Discord threw his hands aside. "This is entirely unreasonable, even for me! What in Equestria has gotten into you, Fluttershy?" But she had no good answers. She just looked confused and a little hurt. He really didn't like that part. "Look, don't you worry your pretty little head. Discord is here and will get this straightened out in no time at all!"

He turned to leave to find a pony in front of him. What was his name...? "Whoever you are, you'd better take care of Fluttershy." He pointed a claw at the stallion. "You don't strike me as the sort that would mastermind this, so do that, hmm?"

The stallion glared at him as ponies liked to do once in awhile, but he ignored it and marched with purpose through the door, literally. He didn't have time to open it, so he just passed through it as if it weren't there. "Where to begin?" He looked left and right before he felt a sharp kick at his lower leg and glanced to see a familiar rabbit. "Oh, hello Angel."

Angel hopped up and down with clear irritation, waving his little bunny paws around wildly. He finally pointed up into the sky directly, chittering something only a bunny would understand.

Discord raised his eyes to the sky to see a chariot headed towards Ponyville, drawn by two large pegasi. A familiar form rode on the chariot itself, her multicolored mane and tail fluttering in the breeze. It was hard not to recognize her. Celestia was paying a visit. She didn't seem to be headed for Twilight's castle, which Discord had thought in the first moment. She was aimed more for the center of the town. How curious... Discord nodded down at Angel. "Thanks for the heads up," He offered idly before winking out of existence.

Celestia looked slowly over the strangely quiet roads of Ponyville as they came in for a landing. It was the middle of the day, but there were almost no ponies in sight. It wasn't natural. Of course, that was what had brought her out. She glanced to the left to the passenger that sat a little behind her. "What has taken hold of Ponyville, and yourself?"

Princess Big Mac flopped over. He was tied securely from top to bottom in thick ropes as a result of his unwitnessed attempt to approach Princess Celestia. "It started with some vines," he said in his female voice, wriggling where he had fallen. "I'm a princess, like you. Let me go and I'll gladly help you."

Celestia set a hoof gently on his head. "You are part of the problem, dear Big Mac, and one I mean to solve."

One of the guards looked over his shoulder. "Princess."

Celestia turned away from Big Mac and looked to see what had prompted the guard. There was a pony, two. Two of the same pony. She knew that pony. "Octavia Melody," she spoke firmly, only to have them both look up at her with the same refined eyes. "Why are there two of you?"

They looked between themselves then back at Celestia. "I am Octavia," claimed one, only for the other to repeat the sentiment. "We're both Octavia," finished the first and the two nodded in agreement. "Except that one. I don't think she's really Octavia."

The second shook her head. "He's not even a mare. Octavia is clearly a mare, I would know, being her."

Celestia's expression darkened into a frown. "Tell me, were you Octavia one moon ago?"

The first Octavia tilted her head. "No I wasn't." The second agreed with a bobbing of her head.

A faint sigh of relief escaped from Celestia's mouth. "You remember your old selves then?"

The first Octavia put a hoof at her chest. "I was Carrot Top."

The second mirrored the gesture. "I was Cheerilee."

Celestia looked between the two slowly. "Once-Cheerilee--" She stopped her words immediately, noticing that the it brought a wince to the questioned's face.

Once-Cheerilee shook her head. "Please, Your Majesty, do not refer to me by my dead name. I was Cheerilee, but I am not anymore."

Celestia nodded slowly. "I will accept that... Octavia... But I still must ask, what do you recall of your former self?"

"I was a teacher." She pointed off towards the school. "I remember what I used to teach, what students got into what trouble as a habit, and everything else involved in that dreary life. Now, I am Octavia, and I craft wonderful music for refined ears." She smiled gently. "I seem to have misplaced my instrument, I'm afraid."

"I as well," agreed Once-Carrot Top. "We simply must get another."

Celestia tapped a hoof on the carriage she was atop. "Do you know what caused you to cease being what you were, and become what you are now?"

They shared a look as if they were speaking telepathically before Once-Carrot Top raised a hoof. "I had gone to see my marefriend's performance."

Once-Cheerilee gave a prim nod. "Ah yes, I as well. It's so nice that we can share her so readily."

Once-Carrot Top raised a hoof. "Is it really sharing? We were all Octavia. Not sharing with yourself would be a strange sight."

"Too true."

Celestia labored to keep her voice even. "And your marefriend is?" She did not pry into the romantic spoils of her subjects, unless she was informed or invited to a wedding.

Both of them pointed in unison in the direction of Octavia and Vinyl's home. "We reside with her," They both said together.

Once-Carrot Top nodded. "She can be a nuisance at times, but I love her despite. Vinyl Scratch is a pony who's heart beats to a strange rhythm."

"I can feel mine hasten to match it," sighed Once-Cheerilee. "Oh, how unseemly. My apologies, Princess Celestia."

Celestia raised a hoof. "Take us there, now."

The guards heard no room for delay. They had the carriage airborne and sailed narrowly over the rooftops of Ponyville.

Big Mac sat up with some effort. "I'm glad that didn't happen to me." Celestia glanced back at him. "Ah'm still me," he protested. "Ah'm Big Mac, brother of Applejack and Apple Bloom. We have to help them."

"On that last count, I agree." She rose to her hooves as the carriage touched down outside Vinyl and Octavia's split home. "Wait here while I investigate further."

"But--" She stepped away without listening to his words, leaving him with only the guards for company, and they were not up for being good company.

As she approached the house, she heard angry shouts coming from within. Submissive and warding words came in reply, both from mares. There were other mutterings that rose with it. Wondering what was going on, Celestia rapped on the door with her magic.

Things went quiet a moment. A few angry words were bit out, muffled by the wood of the door before the door swung open violently. "Yes!" Octavia stood there, hair frazzled and a fiery anger in her eyes. "Oh..." She deflated, seeing Celestia there. "Pardon me, Your Majesty. I didn't intend any slight. You've caught me at a most delicate time."

Celestia peeked past that Octavia to see there were a dozen other Octavias inside the house, with a sheepish looking Vinyl buried under half of them. "I've come to discuss the sudden surpluses in Octavias Ponyville seems to be suffering." It was far from the only thing she had to fix, but it was a start. "Were you Octavia a moon ago?"

Vinyl thrust a hoof free of the pile of affectionate mares. "Hey, 'Tavi! Nice to see ya!"

Octavia, the one at the door, heaved a deep sigh. "I have been myself since the day I was born. If you can address this serious oversight and restore some semblance of normalcy, I would be deeply indebted."

Dropping out of nowhere, Discord landed beside Celestia. "Not a problem!"

Celestia danced away from the sudden presence of Discord. "Discord! You star-- Is this your doing?" Her face turned into a full scowl. "This has all the marks. What have you done? I thought you had been reformed. We trusted you, Discord."

Discord put up his hands placatingly. "Hold your horses, dear Celestia. I didn't do this! I don't actually know what did, and that's bothersome. Chaos of this level? I should be a part of it! The idea that there's somepony else out there muscling in on my territory? Unacceptable!"

Celestia shook her head. "This is not a thing to be jealous of, Discord. Can you fix them?" She raised a hoof and pointed at the many Octavias. "The ones I spoke to previously do seem to remember who they were."

"Oh, that's good, then they're not 'gone' gone, just put in the back of their refined minds." He clapped his hands together and turned to the Octavia at the door. "What about you, my dear?"

The original Octavia stepped outside and to the left. "Do as you will, but leave me out of it. The only thing whatever this is has done for me is ruin my day and made awkward truths painfully evident."

"Octy, don't be like that!" cried Vinyl. "How could I know!?"

Celestia waved her already raised hoof. "Go on." She was peering at Discord sternly, judging.

Discord rolled his eyes as he advanced on the house. "Don't look at me like that. I said I'm here to help, and I mean it. Now then..." He approached an Octavia in the act of cooking some eggs and grabbed her by the scruff. With a sudden yank, she pulled free a skin of Octavia, wetly separating from the pony beneath in a violent and sudden tear. What was left was a dizzy Nurse Redheart.

Redheart crashed to her haunches. "Why was I pretending to be Octavia?"

Discord tossed the lifeless shell of Octavia aside. "Easy peasy."

The other Octavias looked up at the tearing sound and flinched almost in perfect unison. "Leave me alone!" cried one, suddenly bolting for the door, only to suddenly lift into the air as Discord approached.

"You'll thank me after I'm done," he said like a doctor about to give someone a painful shot.

While Discord worked, Celestia turned her eyes to the original Octavia. "My apologies for having to endure this. We will seek out the root cause of this calamity and put it to rest."

"I'm relieved to hear you say that." Octavia dipped her head low. "With you on the case, I should imagine we haven't long to wait. Have you consulted with Twilight? It is some surprise that she had not already acted. Perhaps she is in trouble?"

Celestia paled at the thought. "Discord, finish here. I'll be at Twilight's castle." She turned without waiting for replies, striding purposefully for her place on the carriage. There was something wrong... "Big Mac. Where is Big Mac?"

The two guards looked back over their shoulders, gasping with alarm as they saw that their captive had escaped.

Celestia put a hoof over her face. "Nevermind, he can wait. To Twilight's castle, immediately!"

Discord threw another Octavia skin onto the pile, patting the dazed Junebug on the head gently. "You don't even like that kind of music."

Vinyl could stand up, her pile of affectionate Octavia's dispersed. "Hey, be careful with them. They didn't do anything wrong, uh, of their own choice?" She glanced around. "Do any of you still like me, or was that just a weird curse thing?"

Thunderlane, head wobbling, raised a hoof. "I always liked your music." His cheeks were pinkened. "I don't... regret our time, but I'm not Octavia."

The original snorted hotly. "I should think not. I am the one and only Octavia." She put a hoof out mildly, just enough to trip another Octavia trying to flee the house. "Here's one for you, Discord."

Discord lifted a hand, the pony plucked by unseen forces and drawn to him. "Let's get this over with. None of this helps my Fluttershy."

Author's Note

Princess Celestia scrambles in search of her dear student. What happens next?

1: Celestia accepts that Twilight and Zecora are OTP
2: She does her best to break them apart
3: Discord continues hunting for the source of trouble.
4: Secret Agent Sweetie Drops peers suspiciously at the strange cube that has turned up.
5: Princess Big Mac makes his way back to Fluttershy

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