The great Princess Luna watched with a smile as she silently lowered her moon into the horizon, her starlike mane billowing silently in a nonexistent wind. The deep blue alicorn stood from the balcony of her room, wings stock at her side while her horn let off a soft blue light as the great celestial body she controlled disappeared from view. While never admitting it to her elder sister, the younger princess had always enjoyed seeing Celestia’s sun rise in the morning. To her, it was almost as beautiful as her starry sky at night. She watched with slight awe as the distant star rose into view, turning the sky a beautiful orange that shone over the morning dew.
Luna let out a content sigh as she turned away from the balcony and headed down to her dinner. Which would also be Celestia’s breakfast. She couldn’t help but giggle at the memory of the castle staff having to get used to making dinner meals at breakfast time for her. They nearly had heart attacks during the first week due to not having the food she requested, but the cooks got used to the routine fairly quickly.
She took her seat in the dining hall as the staff prepared her meal. Luna was quite hungry, so she asked for hearty stew, preferably with lots of carrots. She loved carrots. The doors from the other hall opened as Celestia walked in, the elder alicorn was dressed in her usual regalia of golden tiara, horseshoes, and necklace that sat upon her pale pink body, though most would assume she was white in color. Her mane also billowed, but unlike her sister’s, was made up of several streaks of color, consisting of turquoise, cerulean, pink, and a very light blue; though this morning certainly was not her mane’s best day. Luna was about to greet her, but Celestia’s current bed head and unrested demeanor did not allow for such pleasantries.
“Are you alright, sister?” Luna asked, genuinely worried about Celestia’s health.
“I’m fine, Luna,” Celestia moaned as she took her own seat across from her sister. “Just a rough night. Some very strange dreams.”
“Oh?” Luna’s eyebrow perked up a little. “If dreams are troubling you, sister, you can always come to me.”
“I know, Lulu,” Luna blushed a little at the use of the foalish nickname, “It’s just that… I am uncertain as to what these dreams are saying. They are visions of some kind, of that I am sure, but I can’t tell of what.”
“Tell me about them.” A servant placed a bowl of Luna’s stew in front of her, the whiffs of steam tickling her nostrils slightly.
“There’s not a lot to tell, honestly,” Celestia said, pointing to the picture of pancakes a maid was holding to her side. “First, there is a loud, high pitched scream, but all I can see is darkness. Then it sounds like a rushing river is crashing all around me. All the while, it feels like nothing but pain and suffering are surrounding me. I just can’t pinpoint whatever my vision is trying to tell me.”
“Very odd indeed,” Luna said as she took a sip of her soup. Delicious as always. Ooh, and extra carrots. “But your visions have always helped Equestria survive through the harshest of ailments and foes. If this is indeed a vision, then we must heed it.”
“Heed it how?” She quietly thanked the servant who placed her breakfast down. Despite her disheveled look, pancakes always made her smile. “I cannot even tell what the threat is!”
“Princess!” a royal guard exclaimed, running. Celestia and Luna inwardly moaned, they really didn’t like their mealtimes being interrupted. It spoiled the appetite and wasn’t healthy. Celestia turned to the guard with a small smile, but started to droop at the guard’s fearful look.
“Speak, my little pony. What troubles you this morning?”
“Princesses, I need you to come with me. There’s been an accident that needs your immediate attention.”
Both alicorns were on their hooves and following the guard swiftly through the castle. The many twists and turns were nothing to the experienced ponies, quickly making their way to…
“The North Tower?” Luna asked aloud. “But that’s Discord’s tower.”
Celestia’s eyes narrowed as her mind ran through the many possibilities that could involve the chaotic chimera. She vowed if Discord had harmed her ponies… there would be consequences.
They raced up to the top of the tower, reaching it in moments thanks to flight. Landing in the chaotic god’s room, they looked around and saw a pair of guards at the door, looking like they wanted to be anywhere save for where they were. This confused Celestia; she knew most guards didn’t fully enjoy watching Discord’s spare room (since he mostly lived in his own dimension), but this was clearly fear and not simple displeasure. She looked around for the draconequus, yet there was no sign of him.
“Sister,” Luna tapped her side. The younger alicorn pointed to a darkened corner of the room where a mass of blankets were shivering. Warily, Celestia approached the mess. “Careful, Tia,” Luna advised worriedly.
Closer and closer she approached, catching a glimpse of a mismatched tail sticking out from under the blankets. “Discord?” she called out softly. The blankets stopped shivering, but that was all. Celestia felt as if the darkness surrounding the mass was spreading out, dread filling her heart. “Discord, are you alright?” She reached out with her hoof, clasping what felt like Discord’s shoulder and started to pull him to look at her. “Discord if you are ill we can-”
Her words were interrupted by a sharp gasp from her own lips as Discord shoved his face into hers. His normally crazed eyes full of fear the likes of which the solar diarch had never seen. “It’s baaaack!” he said in a mix of song and madness.
“Back?” Celestia asked, still afraid of the draconequus eyes. “What’s back?”
Discord pulled back, causing both Luna and Celestia to gasp at the look of him. His pony-like face looked at them as a spot of blackness bubbled on the side of said face. He looked at them like a madpony, well madder. “The darkness, Cellie-bean. The darkness is back!”
