Discordant Embrace

Celestia's magic, along with her temper, flared. Discord chuckled and raised his hands. "Easy now, I'm not here to fight."

"Then why are you here?!" Celestia retorted, her glare intensifying.

"Well, if you would be ever so kind as to remove yourself from me, I'll be glad to tell you in a civil manner." Celestia huffed and withdrew. She stood there and waited. "Thank you."

"Get on with it," she said callously.

"Very well. I came here because... well, because I need your help."

Celestia's sarcasm returned. "What could you possibly need my help for?" Discord had forgotten how cynical the princess could be when she had suffered pain.

"You won't like it, but I need you, and the girls," he said, gesturing toward the mane six, "to help me free Chrysalis from her wrongful prison."

"What do you mean 'wrongful'? She attacked me and tried to take over Canterlot!"

Twilight and her friends watched with great anticipation. There wasn't much they could say, and even if there was, this was not the time nor the place to say it. This was their princess' moment.

"She was just helping her people, just as you would!" Discord almost yelled. He sighed mentally. He had to maintain his composure, be the bigger being. Matching irrationality with irrationality never resulted in positive results. Discord had to keep his cool.

"I would never try to take over someone else's home!" Shouted Celestia. The princess was getting out of hand. For a being so old, she really was quite immature at times.

"I know that! But the principle still applies." explained Discord, "In the end, it boils down to her helping her subjects, making their lives better. Don't you want the same for your ponies?"

Celestia's cold glare vanished, and she acquired the thousand-yard stare. Discord noticed. He was getting to her. He always had.

"Please Celestia, what can I do to prove to you that I have love, not false feelings, in the core of my heart? And does it really pain you that much? I mean, not to reopen old wounds, but you left me standing at the altar. Why does it matter to you who I love?"

A tear formed in Celestia's eye. She let it fall, only to have it replaced by another, and another after that. "We were young back then Discord. I-I-I was scared. I didn't know what I wanted. I did love you, truly! I... I just couldn't trust myself, couldn't believe what my heart was telling me. I... I'm sorry." Celestia hung her head.

Discord was shocked by this revelation. He had imagined this conversation thousands upon thousands of times, each conversation having different contents. He thought about Chrysalis. Would he have fallen for Celestia all over again had he not seen her? The draconequus shook his head. Those thoughts were better left in the back of his mind, unthought.

"I forgive you."

Celestia's head snapped up. "What?"

"I said, 'I forgive you'."

Celestia's tears started all over again and she rushed toward him, embracing her old love. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Celestia, there is a spell that will allow you to see my very soul. Maybe then you would believe me, once I bared my soul to you."

"No. No, no," the alicorn said, "that will not be necessary." She turned toward her favorite student and her friends. "Come on girls, we're going to free the queen."

In a few days, the unlikely group had reached the changeling city, where things had returned to almost-normal. The changeling queen was still imprisoned. The group flew into the main courtyard, not bothering with the gates. No one challenged them.

"Okay girls, get the Elements of Harmony ready," commanded Celestia. She would be contributing magic of her own to the spell. She gazed toward the frozen queen. Celestia guessed there was a type of feral beauty and sleekness to her.

During the trip, the princess explained to the girls about her past with Discord. About how they had fallen in love and were to be married. How she had gotten frightened and fled without a word. How she regretted it every minute of every single day. They nodded their understanding and comforted her as they always had.

Discord crossed his arms. "Are you sure this will work?"

"Yes. I've used this spell before," Celestia explained.

"When was that?"

"A while before we met."

"Ah." Despite all their time together, Discord still didn't know everything about Celestia.

"Okay girls, I'm ready whenever you are," Celestia said.

This was the moment Discord had been waiting for. He clenched his fists and flexed his muscles in anticipation.

The Elements of Harmony glowed white and the girls leviated, rotating around Celestia, who was radiating a golden aura. Her horn was solid gold. A rainbow of the Elements shot out, surrounding Celestia's golden horn. She stepped forward and touched her horn to Chrysalis'.

Suddenly, a neon green glow added to the plethora of hues that were swirling around the courtyard. The stone started to crack and chip. Suddenly, there was a thunderclap and the scene flashed white.