For Madness, Comes a Price

Solitaire walked off into the town with a smile on her face, she felt so warm and fuzzy from seeing her friends again. The ponies were really kind around here, though it is not surprising why Princess Twilight had settled here. As she trotted into the square she had seen Minty talking to a few of his friends, but he wasn't wearing his wings like he usually does.

Probably doesn't know where they are. He doesn't really check around the house Solitaire thought to herself and continued to walk. The day was warm with a soft breeze from the pegasi, you wouldn't have expected such a nice day in the middle of spring but it did brighten up her mood.

"Solitaire! Solitaire! There you are!" She had heard a stallion call out from behind her, some other voices were calling out her name as she stopped to turn around to see where the voice had come from. It wasn't much of a surprise to see Minty and his friends running up to her, though Minty had tackled her to the floor unable to stop himself from running.

She squealed and wriggled underneath him, her hooves waving in the air frantically "Minty! Get up off meee!" She squealed again, now trying to push him off her.
He pulled himself up and picked her up off the ground and began to dust himself off "Sorry Solly" He giggled embarrassed about his fall as Solitaire shook herself making her mane messy than it already was.

Solitaire frowned at the dirt that was on her coat and sighed, blinking as she did "Your a clumsy fellow aren't you Minty? But hello there. And hello Smasher, Clear, Strider and Murk." She greeted his friends with a polite smile "Please excuse me of the lack of outfit i usually wear. I had been to Rarity's to order some new ones, Since I managed to rip them in one of my shows."

Minty wasn't convinced about what she had said but it was more than easy to convince the others. She didn't need to convince Minty since he already knew the truth about the attacks that happened. She didn't want many to know though. The mane 6 did because the demon inside her was a threat to the land of Equestria, as did Discord and Minty. She only wanted to take precautions before anything happened to the citizens around Ponyville or where ever she went. But in another way her answer prevented Minty asking where she went when he had woken up. She had smiled thinking of minty asleep, snuggling up to a stitch plushie and chuckled to herself.

"Well is there anything i can do for you Minty Fix and Company?" she chuckled softly, sitting on the bench nearby them as they had followed her, Minty sitting down next to her and laying back, trying to get himself comfy. Though she had sat next to him, he had instantly picked her up and placed her onto his lap, letting the last of his friends to sit down and smiled at her.
"Well it is only suitable that the lady should feel like a queen, Don't you think?" he chuckled so all his friends could hear.
She had gotten flustered as she sat on Minty's lap, though she did try and struggle to get him off of her, but he held her firmly in place "M-Minty! What are you doing!?" she squeaked in a high pitched voice, shutting her eyes tightly as she blushed bright red with embarrassment.
"Aww you don't want to sit down now? I thought it would be nice for you to feel taller than us stallions, at least feel comfortable?" he questioned a cheeky grin on his face
She stared at him still bright red in the face "It feels weird like this. Please let me go Minty." she spoke firmly waiting for him to let her go. He did after a few minutes and sighed unhappily.
"Very well. Though i tried to enjoy the little fun, but you ruined it" he spoke with a pouted face.
Solitaire's muzzle screwed up and sneezed, falling off of him and onto the floor. Her fur had fluffed up at the reaction of her sneeze causing Minty and his friends to stare at her in surprise.
"That... That is so cute!" Murk gasped staring as Minty picked her up, hugging her tightly
"No! Nuuu it's not cute! Not cute" She squealed, pulling Minty away from her "Lemme go!"
"No such a cute violet fluffball should be cuddled tightly" He chuckled and nuzzled her fluffy fur, her mane had done the same.
Solitaire squealed once more before pouting angrily, though it made her look more cuter than angry especially when she was looking like a life sized fluffball.
A click of fingers had snapped and the fluffy mare disappeared out of Minty's arms and into the Draconequus' arms who had appeared when he had heard the sneeze. "I heard an adorable sneeze! And now i have the little fluffy Pony who did it!" He chuckled squeezing Solitaire in his arms as she growled pawing at the chaotic creatures face.
"Put meh down! The great Fluffeh Solitaire does not need to be squabbled over!" she squeaked, struggling and pawing at him.
"Discord! I want the fluffeh Pony! Give me her back!" Minty protested stomping his hooves against the ground, his friends backing him up.

Discord floated in the air holding Solitaire in one of his claws before throwing her up in the air and pawing at her fluffy body, bouncing her up in the air again as she shrieked and squealed telling him to put her down, which he ignored. His head turned to Minty and then pointed at Solitaire "Explain why you want my Fluffball Violet pony friend Minty and then I may give her back to you?" He giggled watching him curiously

"I'll give you both the polka dots for a week if i don't get put down this instant!" Solitaire shrieked as she flailed in the air, trying to get her self away from Discord, but each time she teleported away from him, Discord had instantly brought her back into his paw and threw her up in the air again.
She soon began to feel a bit queasy from her being tossed in the air, listening to the talk between Discord and Minty before she sneezed again, flying back as Discord tried to grab her, only she had managed to slip out of his claw and paw landing into Minty on her back, squealing in fright. Minty too was shocked but held onto her tightly as he fell back her fur cushioning both of their falls. "No... more throwing me in the air" she coughed, picking herself up as Minty did the same. Though she was still dizzy from being tossed up into the air she began to sway as she tried to walk forward, giggling "I look as if I am drunk right now don't I?" she managed to grab the bench and rested her head on it the world spinning around her, her hoof weakly tapping the upper wooden planks "The world is spinning... Make it stop," she mumbled weakly.

Minty had sat behind her and held her softly as she tried to recover from the dizziness her ears pressed against her head as she held it on the bench.
"Is everything okay Solly?" Minty spoke softly stroking her fluffed up back as he heard her giggle weakly.
"I'm fine.. just.. dizzy by Dissy" she murmured again the bench still tapping it with her hoof, she had closed her eyes and tried to calm herself down, breathing in and out, a usual trick she used to help herself. Though she was tired to even want to stand and decided to rest on Minty's lap since he shifted her to sit properly on the bench with him and dozed off.

"Well that didn't take long, hehe." Discord purred, floating besides them as he poked Solitaire's ear.
She mumbled against Minty's shoulder and flicked her ears as her hoof wavered in the air, though they couldn't hear her.
Discord was amused by her reaction and poked her ear again this time she had lifted her head "Discord.. you annoying creature.. staph" she mummered, snuggling back into Minty's shoulder again.
"But it's fun, fluffy widdle pony" he giggled poking her again.
"I ain't lying about giving you polka dots for a week Dissy.. stop it" she yawned holding onto Minty as she placed her chin on his shoulder realizing she won't be able to doze on him unless Discord stopped his persistent poking.
She was right, over the course of five minutes she had puffed out her cheeks and stared at the back of the bench, trying to ignore the Draconequus' poking, hoping he would get bored of it. Of course, she was wrong and his persistent poking continued. She closed her eyes and let her horn glow a pale blue casting polka dots on him, from head to tail.

"Hey! That's unfair Solitaire!" Discord whined, flicking is tail from left to right slowly and whimpered.
"That's what you get for messing around with a princess.." she yawned tiredly, not realizing what she had said.
Minty had jumped underneath her exclaiming in surprise "Your a princess?"
"Of course she's a princess Minty? You didn't know that?" The polka dotted Discord questioned the minty-green pony
"H-how? She's no alicorn." Minty replied quickly feeling Solitaire shuffle into him, humming softly from the warmth of his body.
"Mnn.. Not all princesses have to be an alicorn Mintiness," Solitaire purred, nibbling his ear "I want ice creeeaaaam..."
"You act as if your a child Solice," Discord chuckled and lifted her up from Minty's lap, hanging her like a kitten held by its mother. Her face tired and droopy now that her fur had settled down from her sneezes, she let out another yawn showing her white fangs as Minty stared at her with wide eyes.
"I still want ice creaaaaaaaaam." She wiggled in Discord's claw, her forehooves pawing the air "Pay me in ice cream you jelly beans!"
"She has no idea what she's saying does she?" Minty asked Discord, looking at him slightly confused.
"Well you would to if you were tired from the days events, plus I doubt you got much sleep last night, You must have been talking for a while from Solice's trip" He replied and headed over to the ice cream shop, holding Solitaire with his tail now as he floated into the air.
"Well it's not every day seeing a Draconequus carry a sleepy Solitaire to the ice cream shop," He chuckled listening to Solitaire's whines for ice cream
"Ice Creeeeeaaamm, jelly beans and Mustard!" she had mumbled against Discords tail pawing at the swishing end of his tail.
"So, theres a question I want to ask you Discord." Minty chuckled softly watching Solitaire amuse herself with Discord's tail.
"What is it you want to ask? or what is to ask of me?" He replied with a chuckle of his own feeling the purple pony paw at his tail "Next thing you know she'll be hanging from it by the mouth," He had turned to look at her checking if she was ok.
"How long have you known Solitaire, you two seem to be pretty close" Minty replied as they entered the shop and headed to where their favourite ice cream was.
"I have known her longer than I have known the mane six, She was only a filly when she and I first met, though she came with her mother and father. At first she stared at me fascinated by the way I looked in stone when her father explained my story with the princesses. So your guessing around four or five years old." Discord went on with himself, picking one of each ice cream and buying them "She came to visit me every day or when she could after then. It seemed I was her only friend and I was right. Though she is lucky to have you Minty. You have made the mare more happier than I could. For that I thank you,"
"She sounds like she had a rough childhood" Minty spoke walking with him as he carried some of the bags of ice cream towards Solitaire's house.
"She did, quite a few times I have heard what has happened in her home. Back in Cardell, it's a place in wonderland if she hasn't told you. Though she hasn't told me much of what happened to her. She was most happy perched on my head like the Cheshire cat when i was set in stone, that is until she met you." Discord replied opening Solitaire's door and let Minty inside, going into the house shortly after. "You don't mind if I stay in the guest bedroom tonight, I would like to keep an eye on her, I don't want Cresent to hurt her like she did last night."
"I don't mind Discord, you are a good friend to her after all and to me, your only just looking out for her" He smiled and placed the ice cream in the freezer before turning back to the living room though he was surprised to see Solitaire was licking the ice cream out of one of the tubs he was sure he had put in the freezer "Well you are certainly the most confusing mare I have ever met,"

Solitaire lifted her head and looked at Minty, her tongue out and ice cream on her muzzle blinking a few times before going back and licking the ice cream again.
"You get used to her crazy ways, though she always manages to surprise you every now and again" Discord chuckled as he watched her in the guest chair, contently enjoying her ice cream from the sofa.
"Your not wrong about that Dissy.. If I may call you that" Minty replied, sitting down next to Solitaire and wiped the ice cream from her muzzle. "So if its alright with Solitaire, Darling.." He looked at her with loving eyes and rubbed her forehead with his hoof when he spoke "May I ask how she had got here?"
Discord hesitated for a second and looked at the purple pony who had placed the empty tub of ice cream onto the table and licked her lips, now trying to lick the ice cream on her nose with her tongue, failing.
"I do not know much about why and how Solice had got here, though I would like to hear it myself to be honest" Discord answered Minty's question still watching the pony in amusement as she did her best to lick the ice cream on her muzzle "Would you like to help her there Minty.. Hehe she seems to be quite in the predicament"

Minty chuckled and leaned close to Solitaire, her eye crossed, trying to focus on the vanilla ice cream that had sat on her nose for the past two minutes, melting. Her Nose had scrunched up from the coolness of the tasty dessert, not noticing Minty was staring at the ice cream with similar interest before she felt a wet tongue lick her nose causing her to blink in surprise and her tongue hanging from her mouth not happy about loosing her little entertainment.
She recoiled her tongue into her mouth, hissing a little like a snake and went back to her usual purring, reminiscing the taste of vanilla in her mouth before she felt Minty rubbing her ears. "Mmmnhh... Staph your disturbing my reminiscing of the vanilla flavor," she purred, pressing her hoof lightly against his nose
"Well my question has still been left unanswered..." He reminded her making her eyes snap open from her usual blinking.
For a moment she shifted uncomfortably, moving her hoof, slowly, away from Minty's green nose and stared at the wall. "So you wish to know about how I got here?" She said quietly, looking at her forehooves.

Discord shifted slightly in his chair and took a deep breath "It's something to do with that banishment thing you were on about in Wonderland wasn't it?" He spoke calmly trying to ease the tension that had suddenly built up in the room.
"Banishment?" Minty asked curiously staring at the two creatures in confusion.
"Yes, banishment. I'm an exiled princess Minty. Wonderland or my Father doesn't want me back, if I do return it will result in my death or worse." She replied, laying down on her front, staring at the wall gazelessly. "It only happened because of what my fathers choice was ages to save Wonderland."
"Which was?" Discord asked curiously
"You should know by now Discord, or at least have figured it out." Solitaire looked at him, her gazeless eyes still showing, coating all emotion from them. "Remember when Wonderland was plagued by a terrible threat of the old queen of the country of hearts and her demonic princess spirit. Which her name is known to the both of you."
"You mean Cresent?" Minty asked
"Bingo... Got it in one," They heard another voice say in a ghostly like voice.
"So you want to tell the tale Demon?" Solitaire snarled quietly, digging her hooves into the soft fabric of the couch she and Minty was laying on.
"I could cause you more pain if you want child! I am only trying to keep the damn peace here so don't get snappy with me!" Its shrieked in anger as Solitaires fur was slowly turning greyish on her back, in small patches.
Smoke or a hazy mist had soon rose from Solitaire's body growing until it touched the ceiling. It had soon sharpened itself into a half body of a Unicorn, with greyish blue wings sprouting from what it looked like its back, purple and blue spiked hair had flowed from its head like smoke disappearing at what looked like the end of its hair, the same for its wings and the lower half of its body. Two Z red shaped marks appeared on its eyes and a tear drop at the ends of its mouth with two splotches on its nostrils. When its eyes fluttered open revealing its piercing dark blue eyes stared at the creature in seriousness but filled with rage and anger, enough to make the creatures around her quake in fear.
It floated above Solitaire for a few seconds before settling itself in front of the TV. Its ghostly like body was partly transparent just enough for them to make out the shape of the objects that stood behind it. Its horn stood tall with power as the creature opened its mouth revealing its brilliantly white sharp, long fangs and a dark turquoise tongue.
"Now as I was saying, you are correct Minty. Do not worry I am not going to attack you unless provoked. But be reminded that Solitaire's life is in my hooves." It spoke calmly unlike its usual shriek of anger and terror.
"So you have decided to show yourself Cresent, but in the most intriguing way, if i must say myself." Discord replied as if he was expecting her to reveal herself.
Minty's eyes widened seeing the ghostly version of Cresent and stood up of the sofa stiffened by its gaze on him "Cresent... So we meet again...." He shivered, speaking shakily.
"Do sit down Minty, you do not have to be so afraid of me every time I am stood in front of you. I cannot harm you in this form." Cresent chuckled tilting her head to the side in amusement of the young stallions actions.
Minty sat down, edging closer to Solitaire who was laying down and breathing slightly deeply, resting his head on hers. "I know but you still make me quite cautious of you."
"I don't blame you after what i did to you when we first met. I have the most unusual outbursts and tempers at times," She chuckled "You had sensed my coming Discord? Why doesn't it not surprise me, former evil creature,"

Discord sighed and slumped in his chair, his tail curling "Ah I was once evil but you find it boring from time to time. After all its fun being a bit mischievous, but my friends are more important to me now"
Cresent was surprised by his answer and frowned slightly "Well it is your choice in the end.. Not all creatures are cut out to be evil all their lives, including you who got the severe punishment of being set in stone for a long time"
"Well my dear all that's changed now so it really should be me asking all the questions including Minty Fix himself. After all you did put Solitaire in a lot of trouble," Discord replied with a now serious tone, his fangs slightly bared.