Sweetie Belle Saves The World (With Princess Luna, Maud, and Discord)

The next morning, the Friendship Express pulled into Canterlot Station, stopping with a lurch. As Sweetie Belle got off the train, getting more than a couple strange looks at a filly stepping onto the platform without a parent or guardian. She looked around as the train pulled away, spotting her name on a sign sticking over a crowd of ponies. As she pushed her way through the crowd, she began to wonder who was holding the sign. Lost in thought, she didn't notice the pony in front of her until she got a face-full of tealish-gray fabric. As she backpedaled, she realized who one of the other party members that Princess Luna mentioned was.

"Maud!?"

"Hello Sweetie Belle," said Maud, in her signature monotone.

{------}

` As the unlikely pair wandered through Canterlot towards the castle, Sweetie Belle looked over at Maud.

"Sooo..... Princess Luna summoned you here too?" she asked.

"Yes. I've been told it's a big honor," Maud droned.

"No offense or anything, but you don't seem very honored. Honestly, you sound more bored than anything," said Sweetie.

"No offense taken. I don't really show my emotions well, at least not visually or verbally," Maud replied. "The only pony to ever know how I felt that wasn't family was when your sister Rarity accidentally started to read my diary while we spelunking."

"Oh! Rarity told me about that. Apparently you are really good at conveying your emotions through writing. She seemed honored that you let her continue to read."

"Well, she seemed uncomfortable by my "permanent poker face", as Pinkie phrases it. So I let her read it so she would actually know what I was feeling during our adventure together."

"That was nice of you," said Sweetie Belle.

"Thank you," replied Maud.

{------}

When they arrived at the castle, they were let into the throne room, no questions asked, just like Princess Luna promised. When they walked in, two people were waiting for them, Princess Luna and...

"YOU!" growled Discord, who was nose-to-nose with Maud in anger.

"Oh. Hello, Discord," replied Maud, expressionless despite the fact she had an angry chaos god in her face.

"You two know each other?" asked Princess Luna, mildly confused.

"Unfortunately, yes," replied Discord, scowling. "I became aware of her existence after she insulted me at the Grand Galloping Gala two years back."

"Oh, I remember that," said Sweetie Belle. "It was an... interesting Gala."

"Oh, hello, Sweetie Belle! I'm so sorry for not noticing you earlier, I was too busy being mad at her," said Discord, giving Sweetie Belle a giant hug, who gladly returned.

"Does everypony here know each other?" asked Princess Luna, who at this point was extremely confused.

"Sure! Discord's an honorary Cutie Mark Crusader," said Sweetie Belle.

"He is?"

"Yes! Now, now Luna, don't sound surprised! I actually helped Sweetie Belle here and her friends earn their Cutie Marks, or at least try to," said Discord.

"Ok..." said Luna, shaking herself out of her stupor. "Since it seems that introductions aren't necessary, time to get to the point. We have a national emergency on our hooves. It seems that once again, someone has escaped Tartarus."

"Who is it this time, so we can get this over with? Tirek?" laughed Discord.

Luna, however didn't laugh.

"Yes."