studying wounded prey.

An Interlude

After a moment more of sitting and watching the wilted figure that was once their revered princess, the four remaining spared a final glance and each turned away. Walking back inside amongst the clatter of an entire battalion of the Night Watch pouring out into the gardens, Pinkie chanced a glance back before following her friends and was the only one of them to see what looked like an earth pony in silver armor jump down to the head of the battalion.

Moments later, once again inside the castle halls, Applejack was the first to break the tension. "How the princess could 'ave gone ahn done somethin' like that is just...just...wrong!"

Rarity followed suite "It was absolutely atrocious the way she treated him after everything he has done to regain all our trust. Such actions are quite unbecoming of royalty." she ended with an audible hmph turning her face up in slight disgust.

"I hope h-he will be alright...and it d-didnt look like Luna was angry with T-twilight but I hope they are okay as well." Fluttershy looked on the verge of tears as her four companions turned to hear her quiet words.

Barely a heartbeat passed before Pinkie Pie had an arm around Fluttershy in a warm embrace

Her smile, despite the conditions, was contagious. Somewhere in the background everyone thought they heard a familiar tune, "Everything will be ok. They will take care of him, could he be in better hands? Lets just go to the dining hall, I dont know about any of you but I havent eaten since before we rushed here. Besides, it will do as all good to just Smile."

Every one gave their agreements, Applejack's made more vocal by the sudden monstrous groan of her stomach.

"The dining hall it is then."

The Night Watch circled.

"My, My, my little sister must perceive me as a threat to send an entire battalion of her trusted guard unto me. How loved I feel." Celestia had stopped crying when the Elements had left and the garden was deathly quiet.

To their credit, the elite of the Dark Watch showed not an iota of fear.

Celestia smiled sweetly, to the trained guard it looked psychotic,"Hmm, trained well and as fiercely loyal as I would expect from...and whats this?" the sudden shock on Celestia's face was apparent. From a balcony above jumped down a soldier in silver armor that made a slight chill run down the princess' spine. "Take off your armor subordinate" the word was as a curse.

Nary a movement was made as the reply came "As if I would listen to an order from you tyrant." The voice was distorted behind the helm, but familiar. One she had sworn she would never forget.

There was a murmur through the hundred guards present, one spoke up despite his training "By Titan and Terra! Its the General! He's real!"

The Princess stared back at the newcomer half in disbelief and half in shock. Though almost all of his features were masked by the armor he had chosen, there was something horrifyingly familiar about this soldier, especially the way he had greeted her. The princess' eyes narrowed with the realization "She woke you up."

Without moving an inch he spoke "No."

"Then how?" the princesses words dripped venom

If she could see his face she knew it would be split by that ridiculous smile of his, "Simple. I was in my self imposed exile when she was banished, instantaneously I was dropped into a comatose state. When I awoke, I blew my way out of an unmarked grave and found a thousand years had come to pass. But one thing had not. I easily found my way to her, feeling the tug of the moon as many of us could in those days. I traveled by night until at last I found the princess wandering the gardens and looking at a statue of my oldest friend. Imagine my shock when she revealed the events of the war and these last thousand years to me."

He paused, taking the brief lull in his explanation to step forward in front of the lines of Dark Watch soldiers.

"I immediately picked up where I had left off and quickly found that the princesses spell had preserved me as I was a thousand  years ago. I am still in my peak, and it would seem that will not be changing anytime soon."

The snarl she had been displaying turned into another sickening smile "So. Subordinate, Why may I ask, do I have the honor of your presence?" Celestia had spread her legs and wings in two different stances, one for pegasus offence, the other for unicorn defense, she knew from experience what her foe could do.

The air around the General distorted "Tyrant, the last time we spoke I gave you my name, and you would have done well to never forget it after the way I cut you into ribbons."

The air in the garden electrified with the power surging from the princess, it was quickly met with an audible fuzzing and popping noise of the power coming off the newcomer

"My name is General Genesis Storm of the one and true Queen Luna's Elite Army."

Celestia let loose a laugh and half the guard flinched, it sounded like insanity, "Well Gene, if we are throwing our titles around I'll not deny you the honor of hearing mine." she coiled back looking ready to strike.

Without a moments hesitation Genesis shouted an order, the smile never leaving his face "Dark Watch, retreat now. Lieutenants, to me."

The Dark Watch did as they were bid and vanished into smoky blurs of purple cloud, only three soldiers remained with him on the field.

"My name, you insubordinate foal, is Princess Celestia, Daughter of Terra and Titan, and the True ruler of all the land! You will suffer for your thousand years of servitude to an usurper!"

"Darnit." was the first thing Applejack had said in about twenty minutes.

Her other friends had become separated, going off in their own directions to see whatever interested them the most, the plans for the dining hall all but forgotten. The farmer would have none of it, she was starving. That and the halls of the castle were too quiet for her liking. Applejack had figured that of all places to break the silence, the dining hall would be a great candidate. likely full of many merry servants or regulars, possibly other guests.

But most importantly, food.

Turning a corner she saw the large wood and iron doors that lead to her destination. Picking up her pace, Applejack was about to reach the doors in question when an eruption of sound and screams came from the other side of the door.

She felt the floor shake and could make out the distinct sound of stone crumbling, wood splintering, as well as practically taste the magickal essence seeping into the air.

She adjusted her stetson and braced for what would be on the other side of the door, despite the possibility of having to fight for her life, she was ready. Instead of pushing the doors open, Applejack kicked them in.

It created a rather loud clang that drew the attention of a circle of servants towards the center of a partially destroyed dining hall.  The damage was mostly in two area's, the top of one of the walls to her left had a large chunk missing, stones still tumbling from whatever had impacted it. The other area was marked by what looked like a small crater, one of the dining tables had been broken into a lazy V shape, the table ends protruding into the air.

Hurrying towards the circle of chefs and common goers one of the attendents in his outfit spoke up. "Thank the Titans! Its one of the Elements. Someone has been wounded, we have to help him!"

Pushing through the small crowd with her heart in her ears, Applejack jumped down into the small crater and ended alongside a small mound. Brushing some of the dirt off of the mound revealed that it was a badly injured soldier. A moment passed as Applejack worked to pull him away from the splinters of glass, stone, and wood before she heard the familiar sound of Rarities arrival and the skittering of Pinkie Pie's steps on the stone.

After a moment more of tugging on the body Applejack shouted up to her friends "Help me git 'im outta this hole girls, he's hurt something awful!"

As Pinkie swooped in to help she was stopped dead by a shield of energy erected around the crater.

Rarity gasped and pointed behind Applejack.

She turned and watched as the figure stood, bleeding, broken.....and quickly healing, a bit of blood oozing from the corner of his mouth.

He reached forward "'Mnamis Genesis, Is' nice ta meetcha."

He had expected the lieutenants to at least last a few minutes before having to teleport them out.

To his surprise they were almost doing a good job against the Princess and her rage. A fact that made Genesis very uncomfortable. He knew, due to his vast experience, that no one garrisoned in Holy Canterlot should be able to hold ground against one of the princesses....unless they had been trained to do just that.

Fact aside, these soldiers wouldnt last much longer if he didnt get them out of here, so he did the only thing that came to mind, he attacked the princess head on and teleported them at the same time.

Now with his whole body re-knitting itself, bones, flesh, all seering with pain, he realized that had not been the smartest idea. Especially without using his weapons. He may have been a match for the princess a thousand and three years ago as far as magic went, but that was a thousand and three years she had to become better.

The tumble through the wall and into the floor had left Genesis dazed but not enough so that he had not erected a force barrier should the onslaught continue, no sooner did he erect the barrier he felt something smash against it.

Too weak to be the princess.

But at the moment he was more preoccupied with the beautiful figure in front of him. One that looked all to familiar as it began shouting. That voice was so familiar....

so he did his best to say hello.........and promptly lost consciousness.

As it turned out it really did not take to much for Rainbow Dash to calm Discord down.

After a few flagons of mead in a far less than reputable bar, in a seedy part of town, he had tossed out the idea of some coffee. She had agreed immediately. It would be good to get away from this part of town and besides, they would need something to keep them going through the party tonight, she made a mental note to stop off at a convenience store or at least grab some of the PON-3 3n3rgy drinks they sold at Table Turner Studios. Sure it was a bit of a pun for a warehouse turned kosher for raves, but Dash didnt mind.

Discord teleported them into one of the many market squares and it was the work of seconds to find a sign that read "Pumpkin Spice's Cafe Delights!"  Rainbow who was not used to being teleported, just flying fast, ended upside down and landed on her back. Luckily instead of being extremely embarrassing it made Discord laugh.

She was relieved to know he was already feeling better. She imagined the venting he had done over the mead had done a world of good as well. It helped that Dash, being the undisputed hot-head of the group, was just as angry. Their anger had fed off each other and fizzled out at about the same time, in her mind she made another note that Discord was excellent to talk to when feeling emotional. He had as much, if not more, experience as the princesses but was vastly more approachable.

As they walked in Rainbow talked about how she new Pumpkin from when she was a mail-mare, they often had delivery requests all over Holy Canterlot and even as far as Manehatten, They always requested the fastest flier available, so of course they would get her.

Just as her explanation met its end and she was beginning a particular story about a cake named after the cafe mare herself, she appeared.

"Well I'll be dipped in chocolate and sprinkled in confetti, if it isn't my old delivery girl Rainbow Melinda Dash!" Discord raised a brow and held his face for all of two seconds before bursting out laughing. This, he truly needed. Looking up at her he quirked a brow between laughs "Melinda?!" his question was met with a bop to the snout from the cyan mare.

"Yeah, its me Spice, How've you been all these months?" Rainbow engaged immediately, obviously this mare meant something to her.

Pumpkin smiled and sat for a moment, but not before motion to a server and whispering an order to them, "Things have been good Dashie. The business really picked up after the delivery you made during that storm last Hearth's Warming, it hasnt let up yet. We actually had enough to open another store in Manehatten! Can you believe it? Our little watering hole actually expanded." She shook her head wistfully before continuing "Of course, Ginger is back in the kitchen. He refused to leave me for more than three days to open the new store and set the staff straight, we left more than a few capable hooves there. But hell, Its worth it with all of the bits we make now, its a regular dream come true."

Rainbow nodded "I'm glad I could help, you know, with how awesome I am it was only a matter of time until your biz picked up." She finished with a wink and motioned towards Discord "This one here is a very good friend of me and the other five, turns out he has friends all over the place as well, maybe you know him?"

Discord took a moment and looked her up and down politely, "Actually Rainbow, believe it or not I knew her Grandmother Oregano. She use to bring herbs and bread up to my statue years ago, it was rather kind and I never got the chance to thank her for her hospitality and conversation. It was almost like she could hear me I swear."

Pumpkin's ear twitched, followed by her left leg and finally her tailed fluffed in a rather familiar way before going back to its straight length, she stepped away and bowed "Excuse me one moment." As she turned around two waiters collided, their trays flying right into the air. Pumpkin stepped forward three steps, turned on her heel, leaned forward as she caught the dishes and slid them onto the tables adjacent to her, orders in correct position to the customers.

Sitting back down she looked over at Discord as his jaw closed. "Yes my grandmother spoke of you sweetie. And she probably could hear you, back then she wasnt known by the name Oregano Spice, she had yet to be married and her maiden name was Pie. I do believe one of Rainbow's friends here is a relation?"

He gave her a blank stare, "That explains your acrobatics quite well actually. You seem to be a rather tame relative of our dear friend Pinkie Pie."

At the mention of Pinkie's name Pumpkin dropped the cup she had been lifting to her lips and it shattered. The room was quiet for a moment as heads turned to see what had happened, upon realizing it was a simple accident, most went back to their business.

"I apologize for that, my grasp slipped. So what brings you all to Holy Canterlot anyway?" It was obviously a diversion but neither Rainbow nor Discord had any reason not to follow it. As pumpkin began cleaning it up an order arrive of a club sandwhich for Discord (Psuedo meat/tofu), a cloud stuffer for Rainbow, and a bowl of soup and bread for Pumpkin. Apparently she had been ordering earlier.

"Well," Began Discord before biting into his sandwich,"A friend of Rainbow's got us into the Vinyl Day Celebration tonight and we couldnt turn it down." he turned to Rainbow and motioned for her to finish since his sandwich was too good to pass up.

Rainbow took a bite herself and spoke "Well, that about sums it up. We are going to the rave tonight and heading back into Ponyville in the morning. We have to be there about afternoon to meet up with our other friends for the Carnival, I'm sure you've heard of it as fantastic as it is."

Before long the conversation surrounded the events and history of the Carnival and eventually Pumpkin Spice excused herself, even if they were special guests she had cafe and restaurant to run.

Discord and Rainbow left as the sun was half set. Luckily for them Rainbow had been to Table Turner Studios before and knew the way by heart, flying or walking. It only took them an hours walk to get there and by then it was getting rather dark.

The studio indeed did look like it use to be a warehouse from the outside though they had done a very good job of sprucing it up. Painting over it, adding boarders and a large neon sign with flashing bulbs and streamers that looked like it had been imported from Las Pegasus according to Rainbow Dash.

Even from the outside they could hear a song beginning.

Walking up to the door they moved out of the way as crews of unicorns carried in the equipment for the show. It was an all night rave after all, there were going to be several DJ's running through the night. Discord had been told however, that the longest set, from 1am to 5am when the club shut down its celebration, belonged to the unicorn the celebration was named for, Vinyl Scratch.

The music was rather enjoyable and unlike any form he had heard, thinking about it he probably liked it because it was the musical equivalent of a painter creating a masterpiece by combining all of his smaller works and adding his own special touch. In a way, it was a lot like his magick. Yes, this Dubstep, trance, rhythm and base, these things Rainbow called them, they were a lot like his magick.

Approaching the door they waved the tags that Vinyl had sent to Rainbow and the bouncer nodded with a huge grin before clipping a secondary badge to the tags. It read V.I.P ALL ACCESS in large red font and had a picture on the back of a set of ruby eyes outlined by a shock of electric blue hair, the words Vinyl Day Celebration were printed in several different type fonts. Discord loved it.

The bouncer took them aside for a moment and explained the schedule to them as well as when Vinyl would be arriving and where the VIP lounge was located. As they stepped in another song started and Discord immediately felt the rising urge to dance.

It didnt take long for Rainbow to convince him a few more neon drinks wouldnt hurt before they hit the floor. In the mean time he thoroughly enjoyed the absolute Chaos that the song brought on. It was like someone had run into a factory with boomboxes and sound equipment, then altered each piece of machinery with a different sound before letting it all go wild. The bass pounded and he loved it.

He thought for a moment that if people had appreciation for chaos in this form, maybe it would be a good idea for him to use it as a form of self expression. It definitely wasnt a good idea to keep it all bottled up. He ran the idea over Rainbow's head and she flipped thinking it was the best idea she had heard all night. She immediately suggested he work something out with Vinyl when they got the chance.

As he turned back and downed whatever the neon green drink in front of him was, a few glow sticks were thrown around his neck and pattern began to form in his head.

With a smile he turned to Rainbow Dash the music still playing in his head as the loud speakers cut off one song for another "Its going to be a good night."

Being use to the feeling of teleportation, Twilight was not disoriented in the least. She was however confused to find herself and the princess standing on a balcony of the Tower of Harmony. Looking down below them Twilight could easily make out the shapes of Celestia, what looked to be somewhere near one hundred soldiers, and one glinting in silver armor at the head of the group. As all but three and the silver soldier at the head disappeared she realized they had been a show of force and not practical.

The thought struck her like a hammer on an anvil. Celestia was about to attack her own ponies.

Twilight spun quickly only to find Luna mere inches away, staring directly into her eyes. It startled her and she almost fell over the edge of the balcony before holding on and stuttering "Princess Luna, what is going on?!"

Luna regarded her for several more long moments before speaking "Look down and watch. We will speak in a moment."

Down below Twilight could hear shouting and saw Celestia glide into an attack position, her wings spreading wide like blades attached to her body. After several seconds she leapt forward in the blink of an eye and had scattered two of the four ponies. The one in silver slammed her to the ground with a blast of telekinetic force strong enough to shatter the stones underneath the princess. Twilight's eyes grew wide. The two that had been separated flew back into combat, one being a unicorn, the other a pegasus.

In an instant chains had been summoned and slammed onto Celestia's wings. After only a few seconds they began to whither and lose their shine, in those same seconds Celestia shot a beam of pure sunlight, the heat reaching all the way to Twilight on the balcony. The chains broke as the unicorn casting them had to divert their focus into a shield and roll maneuver.

Twilight turned back to Luna "Are you not going to help her?!"

Luna looked again at Twilight and spoke "Do you have any idea what is going on down there?"

The tower shook as something broke through a wall of the castle, the garden below was eerily quiet. Twilight checked, all four of the other ponies were gone but Celestia stood favoring three legs halfway across the garden. She turned back and really looked at Luna.

"This is big....bigger than us..."

Luna nodded.

"Wont she retaliate? She knows those were your soldiers." Her voice was hollow. For once her vast intellect could not give her an answer.

Luna smiled and Twilight tilted her head. "No Twilight. She will act as if this never happened. Though I doubt she will let my general off the hook so easily." She paused for a moment and a blue light covered her eyes in a flash, as fast as it came it was gone, "Luckily for him he is in good hooves. As for an explanation...."

Luna motioned for Twilight to follow her into the tower and up to a room above, Luna's observatory. She spoke as they ascended the stairs "Celestia believes that each of us is a pawn in a game she wishes to win. What she does not understand is that I am a player in this game, not a piece to be played. She will not stage a coup on me because it would split the nation before she was ready to take it completely. Much to my sisters displeasure I have apparently amassed a large following of very strong supporters. Word is that even the griffins say they would side with the night over the burning day, so to speak."

Twilight continued on, her mind eating the information like a starving child devours a lavish dinner. This was so much to process. "If I am correct in understanding princess....She intends to take over....she intends to finish the war you started?"

Luna smiled, she did love how bright this mare was "Indeed Twilight Sparkle.  For the time being I have allowed her to see what I want her to and act as I have seen fit. She believes she is in control. But know this Twilight." She stopped and turned around, just as they entered the observatory, "When the time comes I willflee from her. If I were to defend myself she could call upon the whole of Castle Canterlot to aid her and I would fall. She would find an opening while I was distracted and end me. Even with my Night Watch by my side I would likely not succeed. My general is too important to risk and so are you six, though I would never ask any of you to choose sides." She smiled again "From the sounds and looks of your friends though they have already chosen who they can trust."

Twilight cringed at the sound of conflict but smiled nonetheless, "How long do you think we have?"

Luna looked back at Twilight and her horn began to glow "When the time comes you will know Twilight, for now I am sorry but I am going to block your memory of this. It reawaken should I fail or when I see you next." Before Twilight could raise an opposition she was struck with a bolt of energy that brought her to her knees. Looking around everything began to blur and her vision slowly started to turn black.

In the edge of her vision she could make out a figure she recognized skittering low on all fours up to the princess. The glint of his purple and green scales was the last thing she saw before the spell locked her the memories away and drew her into a deep slumber.

Spike had crawled in to hand a letter that he intercepted. It was signed to Twilight.

He left a matter of minutes later in Luna's personnel carriage, Twilight by his side still dead asleep and Rarities letter clutched in one claw. He reread it to make adjustments in flight time. He wanted to arrive before them, it was vitally important that for the time being everyone still think he was in Holy Canterlot. After a final scan over the letter he incinerated it with red flames. Watching the tendrils lick over the page as it disappeared he gave a soft smile.

There were perks to being in the Queens inner circle.

An interrupted show of Generosity Part 2

Tackling the mountain of books that stood before Discord would have felt a daunting task before his previous encounter. Now he had a whole range of emotions he needed to vent, and what better way than a little manual labor, some physical exertion to help rid him of his emotional confusion.

Using many tendrils of his magick he would float books together into groupings and stack them in separate piles before moving them towards the shelves in alphabetical order. He hoped it would suffice.

A few hours passed him by and before he knew it he was standing with his paw under his chin looking around at a fairly organized, and cleaned, library. He had begun first by pacing about and checking things onto a list in his head, the list looked like a roller coaster inside a Ferris wheel with fireworks going off but it worked for him. Fairly early on Discord had begun doing everything physically instead of with his magick to help pass the time. Now he stood examining his work offhandedly while wondering why Twilight had yet to come downstairs.

Allowing his curiosity to get the best of him, Discord made his way up the staircase and eventually stopped, standing in front of Twilight's door. He took a moment before slowly cracking open her door.

This time he had a moment to take in his surroundings unlike when the princess had interrupted him. He didnt linger long on the many books she had even up here, or the desk with half written on or blank scrolls with discarded ink wells here and there. What grabbed his attention even over what he saw as a comical amount of broken or worn quills was the lavender mare that slept peacefully in her bed. She seemed to be sleeping soundly and fidgeting every now and then, he guessed she must be dreaming.

Stepping into her room he made his way over to her bed to pick up the sheets she had kicked off of the edge. Taking care not to wake her as he slipped them back over the top of her Discord looked to the rising of Twilight's chest again. He was fascinated that underneath that chest beat a heart, breathed lungs, flowed blood, just like in him.

He knew though that hers didnt have the urge to destroy, to change things. She had the urge to learn from what he knew, to understand. Perhaps she did have the desire for things to change, that was a part of using magick in its essence.

Caught in his thoughts he let time slip through his fingers without notice.

Possibly another hour passed by, it was afternoon now from what he could see out the open window. Discord had just started to enjoy a fresh breeze blowing through the window when he heard a stirring from the bed. Twilight had rolled over and sat up, her mane disheveled from tossing during her slumber.

It was very apparent to Discord that she was still half asleep until her eyes widened to saucers for a moment and she slowly clambered out of her bed. To his great pleasure, non to gracefully might he add.

What happened next he would never have expected.

The speed with which she crossed the distance between them betrayed the fact that she was not half asleep at all. The quick movement caught him off guard and he lowered his arms, which had been crossed in relaxation, down from his chest. She took that opening immediately and slipped into his guard, hugging him tightly with her arms but pushing her chest back. The effect left them standing like to dancers, bodies close, heads apart looking into each others faces.

Discord was taken aback a smidgen as she raised a hoof quickly to his face before stopping just short and gently rubbing his snout. He looked down at her before closing his eyes as she ran a hoof over the scratch that was still sensitive and healing.

It seemed an eternity but the silence was broken by Twilight.

"You shrunk."

He opened his eyes and saw she was smiling and indeed she did look a good deal closer. Come to think of it none of them save maybe Applejack could have reached his head even standing on their hind legs.

Discord felt strange too. He had been feeling a bit tingly so to speak since after his talk with Luna. As he raised his left claws he realized why he had felt strange. His left paw that had once been claws, now matched his right. Blinking he let Twilight go to look at his arms, they indeed were identical left and right paws. His legs were still the same as was his tail, the fluff still intact.

Looking down at Twilight he could only have been maybe two feet above her when he was before almost three times her size. Discords eyes met hers again before he walked over to the standing mirror in the corner.

He smiled a strange smile and spoke "I think this is a good sign. I guess I'll have to ask one of the princesses eventually, they should probably know."

Twilight put a hoof to her chin "Shouldnt you know as much as them, if not more?"

He turned around and hiked a brow "And why would you say that Twilight Sparkle?"

She faced him again "Well, you are older than even their fabled parents right?"

At the mention of Titan and Terra, even offhandedly, Discord clenched his paws and closed his eyes. A rather strange and new emotion he had not felt before welling up inside him. He was careful to let himself calm down before addressing Twilight again.

"I know many things that would put the sisters to shame yes. But most of it is about cultures so far gone that not even Luna, being a thousand years out of the current loop, could relate too. I have been able to stay stable by doing the exact opposite, I am current in an ever changing world because I am change, I am like the natural order of things, I change in a changing world, therefore I am stable as a rock that will never wither with the passing of days."

Twilight stared for a moment then walked over to her desk and wrote a paragraph out. She turned and gave a nod. "I apologize, I had to write that down. It was very well spoken." Half through her smile she yawned.

They began a conversation again, mostly with Twilight asking a few questions about the years he called his own and finding out which time periods she could get answers about. A lot of them he would not speak of, especially the era that Luna and Celestia's parents ruled. Apparently those were the darkest days so to speak. So much so that he ended the discussion once she asked. Luckily for her she was so tired as to crawl back into bed and nod of soon after, never giving enough time for the silence to grow awkward.

He stepped back after seeing that she was asleep and let his thoughts gather. Something strange indeed was happening to him if he was 'gathering' his thoughts.

--

Before he knew it there came the sound of soft rapping at the front door and a click as it was opened and he guessed that Rarity had walked in.

Stepping away from Twilights bed he conjured parchment and wrote a quick note, laying it on the pillow next to her.

Before Rarity could explore the depths any further he teleported into the main foyer and greeted her.

"Hey....I uhm..I trust all of your work went well?" he smiled

Regarding him suspiciously she spoke "It did indeed, I trust you are ready Darling? There is a restaraunt I have in mind that is simply to DIE FOR......Where is Twilight?"﻿

He laughed for a moment and pointed behind him to the stairs "The younger princess stopped for a visit, It was taxing on her and she went to sleep early. When you walked in I had barely finished talking with the princess and writing Twilight a note, I had planned on setting out to find you myself." She didnt need to know about their exchange.

Rarity regarded him for a moment longer before smiling broadly "That girl does tend to work herself into a fluster at the sight of the princesses....Ah well, let it not put a damper upon our night, Darling, It is time we left this musky old library and moved on to bigger and better things!"

He smiled a toothy grin and motioned out the door "Lead the way miss Rarity."

He was more than happy she had not pried further and they were now on their way.

Above in the sky the younger princess sat on a cloud watching them make their way from the library towards a bustling part of town famous for its night life.

With a smile she de-materialized and rejoined within Twilights chamber again, waking her to speak on a matter that was itching her curiosity.

The town at night was gorgeous. Out here at this time of the evening he didnt even get looks from others around him, everybody simply enjoying their own company and business at hand. Besides, as Rarity and Discord had discussed, he looked noticeably less.....noticeable. Less mismatch and less height equaled more normal.

The building he guessed they had been heading for was one of the largest in the area, he had originally thought it a church but now that the main billboard-like sign was lit he could tell it was some kind of formal restaurant. Many strings of lamp lights hung from the buildings entrance out to poles twenty, thirty, and forty yards away, creating a visual vacuum that drew any bystanders eyes straight to the doors, emblazoned one half with Celestia's sun and the other half with Luna's Crescent moon. If he didnt know any better he would have swore the moon on the door looked far more detailed.

The smell wafting out of the establishment brought his mind straight to his stomach and the train of thought he had going derailed.

Rarity let out a sparkling laugh as his stomach growled and commented "Isnt it just the most ﻿Devine Piece of heaven on earth Darling? At least for a quaint little town like ours."

Nodding he could not yet find the words before his stomach spoke for him, emitting a rather unfriendly sounding growl. He had not eaten since the cafe that morning and maybe a snack or two while cleaning the library.

"My my my, that simply wont do, let us get inside and truly enjoy the atmosphere." She picked up her pace, remaining as cavalier as ever, and lead Discord right up to the sliding doors.

Nodding his head vigorously at the thought of sating his famished appetite he followed suite as she made her way inside.

Speaking to the reception, she offered up her name and was rewarded with reserved seating for two, close to the main stage.

Motioning for him to follow she gloated lightly "I found the time to get us good seats, I dont know what kind of music you like but one of the girls on stage plays at the Gala yearly upon invitation! can you believe that? And its by her sheer talent alone, never in my years have I heard such a hauntingly lovely Cello being played."

As Rarity continued to give him the life story of the musician he would apparently be seeing later, they arrived at their table and were given a list of the evenings specials.

Not knowing what to order he allowed her to order him what sounded like a hearty meal and relaxed the slightest as the pair fell into a comfortable conversation.

In the back of his mind he was bound and determined that this night would go off without a hitch. He had had enough of this nightly mishap business. Two nights in a row was more than enough.

Checking around the room for any rampaging manticores or other creatures he turned back to Rarity.

She took a moment to break off from the conversation and for Discords attention to return. "Do you mind if I pry Darling?"

Looking straight at her he raised a brow, something he was doing quite often around these ladies, and answered "Depends on what the topic is."

"I do hope I am not being too forward but...I actually have a few inquiries if you are willing?" She didnt at all sound like they were to pressing of a matter.

He smiled, thinking he had warded off any awkward topics of discussion "Please, the least I can do is answer a few of your questions after this show of kindness and...Generosity." He smirked having thrown her namesake into his agreement.

She smiled at it as well.

"Well, to start I just wanted to know what happened to your wonderful face Darling? I know a manticore is much larger than that." She was of course referring to his self inflicted wound.

Gently raking his digits over his face in the exact placement he had the night before she understood his wordless answer.

She chewed on her thoughts for a second and settled for a simple "Why?"

He held in a deep breath and let loose a sigh before answering "Have you ever seen something that shook you to your very core? Something so terrifying or mind numbing that you wished to literally scratch it from your eyes?"

She nodded solemnly, her childhood had left much to be desired.

"Well....I took it a step forward and in a moment of weakness I scoured my own face in an attempt to do just that." he was speaking plainly, nothing in his tone joking or sounding full of himself.

Allowing the information to sink in before taking a drink, she continued "Thank you for the straightforward answer Darling, I appreciate it."

He grabbed his drink, tipping it to her in a sign of welcome and sipped silently as she questioned him further. It did look a bit comical to see him leaning back in his chair with a long island ice tea in one hand angled at his mouth.

"Do you have a wardrobe back at the Castle?" It was a straight question but he saw the trap.

Here was the generosity her friends had spoken of.

"I do not, why do you ask?" he took the bait with ease.

A soft smile opened "I have had a vision of some rather dashing outfits ever since we saw you on the hill. I thought it would be in favor of me to ask if you had any for me to go off of."

"Hmmm...."

Anything he might have owned would have become food for moths or flames in his absence. More than likely the latter. Come to think of it he did actually have this nice vest he wore during the Christmas dinners. Green and Red, cliche but he always loved it.

"I do not, haha, Im glad I could be of some inspiration to the brilliant fashionista."

She blushed slightly and thanked him before going on,

"I only have one more question....its unbelievably personnal for me to ask it of you and I dont want to put a dampener on the evening Darling...its up to you." Here is where she dropped all pretense of formality and again almost glared into his eyes.

It took the space of a second for him to realize the severity of the situation and answer, "Fire away."

It took her a moment to get her thoughts in order from the looks of things, whatever this question was it must be a doozy

"What is the nature of your intentions with our friend Twilight?"

And a doozy it was.

Nudging Twilight gently the princess roused her from her slumber before stepping back  to give her space. After all, waking up to royalty was not a normal occurrence. At least she hoped.

Turning over and slowly rising up and out of her bed, Twilight looked up at Luna, rubbing the sleep from her eyes "P-Princess? what are you doing here? Am I dreaming?"

Luna smiled at her warmly and relaxed her wings so they did not seem taught, "No my friend, you are quite awake, I am sorry I took you from your slumber but I have some things I wish to know."

Twilight perked at the prospect of doing research for a princess "What can I help you.......Where is he? Is he still downstairs? ohhhh darnit I have to go help him!"

Luna spread a wing to grab Twilight's attention and spoke again "Twilight, relax, he left long ago with your friend and had long before finished his tasks, but not before leaving you a pleasant note."

Her face flushed and then turned a shade of scarlet before she picked up the note and scanned it, blushing again.

Setting the note down and taking a breath she addresses Luna again "I'm sorry princess, What can I help you with?"

"No need to apologize," she smiled and made herself comfortable "I simply wish to know why you love him."

The scarlet returned to her features and she barely found words "How did you know?"

She smiled a knowing smile "You are my sisters prized student, I have been around you enough to see when something is different, and this indeed is much different than anything I have seen in you before. Besides I am the princess of the night Twilight."

She stared blankly at Luna for a moment for questioning "What does that have to do with you knowing?"

Luna quirked an eyebrow and spoke "I am princess of the night, including all goings-on of the midnight hours. To be put plainly my powers fall within the realm of romance Twilight."

Again Twilight's face turned scarlet, this time at the implications.  "But I hardly even know him...."

Luna laughed, a sound like chimes in the wind "Has that ever stopped anyone in the past?"

The room had taken on a different feeling since she had woken up. She had been so confused but comfortable in giving in to her exhaustion, all because she knew he had been there and then likely moved downstairs. Waking up she had seen the princess, a shock in itself, and read the heart-warming note....

"What do I do princess?"

Now the lighthearted smile gave way to a another knowing grin "What your heart and mind tell you to do. Listen to them both and you cannot go wrong my friend. You have time with him again in the future, make it count and do not dwell on these silly thoughts, only on what makes you happy. Fate will take care of the rest."

Crestfallen Twilight looked up to see the princess about to walk through her orb and vanish "Princess?"

Turning she stopped to listen

"Thank you...."

she stepped through the orb and was gone.

Letting out a loud sigh Twilight fell back to the pillows and reached for the note to reread it again.

Letting out another equally loud sigh she created a mental checklist and added a few more personnel items before falling asleep of her own accord. After all, it was the middle of the night now, no sense in staying awake and working herself into a frenzy about nothing, nope, not at all, no-sir-e.

Just before slipping consciousness she thought she could make out a familiar, warm laugh and she smiled.

Several minutes later the shock of the question had not faded from his face in the slightest.

She had decided the moment had lasted long enough "I understand this is likely uncomfortable, but I must know."

Discord Blinked and answered quickly, almost mechanically "Perhaps...Perhaps this is not the best place for me to answer your question...properly Rarity.."

By an insane stroke of luck, the musician she had told him about stepped onto the stage. Any hopes of a further conversation shattered by the roar of applause and the gentle hum of the beginning notes.

In a perfect display of timing their food arrived within moments.

She simply nodded to him and smiled before leaning closer so he could hear her. "We will talk later, for now, let us enjoy this gem of a night."

Looking back to her he could see her smile was genuine, it lifted the pressure from his shoulders, but not from his heart, or the quiet machinations of his mind.

The rest of the night was quite fun. They talked when they could about different things like life and the adventures he had had so far and how he was excited for the coming Carnival. They had branched off into a totally unexpected trail of conversations when Rarity had made the offhanded joke about the misconception with Carnivals. Discord had agreed wholeheartedly with it.

Once they had left the bustling late night streets he began. "I think I can answer your question now..."

She had not expected him to be the one to bring it up again. Especially after the way it had visibly flustered him at dinner, but if he was going to take the initiative she would not decline.

"Darling, we do not have to speak of it here if-"

He raised his paw, another thing they had talked about over dinner, and stopped her "No. As I said before its the least I can do. Before I had not really given it much thought...now you have allowed me to see into myself...you all seem to have a talent for doing that."

She smiled knowing he must be referring to the emotional episode he and Fluttershy had had, Flutterhsy had of course told Rarity to be careful in bringing on another one by accident and she was by all means up to play the quiet game.

She smiled but decided to press one last time just to be sure "Are you certain you are comfortable with our surroundings? Its not rare for a ruffian to be out and eavesdropping after all."

He smirked and let out a single 'HA' before a golden aura spread out from his steps like radar waves. After a few seconds they receded and the glow faded.

"We are alone and I would rather try this conversation now before my nerves turn back to gel." he gave a rather dashing smile. An oddly shaped cloud floated by.

She only looked to him to make sure he was serious and allowed him to start when he was ready.

After a few moments he had decided to begin "I dont know if I can put this into words Rarity. But I think I can show you...if you trust me?"

Without a moments hesitation she responded "Of course I trust you, we are friends Discord."

Without another word a tendril of orange light snaked from his chest and connected with hers, causing her vision to instantly go black before something came into sight. It was like watching a movie.

"Wh-What am I looking at Darling?" She hesitated for a moment before light began to brighten her vision.

"My memories..."

She gasped as he played forward the events of the past few days. Using his magic to imitate the feelings his memories had given him upon her heart and mind. All of the sights, sounds, smells, feelings he had been confused with and had to interpret, they all imprinted upon Rarities heard and she knew, she knew the beauty of his heart. It was for lack of a better word, gold. The view from his eyes was how she would expect a child, after all, these things, this outlook, was new for him.

Having completed the makeshift movie the energy pulled back and a few tears fell from Rarities beautiful face as she smiled and stared deep into his eyes.

"You....You love her..."