To Judge A Book

by LickleSoxy

Rating: everyone
Tags: Fluttershy, Discord, Princess Celestia, Pinkie Pie, Slice of Life, Twilight Sparkle, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 16835

Twilight discovers something about Discord that gives her a whole new perspective of him.

Researching the history of Discord's time as ruler of the land, Twilight comes across something strange that piques her interest. Looking further into it, she discovers a piece of information that changes the dynamic of not only her own, but everypony's relationship with the mysterious draconequus.

Discord is utterly bemused by the apparent turn of events. Why in Equestria is everyone suddenly being so nice to him?

Published 2014-08-26 02:30:03 UTC
Last updated 2015-06-21 21:54:20 UTC

Chapter 1

-o-

The book was old. Its cover was marred, scratched and torn, its pages darkened and withered with age. Dotted around the edges were stains whose sources could not be determined; each one probably held its own, unique story. The writing inside was merely smudged in places, then completely incomprehensible in others. A page or two was missing from the various chapters that made the bulk of the book's contents.

Twilight Sparkle could not bring herself to care about any of that.

Everything within the book was brilliant and inspiring like no other. Nothing she'd ever laid her hooves on could compare. She was unable to determine the exact moment fortune had swung her way, giving her access to the book, but that didn't matter. The information she'd read again and again was utterly fascinating to her. Piecing together the more gruesome puzzles of Equestria's history, the facts held between the cover had captured her attention on numerous occasions.

Despite having read it so many times, Twilight never grew tired of going through each page, paying meticulous attention to specific points that grabbed her interest. She knew that, if challenged, there were passages from the aged antique that she'd be able to recite from memory alone. That wasn't too large of an accomplishment, of course - there were many sheets and books she could do that with. But this... This book was somehow different.

There was one note - a tiny, insignificant little sentence that she knew off by heart - that was of a particular interest to her. If she were to analyse herself and her habits, she knew she'd find a correlation between how many times she'd picked this book up, and how many times she'd studied that single passage that stood out among the rest.

Malicious was not a word that could yet be used to describe the creature known as Discord, for innocence still overruled its nature.

It was such a simple sentence, lodged between a bunch of other stuff pertaining to the rise of Discord and his eventual rule over Equestria. Just a minute speck of data amass an entire swell of history. Despite this, it had captured Twilight's curiosity, and her desire to understand its meaning had become an intense passion.

What had been the author's intentions when writing the statement? What did it mean? Had the writer been in support of Discord, or someone who merely sympathised with his predicament?

She had no clue, obviously, considering there was no way of knowing who the author had been. The name that had been carved on the cover, undoubtedly with care and precision, had long ago been scrubbed away, leaving not a single letter as a clue to what had been originally printed there. Asking Celestia about it had been futile, as the princess had not been able to remember who'd written the vast collection of documents.

Instinctively turning to the page that had stolen her focus some time ago, Twilight bit her lip as she quickly skimmed over the familiar words. She couldn't truly understand the reasoning behind her feelings, but it didn't sit right with her. Something about the sentence felt off, somehow. It was as though she were missing an important piece of the jigsaw, rendering the entire puzzle useless. Did the words hold a deeper significance that what she could fathom? It sure seemed that way.

With frustration filling her, Twilight knew that reading the rest of the chapter would not give any more meaning to the sentence. She'd read through the information about Discord's reign bit by bit, hoping to find anything that would link back to that tiny, out of place opinion produced by the anonymous author.

There was nothing. None of the thoughts or facts in the passages following the sentence even mentioned it in passing.

Sighing in annoyance, Twilight slammed the book shut with such a force that dust billowed up into the air. Failing to halt the cough that tickled at the back of her throat, she huffed. Turning her attention to the pile of books sitting directly beside her, she let her gaze roam over their ancient bindings with an insatiable longing. They were all history books, most of which detailed events of Discord's time as ruler of the land. And each and every one was useless.

Most of them cut straight to his defeat, leaving out all the important moments that made that period in history one to remember and learn from. Others went off on a tangent about how despicably evil Discord was; they were the worst, in Twilight's opinion. It was clear that the authors of those specific books had not been big fans of the draconequus.

Sighing once more, Twilight grimaced. She required an unbiased, factual document; one that would give her the clues needed to finally finish this masterpiece of a mystery. The question was simple: How would she go about finding such an item of data?

Ignoring the desire to shout out in irritation, Twilight pushed herself into a standing position and glanced around her surroundings in despair. There was nothing here that could help. She'd looked through every shred of paper she could find, hoping to locate that one answer that would give her peace of mind. Was there a book she had missed? Was there a place she had not looked in, that held a hidden document she could scan through?

Eyes widening slightly as a sudden thought struck her, Twilight moved her focus to the currently empty shelves spaced evenly around the vicinity. Perhaps she was looking at this from the wrong angle. Maybe the thing she was searching for wasn't in a history book at all.

Nodding firmly as if to reassure herself that the idea was a good one, Twilight allowed her lips to lift into a small, unmistakable smile. A trip to Canterlot was in order, if her theory were to be put to the test.

-o-

"Twilight Sparkle, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

Twilight bowed slightly, mostly out of habit, before a friendly smile lit up her face. She tried to ignore the heat in her cheeks when Celestia's eyes sparkled with amusement.

"Princess, it's good to see you."

Celestia's response was a smile of her own, and it was as brilliant as the sun she rose every morning. "As it is you, Princess," she said, chuckling quietly. "I trust there isn't a troubling matter you require assistance with?"

Twilight shook her head reassuringly. "Actually, I was hoping I could use the Canterlot library for some research I've been doing. If that's alright with you." The latter sentence was rapidly tacked on at the end, though her tone failed to show it.

"Of course. May I ask what you're looking for?"

The smile that was planted firmly on Twilight's face shifted a minuscule amount, and she prayed that it went unnoticed. Keeping her eyes locked on Celestia's tall frame, she kept her head held high in a bid to remain calm and collected, as she contemplated whether to tell the truth or not. Did it really matter if Celestia knew what it was that had made her travel this far for answers? Thinking it over, would it not, in fact, be beneficial to ask for Celestia's help, considering she'd known Discord far longer than anypony else?

Twilight's head tilted a touch. "There's something in one of my history books that isn't really explained very well. I think the books in the library will be able to clarify some of the finer points for me."

"Which part isn't explained?" Celestia asked, curiosity getting the better of her. Both ponies understood that Twilight's new library held some of the best accounts of Equestrian history that had ever been recorded. Celestia had even let her take a copy or two of the more detailed stories from Canterlot's own storage. If there were holes in the information Twilight's library held, then both knew that some of it could be cleared up by Celestia herself.

The question was not surprising to Twilight. The princess of the sun had lived a long, brilliant life, and it was only right to assume that she would contain knowledge of past events in her memory that had never been put on paper. Getting a verbal answer would certainly be a faster approach that rummaging through more books.

Twilight bit her lip. Why had she not thought to simply ask Celestia earlier?

"Well... There's a piece about Discord that doesn't make any sense," Twilight replied, before speaking the quote aloud. She frowned. "I know it doesn't seem like much, but I really need to understand what the author meant when they wrote it."

Celestia's clear curiosity rapidly transformed into obvious bafflement. Twilight tried - and probably failed - to hide her disappointment at her former mentor's next words.

"I apologise, Twilight, but I don't think I can help with that."

Twilight shrugged with a tiny smile. "It's okay, Princess. That's why I wanted to use the library."

Nodding, Celestia said, "You may use the library any time you wish. You needn't ask. If you would be so kind as to share any findings you may gain, I would be most grateful."

Grinning as relief flooded her - had she really expected rejection? - Twilight thanked Celestia, before making her way out of the room and towards the library that she'd come here to visit.

-o-

Twilight made a mental note to take heed of her gut feelings more often. The assumption that this library would contain what she'd been desperately looking for had been absolutely spot on. Though it had taken an hour or more of fruitless searching, her luck had eventually changed for the better. All it had taken was finding the correct book. Twilight giggled. Couldn't most things be solved by the beautiful objects she so cherished? The answer was yes, clearly.

The book held biological information about the various creatures that occupied Equestrian soil. Snatching it down from its perch on the shelf, Twilight hurriedly flipped through the pages with eager anticipation. Minutes passed. Then, once more, her hopes faded to a small, low flame that threatened to extinguish at any moment. There wasn't a chapter on draconequui. Actually, from what she had scanned, the species didn't even get a passing mention.

Twilight's ears flattened out as her body sagged in defeat. Her assumption had been wrong. She'd let excitement overtake her form, and it had given her unrealistic expectations. This book was just like all the others. Halting a grunt of annoyance before it could pass through her suddenly dry lips, Twilight glared at the pages opened up before her. Surely this was a game? Someone or something had to be mocking her. She couldn't have come this far without gaining some sort of victory... Could she?

No. The single word tore through her mind. Perhaps it was the stubborn streak of her nature that allowed it to ring through her thoughts, but that didn't matter. That little push of an answer was filled with determination, and Twilight found herself flicking through the pages of the book again. Taking her time, she continued on, unable to stop the hard rhythm of her heart. Was it dread, or something else that made sweat bead on her brow?

Twilight licked her lips as her eyes took in the titles of each page. 'Alicorn', 'Dragon', 'Rodent', 'Bird'. Each name flew by, faster and faster, until one title appeared that she was not quite so familiar with.

'Chimera'.

Although she had heard the term before in association with griffons, Twilight had to admit that she wasn't entirely sure of its definition. That was about to change. Reading through the chapter, a growing spark of joy began pulsing through her as she took in every paragraph. Detailing what made them function and thrive, the chapter also documented basic genetic characteristics that made a creature definable as a chimera. If what she was reading were true, then draconequui fit into one of the multiple categories of species that were called chimeras.

Now, she had a target word to look out for. Discarding the biology book - it had no value now that it had served its purpose - and quickly browsing the shelves of the library, Twilight could not contain her gasp of glee as her gaze came upon the dark green cover of an old book located in the mythological section. Pulling it from its safe cocoon with her magic, she let it float in front of her for a second as she took in the gold lettering of its title.

Chimera: An Encyclopaedia of All Known Subset Species.

This was it. She was about to claim a gold star, and there was nothing that could take it away. Sitting down on the cold floor, she opened the book delicately. Skipping over the notes and going directly to the contents page, she let her eyes dart over the list until she caught sight of one particular heading. Her earlier excitement had returned tenfold, and she could barely hold back on the desire to jump around in circles as she turned to the page number that the contents had indicated.

A pleased sigh escaped her throat when the word 'Draconequus' flashed into focus. Written in neat script at the top of the chapter, it was one of the most gorgeous things she had ever laid eyes on.

Twilight Sparkle was triumphant. Her search had not been in vain. All that work had paid off, giving her this achievement. From what she could see, there wasn't all that much written in the chapter, but she did not care. This was the first sign of anything documented about draconequui that she'd ever stumbled upon. Yes, she enjoyed reading vast amounts of information on topics she was unfamiliar with, to get a better understanding of them, but no complaint would emit from her mouth right now. The tiniest amount of knowledge was better than none at all.

Settling into a slightly more comfortable position, Twilight had to remind herself that she needed to take her time with this. She didn't want to miss out on anything important or, Celestia forbid, accidentally misinterpret a word or sentence. This was something she did not want to forget. Anything that would allow her to understand Discord just that little bit more was so very vital and precious.

As she read through the page, Twilight was unsurprised by some of the information - she'd known Discord was classed as immortal, and that he was an omnivore - but there were also things that caught her completely off guard.

"Draconequui can see a spectrum of colour unavailable to ponykind. They see the basic rainbow hues, and also colours as of yet incomprehensible to most other species. It is believed they share this trait with both the phoenix and the dragon."

Twilight blinked in confusion as she read over that last sentence again. Dragons could see colours that ponies could not? Was that true? Did that mean that Spike could see things that should couldn't? The frown was not preventable. How had she gone all these years without realising such a fact about someone she'd raised from birth? She shook her head to clear her thoughts. There was no reason to fret over it now, since she could always ask Spike about it later.

Moving on to the next part in the book, Twilight's face contorted into an odd expression of disbelief as she took in the words.

"Certain smells act as a catalyst to emotion for draconequui. The effects differ between the genders. Example: Females gain a sense of happiness from the scent of lemons, whilst males gain a sense of happiness from chocolate instead."

Twilight smirked. Well, that certainly explained a lot. She wondered if there were scents that could make Discord feel other emotions, also. This little adventure was getting more interesting by the second. Twilight read on.

"Fully grown males average at around 8 metres in length from head to tail tip."

That gave her reason to pause. That wasn't right... Was it? Discord was definitely not that big. Was he? No, of course not. He'd tower over everypony if he were. Sure, he was taller than even Celestia, but not by a margin such as what the book was implying. However, there was always the possibility that Discord was that large, but was choosing to use magic to shrink himself down. She'd seen him change his size before, so it wasn't that much of a stretch to imagine he would do so all the time.

For a creature who enjoyed invading the personal space of all who he spoke to, being closer to the general population's size would be more convenient. Maybe it was a personal preference thing?

Satisfied with that theory, Twilight shrugged in bafflement at the oddness of it all. That was not something she needed to dwell on. Focusing on the book once more, she continued to read. After a moment or two, she again came to an abrupt halt as yet another piece of information caught her attention. It was her answer. The puzzling question that had brought her to this library in the first place could now be put to rest.

Mouth parting slightly as shock welled up inside of her, Twilight's eyes narrowed as she read the words. Reading them again and again and again, a growing horror began slithering up through her body as a chill forced itself through her skin. The denial was fast and hard as it flooded her. Shaking her head, she read the sentence one more time, making sure to be slow and concise so she could absorb it properly.

Draconequui are unique in that, due to their natural life spans, they do not reach full maturity until they reach a minimum of 7000 years of age.

No. That was untrue. It had to be a lie. There was no way in Equestria that it was the truth. This had to be some sort of joke. At least, she hoped it was.

7000 years of age.

Nothing could take that long to become an adult. Nothing. It was impossible. It had to be a mistake.

Twilight grimaced. A slow maturing process was not unheard of. Spike was technically a baby dragon, despite there being less than a decade between their ages. He wouldn't be an adult for a couple dozen years at the very least. But taking thousands of years to mature? How could that even be possible?

Of course, she had encountered truly bizarre life cycles before, but nothing that was quite so... alarming?

Slamming the book shut and lifting her head, Twilight's eyes widened. All the colour drained from her face as a sudden thought tore through her mind.

She needed to talk to Celestia immediately.

-o-

Chapter 2

-o-

The harsh sound of laughter was the first thing that registered in her mind.

The second, unfortunately, was the feeling of flour sticking to her body. Taking in a deep breath, Luna stared down at her legs for a moment, determining whether or not the white dust could rival Celestia in terms of sheer paleness.

Somehow, the dry, powder-like substance had got on every strand of hair she had, including her mane and tail. She was only too grateful that her eyes had not been touched, though she suspected her normally dark lashes were now quite the opposite. Resisting the urge to sniff - a sneeze was not desired right now, as the volume of guffaws would only increase in response - Luna felt just a smidgen of amusement well up within her.

Rapidly squashing it down before it could manifest itself as a giggle, Luna dismissed all positive emotions from her mind. Settling on letting a strong irritation take over her thoughts, she lifted her head and glared at the one who'd attacked her in such a childish manner.

"It is not humorous!" she bellowed, her voice taking on what she assumed was a royal tone. Fighting back on the growl that threatened to develop when all Discord did was shake his head, Luna sneered. The mismatched creature was clutching his stomach as though it were causing him a great torment, but Luna knew for certain that he was not in pain. He was being ridiculous.

Opening his eyes, Discord paused mid-chuckle to wipe a tear from his eye. "I disagree entirely, my dear. You look hilarious!"

Then, without any more hesitation, Discord allowed his glee to take full control. Not caring about the image he was giving off to any other ponies who were in the kitchen with them - did he have no shame? - Discord collapsed to the floor in hysterics. It was quite the spectacle. Luna continued to watch him, unmoving, as her annoyance quickly transformed into a blinding fury.

The problem was, she wasn't upset with him. His antics were playful and immature, but that was what she expected. His behaviour had always been the same; Luna had never really thought it a chore to be in his company. He was merely having fun, albeit in a way she deemed unfit for a being of his power, and he was mindful of making sure physical harm didn't come to her.

What angered Luna, what truly made her want to scream to the skies in frustration, was the fact that she found his little prank funny. She was supposed to be royalty, a princess with great responsibility. Yet here she was, in a silent rage because she was struggling to keep her own laughs bottled up and tucked away.

Provoking Discord was never a good idea. If she let him see that she found his silly tricks amusing, she would regret it for the rest of her given life. There would be no stopping him. And, more importantly, Celestia would never forgive her. She would be dubbed a traitor; her sister would believe that she had allied herself with the enemy. It would start a war. Not a real war, of course, but Luna knew that a battle of the pranks was not a matter to be taken lightly.

Luna bit her lip. If it were to ever come to that, she understood that she would actually betray her sister and pick Discord as her teammate in the fight. He was a sure fire shot to victory, after all.

"Do you really want me to add water to the mix, Luna?"

The question pulled her abruptly from her thoughts. Blinking rapidly a few times to regain some sort of focus on the matter at hand, Luna's eyes narrowed slightly as she threw Discord a quizzical look. What was he talking about? What did he mean by-

Oh.

It was only then that she realised something - he was no longer laughing. The cheerful sound had gone, vanishing from reality and leaving nothing but silence in its wake. If his stance were any indication - folded arms, straight back, and head turned away from her - it seemed that he found her momentary lapse in focus an insult.

"You've been standing there in a daze for a ridiculous amount of time. I thought you'd spontaneously died while standing up somehow," Discord said, pitch startlingly high. He scowled. "It's no fun if you don't react properly."

Before she could reply, defending herself and her actions, he disappeared in a flash of light. Luna's lips drew into a thin line. Unable to prevent her features from lowering into a frown, she turned her gaze back to the flour coating her body. The sigh that passed through her lips was quiet, but unmistakable.

Why did she have a feeling that today was going to be long and arduous?

-o-

Every step Twilight took was filled with reluctance. As she got closer and closer to the room that Celestia was in, nerves began hitting her without mercy. She had thought long and hard about how she would broach the subject of Discord's age with Celestia. Initially, she'd been in a rush, flying out of the library in near hysteria. As she'd made her way through the long corridors of the castle, she'd forced her legs to slow to a more reasonable pace.

After all, her panic could easily be for nothing, couldn't it? There was a chance - a mighty large one, she assured herself - that she was mistaken in her assumption of just how old Discord was. Besides, even if he were younger than 7000, did that really matter? Just because something was written in a book, didn't make it an absolute truth. Books were capable of being fictional.

The walk from the library had given her time to think. All the information she'd read was not guaranteed to be fact. Authors were not infallible; they got things wrong just like everyone else.

There was nothing to be concerned about.

Then why am I trembling? Her mind screeched at her in stubborn anger as she finally reached the door. The answer to that little question was obvious, though she didn't want to admit it out loud.

The fact of the matter was, if the book turned out to be telling the truth, and Discord was younger than the age it declared was needed to reach adulthood for his species, then every insignificant detail surrounding Discord's complete history would need to be studied and edited. If he were a child... How could it not have an impact? His motivations, desires, and methods of gaining said wants would all need to be re-evaluated.

And, perhaps more importantly, the punishments in response to his actions would need to be scrutinised. It was all too taxing to think about. What if she and her friends had been attacking an infant that was merely acting out?

... Had Celestia imprisoned a child in stone for a thousand years?

Fighting back the urge to shudder, Twilight willed her legs to continue onwards. Pushing open the door, she was immediately greeted with a friendly, patient smile. Returning the show of happiness with a shy grin, Twilight stepped fully into the room and proceeded to walk over to Celestia so she would not need to shout to be heard.

This was good. She was keeping her calm. All she'd done was overreact, and now Celestia would clear up any of her concerns. Twilight would be made to feel a fool when the older princess declared Discord's age, speaking a number much higher than what was required. She was being silly. Discord was simply an ancient prankster; that was all. Her gut feeling was wrong in this particular situation.

"Princess Celestia?"

"Hello, Twilight. Did you find what you were looking for?" Celestia asked, quirking an eyebrow. Twilight scrunched her face into a frown.

"How old is Discord?"

Although she hadn't meant to blurt it out quite so abruptly - subtlety didn't seem to be her strongest point - Twilight became awash with relief as the tenseness in her body dissipated. Not a single word had been spoken with a crack in its structure. She was being paranoid, but that didn't mean she would show it.

Celestia's head lifted a touch. Her interest was clearly being piqued, yet confusion became apparent in her expression. Twilight blanked. Then, she realised exactly what she had done - ignored Celestia's question. Cringing inwardly, Twilight hoped and prayed that the sudden desire to curl up in a ball and hide did not show in her body language. Was she always this rude when scrounging for answers to her own quandaries?

"This is important to your research?" Celestia's tone betrayed any attempt to cover up the bemusement she was now experiencing.

Nodding excitedly at the excuse that had been given to her, Twilight smiled sheepishly. "It's... um, something I've been wondering about for a while, actually." She coughed out a pitiful chuckle. "Knowing his age might help me figure out some of the aspects of his decisions while he was ruling, and how it affected the timeline."

Her smile became tight and horrifically false. It was clear that she was spouting nonsense into the outside world. Judging from the way Celestia's features hardened, if only by the minimalist of amounts, she wasn't oblivious to the fact that Twilight was speaking utter drivel. Regardless of this, Celestia shook her head and finally settled on giving Twilight a tiny smile.

"By my calculations, he is just under 4000 years old." Celestia's mouth widened into a cheeky smirk. "Though he would hastily deny it, he is younger than I."

Every ounce of hope Twilight had managed to salvage since the start of her quest diminished instantly. That... was not the answer she was expecting. Feeling the control she held over her body decrease somewhat, Twilight swallowed the bile that was now sifting its way up her throat.

Why were her legs shaking? Had the room been this cold when she'd first entered it?

"A- Are you sure?" she pressed, shocked at her own ability to still form coherent sentences. Now it was Celestia's turn to frown.

"I'm certain. Although... I suspect it is possible his ageing halted while he was encased in his stone prison. He could be nearer 3000. You would need to clarify with him."

This time, Twilight did not catch the gasp before it passed forcefully out her mouth. The sharp sound was irrevocably loud.

"3000?! Bu- But- But that's not even half the age he'd need to be!" she yelled, feeling the uncomfortable pull of hysteria tugging away at her mind once more. She let out a peculiar, strangled sound that seemed to vibrate along her tongue. "That's not right. That can't be true, can it? Can it?! No, no, no, no, no."

Gritting her teeth together, Twilight lost all focus on everything that was not important - the heat of her breath rushing over her lips, the startled noises coming from directly in front of her - and let her thoughts race as she tried to figure out a solution that would make sense. She snapped back up into a standing position as an idea struck her immediately. She paused. Then she blinked. Wait, when had she sat down? She didn't remember her legs giving way. Had it been involuntary?

She shook her head viciously. It didn't matter. She was once again standing on her own hooves, and a burning energy seemed to be engulfing her in its flame.

"What if the book is lying?" she asked, delighted that she'd come up with a plausible explanation. It was exactly as she'd first thought - the book was purely fictional.

"Twilight, what-"

Letting out an almost manic cackle that cut Celestia off mid-sentence, Twilight nodded firmly, before flashing the older princess a wild grin.

"That's it! Don't you see? It makes perfect sense! It's lying. No need to worry. Nothing to be concerned about. The book is clearly-"

Surprise flitted through her when a hoof planted itself abruptly over her mouth, effectively putting a stop to her rant. Blinking rapidly a few times as she took in the polished gold that was now in her line of vision, Twilight felt her eye twitch. She then lifted up her gaze until her eyes connected with the very concerned gaze of her former mentor.

"Twilight, please calm yourself," Celestia said, tone soft and filled with worry. Waiting a moment, Celestia finally seemed satisfied that Twilight would not continue rambling as she moved her hoof back to the hard floor. "What's wrong? What book do you speak of?"

Flushing slightly, Twilight's ears flattened out.

"The book that says draconequui don't reach adulthood until they're over 7000 years old," she exclaimed, before quickly clamping her own hoof over her mouth. What was that? She seriously needed to learn some tact.

It took a moment or two, but as Twilight watched, she became aware of the instant in which Celestia connected all the dots together. Right after the pieces inevitably feel into place, Celestia's entire body seemed to descend into a stark, dull paleness that Twilight had never witnessed before. She hadn't known it was possible for Celestia to get any whiter than she already was.

"I'm sorry, Twilight," she whispered, a tremble in her voice that shook Twilight to the core, "but could you repeat that final part again? I believe I must have misheard."

All Twilight wanted to do, right in that moment, was cry. She wanted to squeeze herself into a tight ball and sob until a deep, sorrowful slumber overtook her.

What could she possibly say to make this right?

-o-

Chapter 3

-o-

The sweet smell of lavender filled the warm air as Fluttershy waltzed merrily passed her window with a perky trot. Inhaling deeply in a desire to savour the wonderful aroma, she gave the flowers in question a quick glance. They were magnificently healthy, with lush petals and vibrant colours that would catch the eye of any pony, and it was all thanks to her hard work.

Fluttershy grinned. Tending to plants was not what she would call a job, just as caring for and feeding the many critters surrounding her land did not count as tedious labour. Every little thing that she saw fit to put sweat into provided her with endless beauty and gratitude; that was payment enough for her efforts.

Moving her attention away from the delightful sight, Fluttershy made her way towards the front door, before opening it with barely concealed excitement. As the heat of the day-time air caressed her cheeks and neck, a comforting breeze gently slipped over her body, extending to her limbs and hugging them in a caring embrace.

Luna's nights were always calm and gorgeous, but nothing could compare to the sun's light in Fluttershy's opinion. Flooding every surface with a bright sparkle of energy, the power of the star could never be rivalled.

Shutting the door to her cottage, Fluttershy let her gaze roam over the greenery that her property was blessed with. It was growing very nicely due to the warmer season. Her grin lowered into a content smile. Under normal circumstances, she would gladly stay close to home, admiring the views she recognised and cherished each day. Today, that was not possible, nor was it desired.

Two long weeks she had been waiting for this moment to arrive; now it was here, she was not going to dawdle around. Being late to her meet up with Discord was not an option.

Finding it hard to hold back on the squeal that wished to pass from her mouth, Fluttershy quickly extended her wings to their full width. The natural spread of the feathers allowed for the soft wind to pass over them, and she closed her eyes momentarily in response. A bird whistled nearby. Snapping her eyes back open instantly, Fluttershy turned to look at the sparrow that had made the noise. She replied with a cheerful call of her own.

When the bird chirped, she giggled. Then, refocusing her attention back to her wings, she used their strength to lift herself from the ground. Taking care not to soar too high in the air, she managed to keep her pace slow and steady, despite her increasing anticipation. She did not need to rush. Risking an injury just because she was eager to get to her destination was not worth it.

As she crossed the boundaries of her land, she failed to notice the blur of purple that ran underneath her, heading in the direction of her now empty cottage.

-o-

Magic was a truly wondrous thing. Providing the ponies of Equestria with various abilities - levitation, flight, teleportation, and more - it was one of the greatest gifts nature had bestowed upon the population. It was pure and raw, strong if required, and as delicate as it needed to be. Nothing that ponies had created by hoof could compare to how magnificently useful magic was. A pegasus could create a sonic rainboom with it; an alicorn could give a unicorn the power of flight.

The possibilities that magic offered were endless. There wasn't a single idea or invention in Equestrian history that had not used it as a tool in some manner.

Right now, Luna was using it to dry her coat. A blue, twinkling aura covered her entire form, from head to tail, pulsing in and out as it tugged droplets of water away from her body. The sensation did not cause pain. The pull of liquid created an odd tickle against her skin, but all it did was make her laugh.

If she were being honest, Luna admitted that she did not enjoy bathing. Regardless of whether that opinion was childish or not didn't change the truth behind the statement. She could not understand how any pony could take pleasure in soaking in lukewarm water. There was no dignity involved at all. How could anyone prefer being sopping wet, when they could be heated and dry instead?

"Princess Luna?"

The quiet, deep voice caught her attention. Glancing at the door with a disappointed frown, Luna dissolved the blue blanket until it faded from existence. Could he not have waited a minute before interrupting?

"You may enter," she announced, satisfied when her tone did not give away her true feelings. Making sure to mask her features into a calm, polished mask of politeness, Luna stood silently as one of the castle's guards entered the room. He didn't look too concerned; that helped to decrease her irritation. Being burdened with a threat to Equestria was not exactly on her agenda for the day.

He bowed his head in a rapid show of respect, smiling kindly. The expression suited him. His eyes were full of pride, and even the shine of his armour could not beat the intensity of their radiance. Was that a flush in his cheeks? Luna's eyebrows rose. Perhaps it was time she stopped allowing stallions access to her cleaning chamber?

"Princess Celestia and Princess Twilight Sparkle wish to hold a conference with you," he proclaimed, smile widening.

Ah, of course. That certainly explained his actions. Steel Heart was one of her own, personal guards, meaning he rarely got to be in the presence of her sister. Receiving a direct order from the princess of the sun was not common for stallions under Luna's command; it was always a treat for them when they did. Luna forced her amusement to remain hidden. It would not be fair to mock him for taking joy in what many ponies would give their right hooves for.

"Thank you, Steel Heart." Waiting for him to bow once again, she watched as he puffed out his chest dramatically, before spinning on the spot and galloping out the room without a bit of shame.

Chuckling at his antics, Luna quickly followed his example and proceeded to leave the chamber. She had not been aware that Twilight was visiting the castle, and she was curious as to what she and Celestia wished to discuss. A smile rose onto her lips. Perhaps her initial thought had been incorrect? Her earlier encounter with Discord had been a mere fluke, surely? The irritating moment had not been an indicator of what was to come.

Twilight's visit was proof that today was going to be enjoyable after all.

-o-

Discord was already in the field when she arrived. Body perched atop a large tree branch, he had his paw and claw folded behind his head as he stared up at the passing clouds. As she drew closer to him, Fluttershy could just make out a low humming sound that filled the air. The tune was unfamiliar, but the notes were long and pitched rather well; her ears were not going to curl under in complaint.

She let a smile grace her lips. Decreasing her speed, the pale mare flew up to her friend, landing on the occupied branch. Taking note to keep her wings spread out - the wood beneath her hooves had bounced, despite her best efforts - and planting her legs in a slightly wider stance than normal, Fluttershy grinned. Leaning forward brought her face into his line of vision.

Peering down at him with an expression that probably outmatched Pinkie's in terms of pure happiness, Fluttershy did not care when her cheeks filled with warmth.

His response did not disappoint.

With his mouth bursting open into a wide smile that could easily be a reflection of her own, Discord called her name in an obvious display of excitement. In one swift movement, he grabbed her legs and pulled her over his head, flipping her around so their bodies were parallel. Fluttershy was unable to contain the squeak of surprise that escaped as he pulled her down into a friendly embrace.

"It's good to see you," she said, the heat in her face becoming much hotter as she realised she was lying on top of him.

Her legs had wrapped themselves around his long body instinctively, yet she did not regret this. Hugs were one of her favourite physical signs of affection, and the dark fur she was currently squashed against was not uncomfortable. Truthfully, she was disappointed that she needed to move. Cuddling was great, but intruding on his personal space any longer than necessary was quite rude, even if he had initiated the contact.

A quiet laugh was all the encouragement he needed to release her. Allowing her wings to flap again, she flew off him. Not waiting to see if he would do the same, she glided to the welcoming cushion of grass that was settled on the ground. Almost instantly a strange noise pierced through the field, before Discord appeared by her side in his customary flash of white. She wondered whether that light was something he did on purpose, or if it was simply the world reacting against his unique magic.

"It really has been too long, hasn't it?" he suddenly asked. An answer was obviously not expected. "Why, I was beginning to forget just what you look like."

He snapped his claw, and Fluttershy's body jerked in response to the fierce chill that rushed through her spine. Darting her gaze down to look at her legs in a hot panic, she couldn't stop the gasp that forced its way up and out of her throat. Taking in the array of multi-coloured butterflies now covering her coat, she stared dumbly at them for a moment, before being brought out of her daze when she caught sight of other changes on her body.

Scrunching up her muzzle, displeasure poured through her as she glanced at her long tail. Flabbergasted did not even begin to describe what she felt upon seeing the sparkles emitting from each strand of hair. Pink was not the only colour present anymore. She frowned. Why in the world had he dyed her tail with various shades of green and purple?

"No, no, no. That isn't right." Discord's voice pulled her away from the scrutinisation of her own body, and she turned to him just as his talon snapped rapidly once more.

Letting out a tiny 'eep' when the sound met her ears, Fluttershy bit her lip. She didn't really want to know what he'd done to her this time, but there was no denying her curiosity. Halting the tremble in her legs, she chanced a look down. An odd wave of nausea hit her instantly. Swallowing back the disgusting taste of bile, Fluttershy's jaw clenched tightly as she stared at a body that she did not own. The light blue coat was awfully familiar, and she had a bizarre inkling that, if she were to check her flank, the cutie mark displayed there would be one that belonged to her rainbow haired friend.

"Ah, yes. Much better, wouldn't you agree?" Discord asked, tone playful. The light chuckle that sifted through the air made Fluttershy stiffen, especially when an inappropriate thought entered her mind. It seemed that Rainbow Dash's image was not the only thing she'd been gifted with, if the sudden urge to lash out at Discord with a kick was taken into consideration.

Holding back on the reprimand - either physical or verbal - that desperately wanted to escape, Fluttershy chose instead to glare at him in disapproval. Had they not gone through this enough times already? Yes, she understood that he was merely joking around, but changing a pony's body without their explicit consent was a line he should not be crossing. What if he began doing it to other ponies who weren't acquainted with his more childish take on humour? He needed to come to terms with the fact that some actions were off limits, unless permission to do them was granted.

It took no more than a second for his features to lower into a frown. The expression marred his face, and Fluttershy fought back the desire to bring a smile back to his lips. He tutted. Snapping his talon one final time, Fluttershy quickly allowed her expression to lift in relief when an inspection of her body indicated that it was back to normal.

"Has everypony been eating lemons? You're all so sour today." He grunted. "I'd have thought you, of all ponies, would appreciate a good joke. Especially one that doesn't harm anyone." Putting emphasis on the latter sentence, Discord folded his arms and stared down at Fluttershy with clear frustration.

"I do appreciate your jokes, but... um, it's not right to change me like that without asking first."

Discord's lips drew into a thin line. Regardless of this, he gave a tiny shrug. "I suppose I can see it your way."

Offering him a kind smile, Fluttershy resisted the temptation to hug him. He honestly was getting faster at taking her opinion into consideration. And, although it wasn't entirely direct, she knew his statement was meant to be taken as an apology.

"Thank you."

Raising an eyebrow, Discord just stood there watching her for a moment, until his expression softened and lit up with a grin. Fluttershy beamed. Joy was the emotion that suited him more than anything, and she always failed to hide her own happiness when he expressed it so willingly.

Suddenly, without warning, he flew up in the air and stretched out his limbs. Jumping back slightly, Fluttershy's rapid glee vanished, leaving her features twisted in a cringe. Trying hard to ignore the disturbing crack that floated to her ears as Discord popped each of his arms and legs with alarming force, Fluttershy felt a wash of fascination seep into her as his features relaxed in sheer bliss. She licked her lips, confused as to how that didn't cause him pain.

"Now, dear Fluttershy," he started, slumping back to the ground with a smirk, "I do hope you're fully prepared for our little trip. It's not some-"

Discord stopped mid-word. Furrowing her eyebrows, Fluttershy watched quietly as his eyes seemed to move and focus on something that was directly behind her. Whoever or whatever it was, it was not welcome. At least, not if Discord had any say in the matter, since he was practically glowering at the poor intruder. Turning away from the venomous gaze with trepidation, Fluttershy was immediately filled with relief when she was greeted by an out-of-breath dragon.

Spike's pants were short and not very loud, though it was obvious that he'd exerted a lot of energy to get here fast. Her mouth parted slightly in interest as she noticed the parchment he was clutching in one of his claws.

"Fluttershy," he said. "Finally. I've been looking everywhere for you."

She gasped; her hoof flew up to her mouth automatically as guilt rushed through her. "Oh, I'm sorry."

"You really should stop apologising for every little thing, Fluttershy," Discord commented. Glancing at him out the corner of her vision, she was not at all surprised to see that he was not paying attention to Spike. In fact, he was inspecting his paw in a rather nonchalant display of disinterest, as though Spike were the most boring thing he'd ever had the misfortune of encountering.

Fluttershy pursed her lips. "Yes, but it is my fault he had trouble finding me. I could have left a note." Her eyes widened as a horrible thought struck her. "What if somepony had needed me? I don't think-"

"If it were so incredibly important," Discord interrupted, voice like ice, "then I'm sure that darling Twilight would have come herself. I can't imagine Equestria is in some dire need of your assistance if she's sending her pet to come get you."

Opening her mouth to lecture Discord on just how stupidly offensive his description of Spike was - the dragon was a cherished member of their group, and deserved the utmost of respect - she didn't quite get the opportunity due to Spike speaking up.

"Actually, Twilight's in Canterlot."

That caught Discord's attention. Ears perking up slightly, his idle stance shifted, becoming tense and agitated as he finally moved his full focus onto Spike. Fluttershy, satisfied that he would now listen, returned her complete attention back to her purple friend. The question on her mind must have been apparent in her expression, because Spike didn't take long to elaborate.

"She was doing some research or whatever, like usual. You know the type. But what she wanted wasn't in any of her books." Spike shrugged. "She said she was going to Canterlot to see if she could use their library instead."

"Is that why you've come to see me?" Fluttershy asked, frowning. "Does she think I can help?"

Spike shook his head. "Oh, no. This is from Princess Celestia."

Bringing his claw up, Spike waggled the letter in front of her face. The parchment was curled in on itself, but there was no ribbon tied around it, meaning Spike had opened it. Perhaps he hadn't realised it was intended for her? But then, how would he have known, considering letters sent through him were usually for Twilight.

"She wants you and all the others to go to Canterlot right away. It's important."

"Wait, you're telling me Equestria is under threat?" Discord piped up, the pitch of his voice indicating his incredulity.

Fluttershy swallowed. Forcing her legs to remain still - why did they insist on shaking right now? - and keeping her features as calm as possible, she tried to come up with a reasonable excuse as to why Celestia would want all six Element bearers in Canterlot. An attack on Equestria was the most likely reason, though it was also the least wanted. Surely there was another explanation? Spike didn't appear worried... Did he? He'd be more panicked if there had been an urgency in the tone of the letter, wouldn't he? This wasn't an emergency.

"I don't think so." Spike sounded uncertain as he voiced the answer that Fluttershy had been hoping for. Should she take that as a good sign?

Biting her lip, she glanced at the comfy grass beneath her hooves. The green was vivid and bright, but it did nothing to lift her spirits. Why did the princess have to call for her now? The timing was incorrect. Today was supposed to be spent with her good friend; journeying to Canterlot would ruin that.

She sighed. It wasn't as if she actually had a choice.

"I'll get the girls."

She was not happy, but saying no to Princess Celestia's invitation - could it be called that, when she couldn't decline? - was not an option. Letting out another, long sigh, she turned to Discord and offered him an apologetic smile. His lack of verbal input spoke volumes as to what he thought about the situation.

"Maybe you could come with me?" she suggested, hope seeping into every fibre of her being. "I'm sure-"

"No, thank you." The words were curt and loud; Fluttershy almost flinched back at how sharp they were. "I don't plan on travelling any more today. Although I'm sure they'd love to have me accompany you, I don't want to waste my time with Celestia. I've had my fair share of dealing with dreary princesses today."

He was disappointed. Despite the attempt to hide it behind sarcasm, it was ridiculously obvious that he was upset at the fact that their plans had been stomped all over.

Allowing her smile to lift into a proper grin, Fluttershy braced herself, then flew into the air. Ignoring his look of surprise, she quickly closed the gap between them and wrapped her legs around his warm fur. She felt his body deflate as a sigh passed through his mouth, but not even a moment went by before his arms curled around her, hugging her back without hesitation.

Breathing deeply, holding on slightly longer than was necessary, she felt a flush fill her cheeks as some of his hairs tickled her nose. After a few more seconds, she pulled back and grinned up at him enthusiastically.

"Maybe we can go tomorrow?" she asked, not bothering to cover up the tiny plead in her voice.

His expression was not a cheerful one, but he nodded regardless. "I can make us some sandwiches for the trip."

Releasing him completely, Fluttershy flew back a few metres. Her eyes were filled with clear gratitude. Waiting for the inevitable goodbye wave, she raised a hoof in response when the gesture came. Then, giving Spike a quick smile, she spun around and began heading in the direction of Rarity's boutique.

She could only pray that Celestia's request for her and her friends' presence was not due to something that troubling. Despite Spike being rather unconcerned, she still had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach that wouldn't go away.

Something about this entire situation did not seem right.

-o-

Chapter 5

-o-

There were an infinite number of words that could be used to describe Twilight Sparkle; unstable was not one of them. Sure, she'd had her fair share of lapses in judgement, but they never occurred often. Overreacting over the tiniest thing was something Rarity did far more than Twilight, and no one questioned the unicorn's ability to keep a hold of herself in unusual situations. Everypony lost a bit of sanity sometimes, didn't they? Was it wrong to act as though the world were ending, when reality was much less dramatic?

Twilight huffed out a mirthless laugh. Comparing herself to other ponies was not going to do her much good. It was only natural for cracks to appear in her control every now and again; who could blame her when the occasional tear burst open into a massive hole?

She closed her eyes. Right now, she was a wreck, and no matter how much she wanted to rationalise her thoughts and actions, she couldn't.

Her mane was perfectly neat, with not a strand of hair out of place; her features were aglow with a well practiced calm. Her legs were stiff and unmoving, her stance bold, and her posture flawless.

Inside, she was burning. Her chest felt as though it were being hammered with a force too great, and sweat was building up around her neck and brow, almost certainly due to the heat beneath her skin. With a dry mouth and parched lips, every breath was hot and heavy.

A cringe marred her face. She didn't remember her home being this warm. Had somepony cast a spell on it, hoping to cook her alive?

Opening her eyes, Twilight sneered. How stupid could she be? What was she thinking? No one wanted to cause her harm. She was allowing her mind to conjure up ridiculous ideas. Letting the irrational part of her consciousness take over was not beneficial to her well being. So... Why did she always seem to allow it access to her most nightmarish fears?

She needed to stay focused. Snorting out a grunt, she lifted her chin and stared straight ahead. Her journey back to Ponyville had not taken too long - flying had been a good strategy, considering how slow the trains could be. Her arrival here had not been met with cheers or celebrations, because nobody cared that she was home. All her friends were undoubtedly in Canterlot by now - was she a coward for not waiting to greet them? - and Spike was probably off having a nap somewhere.

But then, she hadn't come here expecting a warm welcome. Twilight had come to her castle for a specific purpose, and she would not let idle paranoia keep her from the task she had assigned herself.

Deciding to try out some experiments had been a brilliant idea, but now she had to find a way of actually creating said tests. Initially, she'd wanted to see if Spike could truly see colours that her eyes were incapable of picking up on. Though... How could she go about producing a hue that she could not see? Where would she start? First, she would need to know exactly what the colours were, and how they appeared naturally on the planet, and then she would require a method of actually replicating the various shades and hues with her magic.

Of course, there was always another way; she could ask Spike to follow her around Ponyville as she pointed at various objects, while making him describe what they looked like. That wouldn't really be useful, would it? What if, after countless hours of nonsensical trotting, it turned out that every colour present in Ponyville could be seen by ponies? What if the only colours she couldn't see were hidden away somewhere, lost in a dark corner of the world? She couldn't possibly search the entire planet, hoping that she'd get lucky.

That would be silly. Therefore, a more viable series of tests was desired.

Pursing her lips, Twilight lit up her horn and picked up the first book on her library's shelf. Once again, she was resorting to these ancient stories and documents to help her gain some answers. Though, that was what they were for, correct?

Blowing out a sigh, she opened the cover and began scanning the contents. It was going to be a very long afternoon.

-o-

The liquid was cold; its surface had long ago stopped producing steam. Lacking milk made its colour darker, more solid, though that added nothing to its desirability. If left for a great length of time, it would begin to cloud with dust, creating a mixture that was beyond inedible.

Celestia had been staring down at the cup of tea for at least ten minutes, silently gazing into its centre, as though some fantastic secret was held within its form. She had still not taken a single sip of it. Downing the drink now would be pointless, as her tongue would reject the flavour and temperature, dubbing them incorrect. Were the snobbish judgements of her taste buds an indicator of her character as a whole?

Celestia's eyes narrowed marginally.

A solitary sound was constant in her ear - the beat of her heart - and its companionship had been her only comfort since everyone had vacated the room earlier. Its tempo was slow and steady, its thudding quiet and relaxed, but the rattle scorching throughout her body defied all logical sense. It seemed that the organ wished to be free of her anxious soul.

She breathed deeply. Longing for the company of another, she prayed that someone would enter her personal space, offering speech and play and laughter. A tease from her sister would do, or perhaps a discussion with Applejack about the joys of hard labour. Anything to occupy her thoughts would be a bonus; the desire for normal, common activities pushed at her mind, calling for immediate attention.

Her body was not complying to her inner pleads for socialisation.

No words seemed able to escape her lips... But even if they could, what would be the point? She was not willing to move from this spot at her table. Luna would not seek her out to have a conversation, and the other ponies... Well, she honestly didn't know what they were up to. All she knew was the fact that she wanted one of them - just one - to be here with her, sitting in this room, to provide a way for the confusion to be removed from her thoughts, if just for a moment.

Was it unfair to wish that Twilight had never found that book?

Was it selfish to want the information it had held to be removed from her memory?

Celestia's vision blurred as her focus on the tea began to deteriorate. There was a possibility that the data was wrong, yet a nagging guilt had etched itself into her subconscious. Ever since Twilight had revealed that startling piece of information in her outburst, the disgusting feeling had not faded even a small amount. Receiving a letter from the young princess, explaining her intentions and desires to get concrete proof that the book was either fictional or factual, had done absolutely nothing to ease Celestia's negative emotions.

Her faith in Twilight was undeniable; she knew that Twilight would do all that was necessary to either prove or disprove the book's words. What was bothering Celestia, what truly set her teeth on edge, was the belief that Twilight's escapades would reveal that the book's contents were indeed truthful.

How could the information be a lie?

The more Celestia thought about it, the more it made sense. The bewildering pieces of history that made up Discord's life connected together perfectly if the ageing process was added to the puzzle.

He had always been different, and not merely in terms of maturity. Since their very first encounter, right until this present day, she'd had a question at the back of her mind; it pertained to his height.

She was older than him - there was no doubt in her mind, as she had pried his birth date from his lips after countless years of prodding, long before his initial downfall and betrayal - and they hadn't been very old when they'd met. Even then, being a young filly, she'd thought his size was peculiar. Discord had been larger than her, of course, since his species appeared to be naturally bigger anyway, but after a few years or so, there had been a distinct lack of physical change in him.

Whereas she had become taller, with longer wings, legs, broader shoulders, and a sleeker, adult body, his growth had seemed so much slower. There was a time, she could recall, when she had been taller than him.

Celestia fought to hold in the curse that wanted to escape.

How could she have not found that significant? How had she not taken notice?

Perhaps she had always pinned it down to the fact that he was a unique being; one that she could never hope to fully comprehend. Just because his rate of growth was varied from that of a common pony, did not mean it wasn't normal for his kind.

The question was: Had he stopped growing yet?

She bit her lip as she tried to concentrate. Had he grown in the past couple of millennia? Yes, obviously. He towers over me now.. She shook her head. Patronising herself was not going to give her the answers she wanted.

"Princess?"

Pulling her abruptly from her train of thoughts, the word was spoken with a nervousness that she had come to recognise over the past few years. The tone lacked confidence, and the pitch was light and frail, as though the speaker was going to break apart any second.

Finally managing to move her attention away from the cup placed in front of her, Celestia turned her head and blinked down at her intruder. Concern filled her instantly.

"Yes, Fluttershy?" Despite her dry throat, the question came out clearly.

Streaks of moisture were still present on the young mare's cheeks. Her nose was a delicate pink, probably from the abuse it had endured from a vast amount of tissues. The posture she'd adopted was as low as possible, almost as if she desperately wanted to disappear into the floor below.

"Rainbow Dash said that... that Twilight was going t- to do some experiments to see if what the book says is true?" she asked, struggling to keep her tears at bay. Regardless, the volume of her question was high, showing a strength that Celestia admired.

She smiled kindly, though it took effort to keep the expression in place. "That is correct, my little pony. She wishes to find proof as to whether it is fiction or not."

Fluttershy's mouth quivered. "Will it hurt?"

Oh. That was the problem? Celestia's smile became much more genuine. Fluttershy was worried that her friend was going to come to harm, but the concern was unprecedented. No, Celestia did not know what Twilight was planning to do, but she had known the purple alicorn long enough to understand that she would never intentionally create an experiment that would cause pain.

"I have no doubt that Twilight will be as safe as possible when it comes to his well being. You have nothing to worry yourself over, Fluttershy."

And wasn't that a total lie? Once again, a battle had to be undertaken to keep her expression friendly. Each of them had something to be concerned about if Twilight's results came back in favour of the book. Fortunately, she now had a distraction to keep her from dwelling on that possibility.

"Is there something else troubling you?"

Fluttershy did not look happy; that was a complete understatement. She was visibly shaking, and she was refusing to meet Celestia's gaze. Something was amiss; she had a feeling that it was not entirely down to her worries about Discord's personal safety.

"Fluttershy?" she said, urging the pony to speak up.

"I..." Fluttershy swallowed, before raising her head slightly. "I'm supposed to be going on a trip with him tomorrow," she admitted, her features twisting in uncertainty.

Celestia resisted the flinch that tried to manifest itself into reality. That was unfortunate. Standing up, she manoeuvred herself smoothly around the table, coming to a stop just inches in front of the cowering pegasus. Placing a hoof under Fluttershy's chin - and silently thanking the sun that her leg did not tremble - she lifted Fluttershy's head until their eyes were locked.

Her tight smile was back in full force. "Then you go and have fun with him. Treat him no differently than you would normally. Remember, he is still the Discord we both know, and that this information could just be a misunderstanding. Even if it is not, it does not change anything."

The sentences were powerful. It was just too bad that she didn't believe them herself.

-o-

Chapter 6

-o-

"Tell me again why we're doing this?"

Applejack failed to stop her eyes from rolling. Was that the third time the question had been asked now, or fourth? She couldn't remember. With her lips drawing into a thin line, she lifted her head and glared at Rainbow Dash.

"We ain't got to do nothin'. You're the one who volunteered to come with me when I said I was comin' here. You don't have to." The words were spoken in a manner that she often acquired when speaking with her speed-loving friend. Though it was usually involuntary, Applejack's adoption of the clipped tone in this particular instance was utterly by choice.

Throwing her a small, embarrassed grin, Rainbow Dash lowered herself to the floor. A tiny clinking noise floated around the air as her hooves connected with the hard marble, and Applejack's ears flattened slightly in response. Narrowing her eyes as Rainbow Dash stood their awkwardly, shuffling from side to side, Applejack sighed.

Deciding that it would be in her best interests to change the focus of their conversation, she moved her gaze to the purple door that stood between them and their reason for being here. The wood was freshly painted, its surface spotless of grime and dust, but the handle told a different story. It did not match the cleanliness of everything else; with its polish long gone, it looked out of place next to the decorated wood it was attached to.

Reaching out to touch the knob, Applejack only halted her movements when Rainbow Dash let out an odd grunt-like snort. Looking at the pegasus with a raised eyebrow, Applejack's question did not need to be spoken aloud.

Rainbow Dash groaned. "Okay, I'm not good at this whole 'comfort' thing," she admitted, using her hooves to make air quotes. Her features were twisted in a way that conveyed displeasure, but there was another emotion hiding in the expression that Applejack couldn't quite pin down.

She frowned. "That may be true, but you got to at least try, Rainbow. She needs us right now."

"I know!" Stomping one of her back legs, Rainbow Dash huffed out an angry scoff. "But come on, Applejack. She's been cooped up in this room for nearly an hour. Even you know she's overreacting!"

"Maybe," Applejack replied. "But that doesn't change anythin', and you know it."

"What do you mean it doesn't change anything? It changes everything!" Rainbow Dash shouted, once again rising into the air as she waved her hooves dramatically.

Staring at her friend for a moment, trying to determine what in the hay had got her so riled up, Applejack gritted her teeth and shook her head in an attempt to clear up her thoughts. She needed to focus, here. What was Rainbow Dash talking about? They'd seen Fluttershy cry on countless occasions, and it always turned out alright in the end. Why was this any different?

And then she spotted it - the small emotion flashing in Rainbow's bright eyes that Applejack had seen just moments ago. Before, she hadn't managed to figure out what it was. Now, finally, Applejack could put a name to the feeling.

Guilt.

Confusion welled up within her. Why was Rainbow Dash feeling guilty? She'd done nothing to hurt Fluttershy. In fact, she was here now, about to comfort the young mare, when she hadn't even been asked to do so. So, where exactly did that guilt come from?

Applejack balked. No. That couldn't be it. There was no way that was the truth. Rainbow Dash was not feeling bad about what they'd learnt about Discord, was she?

Of course not; it was impossible. Rainbow Dash was many things, but she was most assuredly not an idiot. Only a naïve filly would let guilt claim them in response to something so... trivial? Who cared how old Discord was? It's not like it changed all the horrible things he'd ever done to them, right? He was still a menace - albeit in an annoying sense, rather than a villainous one - and his age had nothing to do with his maturity.

Did it?

Applejack scowled, before stomping a hoof harshly against the floor. The abrupt movement caused Rainbow Dash to flinch slightly in surprise, and an awful echo pierced through the corridor. She refused to care. There were more important things to worry about - namely, making sure Fluttershy didn't end up crying herself into some kind of coma.

Without any more hesitance, Applejack turned the handle and shoved the door open with a much greater force than was really necessary. Not waiting to see if Rainbow Dash would follow, she stalked into the room with a single goal in mind. The light pouring through the vast window off to side made everything easily visible; what she could see in the room made her stop dead in her tracks.

Well, in all honesty, it was more like what she couldn't see that gave her pause.

The room was empty; Fluttershy was gone.

-o-

Creeping slowly through the dark cave, with her only light source being the illumination of her horn, Twilight had to remind herself that holding her breath was a bad idea. Puffing out air and dragging it back in was not going to make a drastic change to the amount of noise she was creating. The muddy ground beneath her hooves was doing a mighty fine job of squashing the audio of her steps, but there was still a distinct squishing sound with every move she made.

She could fly to avoid making the noises - flapping wings was much quieter than normal walking - but she wasn't confident enough to do so. The space surrounding her was narrow, the walls covered in rocks and stalagmites, and she had a feeling that taking to the air would be the wrong choice, since knocking into one of the multiple pointy things would surely cause the occupant of this cave to wake up prematurely.

Crawling forwards, inch by inch, she bit her lip as beads of sweat started dripping from her chin. The smooth trickle of droplets was a constant reminder of her thirst, and she cursed silently at her own stupidity. How had she forgotten to bring a water carrier with her? She tutted. Nerves weren't making her body shake, and fright wasn't causing her to want to turn tail and run, but the heat of this place was definitely getting to her in a way she hadn't prepared for. Once again reprimanding herself with a stern, mental talking to, Twilight continued on.

It hadn't taken her long to figure out that this was where she needed to be; it had taken even less time to find the location. Luck had undoubtedly been on her side for a change, because the third book she'd picked up in her research had given her an answer she could work with. Having focused on books relating to dragons and their habits - she had many, considering she still had a lot to learn about Spike and how he would eventually develop and grow in the coming years - she'd come across a snippet of data that, before today, she would have skipped over.

The chapter had been on entertainment. One particular form of play that dragons took great pleasure in had captured her focus instantly. It seemed that dragons were fond of fireworks. Ponies had the small rockets and blasters too, but nothing at all like what the book had detailed. And, most importantly, the book had stated that dragon fireworks were invisible to ponykind.

'Dragons claim they create magnificent shows of colour and light, yet not pony has ever bear witness to these feats. When viewing a dragon's firework blast, ponies see nothing.'

That little passage was why she was here now, sneaking along at a snail's pace, getting closer and closer to the very large, very real dragon that sat at the heart of the cave's depths. Asking Spike about the fireworks had proven futile, as he knew nothing of them due to his upbringing with ponies rather than his own species. And, just for the moment, Twilight wanted to distance herself from Canterlot and the two princesses who resided there. She wasn't sure why, but the thought of facing Celestia before she got answers made her blood run cold.

She sighed, wishing that at least one of her friends had remained in Ponyville. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash's constant need for chatter would not be good in a situation such as this one, but they would have made the perfect distraction to keep her attention off the dread that was quietly overtaking her mind. Her features twisted in sorrow.

Drawing in a deep breath through her nose, then exhaling slowly through her mouth in an attempt to calm her erratic heart, Twilight made an effort to quicken her pace. The cave was getting wider as she went further inside, stretching out until it opened up into a grand, open space. Twilight's eyes widened.

The area was larger than most of the rooms in her castle. Its walls reached so high that, upon looking up, she could not see the ceiling. Around the floor lay a mass of jewels, each one sparkling against the light she was providing to the normally dark cave. And, stood right in the middle, surrounded by its vast array of prizes collected over years of hard work, was the dragon.

Its scales were a bright yellow, cleaned with enough care to make them shine greater than the diamonds and rubies beneath them. With a wing span that was probably ten times greater than Twilight's own, and a jaw that she could probably fit neatly inside, the dragon made her feel like a tiny ant in comparison.

She gulped.

Then, taking a tentative step forwards, she lifted a hoof and smiled awkwardly.

"Um, excuse me?" The whisper was pathetic, even to her own ears. Her leg waved pointlessly in the air, seemingly undecided on whether it wanted to actually touch the fantastical creature or not. When the dragon didn't make any indication that it had heard her, she placed the hoof back down and took another step towards the beast.

"Hello?" she said, making sure to add volume to the word this time.

When nothing happened, she had to stop the frustrated yell that desperately tried to claw itself up her throat. She opened her mouth to try again. Then, without warning, the dragon's eyes snapped open. Vibrant green irises rapidly focused in on her, not even taking a second to locate their target. Backing up slightly in shock, Twilight stared at the eyes with a mix of horror and awe. They kind of reminded her of Spike's, only these were scarier and much, much bigger.

Before she could react, the dragon lifted itself into a predatory stance, with its legs bent to support its weight, and its head held low to the ground. Its eyes had narrowed into slits, and its mouth was parted slightly, revealing a row of sharp teeth.

Twilight forced herself to stand tall. Keeping her chin up and her chest puffed outward, she looked the dragon straight in the eye with a confidence that she did not truly feel.

"I wish to ask you a question," she stated, silently congratulating herself when her voice didn't crack.

The dragon blinked. A dull rumbling sound began emitting from its throat, before it transformed into a deep growl. Undeterred, Twilight stood her ground. She needed to do this; she wasn't about to let a grumpy dragon get the better of her. Coming this far had been a challenge, and she was not about to fail now.

"Do you-"

Before she could finish her sentence, a blinding glow charged up in the dragon's throat. Twilight's wings spread instinctively, flapping wildly in a natural desire to flee from the immediate danger. The harsh, orange light burst out into the air, pulsing out with merciless fury, engulfing the area directly in front of where the dragon was crouched. Twilight let out a strangled yelp as the scorching heat from the flames licked at her legs.

Flying higher, she looked down at the dragon just in time to see it readjusting its aim. She gasped as white hot panic flooded her. Backing up without much thought as to where she was going, Twilight felt tears begin to well up in her eyes as the dragon raced after her, matching her speed with ease.

When her back hit the cold, hard wall of the cave, Twilight choked out a grunt. Her mind was racing, while her body was reacting against her will. No mental input seemed to be working, and it felt like she was an observer of this whole fiasco, rather than the pony actually living it.

The dragon was just a couple of metres away from her, its mouth open and ready to inflict the final blow. She eyed the glow emanating from its throat and, finally regaining some control over her own functions, decided to try and put an end to this conflict the only way she knew how - with words.

"Wait!" she screamed, closing her eyes, not wanting to see if the dragon would comply. "I'm not here to take your treasure! I just want to ask a question!"

The frustration, anger, and hysteria present in her voice would have made her embarrassed, if she'd been in the right state of mind to care. Why, oh why had she come here alone? Did she have a death wish? Keeping her eyes clamped shut, she hovered in the air, waiting for the inevitable. A second passed. And another.

Twilight swallowed the bile rising up her oesophagus. Was it going to kill her, or not? What in Equestria was taking the thing so dang long? Could it not see that she was doomed to the fate it wished to inflict on her? Yes, the magic soaring through her very being was powerful - enough to take out dozens of dragons, let alone one - but her body refused to act in a way that would save her life. She absently wondered if all ponies had bad survival instincts, or if it was just hers that were faulty.

"You should not come in here and wake me up, without expecting aggression."

Twilight's eyes darted open as the deep, accented voice reached her ears. The pronunciation of the words was thick and unnatural, as though the speaker had not used their vocal chords in a very long time.

Twilight's eye twitched. Wait... Had he just spoken to her?

Allowing her gaze to locate the dragon's enormous form - he was back on his loot, far away from her trembling body - Twilight stared dumbly at him, trying to comprehend what was happening. She wasn't dead? The dragon hadn't cooked her up, leaving her a burnt wreck that would slowly fade to nothing over time? Since when did dragons make conversation with ponies?

She shook her head. Now, that wasn't exactly fair, was it? Dragons were intelligent creatures, despite contrary belief. Just because they valued greed over compassion didn't mean that were incapable of empathy. Besides, Spike was a dragon, wasn't he? He was an exception, of course, but it would be silly to think that there weren't more dragons in the world like him, wouldn't it?

"Ask your question, then leave."

His statement brought her out of her thoughts. She frowned. "You're... not going to hurt me?" she asked, incredulous. It seemed that, despite trying to rationalise it, she honestly couldn't wrap her head around the fact that he'd shown consideration for her well being.

He blinked slowly, giving no indication of his mood. "I am not unreasonable."

But you're a dragon! She wanted to yell it to the skies, yet she chose not to. This situation needed to be handled with delicate precision. Her prejudices against dragons needed to be kept under lock and key. She was already treading on very thin ice here; being alive after his vicious greeting was a blessing in and of itself. Pushing her luck now would not do her any favours.

Pushing away from the wall, she lowered herself to the ground, never taking her eyes off him for a moment. Just because he appeared to be civil, didn't mean he wouldn't turn those flames on her again the second her guard was down. Pursing her lips, she wiped at her brow. She tried to ignore her disgust when her hoof came away soaked in moisture.

"Thank you," she said, not quite knowing what she was thanking him for. Perhaps it was his willingness to listen? She scoffed. Yes, that was clearly the reason she was grateful.

Blowing out a soft sigh, she licked her lips. "So... Um, I wanted to ask you about... dragon fireworks?"

The dragon lowered his head slightly, almost in a show of confusion. "Ponies cannot see our fireworks."

Twilight's ears perked up. Was that a confirmation? If he wasn't lying - why would he have a reason to? - then his comment was an indicator that the book was telling the truth.

"But you know how to create them, right?" Her heart rate was increasing, but this time fright was not the cause. Adrenaline was pumping through her veins, making her vibrate in anticipation. She would have laughed if she wasn't still wary of his reaction to it. Wasn't this beautiful? How was it possible that excitement could transform her so quickly? Apparently, curiosity was more powerful than terror.

He gave a slow nod. "We create it with our flames."

She knew that - it had been one of the few bits of information that the book had provided her with.

"So, it really is just finding the right magic to make them?" she asked, raising an eyebrow as a smile lit up her face; it was the first one she'd had since stepping into this cave.

The dragon laughed. The sound was loud and husky; it was a peculiar sight to witness. His scales seemed to rattle with the rough movements, though that didn't appear to cause him any discomfort.

"You fail to understand. We use our flames on another object. Only then do the fires become colours."

Twilight's eyes widened as she had a sudden epiphany. Oh, this was brilliant. He was giving her every single thing she required, and he was doing it with no hesitation or reluctance. Books were fantastic objects, but right now, nothing could compare to verbal communication in Twilight's eyes. Getting answers directly from a source who was basically a professional on the subject made such a difference.

"Does it have to be a specific object?"

He nodded once more. "A stone."

Twilight grinned up at the dragon with a sudden sparkle in her eye. "I don't suppose you have any lying around that I could borrow, do you?"

-o-

Chapter 4

-o-

Pinkie's mouth burst into a massive grin the exact moment she spotted two of her friends heading in her direction. Letting out a squawk that rumbled from deep within her throat, she shot a hoof up in the air and proceeded to wave it erratically from side to side. She needed to make sure Rarity and Fluttershy saw her, so they wouldn't mistakenly walk by without saying hello. How awful would they feel if that were to happen? Extremely, Pinkie's mind helpfully supplied.

Opening her jaw to its widest peak - the strain didn't hurt, as her mouth was used to the constant torture by know - Pinkie called out to the two mares. Although her voice was high and ecstatic, she had a feeling that neither of her friends would actually be able to hear the yells; that did not deter her from her mission. Pinkie Pie's goal, in this precise pocket of time, was to grab Rarity and Fluttershy's attention. Everything else - dignity, vocal preservation, self-control - all took a back seat to the current desire ripping through her.

Paying no mind to the stares she was likely receiving from all the other ponies surrounding her, Pinkie jumped atop the table she'd been seated at, spilling her milkshake in the process. Ignoring the frothy liquid as it splashed against her legs - she could easily lick up the cool fluid later - Pinkie's eyes widened.

"Over here!" she cheered, now waving both her front hooves in the air frantically.

Her shrieks were drawn out and charged with an energy that could not be contained. But then, why would she want to keep her enthusiasm locked up? They were her friends, for crying out loud, and nothing was more special in the world. How could she deny them the greeting that they so truly deserved?

Two beautiful smiles were the reward she obtained for her efforts. Beaming in response, Pinkie halted her jittery motions, and jumped back off the table. Landing with a graceful bounce, she quickly bent her head down and slurped up the remains of her drink from her legs. The sweet taste of chocolate melted over her tongue, and she couldn't stop the moan that escaped her lips as she finished lapping up the delicious liquid.

Shaking away the ecstasy, she lifted her head, shivering just the tiniest of amounts as a cool breeze swept over her wet limbs. She knew the saliva would dry up relatively quickly, so she didn't let it bother her. Who cared about a little bit of spit, when time could be spent talking to friends instead?

"Hello, darling," Rarity said, acknowledging the pink pony as she got close enough to make conversation. Fluttershy's greeting was in the form of a simple, gorgeous smile.

Buzzing with elation, Pinkie's response to their presence was cut short by a loud, obnoxious laugh erupting from somewhere above her. Ears pricking up instantly, Pinkie moved her gaze in a vertical direction. Allowing her eyes to rapidly scan the sky for the source of the pleasant noise, she felt the beginnings of another cheer forming as recognition told her who the laugh belonged to. It was a sound she heard on a daily basis, and it was only a matter of time before her keen senses let her spot the pegasus she was looking for.

Perched on a cloud, Rainbow Dash was focused on something out of sight, and she had her back to the three ponies on the floor below. Though Pinkie couldn't see her face, she knew for certain that Rainbow Dash's features were scrunched up in mirth. She resisted the urge to hoof pump. Wasn't this turning out to be a spectacular day? Now, only Twilight and Applejack needed to pop out of nowhere, and her bliss would be complete.

After a moment, Pinkie sucked in a huge wad of oxygen through her mouth in preparation for her next scream.

"Rainbow Dash!"

She punctuated the name with a leap into the air. Dropping back to the ground much more slowly than should have been physically possible, Pinkie lifted her chin in pride when she caught sight of Rarity and Fluttershy covering their ears beside her. Rarity, in particular, looked ready to faint from shock; this was a tremendous achievement, as far as Pinkie was concerned.

She smirked. The title of Cheer Champion was going to be hers this year; there was no doubt about it.

"Hey, Pinkie! What's up?"

The question brought her out of her thoughts and, shaking her head to regain some focus, Pinkie turned her attention to her three friends. Rainbow Dash had flown down to join them all. Flapping her wings idly, she was hovering between Fluttershy and Rarity. Pinkie giggled.

"You were, silly! But now you're not because you're down here!" she answered, pointing at Rainbow Dash, who let out a laugh in reply. Much to Pinkie's delight, Rarity's lips had also lifted up in a small smile, regardless of the fact that she had rolled her eyes in response to the joke.

"Um, girls?"

Everyone turned to Fluttershy. Her face was alight with glee too, but her eyes told a different story. A flash of concern tore through them, which was rather confusing given the circumstances. Pinkie's grin faltered. Wait... Hadn't Fluttershy made plans to hang out with Discord today? The date she'd marked on her calendar was correct, wasn't it? But... If that were the case, why was Fluttershy here? Pinkie gulped, suddenly feeling very sad. Her grin threatened to evacuate her face completely.

"Hey, why aren't you out playing with Discord?" she asked, willing her rapidly fading smile to stay in place. "I thought you said you two were going on a super, secret mission somewhere?"

Fluttershy took a small step back, shaking her head. "I never told you that. And it's just a small trip, not a secret mission." The latter part was said in a deadpan tone, making Fluttershy sound very peculiar.

Before Pinkie had to come up with an excuse as to how she'd known about their little get together, Rainbow Dash spoke up.

"It's Pinkie Pie, remember? Not worth questioning it."

Fluttershy frowned, rubbing a hoof along one of her forelegs in what appeared to be a self-conscious gesture.

"I suppose you're right," she said, addressing Rainbow Dash, before locking her eyes with Pinkie's. "We had to cancel. That's why we're here, actually." Turning to Rarity, Fluttershy's body seemed to sag somewhat as an emotion Pinkie couldn't identify darkened her normally pretty features. Pinkie moved to look at Rarity warily.

Her smile was long gone; it had vanished, despite her attempts to have it remain throughout the duration of this conversation. A strong loathing clouded her judgement, seeping into her thoughts as she mentally reprimanded herself for giving in to her negative feelings. She honestly despised it when her body betrayed her, showing off the bad displays of emotion that had no right to ever pass through her mind. Pinkie Pie was laughter incarnate; she disliked the idea that worry and fear could overwhelm her Element so easily.

She gritted her teeth together to try and keep calm. Fluttershy had a habit of looking upset over the slightest thing, so being scared was stupid. Just because one of her friends had to make a rain check on the plans she'd been looking forward to, didn't mean there was something inherently wrong.

"Princess Celestia wishes to see us immediately," Rarity explained, bringing Pinkie's mind back to the present. She blinked slowly.

"Oh." Then she did it again, before her lips tugged back up into a relieved smile. That was fantastic news! "So we get to go on another adventure? And see the princesses? And-"

Excitement was flowing through her once again, and Pinkie could not have been happier. Even as her rambles were stopped by Rainbow Dash's hoof covering her mouth, Pinkie felt the hairs on her back begin to tingle with electricity at the idea of going on a super, awesome trip with her friends. How she had waited for this moment. It had been ages since they'd all been together as a group, and even longer since she'd been able to see Celestia and Luna.

"We don't really know why she wants to see us, but Twilight is already at the castle. We just need to get Applejack," Fluttershy said, the worry in her eyes ever present.

Pinkie mumbled something through Rainbow Dash's hoof, but it came out as nothing more than a muffled mess. Rainbow Dash pulled a face, removing her hoof from Pinkie's mouth and shaking it abruptly. Globs of spit flew off the glistening appendage in all directions, making Rainbow Dash stick her tongue out in obvious disgust. Pinkie merely grinned.

"I'll go get Applejack," Rainbow Dash said.

Rarity nodded her approval, watching with mild displeasure as Rainbow Dash continued to wave her hoof around. "Good idea. You'll be much quicker getting to the farm than either of us. We can rendezvous at the train station."

Using the hoof she'd been shaking, Rainbow Dash gave Rarity a sharp salute, before increasing the speed at which she'd been flapping her wings. Not even a second passed before she darted off, flying towards Sweet Apple Acres. The gust of wind she left in her wake was impossibly fierce.

"You think we need sleeping bags for the trip?" Pinkie suddenly asked.

Rarity and Fluttershy stared at her blankly. Smiling, Pinkie tilted her head.

"What?"

-o-

"That is a most amusing joke, sister."

Twilight cringed. Shaking her head, she tried to keep her thoughts on the present.

"I'm afraid we are not telling you a lie, Luna."

Gritting her teeth together, she glanced down at the green book that had started this whole mess. A groan forced its way out her mouth.

"Are you certain?"

Tapping the sides of her head with her hooves, Twilight closed her eyes. Why couldn't her mind give her peace? The responsibility of telling Luna of the new information she'd gained about draconequui had been taken off her shoulders. Celestia had spoken the words carefully, letting each one flow from her lips with an ease that Twilight envied. She was only too grateful that Celestia had not expected her give any input at the time.

"Yes."

Biting her lip, Twilight shook her head once again and opened her eyes. Could she really say that she was certain that the things written in this book were absolutely, one hundred percent fact? The answer was a resounding no; that was the reason she'd quickly excused herself after Luna had been told the news. That, and the fact that she didn't want to be in the room when her friends were updated on the situation. She had a feeling that some of them - in particular, one butter coloured pegasus - were not going to react very positively.

Luna had responded astonishingly well; far better than either she or Celestia had. Although the eldest princess had managed to compose herself before Luna had arrived, her posture had been unrelenting in revealing what she truly felt. There was no denying that it would take a while for Celestia to come to terms with the revelation completely.

Grumbling, Twilight dropped to the cold floor, shivering slightly when a fierce ice crept around her stomach. She sighed, trying to ignore how uncomfortable she was.

Was she in the wrong, here? Had prying into the history of a being she honestly didn't understand been a mistake? Was the world punishing her for meddling? It sure seemed like it.

Locking away those thoughts - they were unhelpful and unnecessary - Twilight let a twinkle of warmth light up her horn. Pushing the magic out into the air surrounding her, she manipulated it easily, curling it around the book in front of her. Tugging at the old cover until it revealed the dirtied pages underneath, Twilight rapidly flipped through them before stopping on the chapter she was aiming for. The comforting glow of her magic faded, leaving a dull ache in its absence.

The title at the top of the page was pointlessly tidy; care had been given to its structure, creating an illusion of professionalism. Twilight's eyes narrowed. Anyone could have written it. Calligraphy was not an indicator of a reliable author, nor was it a sign that their words weren't lies. No one could determine who had swiped the pen over the paper. The writer could easily be a child, or a prankster who wanted to trick ponies into believing false truths.

Of course, she had to admit that the information came across as factual, but who was she to judge? Just because the style of writing was formal did not mean it wasn't made up. Her knowledge of draconequui was severely lacking, and she hadn't checked the rest of the book's contents to see if it matched with what she knew of other species it described.

Twilight frowned. Why hadn't she read the other chapters, precisely?

"Okay, I should probably do that. Right now," she muttered, before tightening her jaw in annoyance. "Now would be a good time to read the rest of the book!"

Tilting her head back and closing her eyes, Twilight released a disgruntled yell. The noise filled the library, sweeping around the twists and turns, and echoing throughout the vast space almost mockingly. Opening her eyes again, she glared down at the encyclopaedia. Wiping absently at the sweat building up on her brow, Twilight adjusted her position slightly to remove the sudden pain in her back legs. Trying to focus her attention on the apparent facts she had so readily absorbed earlier, Twilight resisted the pull of that single, four digit number that felt like it was calling out to her. How could a number cause her such stress?

Drawing in a deep breath, she relaxed her body as she scanned the writing with determination. She needed to find a fault, something that would undeniably prove that this was all just an elaborate joke played on her by an ancient, bored author.

There was but one issue with her plan: How exactly would she know if she came across a lie? Discord was literally the only draconequus she knew to compare the data against, and she didn't really understand much about him. There was always the opportunity to ask him, but he wasn't really a reliable source, was he? She could think of countless reasons as to why he would withhold information from her.

No, there was no other way. She required something that was set in stone, that couldn't be refuted or misinterpreted. A hard scowl lowered onto her face as an idea came to her. Testing these so called 'facts' out was her only option.

In order to get her answers, she would need to conduct a couple of experiments.

-o-