Celestial Suffering

The Princess of the Day walked slowly down one of her most treasured and most hated halls in her castle. This hall had stained glass windows of all the famous feats Equestrians had done since the castle was built. She and Luna were in a vast majority of them. This is why she disliked the hall, some of the windows brought back memories that were better left alone.

Coming to a halt in front of one of the windows, Celestia looked up at the strange figure featured within. Her face was deathly calm but in her tone you could make out hints of distress as she slowly spoke one word. "Discord."

Her thoughts whirled around in her head with confusion just by seeing his glass picture in the window. He had needed to be stopped, and she and Luna were the only ones who could do it. She had done the right thing. Now he couldn't hurt anypony anymore.

She turned her head slightly to look out the regular window besides the colored one. This particular window looked out over the Castle's gardens. And though she couldn't make out the individual objects from up here, she knew that there was a statue down there, shaped exactly like the image in the window.

"I did the right thing." She spoke to herself as if saying it aloud would make it true. She was silent a few moments more before turning back to the colored window. Looking down at the glass pictures of Luna and herself she asked in a hushed tone, "Didn't I?"

"Are you talking to yourself again, sister?"

Celestia whirled around at the sound of another pony's voice. She took a moment to compose herself before replying to Luna. "I am still bothered by some things from the past, Lulu." She felt a pang of sadness as she used her sister's nickname. "You understand."

"Indeed I do. Though why he would trouble you for this long, I would like to know." Her sister walked forward to stand beside Celestia and turned her head to look at her sister with concern.

Celestia refused to meet her sister's eyes. "I don't know… It's probably nothing… Really." She added at her sister's skeptical glance.

"He can never come back, Tia. You know this."

Oh, Celestia knew alright. That was partly why she felt so much regret. To turn him to stone, forever, was never her intent. And no matter what she told her sister, it wasn't just worry he'd return that kept drawing her to this spot. It was also a tiny bit of hope. Hope that he'd come back and everything could be as it once was. It was a foolish hope, but one that refused to go away. And despite her denying it, Luna still suspected what was wrong with her sister.

"I know… But still…"

"Sister, you must give up on this hopeless dream of yours. I would've thought a thousand years would've been long enough for you to get over it."

Celestia sharply turned her head to meet her sister's level gaze. "You know it's not that simple, Luna."

"A thousand years, Celestia. You've had that long. If he's even conscious I doubt he remembers you. At least not for that."

"I can still hope, Luna." Celestia struggled to say this in a civil manner. Snapping at her sister would get them nowhere.

"Hope is one thing… This has no hope, Celestia. Say he did come back, what then?"

Celestia opened her mouth as if to reply but nothing came out. Luna continued.

"Do you think he'd forget what you did? Do you think he'd regret his actions? I think not, sister." Luna sighed, then turned and walked towards the exit. When she reached the doorway, she looked over her shoulder. "Try, Tia. Try." With that Luna left the room.

Celestia sighed and turned back towards the window. 'Oh, Luna. If only it were that easy.'

Discord smirked as he gazed down upon the unsuspecting Princess. 'Still misses me, does she? Well, I can't say I've missed her.' Snapping his fingers to teleport behind Celestia, he then spoke.

"Well, well. If it isn't Equestria's pretty precious princess."

The white Alicorn spun to face the source of the all-too-familiar voice.

"Discord." She simply spoke his name. Yet in that single word she managed to convey anger, fear, sadness, and remorse all at once.

"Oh, I love how you say my name. Do it again."

"Now's not the time, Discord." Why had she used that amused of a tone? She shouldn't even be having this conversation with him. She should call her guards and end this right now… But… "How did you-"

"How did I escape? Well, funny thing really, I get turned to stone for a thousand years and all it takes to turn me back is a small argument between three young fillies. Then again…"

Celestia stiffened under his fierce gaze.

"Maybe it had more to do with the fact that there are now new bearers of the elements than that petty squabble."

"How do you know so much?"

"Pfft! Tia, Tia, Tia… You really think that trapping me in stone would keep me from keeping up with the news? I sensed the balance returning… The balance you shattered when you banished your sister." He finished with a sly look at Celestia.

"That's none of your business, Discord."

"Oh, isn't it? Luna really should've been expecting you to turn on her… After seeing how you turned on me."

"I did what was necessary." Celestia gritted her teeth together. Why was she trying to defend herself against him? She should just send for Twilight and get what must be done, over with, again.

"Necessary hmm? It was necessary to trap me in stone, with only myself for company? It was necessary to banish your sister to the moon? The Elements of Harmony could've cured her right then. You should really question if everything they do is 'just'."

"Discord, I heard enough of this before and I've heard enough of it now. I did not know that they would deal out such harsh punishments. I never meant to cause you or Luna any harm. You weren't always evil. Discord… What will you do now?"

Silence hung in the air between them for several minutes before being shattered.

"What you did was unforgivable, Princess Celestia." Discord used her title as an insult. "If you think that now I've finally broken out I'm not going to get revenge, you're wrong. I've waited a long time for this, Tia. And I doubt some inexperienced fillies are going to be able to stop me." With that he vanished again, having completed the purpose in coming to her.

She looked at the now empty spot where he had been for a few minutes before turning her expression as hard as the stone Discord had been trapped in.

If he wanted a battle, he'd get one.

She notified the guard and sent messages to her sister and Twilight Sparkle immediately. All the while she was morning the seemingly unavoidable second loss of her childhood friend and perhaps more.